MFP No. 22 Visit Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Speak at GRIPS Seminars
March 22, 2018
Last week the Mansfield Fellows in Japan had a unique opportunity to tour the U.S. Naval Base in Yokosuka with its commander, alumni Mansfield Fellow Jeffrey Kim. Captain Kim participated in the Mansfield Fellowship Program as a representative of the United States Navy from 2015-2016. He assumed command of the base, officially known as Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in July 2016. Fleet Activities Yokosuka is the largest U.S. naval installation in Japan and home to the U.S. Seventh Fleet Headquarters and the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. In addition to leading a tour of the base, Captain Kim briefed the Mansfield Fellows on the base’s history, mission, and operation and hosted lunch at the Officer’s club. The Mansfield Fellows also toured the USS Ronald Reagan.
Last week the Mansfield Foundation and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) co-hosted two Tokyo seminars featuring Mansfield Fellows. On March 19, Daniel Craven (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FDIC) gave a presentation titled “Introduction to the U.S. Government’s Approach to Cybersecurity for Federal Government Information and Systems.” Mr. Craven shared his experiences serving as a Senior Information Technology Specialist at the FDIC and described the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), the Risk Management Framework U.S. agencies use to secure systems, and the role of Offices of Inspector General in securing federal systems. He also explained the U.S. government’s approach to securing federal government information and systems given the threats and challenges posed to cybersecurity in the 21st century. Mr. Craven and moderator Yasuyuki Watanabe (Associate Professor, GRIPS) also answered questions from the audience, which included representatives of financial institutions and think tanks, Japanese government offices and the private sector. Questions covered cybersecurity preparations for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the relationship between Inspector Generals and the heads of agencies, and similarities between the FDIC and Japanese equivalents.
On March 20, Sarah Watson (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA) presented her perspective on “United States’ Environmental Policy in the Trump Era.” Ms. Watson, an Environmental Engineer at EPA, presented an overview of the U.S. rule-making process and described the different roles the White House, the Department of State, and EPA play in environmental policy. She also provided insights on the Trump administration’s priorities and plans with regard to environmental policy. Ms. Watson and moderator Hirofumi Takada (Professor, GRIPS) also responded to questions from the audience, which included embassy officials, students, and representatives of international corporations.
