Team Voices

Keisuke Wada

Hello! I am Keisuke Wada, the US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative Intern at Sasakawa USA since April 2022. In 2021, I graduated with a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. While studying at UC Berkeley, I developed my interest in U.S.-Japan relations through several experiences related to the bilateral relationship, such as doing an internship at the Japan External Trade Organization San Francisco, participating in the Japan-America Student Conference, and being a research team member for Professor Steven Vogel at UC Berkeley.   

As a member of the NEXT Alliance Initiative led by Sasakawa USA Senior Director James Schoff, I worked on researching Japan’s current system and structure regarding cyber security issues. Since cyber security is a comparatively new topic for both Japan and the US, it was very exciting and worthwhile to seek how we can foster the bilateral cooperation on cyber security issues. I am so grateful for having been given the chance to participate in such a valuable experience with Sasakawa USA since I have gained a wide-range of knowledge by meeting a lot of high-level professionals and officials and seeing the actual frontline of the U.S.-Japan relationship through my internship. I am sure that this five-month internship will help me pursue my career in global politics significantly.  

Though I’m leaving the U.S. soon, my current plan is to come back to the U.S. for graduate school next fall. When I was in college, I was a typical bighead Poli-Sci student, however, I have realized there are a lot of people of the same age who have already developed specializations soon after I started my internship at Sasakawa USA. Therefore, I began to think that I want to pursue a master’s degree to gain further knowledge and experience in global politics.  

Lastly, I would like to show my gratitude to all colleagues at Sasakawa USA, particularly Mr. Schoff and Program Assistant Erim Gulum. I couldn’t have such an exciting yet very fun time in D.C. without these wonderful and professional colleagues. Moving to D.C. without knowing anybody from the west coast was very tough, but my D.C. life turned very bright after I started working with such amazing people. That was my true honor to work with the people at Sasakawa USA!