Recap written by Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong and Ann Teranishi, JALD ’25 members.
The 2025 Japanese American Leadership Delegation (JALD) recently returned from an inspirational and action-packed visit to Japan from February 28–March 8. The JALD program provides a unique opportunity for Japanese American leaders from across the United States to engage with Japanese leaders in the business, government, academic, non-profit, and cultural sectors. Ten diverse Japanese Americans from across the United States were selected for this year’s delegation.
JALD is generously sponsored by the Japanese government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and is administered by the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC). JALD is a premiere program of USJC and delegates are selected by their local Consulate General offices for their potential future contributions in strengthening the U.S.-Japan relations.
JALD 2025 cohort, Audrey Yamamoto, and Fred Katayama with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi, March 7, 2025.
This experience began in Hiroshima where delegates participated in a symposium called From Hiroshima to Hope: Japanese American Perspectives on Global Peace and Security, and met Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki, who served as the keynote speaker. The delegation also met Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui to learn more about the Mayors for Peace initiative, toured cultural sites, including Miyajima Island, and an emotional visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum and with Ms. Teruko Yahata, a hibakusha (survivor of the atomic bomb).
The delegation then traveled to Tokyo and met with key leaders including Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Director General of the North American Affairs Bureau MOFA Yutaka Arima, Cabinet Public Relations Secretary Maki Kobayashi, Members of the Japanese Diet, and leaders from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Japan-U.S. Parliamentary Friendship League; Tokyo Station Shinkansen Control Center; Keizai Douyukai; Keidanren, the U.S. Embassy, as well as USJC leaders based in Japan.
This program was jam-packed with incredible opportunities to meet and connect Japanese leaders, allowing an open exchange of ideas and perspectives.
The extraordinary JALD experience helped to connect these Japanese American leaders with their cultural heritage, deepening the bond with their ancestral homeland and each other, while invigorating and mobilizing this delegation’s commitment to continue the people-to-people relationship between the U.S. and Japan.
Additional media coverage:
- https://www.tss-tv.co.jp/tssnews/000027870.html
- https://x.com/konotaromp/status/1897059640376222197?s=46
- Courtesy call on Foreign Minister Iwaya by the Japanese American Leadership Delegation | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- MOFA of Japan on X: “On March 6, FM IWAYA received a courtesy call from the Japanese American Leadership Delegation (#JALD), which was visiting Japan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. #US https://t.co/oA0KyHhxzY https://t.co/YNT5IGlOxi” / X
- On March 6, FM IWAYA… – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan | Facebook