FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2021
TOMODACHI Initiative 10-Year Commemoration Event to
Connect Alumni with Consul General of Japan in New York
Student alumni of post 3.11 U.S.-Japan Exchange Program will share experiences with Ambassador Yamanouchi
WASHINGTON, DC – In commemoration of the 10th Year of the TOMODACHI Initiative, Ambassador Kanji YAMANOUCHI, the Consul General of Japan in New York, has invited TOMODACHI alumni and U.S.-Japan Council members to his residence on December 17.
In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, the United States military and Japan Self-Defense Forces worked together successfully in Operation Tomodachi to provide immediate humanitarian relief to the Tohoku region. Building upon this cooperation and spirit of friendship, the United States and Japan launched the TOMODACHI Initiative, which initially focused on creating opportunities for youth from the affected regions of the Tohoku region. Since then, TOMODACHI programming has expanded to create exchange opportunities throughout Japan and the United States. TOMODACHI is led by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC), a tax-exempt non-profit organization, and is supported by the Government of Japan, corporations, organizations and individuals from the United States and Japan.
Since its creation, the TOMODACHI Initiative has offered over 320 completed programs, with over 9,500 alumni in both the U.S. and Japan. The U.S.-Japan Council and the TOMODACHI Initiative continue to engage these program participants to cultivate the next generation of leaders and solidify the future of the U.S.-Japan relationship. The upcoming event on December 17 will feature remarks from young alumni of TOMODACHI programs and help launch the TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Framework to build and bolster the TOMODACHI community in regions across the United States. TOMODACHI’s Alumni Leadership Program is generously supported by Prudential.
“I believe that TOMODACHI has a special place at the heart of USJC’s endeavors. This is a great program for the next generation, future leaders of both countries who strive for their dreams and build great bridges between the two countries,” said Ambassador Yamanouchi, who was a featured speaker at USJC’s recent Next Generation Summit event, which highlighted the TOMODACHI Initiative and other programs’ young alumni in a virtual gathering. “The TOMODACHI Initiative has been one of the most outstanding activities of friendship between our two countries.”
Ambassador Yamanouchi also expressed his enthusiasm to engage TOMODACHI alumni. “To stress the importance of such regional undertakings, I will be hosting a gathering for representatives and alumni on December 17 at my residence. Such regional representation of the TOMODACHI Generation matters in a room full of politics, science, sustainability, and community building. Moreover, the TOMODACHI Generation reinforces trust and mutual understanding across different cultures.”
Interested press representatives are invited to attend this event and record the program. For more information, please contact Alison Aadland at [email protected], Natsuko Oku at [email protected] or Maki Mizusawa at [email protected].
The event information is as follows:
DATE: Friday, December 17, 2021
TIME: 6:00pm – 7:00pm (Doors will open at 5:30pm)
LOCATION: 4 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10065
PRESS REGISTRATION: Alison Aadland of USJC and Natsuko Oku at [email protected] and Maki Mizusawa at [email protected] of the Consulate
About the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) and the TOMODACHI Initiative
The U.S.-Japan Council develops and connects global leaders to create a stronger U.S.-Japan relationship. It is an organization whose members believe people-to-people relationships are a powerful way to bring together leaders in the U.S. and Japan to address and create solutions to mutual concerns. The Council is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit educational organization that was founded in 2008, and in 2012, the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) was created and in 2013, it became a Public Interest Corporation (koeki zaidan hojin).
The TOMODACHI Initiative is a public-private partnership, born out of support for Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, that invests in the next generation of Japanese and American leaders through educational and cultural exchanges as well as leadership programs. The U.S.-Japan Council (U.S.) and the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) work in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to implement the TOMODACHI Initiative as a public-private partnership. Implementation includes program development and oversight, communications and outreach, marketing, fundraising, donor relations and management and operations.