U.S.-Japan Council Returns to Tokyo Annual Conference to Explore the New Era of U.S.-Japan Relations

From October 29 to November 1, over 700 individuals joined the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) and the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) for the thirteenth Annual Conference, titled, “Forging Our Future Together: The New Era of U.S.-Japan Relations.” With the end of 2024 marking leadership transitions in both countries, programming highlighted the leadership required to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities of our future, including: security, sustainability, innovation, economic security, empowering women and building a global workforce.

It was a special honor to feature Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan for welcome remarks during the morning plenary. She underscored the strong friendship between the two countries and the importance of safeguarding U.S.-Japan relations for the future, saying, “It is imperative that we seize this opportunity to deepen our ties, explore new avenues of cooperation and address the challenges that lie ahead with courage and innovation.”

Special remarks were provided by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru, which were read during the opening plenary by KOBAYASHI Maki, Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office of Japan. “As we are facing many complex challenges, the theme of today’s annual meeting, ‘Forging Our Future Together: The New Era in U.S.-Japan Relations,’ could not be more timely,” the Prime Minister said in his remarks. “Japan will continue to closely collaborate with the United States as a global partner at the core of a free and open international order, contributing together to the peace and prosperity of the world.”

The U.S.-Japan Council was privileged to host an exceptional lineup of speakers, including many prominent leaders representing both the Japanese and United States governments. KONO Taro, Member of the House of Representatives, shared insights on emerging digital technologies and their potential in global security. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike outlined her vision for the future of the city, emphasizing continued investment in innovation, including AI, to build a more connected metropolis. Regarding U.S.-Japan relations, she expressed her hopes, stating, “I look forward to continued knowledge-sharing and collaboration between the United States and Japan.”

Lieutenant General Stephen F. Jost, Commander of U.S. Forces, Japan and Fifth Air Force, reiterated how critical the U.S.-Japan alliance is for stability in the Indo-Pacific Region. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, United States Ambassador to Japan, also offered reflections on the bilateral partnership, stressing that no matter the leadership changes in the United States, “the relationship between the United States and Japan is firm, as the relationship between both peoples are firm, and by supporting people-to-people and university-to-university connections at the government level, we can make this relationship even stronger.”

Business and economic partnerships were highlighted as another facet of the U.S.-Japan partnership, with a recurring theme of corporate leaders rising to meet challenges with innovative solutions.  In a fireside chat moderated by U.S.-Japan Council’s President & CEO, Audrey Yamamoto, two of USJC’s Board of Councilors, Takeshi Niinami (Representative Director, President & CEO, Suntory Holdings Limited) and Jun Sawada (Executive Chairman, NTT Corporation) shared challenges their companies were facing as well as arising opportunities, including sustainable energy and AI.

Experts weighed in on the future of AI technologies in a plenary discussion with Board of Councilors Member Miki Tsusaka (Microsoft Japan) and Toshifumi Yoshizaki (NEC Corporation), moderated by Yutaka Matsuo (University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Technology Management for Innovation), sharing insights on the exponential growth and use of AI and its massive potential both in and beyond Japan. Ms. Tsusaka commented in particular about how technology has enabled more efficient use of time in the workplace and how she looks forward to Japan’s evolution, saying, “[Japan] will change because we have to change to keep growing. We have our moment, and organizations like this that bring companies together, people together, I think are extraordinarily important because it is about that human connection.”

Breakout sessions additionally explored areas such as economic security amid geopolitical tensions, climate change and sustainability, U.S.-Japan Space cooperation and developing a global, diverse workforce.

The Council celebrated its fifteenth anniversary with a look at its legacy over the years, recognizing some of the leaders who shaped USJC into the organization it is today. A panel featuring founding board members Colbert Matsumoto (USJC President’s Advisory Board Member, Tradewind Group, Inc.) and Masaaki (“Masa”) Tanaka (Vice Chair of the USJC Board of Councilors), as well as present Board Member and daughter of founding president Irene Hirano Inouye, Jennifer Hirano (Alphabet, Inc.), was moderated by President’s Advisory Board Member Yuko Kaifu (JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles). Reflecting on the Council’s growth, Mr. Matsumoto commented, “[The fact that] we have successfully organized… over a thousand members who are leaders in their very respective communities and well-respected citizens… who have engaged with this organization is something that would have made both Senator Inouye and Irene so proud.”

Next generation leadership was highlighted in the closing plenary. Richard Bissen, Mayor of Maui, offered special remarks on the Kibou for Maui Project, which was created by USJC with support from the Government of Japan following last year’s tragic wildfires in Hawaii, and TOMODACHI Kibou for Maui Program 2024 alumnus M. Jee Abara shared his inspirational story. A panel of Japanese alumni further underscored the life-changing impact of the TOMODACHI Initiative, with a final speech by alumna Miku Narisawa (Odyssey Nature Japan), who has returned to the TOMODACHI Initiative after 13 years, this time as a key implementer of the TOMODACHI Kibou for Maui program.

The U.S.-Japan Council would like to extend a special thanks to our generous sponsors and the members and other volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a success. We would like to give a special recognition to our Tokyo-based Host Committee, led by Aya Kameda, who not only offered tremendous assistance in the conference’s coordination, but also coordinated USJC’s first ever conference-adjacent GX-DX-AI Summit and Tradition and Innovation Soiree. 

We invite the USJC community to mark their calendars for next year’s Annual Conference, which will be held October 13-17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii.