Mr. Tokuchi Hideshi is the President of the Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS). Previously, he served as Japan’s first-ever Vice Minister of Defense for International Affairs (2014-2015) after completing several senior assignments, including Director General of the Defense Policy Bureau, the Budget and Equipment Bureau, the Personnel and Education Bureau, and the Operations Bureau. He is also a visiting fellow at the Sophia Institute of International Relations (SIIR) and a senior research advisor for the Nakasone Peace Institute (NPI). He writes extensively on Japan’s national security policy, the Japan U.S. Alliance, and international security cooperation. Mr. Tokuchi earned his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tokyo and his M.A.L.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.