Los Angeles
On March 3rd, 2025, the ten remarkable student delegates from Japan celebrated their conclusion of one-week U.S. Study Tour in Los Angeles as part of the TOMODACHI – U.S. Embassy Go for Gold Sports Leadership Program, designed to foster cross-cultural exchange and inspire the next generation of leaders in the sports industry.
During the opening remarks by Kira T. Conlon, USJC Board Member and a Partner and Co-Founder of Somos Law Group LLP, she reflected on the recent wildfires that have profoundly impacted Los Angeles that reminded us of the strength found in resilience, the importance of community, and the shared responsibility to build bridges in times of recovery.
The LA84 Foundation provided amazing opportunities for our delegates to make the Los Angeles portion of the program possible, by coordinating all the site visits and speakers for numerous panel discussions, and hosting the Los Angeles reception.
The reception included distinguished guests, Lisa Wehrly, Vice Chair of the LA84 Foundation Board of Directors, Gina Galasso and Stasia Washington, LA84 Foundation Board Members, and Renata Simril, President/CEO of the LA84 Foundation.
Delegates visited sports venues including the Riviera Country Club, LA Memorial Coliseum, SoFi Stadium, Dodger’s Stadium and Crypto.com Arena, where they gained invaluable insights into facility management and operations. While delegates learned about the world-class sports facilities, it was also important to learn about the history and cultural significance of sports in Los Angeles. They learned about the history of Japanese Americans’ incarceration experience from a curator at the Japanese American National Museum, an actor and storyteller who rebuilt a baseball field at the Manzanar, and by joining a walking tour of Little Tokyo.
Some guests made special efforts to meet with the delegates before and during the week in LA and share their stories, expertise, and advice as these future leaders take their next steps.
Matt Sussman, CEO of FLOW Speak, who helped our delegates get ready to spend two weeks in an English-speaking environment with his language app, Shigeyoshi “Sugar” Shinohara, Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at University of Southern California. We also had Jennifer Hirano, her mother, Irene Hirano Inouye and her husband, Senator Daniel Inouye, founded the U.S.-Japan Council, and Tom Iino, Founding Chair of the U.S.-Japan Council at the reception. Without their dedication and commitment, none of this would not exist today.
Another special guest in attendance was Deputy Consul General Naoshige Aoshima of the Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles. It means so much to have Consulate General of Japan because the TOMODACHI Sports Leadership Program was actually created as a legacy program from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics with the hope we can provide the next generation of leaders in the sports industry with the skills, networks, and experiences they need to thrive and help their communities thrive.
Takuto Uchida, who gave a speech on behalf of the delegates said in his speech, “One of the most impactful moments for me was learning about the struggles of Japanese Americans with their identity. They told us it was sometimes confusing to recognize who they were, but sports have helped them understand their own identity as both Japanese and American. Sports have also given them courage, hope, and a stronger sense of belonging.”
New York
On March 10th, 2025 – TOMODACHI – U.S. Embassy Go for Gold Sports Leadership Program New York Reception was held at the Japan Society. This special evening highlighted the ten delegates’ experiences, key learnings, and the impact of their two-week immersion in LA and NY in the U.S. sports industry. Close to fifty guests gathered to celebrate the journey of the ten young leaders from Japan as they concluded their U.S. study tour in the U.S. and prepared to return to Tokyo for their final presentation and ceremony.
Fred Katayama, Co-Chair of the U.S.-Japan Council Board of Directors, who just returned from Japan from the U.S.-Japan Council Japanese American Leadership Delegation (JALD), said in his opening remarks that he felt like Shohei Ohtani was following him wherever he went. There were ads and commercials that used Ohtani everywhere and Ohtani truly was an ambassador that connected U.S. and Japan through sports.
Thanks to the partnership with LeadOff Sports, ten Japanese college students were able to embark on their journey to study sports management in the U.S. The delegates met with Taka Shirai, Founder & President of LeadOff Sports, who shared his journey and answered questions from the delegates. Because Mr. Shirai paved his own way without prior roots or connection in the U.S., his story inspired the delegates and gave hope as future leaders in the sports industry.
While the week in Los Angeles focused more on sports facility and facility management, the week in New York was more focused on Sports Management, including a visit to Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Major League Baseball HeadQuarters, National Basketball Players Association, and NCAA Big East Women’s Basketball Conference. Also included was a visit to St. John’s University, to provide the academic insights of collegiate sports, which gave deeper understanding of U.S. college sports after visiting Loyola Marymount University, and watching a UCLA vs USC game in Los Angeles.
Jim Small, Senior Vice President of International at Major League Baseball, and President of World Baseball Classic joined the reception to give remarks. Jim Small is not only a notable executive in Major League Baseball, he also played a significant role when the TOMODACHI initiative first began after the 3.11 disaster, and supported the initiative through his love of baseball. He shared a very touching story about a student who he met in Ishinomaki, Miyagi who was a captain of a school baseball team. He was the sole survivor of his family, but when he was asked about how he was doing, the student told Jim, “Nanakorobi Yaoki – You fall seven times, but you get up eight times.” Jim’s story affirmed the potential of sports in inspiring hope and resilience in times of adversity.
A panel discussion followed, celebrating the recent “International Womens’ Day.” The panel was about Women in Sports, focusing on the importance of sports and what it means to be a female athlete.
- Natsumi Matsudaira, this year’s delegate of the TOMODACHI – U.S. Embassy Go for Gold Sports Leadership Program, has been playing ice hockey for more than 10 years. Natsumi shared her hope for female sports in Japan based on the takeaways from the two-week U.S. Study Tour. She hopes there will be a law like Title IX in Japan someday which will provide equal opportunities for both male and female athletes.
- Mami Hariyama, Founder and Director of Hariyama Ballet, Dancer, Teacher, Coach and Pianist, who came to New York to quit her love for ballet, but what brought her life back together after physical and emotional difficulties was ballet.
- Mika Hayashi, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) and Sports Medicine, and a shoe designer, gave an insight from a doctor’s perspective. As a doctor, she sees and hears from athletes who play both in the U.S. and in Japan during their most challenging times, such as injuries.
- Sarah O’Connell, a TOMODACHI Daiwa House Student Leadership Conference and Disaster Resilience Leadership Program alumna, the TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Representative for the New York Region, served as a moderator for the panel. Her research includes gender in AI and how many of the data and research are male based and do not reflect female aspects.
Women in sports has a long history, however, the journey has been persistently marked by challenges, and the challenges still exist to this day. Throughout history, female athletes have struggled with disparities in popularity and opportunities when compared to their male counterparts. The panelists’ stories highlighted the transformative power of sports and the role it plays in fostering hope and narrowing the gap between male and female athletes. The panel served as a powerful reminder of the ability of sports to transcend boundaries, inspiring unity.
