WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) is pleased to welcome new leadership to the Board of Councilors. The Board of Councilors consists of leaders who are recognized for their life-long contribution and commitment to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations. Their expertise guides the Council’s mission and activities.
Joining the Officers of the Board, which includes Ernest Higa as Chair and Vice Chairs Norman Y. Mineta and Masaaki Tanaka, is Takeshi Niinami, Representative Director, President & Chief Executive Officer, Suntory Holdings Limited, who will serve as Vice Chair. Mr. Niinami, who is based in Tokyo, Japan, has been a longtime supporter of the Council, and has participated in various programs – including joining last year’s Bilateral Boardroom as a featured speaker.
USJC was founded in part by founding president Irene Hirano Inouye and her husband, the late Senator Daniel Inouye, and two new members of the Board of Councilors continue their distinguished family legacy. Jennifer Hirano, who is the daughter of Ms. Hirano Inouye, has long supported the mission of USJC and was a speaker at last year’s Members Forum. Ken Inouye, who is the son of Senator Inouye and works as Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Administration at the University of Hawai’i West O’ahu, has mentored young participants of the USJC TOMODACHI Initiative.
USJC is also honored to welcome distinguished corporate leaders whose careers reflect the highest of professional achievement as well as deep commitment to the U.S.-Japan relationship. These incoming board members include:
- Kazuo Hirai, Senior Advisor, Sony Group Corporation
- Kanetsugu Mike, Chairman, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
- Kentaro Okuda, President and Group CEO, Nomura Holdings, Inc.
- Gill Pratt, Chief Scientist and Executive Fellow for Research, Toyota Motor Corporation; CEO, Toyota Research Institute
A full list of the USJC Board of Councilors can be found here.
About the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC)
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 is headquartered in Washington, DC with staff in California, Hawaii and Tokyo. In 2012, the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) was created and in 2013, it became a Public Interest Corporation (koeki zaidan hojin). The U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) maintains an office in Tokyo, Japan.
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Contact: Alison Aadland, Public Relations Manager
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