Speakers

Johnathen Kawakami, JD, LLM

Legal Counsel for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of the Marshall Islands

Johnathen Kawakami currently serves as the legal advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as to the President of the Marshall Islands focusing on international law and diplomacy. Johnathen also provides legal advice on domestic matters including drafting legislations, national security, compact of free association issues, and regional issues in the Pacific.

Before his current role, Johnathen served as the Deputy Attorney-General from 2016 to December 2025 where he litigated both criminal and civil cases, as well as providing legal advice to the RMI Cabinet. Johnathen has served the RMI Government for 13 years.