Members who are artists and creatives or interested in the arts meet every second Wednesday of the month. Performing artists, print media artists, music and arts educators and playwrights share resources with each other.

Member Lead: Courtney Ozaki

The Golf Affinity Group connects USJC members through the universal language of golf. Focused for now in Japan, we organize periodic golf events for members and encourage USJC members from all regions to participate while in Japan. In the future, we hope that other regions will do the same.

Member Lead: John Sasaki

Healthcare and advanced medicine professionals in both Japan and the United States can learn much from one another. This group is open to all interested individuals including physicians, academics, policymakers, caregivers, patients and those who work to develop medical devices and digital health apps.

Member Leads: Chiyo Kobayashi, Kirk Zeller

The Investor Affinity Group is a collective of venture capitalists, angel investors and other finance professionals with focus on startups. We host virtual speaker sessions and founder pitch events aimed at fostering collaboration and mutual learning. 

Member Lead: Ryota Sekine

The Mental Wellness Affinity Group (MWAG) has been formed to help strengthen communication between the United States and Japan on mental wellness issues, to expand awareness and education, reduce stigma, share insights and research, engage in policy dialogues, and contribute to the dialogue on the importance of mental wellness in both countries.

Member Lead: Gerald Hane
Email: [email protected]

The Shin Issei group contributes to the mission of USJC to strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship, by bringing together members with bicultural competences who aspire to bridge the two nations, regardless of immigration status. – We provide a forum that builds relationships among Shin Issei leaders and generates innovative ideas for the betterment of our communities. -We serve as a resource to USJC by providing bilingual and bicultural expertise to enhance dialogue between Americans and Japanese. -We develop our unique identity and pride as Shin Issei to help advance our understanding of the U.S.–Japan relationship, contribute our Shin Issei perspective and experience to U.S.–Japan ties, and promote friendship through diverse programming.

 Email: [email protected]

This group focuses on advancing women and offers opportunities to expand their networks across regions, country borders and demographics to build new relationships. The group aims to discuss issues and exchange information in a safe and supportive environment, and enhance skills for professional career and leadership development.

Member Lead: Noël Mika Bahamón

Members with a professional connection to baseball. This group meets to discuss opportunities to showcase the role of baseball in U.S.-Japan relations.

Members who work in or interested in the sustainability and climate change space. As the Council develops its Climate & Sustainability Initiative, this group can serve as a sounding board and resource.

Members who work (or have worked) in the communications sector meet quarterly for social networking. The group includes journalists, PR leaders, and marketing professionals.

Members who are educators or interested in the education field share information on student exchange programs and cross-cultural education. From elementary to post-doc, from the classroom to curriculum design to the administration, this group is one of the Council’s largest professional networks. It’s occasional on-line gatherings are supplemented by email resource sharing.

Members who work in family-owned businesses. Topics of interest include generational succession, family relations and best practice business models that will sustain the business for growth and success, and issues in the Japanese American/Asian American community. This group has met once and has potential to become more active with volunteer leadership.

This group engages leaders of Japanese-American, Asian American and Japan-related non-profit organizations. Executives and board members share ideas and resources as organizations strive to maintain traditions and provide cultural and educational programs to local and global communities.