Lieutenant General (Ret.) Koichiro BANSHO will offer a historical and security perspective on the importance of the Japan-U.S. bond, a relationship that dates back more than 150 years. The two countries have worked to overcome the scars of World War II, establishing a strong alliance in the process. They have supported each other in frequent operations, including reconstruction efforts in Iraq and “Operation Tomodachi, ” a response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Fukushima in 2011. Challenges face both nations, from new domains such as cyberspace, space, terrorism, and WMD, to new security threats and concerns in the Indo-Pacific region and the global arena. The successful partnership of their military forces, which has found strength in diversity and mutual respect, can be instructive as Japan and the United States work together to cope with future challenges. LTG Bansho retired from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in August 2015 after thirty-five years of military service. He has extensive bilateral relations experience, having served as chief at the Japan-US Bilateral Coordination Center for “Operation Tomodachi.” He also commanded the first Japanese contingent to Iraq, deployed in Al-Samawah in 2004. Bansho became a senior adviser to the Marubeni Corporation in late 2015. He is currently a member of the advisory board of the National Security Secretariat, Cabinet Secretariat. He graduated from the US Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies in 2000.