Dear all:

The Economic Security Intelligence Lab (ESIL) at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo, is pleased to co-host a public seminar with the RAND Corporation, titled:

Japan-U.S.-ROK Trilateralism in Action:

Securing Critical Mineral Supply Chains for Economic Resilience

As strategic competition intensifies and economic coercion reshapes the global trade landscape, securing resilient supply chains for critical minerals has emerged as a top priority for policymakers and industry leaders alike. Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea - three leading Indo-Pacific democracies - are increasingly coordinating efforts to address vulnerabilities in both commercial and defense-related supply chains.

This public seminar brings together leading experts from the RAND Corporation to examine how Japan-U.S.-ROK trilateral cooperation can advance economic security and supply chain resilience under the Trump 2.0 administration.

• Scott W. Harold will provide a scene-setting overview of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy under the Trump 2.0 administration.

• Dr. Fabian Villalobos will present key insights from a forthcoming RAND study on trilateral cooperation to diversify and secure critical mineral supply chains.

• Sale Lilly will analyze the use of economic coercion as a tool of geopolitical influence and its implications for regional resilience.

• Akira Igata will moderate the panel and offer the Japanese perspective on policies and international coordination related to economic security.

The seminar will be conducted in English, and pre-registration is required to participate.

【 Event Details】

Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 15:00-16:30 (Registration opens at 14:30)
Language: English
Venue: 2nd Floor Conference Hall, Building #4, Komaba II Campus, RCAST, The University of Tokyo
(4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904 JAPAN)
Please note: This venue is located on the Komaba II Campus, not the Komaba I Campus.

【 Registration Link】

https://forms.gle/hRgtnf7eaWayt4iPA

【 Speakers (RAND Corporation)】

Scott W. Harold is a Senior Political Scientist at RAND and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. He specializes in the foreign and defense policies of China, Japan, the two Koreas, Taiwan, and Oceania. From 2022 to 2024, he served as a senior advisor in the U.S. Department of Defense. He has also held research roles at the Brookings Institution and taught at Georgetown, Columbia, and George Washington University.

Dr. Fabian Villalobos is a Senior Researcher at RAND and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. His work focuses on critical minerals, techno-economic competition, and technological risk. He has briefed policymakers across sectors and has been featured in media such as the New York Times and CNN. He holds a background in materials science and chemical engineering and has industry experience as a co-inventor and product developer.

Sale Lilly is a Senior Policy Analyst at RAND, focusing on Chinese military and economic strategy as well as wargame design. He previously served as a U.S. Navy officer and worked in the financial services sector. He holds degrees from the U.S. Naval Academy and Oxford University.

【 Moderator】

Akira Igata is a Project Lecturer and heads the Economic Security Intelligence Laboratory (ESIL) at RCAST, the University of Tokyo. He holds affiliations with several international think tanks and policy institutions, including the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Pacific Forum (PF), Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), the National Security College at the Australian National University (NSC, ANU), the European Values Center for Security Studies (EVC), and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).

＊Note: For security reasons, participants who do not provide complete and accurate information regarding their identity, affiliation, and position may not be admitted.

As always, we will ensure ample time for Q&A, and we encourage active participation from the audience.

We look forward to welcoming you to this timely and important seminar.

Best regards,
Akira

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