Media Contact:
Samantha Pryor
Communications Director
Contact the Media Desk
Eisenhower Presidential Library to Host Program on U.S.-Japan Alliance
Celebrating America 250! Lunch & Learn Series
ABILENE, Kan. — The Eisenhower Presidential Library is pleased to announce a special Lunch & Learn program titled "President Eisenhower, Japan, and the Enduring Alliance" on Jul 23, 2026, at 12 p.m. CDT. Guests attending in person are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 a.m. The Library will provide a light box-lunch on a first-come, first-served basis.
This hybrid event will be held in person in the Library's indoor courtyard and streamed live via the Library's YouTube channel. Guest speaker Robert D. Eldridge, Ph.D., a Senior Fellow at The Japan Institute of International Affairs, will join us in person to lead the discussion.
The program explores the management of the critical U.S.-Japan bilateral relationship under President Eisenhower. When Eisenhower took office in 1953, Japan was newly independent yet still housed U.S. Forces, leading to friction over sovereignty. Dr. Eldridge will detail how Eisenhower shored up the alliance by returning the Amami Islands in 1953 and facilitating the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Security and Cooperation, a cornerstone of the alliance that remains in effect today.
Robert D. Eldridge, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, scholar, and former public official. He has served as a tenured associate professor at Osaka University and as the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Marine Corps Installations Pacific. The author or editor of 150 books on U.S.-Japan relations and Japanese politics, Dr. Eldridge currently heads his own think tank in Osaka.
The 2026 programming season celebrates America's 250th anniversary and examines President Eisenhower's top accomplishments in the continual pursuit of a more perfect Union. These programs are made possible courtesy of The Eisenhower Foundation.
# # #
About the Eisenhower Presidential Library
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is one of 16 Presidential Libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Presidential Libraries play a vital role in preserving and providing access to historical materials, supporting research, and fostering a deeper understanding of the presidency and the American experience. Through interactive exhibits and public programs, they aim to educate and inspire. The Eisenhower Presidential Library's public programs and exhibits receive generous funding and support from The Eisenhower Foundation.