Our Team

Mr. Hideshi Tokuchi

Distinguished Fellow (Non-Resident)

Mr. Hideshi Tokuchi joined Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) in September 2016 following a 36-year career of service to the government of Japan, most recently as the nation’s first-ever vice-minister of defense for international affairs. Tokuchi joined the Japanese Defense Agency (the predecessor of the Ministry of Defense) in 1979 as a civilian and retired from public service on October 1, 2015, after completing several senior assignments at the Ministry of Defense, including as director-general of the Operations Bureau, of the Personnel and Education Bureau, of the Finance and Equipment Bureau, and  of the Defense Policy Bureau. During most of his service, Tokuchi focused on Japan-U.S. defense cooperation, security-related legislation and defense buildup programs of Japan. From July 1995 through November 1996, Tokuchi was stationed in Washington, DC to study the Asia policy of the U.S. in the post-Cold War era as a visiting senior research fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) of the U.S. National Defense University (NDU).

In addition to his position at Sasakawa USA, Tokuchi additionally holds several positions in other academic and research institutions in Tokyo: President of Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS); visiting fellow at the Institute of International Relations of Sophia University; senior research advisor at the Nakasone Peace Institute(NPI). He has been teaching security-related issues at a few universities in Japan as well. On these capacities, he continues his research work on the alliance relationship between Japan and the U.S. Tokuchi received his bachelor of laws degree from the University of Tokyo in 1979 and received a master of arts in law and diplomacy (M.A.L.D.) degree at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1986.

Expertise: Japan-U.S. defense cooperation; Japanese security legislation; Japanese international security cooperation; Japanese national security policy