Irene Hirano Inouye and Senator Daniel K. Inouye envisioned the need for an organization that strengthens U.S.-Japan relations by allowing Japanese Americans to play a leading role in bringing the peoples of the United States and Japan closer together. Along with other Japanese American leaders, they founded the U.S.-Japan Council in 2009.
Since then, the Council has diversified and expanded into a premier U.S. organization bolstering ties at the people-to-people level. Its multi-sectoral and multi-generational membership spans 12 regions across the United States and Japan, and that membership has expanded beyond Japanese Americans to include Japanese and other Americans.
The U.S.-Japan Council and U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) would like to express our appreciation to those who have served on our Board of Directors as well as our Board of Councilors.
Past Board of Directors
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS consists of leaders from across the United States and in Japan who provide their expertise in establishing and guiding the Council’s mission and activities.
David Boone |
Phyllis Campbell^ |
Davd Kenji Chang |
Donna Cole |
Royanne Doi^# |
Tracey Doi |
Sho Dozono* |
Susan Eichor |
Atsuko Fish |
Glen S. Fukushima*# |
Hideki Hamamoto* |
Ernest M. Higa*^# |
James Higa# |
Michael Hirai* |
Irene Hirano Inouye†*# |
Leona Hiraoka |
Yosuke Honjo# |
Robert Ichikawa* |
Tom Iino^* |
Thomas Ikeda* |
Stephen Kagawa* |
Yuko Kaifu |
Frederick H. Katayama* |
Ryuichi Katayama |
Russell K. Kawahara* |
Tomoko Kizawa |
Dayne Kono |
Sachi Koto* |
Stan Koyanagi |
Kaz Maniwa* |
Colbert Matsumoto* |
James Minamoto* |
Brad Miyake |
Moni Miyashita* |
Gary Moriwaki# |
Norman Nakasone |
Jill Nishi |
David Nishida*# |
Paul Niwa* |
Allen M. Okamoto |
Susan Onuma* |
Henry Y. Ota* |
W. Douglas Parker |
Scott Sato^# |
Takayoshi Shinjo* |
Dennis Sugino |
Dennis Teranishi^# |
Wallace Tsuha |
Laura Winthrop* |
Jan Yanehiro |
Paul Yonamine*^# |
Tasha Yorozu |
* – Founding board member
^ – Held Chair position
# – Served on multiple boards
† – Passed away
Past Board of Councilors
THE DISTINGUISHED BOARD OF COUNCILORS consists of leaders who are recognized for their life-long contributions and commitment to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations. Their expertise and guidance directs the Council’s mission and activities.
Naoyuki Agawa |
George Aratani† |
Howard Baker† |
Thomas S. Foley† |
Soichiro Fukutake |
Colleen Hanabusa |
Yasuchika Hasegawa |
Kazuo Hirai |
Nobuyuki Hirano |
James Hodgson† |
Thomas W. Horton |
Daniel K. Inouye† |
Takeshi Kawamura |
Elly Keinan |
Yorihiko Kojima |
Norman Mineta† |
Walter Mondale† |
Koji Nagai |
Hiroaki Nakanishi† |
Hiromitsu Ogawa† |
Yoshio Okawara† |
Daniel Okimoto*^# |
Kunihiko Saito† |
Motoatsu Sakurai |
Katsuhiko Shirai |
Mark Takai† |
Paul Terasaki† |
Richard Wood† |
Shotaro Yachi |
* – Founding board member
^ – Held Chair position
# – Served on multiple boards
† – Passed away