Yukari Ota is a Ph.D. researcher at Cambridge University and a former U.N. official who specialized in peace-building. She served in several conflict-affected countries, including Afghanistan (2004-2010).
Set to play more of an essential role in global politics than ever before, last month's in-person Quad summit in Washington reaffirmed Japan's vital importance as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific. But is Japan ready?