The US-Japan Foundation is proud to announce the newest class of Delegates to the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP). The purpose of USJLP is to develop a network of communication, friendship and understanding among the next generation of leaders in the U.S. and Japan. The Program aims to foster a continuing dialogue among rising stars in leadership from a variety of backgrounds and professions. It starts this process by bringing together some 20 young leaders, ages 28-42, from each country for two intensive weeklong conferences over two years, with discussions revolving around historical and current issues in bilateral relations, as well as issues reaching beyond our two countries. Through serious conversation as well as recreation and shared cultural activities it seeks to nurture lifelong relationships.
Once selected for the Program, members gain lifelong access to the unique pool of USJLP talent and are able to engage in activities that take place throughout the U.S. and Japan, from intellectual gatherings to informal meetings. After fourteen years the USJLP network boasts roughly 325 alumni in both countries. Prominent alumni of the Program include members of the House of Representatives Taro Kono, Motohisa Furukawa and Keiichiro Asao, renowned violinist Midori Goto, Claire Chino (Executive Officer, Itochu Corporation), Johnathan Capehart (The Washington Post), Dr. Mona Khanna (Fox Chicago News), composers Todd Frazier and Christopher Theofanidis, racing driver Keiko Ihara, NASA astronaut Dan Tani, actor Testuya Bessho, Nevada state senator Aaron Ford, U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski, and Olympic silver medalist Yuko Arimori.
The pool of candidates for seats at the 2014 conference was extremely competitive. In addition to leadership criteria, selections for each class aim to shape that year’s unique delegation of first and second-year participants with diverse representation of professions, geographic range and perspectives. In total, 26 Delegates (16 American and 10 Japanese) will join 20 returning second year Delegates for the Program’s Fifteenth Annual Conference in Seattle from July 19-26, 2014. The Class of 2014-2015 will convene together for their second conference to be held in July 2015 in Kyoto and Tokyo. Delegates will be joined by Fellows (alumni) on the final two days of each conference, creating new and strengthening existing inter-class bonds.
2014-2015 Japanese Delegates:
2014-2015 American Delegates:
