U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

E M P OW E R I N G T H E N E X T G E N E R A T IO N

2015 Annual ReportTABLE OF CONTENTSWELCOME...........................................................................................................3
ABOUT THE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL.........................................................4
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
2015 Annual Conference................................................................................6
Japanese American Leadership Delegation Program ...............................8
Asian American Leadership Delegation Program.....................................9
Women in Leadership..................................................................................10
EDUCATIONAL & NETWORKING PROGRAMS
Prime Minister Abe’s Visit to the United States........................................12
Business and Legislative Programs............................................................13
Regional Programs........................................................................................14
Culinary Diplomacy......................................................................................15
Governors’ Circle...........................................................................................16
Ambassador, Consuls General andJapanese American Leaders Meeting.........................................................16
TOMODACHI INITIATIVE
About TOMODACHI....................................................................................18
TOMODACHI Programs..............................................................................19
TOMODACHI Emerging Leaders Program..............................................21
LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORTBoards..............................................................................................................24
Sponsors..........................................................................................................27
Membership...................................................................................................31

2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

Dear Friends,
On behalf of the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC), we want to thank our generous benefactors, dedicated Board
members, engaged Council Members, Associate Members and Friends, and hard-working staff for yoursupport in 2015. USJC reached new heights in 2015 in its mission to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations and foster
people-to-people connections.
2015 Highlights
Our Annual Conference was held in Japan for the first time. Over 850 people attended, including Prime Minister
Abe and Ambassador Kennedy, who both spoke at the Conference. We attracted more Japanese attendees thanever before, and appreciate the support of our U.S. members, more than 180 of whom came to Tokyo.
We also continued to strengthen our Japanese corporate network through the Business Advisory Board, andinvited as guest speakers prominent individuals like a Nobel Laureate and an astronaut. The Asian American
Leadership Delegation met with top Japanese leaders again this year, further strengthening Asian Americans
state legislators’ ties with Japan.
The TOMODACHI Initiative, which invests in the next generation of leaders, saw further success as well. We
supported 49 programs in the United States and Japan, enabling nearly 1,200 young people to participate incross-cultural exchanges and programs in 2015.
The 70th anniversary of the end of World War II was central to our efforts to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations. For
the Japanese American Leadership Delegation program, which celebrated its 15th anniversary, the Delegation
visited Hiroshima and learned about its efforts to spread a worldwide message of peace. On many occasions,
ranging from speeches to media interviews, we spoke about Japanese Americans’ post-war history and successin connecting our two countries.
Looking Ahead
In 2016, we will focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. Our Annual Conference will be held in Silicon
Valley on November 14 and 15. Our newly launched Silicon Valley Japan Platform, which connects Japanesebusinesses and technologies with Silicon Valley institutions and influencers, will be a central part of theConference. We also look forward to increasing our educational and networking programs throughout theUnited States and Japan, and continuing to advance issues important to our bilateral relations.
USJC is increasing its prominence and value because of your active engagement. We thank all of you for yourstrong support in the past year, and look forward to another dynamic year working together to strengthen
U.S.-Japan relations.

Sincerely,

Irene Hirano Inouye
President

Dennis Teranishi
Chairman of the Board
U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL 2 0 1 5 ANNUAL RE PORT

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILABOUT THE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

OUR MISSIONTHE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL is a Japanese American-led organization fully dedicatedto strengthening ties between the United States and Japan in a global context. By
promoting people-to-people relationships through its innovative programs in networking
and leadership, the Council serves as a catalyst to inspire and engage Japanese andAmericans of all generations. It develops the next generation of leaders committed to avibrant and dynamic relationship.

OUR VISIONWE ENVISION A VIBRANT and dynamic U.S.-Japan relationship, strengthened by

the increased diversity of leaders committed to the relationship, and increasing positiveand productive cooperation that benefits both countries and the Asia-Pacific region.
The U.S.-Japan Council, a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization, was founded in2008 and is headquartered in Washington, DC with staff in California and Tokyo. In
2012, the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) was created to support the administration of the
TOMODACHI Initiative, and in 2013, it became a Public Interest Corporation (Koeki
Zaidan Hojin). The U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) maintains an office in Tokyo, Japan.

“As strong as our alliance has been, there’s never been a time when
our leaders have been more committed to building a brighter future
together. And so I encourage this incredible Council to … seize thismoment where there’s so much possibility to work collaboratively, andto move our countries forward together.”—HON. ANTHONY FOXX,
U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION4EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION“Under its Japanese American leadership, the U.S.-Japan Council
is promoting bilateral human exchange across all generations andfostering the leaders of the next generation.”—HIS EXCELLENCY SHINZO ABE,
PRIME MINISTER OF JAPANSIGNATURE PROGRAMS:
2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
JAPANESE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP DELEGATION PROGRAMASIAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP DELEGATION PROGRAMWOMEN IN LEADERSHIP2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

THE 2015 U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL Annual Conference, themed Beyond 2020
Vision: Going Global with the U.S.-Japan Partnership, was held from November 9 to
10 in Tokyo, Japan. It brought together regional, national and international leadersfrom government, business, academia and non-profit sectors to discuss the futureof U.S.-Japan collaboration leading up to and after 2020, a key year for Japan.

Left: Speakers of the panel “Successful Models
for Political Leadership in U.S.-Japan Relations.”
Top: Keynote Speakers (L‐R) Mr. Hirano,
Secretary Foxx, Ms. Peterson.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
The Conference featured six Keynote Speakers:• His Excellency Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan• Hon. Anthony Foxx, U.S. Secretary of Transportation• Mr. Nobuyuki Hirano, President & Group CEO, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial
Group, Inc.
• Ms. Sandra E. Peterson, Group Worldwide Chairman, Johnson & Johnson• Dr. Koji Murofushi, Sports Director, The Tokyo Organising Committee of the
Olympic and Paralympic Games• Dr. Gill Pratt, Executive Technical Adviser, Toyota Motor Corporation andCEO, Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
Other prominent speakers included: His Excellency Yasuo Fukuda, Former Prime
Minister of Japan; Amb. John V. Roos, Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan; Mr. So
Taguchi, Baseball Commentator; Mr. Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President, CEO of
Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.; and four governors from both countries.

His Excellency Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister ofJapan.

“Thanks to the U.S.-Japan Council and generous sponsors, many young people have visited the United States andseen how wonderful it is. And through that visit, they’ve understood that they have a bright future and a lot of hope.”—MR. FUTOSHI TOBA, MAYOR, CITY OF RIKUZENTAKATA

THE JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
The session “The Japanese American Experience: From Internment to Leadership,a Seventy-Year Journey” examined the decades of Japanese American leadershipafter the war. USJC paid tribute to three pioneers: Mr. George Aratani, Senator
Daniel K. Inouye, and Mr. Wally Yonamine. Secretary Norman Mineta (pictured
right, with Board Member Jan Yanehiro) shared his internment experience andhis fight in the redress campaign. Contemporary Japanese American leaders thendiscussed how they are contributing to U.S.-Japan relations in their respective
fields.
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EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL“I am grateful to the many corporate and institutional partners who support the TOMODACHI Initiative. Throughinnovative exchange programs, TOMODACHI is creating the leaders of tomorrow who will ensure the U.S.-Japan
relationship remains strong.”—HON. CAROLINE B. KENNEDY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPANPANEL DISCUSSIONS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMING:
The many dimensions of the U.S.-Japan relationship were reflected in the
Conference’s dozen panel discussions, programs, and networking & information
sessions. These included:• Global Leadership through Business Innovation and Integration• Philanthropy in the 21st Century• Immersion into Japan’s Start-Up Culture• Kyogen performance

Top: Ms. Kathy Matsui joined Mr. Paul Yonamineand Mr. Takeshi Niinami in discussing
global leadership.
Left: Mr. Fred Katayama and Associate Members.

KEY FACTS• THIS WAS USJC’S LARGEST Annual Conference to date, with
850 attendees (more than 50% increase from 2014), including 220
USJC members.
• OVER 120 GENEROUS SPONSORS contributed nearly $2 million.
• 71 JOURNALISTS FROM 104 MEDIA OUTLETS —including
NHK, Nikkei Shimbun and Bloomberg—covered the Conference, which
resulted in 135 pieces of exposure.

Hollywood Actor
Masi Oka (right)
joins Board
Members Donna
Cole and Ernest
Higa for the“Japanese American
Experience” panel.

Kyogen performance.

Council Members enjoy catching up
at the Conference.

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JAPANESE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP
DELEGATION PROGRAM

THE JAPANESE AMERICANLEADERSHIP DELEGATION(JALD) program provides theopportunity for a select group ofJapanese American leaders to travel
to Japan to engage with Japaneseleaders in the business, government,
academic, non-profit and cultural
sectors.

“I had the opportunity to learn more about
and reflect on the many bonds that link
Japanese Americans with the Japanese—things like grit and perseverance, and thetendency to not dwell on the past but to lookto the future.”—MS. LYNN HASHIMOTO,
2015 DELEGATEThe 2015 Japanese American
Leadership Delegation traveled toJapan from March 6 to 14. They visited
Hiroshima, where they met with
Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki (a Friendof the Council), and spoke in a seminarabout aging and dementia that was cosponsored with the Japan Foundation
Center for Global Partnership. They
then traveled to Tokyo to meet withsenior leaders in the business andgovernment sectors, including Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe.
JALD is generously sponsored by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

JALD 15TH ANNIVERSARY:
JALD, which has so far sent a total of
176 delegates to Japan, celebrated its
15th anniversary at a special session
during the 2015 Annual Conference.
Ambassador Hiroyasu Ando, President,
Japan Foundation; Ambassador
Masaharu Kohno, Former Consul
General of Los Angeles; and Minister
Taro Kono, Chairperson of the National
Public Safety Commission, shared theirstories as supporters of the program.
Mr. Terry Hara ‘05, Dr. Emily Murase‘13 and Dr. William Tsutsui ’11 spoke asalumni. A video created by Ms. Dianne
Fukami ’09 further showcased voices ofalumni everywhere.

(L-R) Moderator Ms. Aiko Doden (NHK)with Mr. Hara, Dr. Murase and Dr. Tsutsui.

“All of the personal interactions during the trip were a constant reminder that all relations,no matter at what level, in government, business or non-profit, begin people-to-people—for
it is through our understanding of one another that stronger relations are built.”—MR. TYLER TOKIOKA, 2015 DELEGATE

8EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILASIAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP
DELEGATION PROGRAM

THROUGH THE ASIANAMERICAN LEADERSHIP
DELEGATION (AALD) program,

USJC works with elected officials
to broaden the understanding of
U.S.-Japan relations at the statelegislative level.
The 2015 program selected six
elected state officials from diverse
backgrounds and regions of thecountry. From September 25 to
October 3, the delegates traveledto Tokyo and Kyoto to meet withJapanese political and government
leaders, business executives andnon-profit leaders to exchange ideas
as well as create networks that canmutually benefit the U.S.-Japan
relationship. The delegates also
spoke about their varied personal

and professional journeys at a panel
discussion in Kyoto titled “Diversity
in Leadership: The Journey of Asian
American State Legislators.”
AALD is funded by the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation and implemented
by USJC, in collaboration with the
National Asian Pacific American
Caucus of State Legislators andthe National Conference of State
Legislatures.

THE 2015 AALD DELEGATES:• Have roots in China, India, Japan,
the Philippines, South Korea andTaiwan.
• Are state representatives from
Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland,Michigan, Oklahoma and Vermont.

“I appreciated the [Japanese] people’s passion for what they do, the chance totalk and learn more about various perspectives (including those of younger
individuals), shared interests, challenges and concerns, the candor, depth andvariety of the exchange opportunities, the caliber of individuals that we were able
to meet, and the interest that they had in our stories.”“I am simply grateful to have begun a
relationship with Japanese leaders as I
embark on what will hopefully be a longpolitical career that includes attention tocross-cultural relationship building, foreign
affairs, and international trade.”— REPRESENTATIVE KESHA RAM,2015 DELEGATE—SENATOR HOON-YUNG HOPGOOD, 2015 DELEGATE

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILWOMEN IN LEADERSHIPA Regional Women in Leadership
Networking event in Washington, DC.

(L-R) Hon. Kelly R. Welsh; Ms. Margot Carrington; Mr. Yukihiro Otsuka; Ms. Merle Aiko Okawara;
Mr. Takayuki Kawashima; Ms. Susan Morita and Mr. Yuta Hasumi from the Women’s Leadership panelat the Annual Conference.

USJC CONTINUES TO FOCUS on women’s leadership. In 2015,

several events and programs led to active discourse and stronger
networks, inspiring women and men of all generations.

REGIONAL WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP NETWORKING
From June through December 2015, USJC held 25 networking eventsin Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City,San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. A total of 277
community leaders discussed Japan’s Womenomics agenda, as well asways that Americans can support it. This resulted in a number of concretesuggestions for changes in government and workplace policy, as well as
mindset.
Mrs. Abe converses with TMWLP participants.

“Dealing with issues of diversity, equity and inclusion
requires paying attention to power dynamics, andfinding ways to empower groups that may feeldisenfranchised or invisible.”—MS. SUSAN MORITA, PANELIST,
NEXT STEPS FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIPNEXT STEPS FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
During the 2015 Annual Conference, Government and corporate experts
took stock of the progress made in Womenomics, and offered suggestions.
Recommendations were based on the speakers’ research and personal
experience, and included training, mentoring, benchmarking, challenging
stereotypes and unconscious biases, and ensuring men and bosses’
support to achieve better work-life balance.

TOMODACHI METLIFE WOMEN’S
LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
The TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program (TMWLP)
is a 10-month mentorship program that encourages networking among
Japanese university students and mid-career professional women. In the
2014-2015 year, the women met in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Naha. The
students traveled to Washington, DC and New York City in March 2015,
and met with several leaders, including Members of Congress, heads of
NPOs and USJC members. In May, TMWLP held its Annual Conferencein Tokyo, where speakers included First Lady of Japan, Akie Abe.

TMWLP participants with Mr. Sachin Shah, President &CEO of MetLife Japan.

10

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION“Through this trip I have found so many role models . . . they’re confident, but they
practice a lot to be confident, they love what they do, and they’re really attractive
as people. And meeting these people has made [me realize] that my dream is a lot
closer than I think, because they are actually qualities I can work on everyday.”—MS. MEGAN UCHIDA, TMWLP PARTICIPANT

EDUCATIONAL & NETWORKINGPROGRAMS:PRIME MINISTER ABE’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATESBUSINESS AND LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMSREGIONAL PROGRAMSCULINARY DIPLOMACYGOVERNORS’ CIRCLECONSULS GENERAL AND JAPANESE AMERICAN LEADERS MEETING2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

PRIME MINISTER ABE’S VISIT
TO THE UNITED STATESFirst Lady Akie Abe with Council Member Anne
Nishimura Morse (right) at the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston.

“Let us call the U.S.-Japan alliance, an alliance of hope. Let the two of us, America andJapan, join our hands together and do our best to make the world a better, a much better,
place to live.”—PRIME MINISTER ABE DURING HIS HISTORIC ADDRESSTO THE JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON, D.C.

WITH PRIME MINISTER SHINZO Abe’s official state visit to the UnitedStates, the week from April 26 to May 2 was an exciting time for U.S.-Japan
relations. USJC leadership and members played a prominent role in the visit andhelped strengthen the bond between the two countries.

BOSTON
Prime Minister Abe shaking hands with
Mr. Ernest Higa, Chair of the USJC(J) Board of
Directors, in Silicon Valley.

When Prime Minister Abe visited the MIT Media Lab, its director, Council Member
Joi Ito, led him on a tour. Council Member Anne Nishimura Morse, Senior Curatorof Japanese Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accompanied Mrs. Abe on atour of the galleries. USJC Board Member Atsuko Fish was among six women who
met with Mrs. Abe for a private discussion about their activities.

SILICON VALLEY/SAN FRANCISCO
SILICON VALLEY JAPANPLATFORM
The Silicon Valley Japan Platform (SVJP),a new initiative of USJC and the Rebuild
Japan Initiative Foundation, builds upon
the Prime Minister’s visit to Silicon
Valley. SVJP’s mission is to broaden anddeepen the ties between Silicon Valley andJapan through programs that focus on
entrepreneurship and innovation. SVJP,
chaired by Dr. Okimoto, was previewed in
the 2015 Annual Conference in Tokyo, andwill play a central role in the 2016 Annual
Conference in Silicon Valley.

12

Prime Minister Abe spoke with top entrepreneurs and business leaders at
a roundtable discussion at Stanford University. Chair of the USJC Board of
Councilors Dr. Daniel Okimoto led the USJC team working on this event.
Prime Minister Abe also visited the Gladstone Institutes at the University ofCalifornia at San Francisco, where he met leaders that included 2012 Nobel
Laureate and Member of the USJC Board of Councilors, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka.
Meanwhile, Council Member Emily Murase, President of the San Francisco Boardof Education, welcomed Mrs. Abe to an elementary school offering Japanese
language classes.

LOS ANGELES
Prime Minister Abe attended the Southern California Welcome Luncheon, which
USJC supported. During his speech, he emphasized the importance of exchange
programs, and thanked Japanese Americans for being a “bridge” between the
countries. Prime Minister Abe also met with three TOMODACHI Inouye Scholars
from Loyola Marymount University.

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

BUSINESS AND LEGISLATIVE NETWORKING

Ms. Naoko Yamazaki discusses U.S.-Japan collaborationin space.

Business leaders share a laugh with Congressman Castro (left).

BUSINESS NETWORKINGThe Business Advisory Board (BAB) is agroup of business leaders in Japan withexperience in the United States who arealso familiar with the work of USJC. Under
the leadership of Mr. Masaaki Tanaka, Vice
Chair of the USJC Board of Councilors, BAB
continued to be successful in 2015. BAB
was held three times over the course of theyear, each welcoming a speaker for theirperspectives on U.S.-Japan relations: Mr. Glen
S. Fukushima, Member of the USJC Board of
Councilors and Senior Fellow at the Center
for American Progress (March); Dr. Shinya
Yamanaka (June); and astronaut Ms. Naoko
Yamazaki (October).
On July 13 and 14, USJC hosted the Japaneseand Japanese American Business Networking
Initiative meeting in Washington, DC. Morethan 30 participants—including representativesof seven Japanese Chambers of Commerce—
attended from 12 states. Dignitaries who met
with the participants included leaders from the
U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Departmentof Energy, and the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development; and several Membersof Congress, including Congressman Steny
H. Hoyer (MD-05), Democratic Whip, and(L-R) Congressman Ami Bera (CA-07), Congressman Mark Takai (HI-01),
Congressman Al Green (TX-29), Deputy Chief of Mission Hiroyasu
Izumi, Ms. Irene Hirano Inouye, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05),
Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), and Congressman Mark Takano(CA-41) gather in support of USJC.

Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Co-Chair of the U.S.-Japan
Caucus. The packed schedule included a reception generously
hosted by Japanese Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae at his Residence, as
well as a Capitol Hill reception hosted by USJC.

LEGISLATIVE NETWORKING
Through Legislative Networking, USJC seeks to facilitate exchange
between elected officials in the United States and Japan at thestate, local and national levels. USJC was one of the cooperatingorganizations for a reception that was held on Capitol Hill on April
30, in honor of 14 leaders from the National Diet of Japan.

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILREGIONAL PROGRAMSUSJC HOLDS REGIONAL PROGRAMS throughout
the year to provide opportunities for Japanese andAmericans to network and explore areas of collaboration in
U.S.-Japan relations. 2015 events included:

BOSTON

USJC’s New England Members commemorated the Great East
Japan Earthquake with a night of remembrance on March 31.
Hosted by the Fish Family Foundation, where USJC Board Member
Atsuko Fish serves as a Trustee, the evening’s program included
a presentation by Council Member Shun Kanda (pictured) about
his plan for rebuilding Tohoku, and musical performances by
TOMODACHI Suntory Music Scholars.

NEW YORKHAWAII

Business andgovernment leaders in
Honolulu gathered on
May 5 for a networking
reception featuringa presentation by
Mr. Paul Yonamine,
USJC Board Member
and Country General
Manager and Presidentof IBM Japan.

On September 9, theAmerican Jewish
Committee (AJC) and
USJC jointly helda private reception
featuring Council
Member Dr. Susumu“Sus” Ito, a 442nd
Regimental Combat Teamveteran who was a Second
Lieutenant of the 522nd
Field Artillery Battalion(FAB) (U.S.). The 522nd
FAB, composed of Japanese Americans, was part of the U.S. forces thatliberated the Dachau concentration camp system during World War II,
freeing thousands of Jewish survivors.

The USJC community was saddened that Dr. Ito passed away a few
weeks after this event. A 96-year-old professor emeritus of Harvard
Medical School, Dr. Ito led a remarkable life, including collecting an
extensive number of photos of his experience during WWII.

WASHINGTON, DC

On December 16, USJC received the 2015 Foreign Minister’sAward from Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae for “outstanding
contributions in promoting the friendship and deep ties between
Japan and the U.S.” Many Council Members from the region
attended the award ceremony.

14

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATIONONLINEOn June 3, USJC hosted an online discussion with Ms. Janice Nimura,author of the new book, Daughters of the Samurai. This event was thebrainchild of USJC Board Member Fred Katayama, who moderated thehour-long video conference. This pilot project, held entirely on social
media, drew more than 20 USJC Members from locales as varied as
New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Jackson, Mississippi.

2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

CULINARY DIPLOMACYSHARING MEALS FROM DIFFERENT cultures can help promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, andcreate platforms for lasting personal relationships. Inspired by this belief, USJC held “Culinary Diplomacy” programs
throughout the United States and Tokyo.

MIDWESTOn February 4, USJC held a Midwest
Culinary Diplomacy Event at Yoshi’s
Café in Chicago. USJC Members,
supporters and friends, including
Board Member Dayne Kono (pictured),Council Member Kathryn Ibata-Arens
and TOMODACHI Inouye Scholars
from DePaul University, and Chicago
Consul General Masaharu Yoshida,
gathered for a festive evening of
networking.

NEW YORKOn March 13, USJC hosted a New
York City Culinary Diplomacy Eventcommemorating 3/11, with someof the net proceeds supporting the
TOMODACHI Initiative. The event
included a soba demonstration
and a silent auction, and was madepossible by Associate Members Adam
Moriwaki and Jasmine Wilson, as
well as many generous sponsors.
Ambassador Reiichiro Takahashi took
the time to attend even though hebecame Consul General of New York
only the week before.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

On October 1, USJC members inNorthern California, led by Board
Member Allen Okamoto (left),
organized an event called “Taste of
Tohoku” at the residence of Consul
General in San Francisco Jun Yamada(right), who is from Tohoku. Among thedishes served were shabu shabu Iwate
beef, zunda rice cakes and a dessert
made with peaches from Fukushima.

TOKYO

On November 10, as part of the 2015
Annual Conference, USJC hosted“Tastes of Tokyo”: dinners organized
for small groups of 8-15 individuals
in restaurants across the city. USJC
Members and supporters organized thedinners, and coordinated meaningful
dialogues in more than a dozen
restaurants, ranging from very high-end
eateries to izakayas.

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

GOVERNORS’ CIRCLESINCE 2010, USJC HAS led the Governors’ Circle

initiative to promote bilateral economic collaboration at
the state-prefecture level.
In 2015, the governors of Hiroshima, Nagano and
Shizuoka prefectures, as well as the state of Hawaii,
gathered during the Annual Conference for a panel
discussion called “Strengthening Regional Economies:
A Dialogue among Governors.” The governors discussed
their activities in stimulating economic growth,
including creating an environment that supports women
who want to become mothers, encouraging innovation,and focusing on renewable energy.
Top: (L-R) Moderator
Dennis Teranishi,
Chairman of the Board
at USJC, with Governor
Shuichi Abe of Nagano,
Governor David Y. Ige of
Hawaii, Governor Heita
Kawakatsu of Shizuoka,
and Governor Hidehiko
Yuzaki of Hiroshima.
Left: Several prefectures,
including Okayama(pictured), presented
their publications andproducts during theAnnual Conference.

“Japan is the anchor in our visitor industry and so
important for our economy. As part of that, we havesister-state relationships with four prefectures in Japan . . .
We believe that these relationships are important because
they establish people-to-people relations—which USJC
promotes—and that is so much a part of what makes
us successful.”—MR. DAVID Y. IGE, GOVERNOR OF HAWAIIAMBASSADOR, CONSULS GENERAL AND
JAPANESE AMERICAN LEADERS MEETING (CG-JA)

THE ANNUAL CG-JA MEETING is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organized by USJC

and the Embassy of Japan.
As part of the 2015 meeting, on December 1, prominent Japanese Americans from across the United States gathered in
Washington, DC for a discussion with Japanese diplomats. The talks explored how the U.S.-Japan relationship plays out
locally across the country, and how both the Japanese government and individual communities can raise the profile of,as well as increase, the positive activities and contributions to U.S.-Japan relations that take place in the United States.
Following the formal meeting, Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae hosted a lunch for participants at his residence.
16

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATIONTOMODACHI INITIATIVE:
ABOUT TOMODACHITOMODACHI PROGRAMSTOMODACHI EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM

›

›

2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL›〉ABOUT TOMODACHI›

Implementing
Partners$›››

DonorsE M B SSY
A

¥

›

I
P

›

Programs

The TOMODACHI Generation

THE TOMODACHI INITIATIVE IS a public-private
partnership, born out of support for Japan’s recovery fromthe Great East Japan Earthquake, that invests in the next
generation of Japanese and American leaders througheducational and cultural exchanges as well as leadershipprograms.

The TOMODACHI Initiative is led by the U.S. Embassy inTokyo and USJC and is supported by the Government ofJapan, corporations, organizations and individuals fromthe United States and Japan. USJC coordinates with the
Embassy and other partners, with the aim to foster the next
generation of young American and Japanese leaders whoare committed to and engaged in strengthening U.S.- Japan
relations.

1,192 PARTICIPANTS IN 49 PROGRAMS
43 LOCATIONS IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES
2015 PARTICIPANTS
BY HOMETOWN
U.S.
17%

2015 PARTICIPANTS
BY AGEHigh School
41%

Japan
(Non-Tohoku)
41%

Undergraduate
39%

Professional
17%

Japan
(Tohoku)
42%

Elementary andMiddle School4%
Due to rounding, the total
does not equal 100%.

18

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILTOMODACHI PROGRAMS
U.S. and Japanese university students discussed social problems andhow to solve them during the Building the TOMODACHI Generation
Program in February. The program is a partnership between The
Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars and the
U.S.-Japan Research Institute.

“The Building the TOMODACHI Generation program . . . allowed
my teammates and myself to create a bond and commitment tothe betterment of our communities and to lasting international
friendships.”—MR. JACOB C. MACKEY,TOMODACHI ALUMNUS

Approximately 140
TOMODACHI
alumni gathered at
Sophia University inTokyo in November
for the inaugural
TOMODACHI
Generation Summit.
Here, Ms. Lata
Reddy, Presidentof the Prudential
Foundation, speaks
to alumni and guests.

“The possibilities of the TOMODACHI Initiative areendless . . . The ties between the United States andJapan were strengthened as a result of the Great East
Japan Earthquake, and we need to pass that on to thenext generation.”—MR. YOJI MUTO,
STATE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRSTop: The 2015 Annual Conference featured a TOMODACHI-themed reception,
which welcomed speakers like Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Mr. Yoji Muto,
State Minister for Foreign Affairs (pictured here with Ms. Yuri Tabata, an alumna of
the TOMODACHI Coca-Cola Educational Homestay Program, and Mr. Harry Hill,
Chairman of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission).
Left: TOMODACHI Suntory Scholars performed jazz.
U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL 2 0 1 5 ANNUAL RE P ORT

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILTOMODACHI PROGRAMS“Being part of this program, getting to go to Tohoku
and seeing everything has . . . really opened my eyeson what I want to do with my future.”—MS. CAITLIN MCDERMOTT,TOMODACHI ALUMNA

A participant of the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program (right),
a two-way exchange program among Japanese and American high school
students in Washington, DC, shares his excitement about traveling to Japan.

From June to July, 20 select high school students
from Southern California visited Japan through the
TOMODACHI MUFG International Exchange Program.
They traveled to Tokyo, Sendai, Kesennuma, Hiroshima
and Kyoto, participating in cultural exchange activities
and homestays. Here, they speak with Mr. Nobuyuki
Hirano, MUFG President & Group CEO, in Tokyo.

Japanese participants of the TOMODACHI-Mitsui & Co. Leadership Program,a delegation exchange program for young American and Japanese professionals,
learn about the history of cars in Detroit.

College nursing students
and their mentors from
Miyagi prefecture
traveled to New Yorkand Washington, DC
in August as part of
the TOMODACHI J&J
Disaster Nursing Training
Program. The two-weekprogram supports capacity
building of nurses in
the Tohoku region byfocusing on the field of
disaster medicine.

20

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATIONTHESE PROGRAMS WOULD NOT

be possible without the generous supportof corporations from the United States
and Japan. More information about these
49 programs in 2015 and their donors are
published in a separate TOMODACHI report.
Please see www.tomodachi.org for more
information.

“[This program] was very solid, fulfilling training. I’dlike to keep thinking about how I can be of help inJapan, for Japan, and for the [rest of the] world.”—MS. NATSUMI MIYAKAWA,TOMODACHI ALUMNA2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILTOMODACHI PROGRAMSIn March, participants of the TOMODACHI New York
Fukushima Very Young Composers Program delivered a special
performance at the Lincoln Center. Beginning in October
2014, children ages 10-15 from Fukushima and New York City
collaboratively composed short “musical postcards” based on theJapanese folksong “chou-cho” (butterfly), for a performance bymusicians of the New York Philharmonic. The concert culminateda week-long residency by the nine children from Fukushima.

In March, 100 college students and faculty chaperons visited Washington,
DC, Los Angeles and host cities (Boston, Chicago and Honolulu) on the
TOMODACHI Inouye Scholars program, which is part of the Ministry ofForeign Affairs’ KAKEHASHI Project. Their trip included sightseeing, giving
presentations and participating in activities focused on learning the legacy ofthe late Senator Daniel K. Inouye. Here, Ritsumeikan students enjoy activities
with Chicago primary school children.

“My father felt that everyone could make a difference in the world. You are already making a
difference just by thinking the way you do.”—MR. KENNETH INOUYE, SON OF SENATOR INOUYE,
ADDRESSING TOMODACHI INOUYE SCHOLARS AT A RECEPTIONIn March, USJC and TOMODACHI
staff, partners and alumni attended theThird United Nations World Conference
on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR)
held in Sendai. With the support of the
TOMODACHI Alumni Leadership Program,
TOMODACHI alumni participated in manyside events, including the Youth Forumand the International Women’s Grassroots
Academy in Tohoku.

From February to March, 25 Japanese university
students and young professionals participatedin the TOMODACHI Social Innovation in
Seattle (SIIS) program, which invests in the next
generation of Japanese social entrepreneurs andcommunity leaders.

TOMODACHI Uniqlo Fellow Ryohei
Kawanishi graduated from the Parsons
School of Design with a Masters in Fine Arts
in May. His pieces have been featured
in Vogue and Le Figaro, and were part of
New York Fashion Week.

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILTOMODACHI EMERGING LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
THE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL’S TOMODACHIEmerging Leaders Program (ELP) is an interactive,
educational program designed to encourage the next
generation of leaders to act as first movers, innovatorsand entrepreneurs in their professional fields.
In its sixth year, the 2015 program brought 12 JapaneseAmerican young professionals to Tokyo for the 2015
U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference. The Emerging
Leaders participated in a leadership orientation
program, networked with high-level leaders andparticipated in the Annual Members Meeting.
The 2015 class.

“This is a family full of warm-hearted, compassionate, and ambitious brothers and sisters who all have incredible stories of what
U.S.-Japan relations mean to them.”—MS. MIKI SANKARY, 2015 EMERGING LEADERTOHOKU TRIP
AS PART OF THE 2015 Annual Conference, three

ELP alumni from 2014 led and organized a two-day
trip to Tohoku. From November 11 to 12, fourteen
USJC members and six friends of USJC experienced
the culture of Tohoku, seeing firsthand the progressthat has been made in the recovery effort since theGreat East Japan Earthquake.
Lauren Ohata, Mio Yamamoto and Jonathan
Abbott worked with World in Tohoku, the NPO
led by Ms. Yamamoto, and Women’s Eye, the NPO
led by Megumi Ishimoto (an alumna of the 2013
TOMODACHI NPO Leadership Study Tour, fundedby J.P. Morgan) and coordinated site visits throughIshinomaki and Minamisanriku in Miyagi, two of
the areas most devastated by the tsunami. The group
toured sites of both destruction and reconstruction,and met residents who gave insight into what can bedone for further support.
On this boat, the participants learned about the ongoingrecovery of the local fishing industry and enjoyedfresh oysters and scallops.

22

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION“During the trip, we developed a deeper, more immediate sense ofconnection with Tohoku. We also understood better the importantrole the community has played for residents in both initiallysurviving the tsunami, and now . . . in maintaining the drive torebuild and move forward.”—MS. LAUREN OHATA, TRIP LEADER
AND 2014 ELP ALUMNA

LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT:U.S. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
U.S. BOARD OF COUNCILORSUSJC JAPAN BOARD
USJC MANAGEMENT & STAFF
SPONSORSHIP & SUPPORTMEMBERSHIP2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

U.S. BOARD OF DIRECTORS(AS OF DECEMBER 2015)
THE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL’S ORGANIZING Board of Directors

consists of Japanese American leaders from across the United States and inJapan who provide their expertise in establishing and guiding the Council’s
mission and activities.

BOARD OFFICERSDENNIS TERANISHI, Chair;
President & CEO, Pacific International
Center for High Technology Research

MICHAEL K. HIRAI, Vice-Chair;
President & Chief Investment Officer,
Bishop Street Capital Management

IRENE HIRANO INOUYE, President,
U.S.-Japan Council

GARY S. MORIWAKI, Vice-Chair &Development Committee Chair; Partner,
Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP

ROYANNE K. DOI, Vice-Chair& Program Development Committee
Chair; Corporate Chief Ethics Officer,
Prudential Financial Inc.

SUSAN MORITA, Secretary; Partner,
Arnold & Porter, LLP

Mr. Paul Yonamine and Mr. Masaaki Tanaka.

WALLACE K. TSUHA, Treasurer &Finance Committee Chair; President,
Tsuha Foundation

BOARD MEMBERS
PHYLLIS CAMPBELL, Chair,
JPMorgan Chase & Co., PacificNorthwest

FREDERICK H. KATAYAMA,
Communications Committee Chair;Anchor/Producer, Thomson Reuters

DONNA FUJIMOTO COLE,
President & CEO, Cole Chemical &Distributing, Inc.

DAYNE KONO, Principal, Masuda,
Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd.

TRACEY DOI, Group Vice President& Chief Financial Officer, Toyota
Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
ATSUKO TOKO FISH, Trustee, Fish
Family Foundation
ERNEST M. HIGA, Chairman& CEO, Higa Industries Co., Ltd.,
Wendy’s Japan LLC; K.K. Higa
Investments; Director, JC Comsa
Corporation; Director, Shinsei Bank,
Limited.
JAMES HIGA, Executive Director,
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
ROBERT K. ICHIKAWA,
Membership Committee Chair; Partner,
Kobayashi, Sugita & Goda
THOMAS IINO, Founding Chairman& Audit Committee Chair; Chairman of
the Board, Pacific Commerce Bank
24

COLBERT M. MATSUMOTO,
Executive Chairman, Island Insurance
Company, Ltd.
MONI MIYASHITA, Partner,
Innosight Consulting
JILL NISHI, Director of the Officeof the President and Chief of Staff,
U.S. Programs, Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation
ALLEN M. OKAMOTO, OwnerBroker, T. Okamoto & Co.
HENRY Y. OTA, Attorney at Law
JAN YANEHIRO, Nominating &Governance Committee Chair; President,
Jan Yanehiro, Inc.
PAUL YONAMINE, Country
General Manager and President, IBM
Japan, Ltd.

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION(L-R) Mr. Robert Ichikawa, Mr. Dennis
Teranishi, Mr. Michael Hirai, Ms. Irene
Hirano Inouye, Ms. Yoko Misawa, Mr. ColbertMatsumoto and Consul General Yasushi
Misawa gather in Hawaii.

WE WOULD LIKE TO thank theMembers of the Board of Directors whocompleted their terms in December 2015:
Mr. Michael Hirai, Mr. Robert Ichikawa,Mr. Thomas Iino, Mr. Fred Katayama,
Mr. Colbert Matsumoto and Ms. Moni
Miyashita. We also thank Mr. Paul
Yonamine, who has stepped down fromthe Board of Directors to assume the Chairof the Board of Councilors.

2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

U.S. BOARD OF COUNCILORS(AS OF DECEMBER 2015)
THE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL’S DISTINGUISHED Board of

Councilors consists of leaders who are recognized for their life-longcontribution and commitment to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations. Theirexpertise and guidance directs the Council’s mission and activities.
His Excellency Yasuo
Fukuda addresses theaudience at the 2015
Annual Conference.

WE WOULD LIKE TO thank Dr. Daniel Okimoto for his work as

Chair of our Board of Councilors. He has stepped down to assume the
Chair of the Silicon Valley Japan Platform. He remains a member of theBoard of Councilors.

BOARD OFFICERS
DR. DANIEL OKIMOTO, PH.D., Chair;Director-Emeritus, Shorenstein APARC;FSI Senior Fellow and Professor Emeritus
of Political Science, Stanford University
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA,
Vice Chair; President & CEO, Mineta &Associates, LLC; Former U.S. Secretaryof Commerce; Former U.S. Secretary ofTransportation
MASAAKI TANAKA, Vice Chair; Senior
Advisor, Bank of Tokyo — Mitsubishi
UFJ, Ltd.

BOARD MEMBERSNAOYUKI AGAWA, Professor, Keio
University
HONORABLE GEORGE ARIYOSHI,
Former Governor, State of Hawaii
GERALD CURTIS, Burgess Professor of
Political Science, Columbia University
HIS EXCELLENCY ICHIROFUJISAKI, Former Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ofJapan to the U.S.
HIS EXCELLENCY YASUO FUKUDA,
Former Prime Minister of Japan
GLEN S. FUKUSHIMA, Senior Fellow,
Center for American Progress
SOICHIRO FUKUTAKE, Director andChairman, Benesse Holdings, Inc.
HONORABLE COLLEEN
HANABUSA, Former Member, U.S.
House of Representatives, State of Hawaii
YASUCHIKA HASEGAWA, Chairmanof the Board, Takeda Pharmaceutical
Company Ltd.

Mr. Yasuchika Hasegawa and
Mr. Glen S. Fukushima.

HONORABLE MAZIE HIRONO, U.S.
Senate, State of Hawaii

HONORABLE MARK TAKAI, U.S.
House of Representatives, State of Hawaii

MASAMI IIJIMA, Chairman & Director,
Mitsui & Co., LTD.

GEORGE TAKEI, Actor, Hosato
Enterprises, Inc.

HIS EXCELLENCY RYOZO KATO,
Former Ambassador Extraordinary andPlenipotentiary of Japan to the U.S.

DR. PAUL TERASAKI, Chairman,
Terasaki Foundation

TAKASHI KAWAMURA, Chairman
Emeritus, Hitachi, Ltd.
YORIHIKO KOJIMA, Chairman of theBoard, Mitsubishi Corporation
HIROKO KUNIYA, Anchor, NHK(Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
HONORABLE DORIS MATSUI,U.S. House of Representatives, State ofCalifornia
TAKESHI NIINAMI, President, Suntory
Holdings Limited.
HIROMITSU OGAWA, Chairman, CAI
International
JOHN ONODA, Senior Consultant,FleishmanHillard International
Communications
W. DOUGLAS PARKER, Chairman &CEO, American Airlines
SUSAN H. ROOS, Chief Administrative
Officer, Geodesic Capital
HIS EXCELLENCY MOTOATSUSAKURAI, President, Japan Society;
Former Ambassador and Consul Generalof Japan in New YorkHONORABLE JOHN THOMASSCHIEFFER, President & CEO of Envoy
International, LLC; Former Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
U.S. to JapanROY YAMAGUCHI, Chef andRestaurateur, Roy’s
KRISTI YAMAGUCHI, Founder,
Always Dream Foundation
DR. SHINYA YAMANAKA, 2012Nobel Laureate; Director, Center for iPS
Cell Research and Application, Kyoto
University

HONORARY MEMBERS
HIS EXCELLENCY YOHEI KONO,
Former Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives of Japan
HONORABLE WALTER MONDALE,
Former Vice President of the UnitedStates; Former Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the U.S. to JapanHIS EXCELLENCY YOSHIO
OKAWARA, Special Adviser, Institutefor International Policy Studies; Former
Ambassador Extraordinary andPlenipotentiary of Japan to the U.S.
HIS EXCELLENCY KUNIHIKO
SAITO, Former Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ofJapan to the U.S.
DR. KATSUHIKO SHIRAI, Former
President, Waseda University
HIS EXCELLENCY SHUNJI YANAI,
President and Judge, International
Tribunal for the Law of the Sea; Former
Ambassador Extraordinary andPlenipotentiary of Japan to the U.S.

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL 2 0 1 5 ANNUAL RE P ORT

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL (JAPAN)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BOARD OF COUNCILORS(AS OF DECEMBER 2015)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ernest M. Higa, Chair & Representative Director; Chairman& CEO, Higa Industries Co., Ltd., Wendy’s Japan LLC;
K.K. Higa Investments; Director, JC Comsa Corporation;
Director, Shinsei Bank, Limited
Irene Hirano Inouye, Vice President; U.S.-Japan Council
David Nishida, Senior Director; Representative Director,
President & CFO, Hudson Japan K.K.

In 2012, the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) was createdto support the administration of TOMODACHI. The
U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) is a registered Public Interest
Corporation (koeki zaidan hojin) and maintains an office inTokyo, Japan.

BOARD OF COUNCILORSPaul Yonamine, Chair; Country General Manager andPresident, IBM Japan, Ltd.

Russell K. Kawahara, Partner, Atsumi & Sakai

Royanne K. Doi, Corporate Chief Ethics Officer, Prudential
Financial Inc.

James Minamoto, Attorney, International Law, Anderson
Mori & Tomotsune

Daniel Fujii, President, Trust Capital Co., Ltd.

William Ireton, Representative Director, Ireton
Entertainment Inc.

Scott Sato, President & COO, Pasona, Inc.

Kathy Matsui, Vice-Chair, Goldman Sachs Japan Co., Ltd.

MANAGEMENT & STAFF
WASHINGTON, DC HEADQUARTERS:

Irene Hirano Inouye, President

Mya Fisher, Program Manager

Suzanne Basalla, Executive Vice
President & Chief Operating Officer

Shane Graves, Program Manager

Lauren Mosely, Membership
Coordinator

Shiori Okazaki, Communications
Manager

Gabrielle Tremo, Digital
Communications Specialist

Sonoko Plummer, Executive
Assistant and Office Manager

Gary Zottoli, Accounting Assistant

Tess Esposito, Chief Financial
Officer and Director of Finance andAdministration
Laura Winthrop Abbot, Senior Vice
President

Dana Fager, Development
Coordinator

CALIFORNIA:

Yumi Hiroshima, Executive Assistant& Program Manager, Silicon Valley
Japan Platform

Allison Murata, Program Specialist

Michiyo Horita, Director for ExternalCommunications & Program
Manager, TOMODACHI Initiative

Andrea Miller, Marketing andCommunications Manager,
TOMODACHI Initiative

Chie Noguchi, ExternalCommunications Specialist,
TOMODACHI Initiative

Nobuaki Yasunaga, Director ofExternal Affairs

Kaoru Utada, Alumni Manager,
TOMODACHI Initiative

Amanda Chehrezad, Women’s
Leadership Program Manager,
TOMODACHI Initiative

Hiromi Kato, Administrative
Assistant, TOMODACHI Initiative

Kaz Maniwa, Senior Vice President

TOKYO:26

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILSPONSORSHIP & SUPPORTTHE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL (U.S.) and U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) are supported by the generous contributions of ourcorporate, individual and foundation donors who share the goal of strengthening U.S.-Japan relations through people-topeople connections. We gratefully acknowledge the following who generously supported the Annual Conference, Regional
Programs, Corporate Membership and Foundational Grants.

DIAMOND SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSORSSUMITOMO MITSUI
TRUST BANK, LIMITEDTITLE SPONSORSSIGNATURE SPONSORS

MS. IRENE HIRANO INOUYE
U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL 2 0 1 5 ANNUAL RE P ORT

27

2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

SIGNATURE SPONSORS

DR. REIKO MAKINO

MR. HIROMITSU OGAWA

MR. AND MRS. FUMONOTSUKAPREMIER SPONSORSPANTONE 356 C (C95,M0,Y100,K27)

PANTONE 3305 C (C100,M0,Y61,K61)

MS. ROYANNE DOI

MS. ATSUKO TOKO FISH

MR. GLEN S. FUKUSHIMA

MR. SOICHIRO FUKUTAKE

MS. YOKO MAKINO
MS. MONI MIYASHITANORIO OHGAFOUNDATION28EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

PREMIER SPONSORS (CONTINUED)

MR. DENNIS Y.
TERANISHIGOLD SPONSORS
Advantage Partners, Inc.
Advantage Risk Management
Co., Ltd.
Aeon Co., Ltd.
Aon Japan, Ltd.
Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd.
Barrow Hanley Mewhinney& Strauss
Ms. Suzanne Basalla
Dow Chemical Japan Ltd.
Ernst & Young Advisory Co.,
Ltd.
Fujitsu Limited
Ms. Dianne Fukami
GCA Savvian Corporation
GLOBIS Corporation
Grove Farm Company, Inc.
Mr. Ernest M. Higa
Mr. Michael K. Hirai

2015 CORPORATE MEMBERS
Mr. Thomas Iino
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
JC Comsa Corporation
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Russell and Yuko Kawahara
KPMG JapanKTA Super Stores
LIXIL Group Corporation
Mr. Colbert Matsumoto
Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.
Morgan StanleyMori Building Co., Ltd.
Mr. Henry Y. Ota
Palo Alto Networks G.K.
ROKI TECHNO CO., LTD.
Sun Noodle North America
TMI Associates
TOYO SUISAN KAISHA,LTD.

Hitachi High-Technologies
Corporation

We also benefited from numerous anonymous gifts at
the Premier and Gold levels of sponsorship and fromContributing Benefactors.

Accenture Japan Ltd
American Airlines, Inc.
Amway Japan G.K.
CBRE K.K.
Central Japan Railway Company
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC
Dentsu, Inc.
East Japan Railway Company
Ernst & Young LLPFirst Insurance Company of
Hawaii Charitable Foundation
Henry Schein
Hitachi, Ltd.
IBM Japan, Ltd.
Island Insurance Companies
ITO EN (North America) Inc.
ITOCHU International, Inc.
Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd.
Johnson & Johnson
Kawasaki Heavy Industries(USA) Inc.
Kikkoman Corporation
Lawson, Inc.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Marubeni America Corporation
Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ofAmerica

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial
Group)NEC Corporation
Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.
Nomura Holdings, Inc.
NTT Group
PAG Investment Management
LimitedPasona NA, Inc.
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
salesforce.com Co., Ltd.
Sojitz Corporation of America
Sumitomo Corporation
Sumitomo Corporation ofAmericas
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank,
LimitedSuntory Holdings Limited
TOKYU HOTELS CO., LTD.
TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
Toshiba Corporation
Toyota Motor North America,
Inc.
Weber Shandwick

A copy of the U.S.-Japan Council’s audited financial statement is available on our website at: www.usjapancouncil.org/operations

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL 2 0 1 5 ANNUAL RE P ORT

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2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCILCONTRIBUTING BENEFACTORS
Mr. Hal Amano
Mr. Paul Buttner
Ms. Phyllis Campbell
Mr. Ernest Doizaki
Mr. Daniel Fujii
Mr. Mark Fukunaga
Mr. Buck Gee
Ms. Bernice Glenn
Mr. Glen Gondo
Mr. Wayne Hamano
Ms. Brenda Handley
Mr. Gerald Hane
Mr. Warren Haruki
Ms. Lynn Hashimoto
Mr. Gregg Yamanaka

Barbara Hibino, Ph.D.
Mr. James Higa
Mr. Harry A. Hill
Mr. Robert K. Ichikawa
Ms. Eunice Johnson
JTB Cultural Exchange
Corporation
Mr. Frederick H. Katayama
Gov. Heita Kawakatsu
Mr. Tom Kelley
Mr. Stan Koyanagi
Mr. Eiichiro Kuwana
Mr. Timothy Latimore
Mr. Michael Lerch
Mr. Kaz Maniwa

IN-KIND SPONSORS
American Airlines, Inc.

Lady M Confections Co., Ltd.

Beam Suntory, Inc.

Lori Tsugawa Whaley

beq Pettina

N.A. Sales Co., Inc.

Ms. Donna ColeNew York Yankees

Distilled Spirits Council of
the United States (DISCUS)

Nijiya Market

East Japanese Restaurant

OmniTrak Group Inc.

EN Japanese Brasserie
Evolution Japan Co., Ltd.
GO GO CURRY USA, INC.
Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant
Hawaiian Host, Inc.
Hosoda Brothers Inc.
ITO EN (North America) Inc.
Mr. Richard Kashida
Kikkoman Corporation

Mr. Hiromitsu Ogawa
Sake Discoveries
Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
Shizuka New York Day Spa
Stylism
T. Okamoto & Co.
Terasaki Family Foundation
Wasan Japanese RestaurantWORLDWIDE-SOBA, INC.
Yopparai, Inc.

GRANTS & CONTRACTS
The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership

Masuda Funai
Ms. Kathy Matsui
Mr. Satoru Murase
Mr. Masazumi Nakayama
Ms. Jill Nishi
Mr. Marcus Ogawa
Mr. Allen T. Okamoto
Ms. Merle Okawara
Ms. Susan J. Onuma
Mr. Curt Otaguro
Ms. Nobuko Saito-Cleary
Mr. Keith Sakamoto
Mr. Dennis Sugino
Mr. Yoshiteru Suzuki
Ms. Eriko Talley

Ms. Nozomi Terao
Mr. Steven Teraoka andMs. Marsha Teraoka
Dr. Keith Terasaki and
Ms. Cecilia Terasaki
Mr. Allen Uyeda
Ms. Jewelle Yamada
Ms. Kristi Yamaguchi
Mr. Roy Yamaguchi
Ms. Jan Yanehiro
Ms. Lynda S. Yonamine
Ms. Tasha A. Yorozu
Gov. Hidehiko Yuzaki

THE TOSHIZO WATANABEENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDUSJC RECEIVED AN EXTRAORDINARY GIFT at

the end of 2015. Mr. Toshizo (Tom) Watanabe, Presidentof the Toshizo Watanabe Foundation, contributed $10
million to USJC to establish The Toshizo Watanabe
Endowed Scholarship Fund. The scholarships will
support Japanese students to study in the United Statesand American students to study in Japan. Mr. Watanabe
also contributed $200,000 to enable USJC to implement
the first round of scholarships in 2016. His gift enables
USJC to support the cross-cultural education of young
Japanese and young Americans with leadership potential
and financial need. We very much appreciate thisincredibly generous gift, and look forward to supporting
Japanese and American students.			

CONTRIBUTION LEVELS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Diamond Sponsors($150,000+)

Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Platinum Sponsors($100,000-$149,999)

SILICON VALLEY JAPAN PROJECT

Title Sponsors($74,999-$99,999)

Mr. Hiromitsu Ogawa

Signature Sponsors($25,000-$49,999)

Premier Sponsors($10,000-$24,999)

Gold Sponsors($5,000-$9,999)

Contributing Benefactors($1,000-$4,999)

NEC Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited
United States-Japan Foundation
30

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION2015

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL

MEMBERSHIP

A full listing of Council Members, Associate Members, Friends of the Council and Corporate
Members are available on our website, www.usjapancouncil.org.

(AS OF DECEMBER 2015)“I have always believed that the U.S.-Japan
relationship is a vital relationship, not only forboth nations but for the whole world. USJC plays
a powerful and impactful role in enhancing thisrelationship through people-to-people bonds thattranscend geopolitical and business issues. It isan honor to be part of a growing network of USJC
members who share this same vision.”

THE U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL (USJC)

comprises members and supporters
committed to the mission of theorganization. Included in these ranks
are top leaders from major corporations,academia and research, politics and law,as well as entrepreneurs and thought
leaders. Council Members are JapaneseAmerican leaders who contribute toshaping U.S.-Japan relations. Associate
Members are young professionals.
Friends of the Council are individuals ofdiverse backgrounds who support USJC.
Corporate Members are companies that
financially contribute to the Council’s
mission and programs on an annual basis.

—MR. ERNEST M. HIGA, CHAIRMAN & CEO,HIGA INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.

“The U.S.-Japan Council has always represented
hope: hope through people-to-people. And that’s
really, I think, what has been so important to me.”44

—MS. PHYLLIS CAMPBELL, CHAIR, JPMORGANCHASE & CO., PACIFIC NORTHWEST“Of all the many U.S.-Japan organizations that
I’ve worked with, or have seen, over the past halfcentury, the U.S.-Japan Council is, by far, the mostimpactful and important.”

Membership Breakdown By Country

UNITED STATESOF AMERICA

JAPAN

453

69

—DR. DANIEL OKIMOTO, FSI SENIORFELLOW AND PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE, STANFORD UNIVERSITY

There are 4 members in other countries
throughout the world.

Membership Breakdown By Sector“The entire USJC community is doing invaluable
work in diversity and inclusion, simply by being
Japanese American pioneers in their respective
industries. I am grateful to . . . USJC for embracing
me in this important community that keeps me
grounded and committed to doing good as aJapanese American.”—MS. MANA NAKAGAWA, WOMEN’S
DIVERSITY PROGRAM MANAGER, FACEBOOK

Nonprofit
Business

39

first annual conference in japan

357

403

Education

60

Government

70

316
tomodachi initiative
launched
178
137
87
2011
2010

249

526
2015

2014

2013

2012

usjc (japan) established2009

first annual conference

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL 2 0 1 5 ANNUAL RE P ORT

31

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