Have you registered yet to join us October 31 in Tokyo? This year’s conference, titled “Forging Our Future Together: The New Era of U.S.-Japan Relations,” will focus on the most pressing challenges and opportunities for the future of our global partnership. We are excited to preview some of our plenary and breakout sessions, featuring influential leaders from the United States and Japan addressing key bilateral topics, including:
Plenary Sessions
Business Visionaries: Navigating the New Era of U.S.-Japan Relations
- Takeshi “Tak” Niinami, Representative Director, President & Chief Executive Officer, Suntory Holdings Limited
- Jun Sawada, Executive Chairman, NTT Corporation
- Moderator: Audrey Yamamoto, President & CEO, U.S.-Japan Council
Pioneering Pathways: Charting the Future with Generative AI
- Miki Tsusaka, Representative Director and President, Microsoft Japan
- Toshifumi Yoshizaki, CDO, Corporate Senior Executive Vice President, President of Digital Platform Business Unit, NEC Corporation
- Moderator: Yutaka Matsuo, Professor, University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Technology Management for Innovation
A Legacy of Impact: USJC’s 15-Year Journey and Future Vision
- Jennifer Hirano, Business Development Analyst, Alphabet, Inc.
- Colbert Matsumoto, Chairman, Tradewind Group, Inc.
- Masaaki (Masa) Tanaka, Vice-Chair, Board of Councilors of the U.S.-Japan Council
- Moderator: Yuko Kaifu, President, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles
Kansha from Maui: Embracing Gratitude and Hope
- M. Jee Abara, Student, University of Hawaii West O’ahu | TOMODACHI Kibou for Maui Program
- An additional speaker will be announced soon!
- Co-Moderator: Derick Yanehiro, Coordinating Producer, ABC News
- Co-Moderator: Jan Yanehiro, President, Jan Yanehiro Communications
And a TOMODACHI alumni panel to highlight the next generation of leaders and grassroots diplomacy!
Breakout Sessions
Cultivating World Class Talent: The Changing Face of Leadership*
- Miyoko Demay, Former President, Tiffany and Co. Japan | Outside Director & Member of the Board, Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- Teiko Kudo, Director and Deputy President, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.
- Eriko Sakurai, Former President, Dow Japan and Korea
- Junko Watanabe, Board Member, Deloitte Global | Deputy Chair, Deloitte Asia Pacific
- Moderator: Kathy Matsui, Co-Founder & General Partner, MPower Partners
Sustainability in Action: Visionary Approaches in the U.S. and Japan
- Tomohiro Ishikawa, Chief Regulatory Engagement Officer, MUFG
- Michael Kobori, Chief Sustainability Officer, Starbucks
- Swetha Ramdas, Sustainability Leader, Asia Pacific Region, Amazon
- Moderator: Lori Teranishi, Founder & CEO, iQ 360
Star Alliance: The Future of U.S.-Japan Space Cooperation
- Nobu Okada, Founder & CEO, Astroscale Holdings Inc.
- Hiroshi Yamakawa, President, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- Naoko Yamazaki, Astronaut, Representative Director, Space Port Japan Association
- Moderator: Mihoko Shintani, Partner, TMI Associates
The U.S.-Japan Nexus: Economic Leadership Amid Global Challenges
- Eriko Asai, Co-Founder and Partner, Trinity Indo-Pacific Partners
- Mark Okada, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Sycamore Tree Capital Partners L.P.
- Takayuki Sumita, Managing Executive Officer, Head of Corporate Group, CSO, Sumitomo Corporation
President & CEO, Sumitomo Corporation Global Research Co. Ltd. - Moderator: Kaori IIDA, Deputy Chief Commentator, NHK
The U.S. Presidential Election: Potential Outcomes and Implications
- Glen S. Fukushima, Vice Chair, Securities Investor Protection Corporation
- The Honorable Glenn Nye III, President & CEO, Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC)
- Additional speakers will be announced soon!
- Moderator: Sachi Hamai, Retired, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles County
Thriving Startups: Insights from Founders
- David Ha, Co-Founder & CEO, Sakana AI
- Eiko Hashiba, Representative Director of Board, CEO, VisasQ Inc.
- Akiko Naka, CEO, Wantedly, Inc.
- Moderator: Katrina Masumi Lake, Founder & Chairperson, Stitch Fix
Global Workforce Development: Leadership, Strategy, and Culture for a Resilient Future
- Hiroyuki Fujita, Founder and CEO, Quality Electrodynamics | Chairman, Canon Healthcare USA
- Gino Gordon, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Red Phoenix Entertainment
- Yumiko Noda, Chairman and Representative Director, Veolia Japan
- Kathleen M. Pike, CEO, One Mind | Professor, Columbia University
- Moderator: Curtiss Takada Rooks, Assistant Professor, Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, Loyola Marymount University
Bridging Cultures: LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Japan and the U.S.-Japan Alliance
- Shoko Suzuki, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Salesforce Japan Co., Ltd.
- Additional speakers will be announced soon!
- Moderator: Moriaki Kida, Chairperson & CEO, EY Japan
*Preliminary title
More information is forthcoming. Click here to learn more about the conference and to register.