Image courtesy of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nine Japanese American leaders will travel to Japan from March 6 to March 14 as part of the Japanese American Leadership Delegation (JALD). They will engage with a wide range of Japanese leaders and intellectuals from the political, public, and private sectors.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and organized by the U.S.-Japan Council, JALD cultivates a network for Japanese American and Japanese leaders at the regional, national, and international levels. The program also gives Japanese leaders across the business, government, academic, non-profit and cultural sectors the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the multicultural nature of the United States through the experiences of a diverse group of Japanese Americans. 256 individuals have participated in the program since its inception in 2000.
The 2026 delegates are:
- Darin Arita (New York, NY) – Senior Vice President, Head of Capital and Financial Planning, New York Life
- Georgette Furukawa (Washington, D.C.) – Founder & CEO, Aestival Strategies
- Steve Hobbs (Seattle, WA) – Secretary of State, Washington State
- Mona Miyasato (Los Angeles, CA) – County Executive Officer, County of Santa Barbara, California
- Christopher Morita (Detroit, MI) – Resident Physician – Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Medicine, Corewell Health
- Mana Nakagawa (San Francisco, CA) – Head of People Experience, Scale AI
- Steve Sakanashi (Dallas, TX) – Director of Strategic Partnerships, ABeam Consulting
- Adrianne Aiko Thompson (Miami, FL) – Professor, Miami Dade College
- Erika Uyterhoeven (Boston, MA) – State Representative for the 27th Middlesex District, Massachusetts General Court
About the U.S.-Japan Council
Founded by Japanese Americans, the U.S.-Japan Council is the premier organization dedicated to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations through people-to-people connections.
From high school classrooms to corporate boardrooms, from college lecture halls to the halls of government, we develop and connect leaders from every sector committed to a strong and enduring global partnership. Through our transformative leadership initiatives, innovative exchange programs, and impactful in-person and virtual events we bring together leaders at every level to address key bilateral issues.
Our community of members across the United States and Japan is a vibrant and diverse professional and personal network. It fosters deep connections and opportunities to make meaningful contributions.
General inquiries: [email protected]