Chris Johnstone is a senior advisor at The Asia Group and Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, he served in government for 25 years in a variety of senior positions with a focus on U.S. policy toward Japan and the Indo-Pacific region. He served twice on the National Security Council, as director for East Asia under President Joe Biden and director for Japan and Oceanian affairs under President Barack Obama. In the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he led offices with responsibility for South and Southeast Asia and East Asia. He began his career as an intelligence officer in the Central Intelligence Agency.
Podcasts
Chris Johnstone on Japan’s Growing Security Leadership
- Japan
Recent Posts
TAG Principal Jennifer Lee Quoted in NBC News Article on South Korean Election
June 2, 2025
Media Mentions
“A lot of people just want to move on, because it’s been a long six months…” said TAG Principal Jennifer ...
TAG Partner, Mira Rapp-Hooper Spoke to the New York Times on U.S. Tariff Policy Post-Shangri-La Talks
May 31, 2025
Media Mentions
“All of these countries have their own domestic politics,” said TAG Partner, Mira Rapp-Hooper speaking with the New York Times. ...
TAG Partner Amb. Dan Kritenbrink Joined Jim Sciutto for an Interview on CNN’s AC360
May 30, 2025
Media Mentions
TAG Partner Amb. Dan Kritenbrink joined Jim Sciutto for an interview on CNN’s AC360 to discuss the global impact of ...
The Asia Group Announces Nisha Biswal as Partner
May 29, 2025
Press Releases
Washington, DC; New Delhi, India | May 29, 2025 – The Asia Group (TAG) is excited to announce Nisha D. ...