Stephen R. Nagy Keynote Speaker

Routledge book on Japan & US–China rivalry (accepted, 2026)
Senior Fellow APF Canada; Visiting Fellow JIIA (2018–present)
65+ closed-door Indo-Pacific briefings for policymakers (2020–2022)

Stephen R. Nagy's Biography

Dr. Stephen R. Nagy is a Canadian scholar and keynote speaker known for clear, policy-relevant insight on Indo-Pacific security, great power competition, and middle power diplomacy. Born in Calgary, Alberta, he earned a BSc from the University of Calgary and an MA and PhD in International Relations from Waseda University (2008). He works across English, French, and Japanese, and reads Mandarin Chinese.

A tenured Professor of Politics and International Studies at International Christian University in Tokyo (2014–present), Nagy teaches and researches international relations, foreign policy analysis, East Asian regionalism, and Chinese and Japanese foreign policy. He also directs the Japanese Development Scholarship (JDS) programme for mid-level public servants, designs international internship learning programmes, and has led leadership development programming in China.

Nagy brings a rare blend of academic depth and real-world strategic relevance through roles that connect universities, think tanks, and decision-makers. His appointments include Senior Fellow (Northeast Asia) at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (2024–present), Research Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (2017–present), Senior Research Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (2021–present), Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Security Centre (Bond University) (2017–present), and Visiting Fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs (2018–present). As Director of Policy Studies at the Yokosuka Council for Asia Pacific Studies, he spearheads Indo-Pacific policy dialogues and convened 65+ closed briefings for policymakers in cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo (2020–2022).

His forthcoming Routledge monograph (accepted for 2026) builds on a substantial record of published work, including major books released in 2024, 2015, and 2012. A trusted public commentator, he provides expert perspective for international media and delivers briefings for senior diplomatic, defence, and investor audiences, including a NATO Defense College lecture in Ottawa (October 2024).

US–China strategic competition and the coming global order

Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific and regional security shifts

Taiwan risk, economic security, and supply chain resilience

Japan–NATO alignment and transregional security cooperation

Middle power diplomacy, minilateralism, and coalition strategy

He brings 25+ years of Indo-Pacific research and policy engagement to help leaders understand great power competition and middle power options.
He connects board-level risk questions to the realities of US-China strategic competition, with grounded insight on Japan, Taiwan, and regional security dynamics.
He draws on active roles with leading policy institutes in Canada, Japan, and Australia to give audiences a clear view of how decision-makers are reading the region.
He delivers practical briefings shaped by extensive closed-door engagement with policymakers, helping organisations stress-test strategy and anticipate geopolitical shocks.
He speaks with the authority of a tenured professor in Tokyo and a prolific public commentator, translating complex regional developments into clear takeaways for executives and stakeholders.