This document summarizes a presentation by Professor Yasushi Watanabe from Keio University about Japan's cultural soft power. The professor discusses how Japan's culture contributes to its soft power, what is new in this space, and how Japan's soft power capacity could allow it to act in the future. He also outlines four phases of Japan's soft power development since 1945 and notes challenges including the rise of "sharp power," backlash against liberal values, and Japan's aging population.