The International House of Japan held a fireside chat on October 6, 2026, welcoming U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA). Senator McCormick chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Energy and serves on the Committees on Foreign Relations and on Banking. He previously served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs and as Chief Executive Officer of Bridgewater Associates. This was his first visit to Japan as a Senator.

The conversation was moderated by Dr. Cheol Hee Park, Special Advisor at the International House of Japan and former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Japan.

Discussions spanned a wide range of topics, including the strategic implications of the Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel, the growing connection between defense, technology and investment in the United States, the energy demands arising from the expansion of AI and data centers, and the outlook for the November midterm elections and what the result may mean for policy. Participants also considered how Japan and other countries might contribute on these questions.

Some 40 guests attended, including members of the Diet, companies in the defense and advanced technology sectors, institutional investors, and corporate supporters of I-House. The session concluded with an active exchange of questions from the floor.