Japan National Institute for Defense Studies (): Overview of National Security Issues Research and Education Programs

List of Key Chapter Titles

1. The Role of the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS)
2. Organizational Structure
3. Research on National Security Issues
4. Military History Research
5. Education Programs for Senior SDF Officers and Administrative Officials
6. International Exchange
7. Organizing International Conferences and Events
8. Publication and Utilization of Military Historical Documents
9. Dissemination of Research Results

Document Introduction

As a think tank under Japan's Ministry of Defense and Japan's only national-level academic research institution dedicated to the security field, the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) plays a central role in national security policy formulation and the cultivation of senior personnel for the Self-Defense Forces. Based on its official documents, this report comprehensively examines how the institution serves Japan's national security needs through research, education, and archival work within a dynamically changing international strategic environment.

The report first clarifies NIDS's legal and strategic positioning. According to the "National Defense Strategy" and the "Defense Buildup Plan" approved by Japan's National Security Council and Cabinet in December 2022, NIDS is assigned a central role in strengthening the research capabilities of the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces, expanding domestic and international research and education networks, and particularly in cultivating core talent in the cyber domain. This signifies that NIDS has evolved from a traditional military history research institution into a critical "intellectual infrastructure" in Japan's security domain.

In terms of organizational structure and core activities, NIDS comprises several departments including the Policy Research Department, Security Studies Department, Education Department, and the Military History Center, with approximately 170 researchers and administrative staff. Its research agenda closely aligns with Japan's strategic challenges, covering global security issues (including emerging domains such as cyber, maritime, space, and the electromagnetic spectrum), defense capability building (strategy, alliances, industry, deterrence), regional security relations (covering key regions such as the Indo-Pacific, U.S.-China relations, the Korean Peninsula, and Russia-Europe), and policy simulations utilizing advanced expert knowledge. Simultaneously, its affiliated Military History Center, as Japan's largest military history research institution, not only continues research on World War II history, post-war Japanese security policy history, and international conflict history, but is also responsible for compiling, preserving, and publicly releasing a vast collection of Japanese Army and Navy historical documents, including the 102-volume "Senshi Sosho" (War History Series) and post-war oral histories.

Another core function of NIDS is education. Its "National Security Strategist Research Course" (10 months) for SDF Colonel/Captain-level officers and mid-level officials from government agencies like the Ministry of Defense, and its "National Security Senior Strategist Research Course" (approximately 3 weeks) for General/Flag Officer and Bureau Director-level officials, aim to cultivate participants' ability to analyze strategic issues and formulate and implement strategies. The courses integrate lectures, seminars, policy simulations, and domestic and international field studies, and collaborate with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) to offer a master's degree.

To enhance research standards and build international networks, NIDS actively conducts researcher exchanges, participates in multilateral mechanisms such as the NATO Chiefs of Defense Conference and the ASEAN Regional Forum Defense University Presidents' Meeting, and regularly hosts high-level academic events like the "NIDS International Symposium on Security Affairs," the "NIDS International Forum on War History," and the "Connections Japan" policy simulation international conference, bringing together domestic and international scholars and policy practitioners for dialogue. Its research results are disseminated to academia and society through various publications such as the "NIDS China Security Report," "NIDS Perspective," "Security & Strategy" (a peer-reviewed journal), the "NIDS Annual of Military History Studies," and the "NIDS Commentary."

In summary, this report reveals a multi-layered, highly specialized ecosystem for Japanese national security research. By integrating policy-oriented interdisciplinary research, in-depth analysis based on historical experience, practice-oriented advanced strategic education, and extensive international academic exchange, NIDS systematically serves the formulation and execution of Japan's medium- to long-term national security strategy. It serves as a crucial window for observing the evolution of Japan's security thinking and the policy formation process.