On January 21, Genron NPO, a research institute, launched a multilateral forum named Asia Peace Conference and held a commemorative event in Tokyo. It was established to provide a platform for dialogue for former senior government officials and private citizens from Japan, the U.S., China, and South Korea.

The conference’s aim is to help government efforts to ease tensions and promote sustainable peace in the Northeast Asian region. Its members include Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, the former chief of joint staff for the Japan Self-Defense Forces, as well as former Assistant Secretary of Defense David Shear, who commented: “We should hold a dialogue among participants from the five nations to determine ways to sustain sanctions against North Korea.”