Courtesy Photo | Randy “Church” Kee, Director of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies...... read more read more
As strategic competition intensifies across the Arctic and Indo-Pacific, the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies is expanding its outreach to like-minded partners committed to preserving regional stability and deterring aggression.
On April 8, Director Randy “Church” Kee met with Kiyohiko Hamada, Head Consul of Japan in Anchorage, to discuss shared interests in Arctic research, governance, and security cooperation. The courtesy visit marked a continued effort by the Department of Defense’s newest Regional Center to build enduring relationships with allies who recognize the Arctic’s increasing geopolitical relevance. Hamada arrived in Anchorage in December 2023 after spending three years as Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine.
Japan, a longstanding observer in the Arctic Council since 2013, has maintained a consistent focus on sustainable development, scientific research, and international collaboration in the Arctic. Hamada noted that Japan’s Arctic policy, formalized in 2015, remains an essential part of its broader foreign and security agenda. He highlighted the leadership of Japan’s Arctic Ambassador Katsuhiko Takahashi and shared plans for the launch of a new polar research icebreaker in 2026. Hamada reflected on the long, productive research partnership with the United States, including the establishment of the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 1999. Hamada and Kee exchanged views on upcoming events in the Arctic, to include the transition of the Arctic Council Chairship from Norway to the Kingdom of Denmark, and the implications for Arctic diplomacy and cooperation going forward.
Kee emphasized the center’s mission to promote regional security cooperation through education, research, and engagement. He encouraged Consulate staff to engage in the center’s programs, which bring together civilian and military leaders from across the circumpolar Arctic and Pacific regions to address shared challenges.
The meeting underscored the growing importance of Arctic-Pacific coordination in the face of evolving security dynamics. With melting sea ice, expanding maritime access, and intensifying great power interest in the region, U.S. allies such as Japan play a vital role in maintaining a rules-based order and ensuring operational readiness in extreme environments.
As the only Department of Defense Regional Center focused exclusively on Arctic security and defense, the TSC is a hub for fostering unity of effort among allied nations. With rising competition in the Indo-Pacific, increasing Chinese and Russian presence in the Arctic, and growing concern over the militarization of critical infrastructure and sea lanes, strategic cooperation with partners like Japan is not just beneficial—it is essential.
By strengthening educational and scientific collaboration across the Arctic-Pacific, the TSC supports the DoD’s core priorities to rebuild military readiness and reestablish deterrence in regions where the rules are being tested. As today’s geopolitical flashpoints stretch from the Taiwan Strait to the Bering Strait, partnerships forged through dialogue and shared expertise are a critical line of deterrence for homeland defense.
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2025 17:58 |
| Story ID: | 496760 |
| Location: | ANCHORAGE , ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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