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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 fifteen years the USJLP network boasts 347 alumni in both countries. Prominent alumni of the Program include members of Japan’s 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 Tetsuya Bessho, U.S. State Senators Aaron Ford (Nevada) and Benjamin Allen (California), U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski, and Olympic silver medalist Yuko Arimori.

The pool of candidates for seats at the 2015 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, 21 new Delegates (8 American and 13 Japanese) will join 23 returning second year Delegates for the Program’s Sixteenth Annual Conference in Kyoto and Tokyo from July 19-26, 2015. The Class of 2015-2016 will convene for their second conference next summer, to be held July 16-23, 2016 in Seattle. Delegates will be joined by Fellows (alumni) on the final two days of each conference, creating new and strengthening existing inter-class bonds.

2015-2016 American Delegates:

  • John Berman, Anchor, CNN
  • Andrew Byrnes, Chief of Staff, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Lauren Edgar, Research Geologist, Astrogeology Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey
  • Ziad Haider, Senior Advisor, Policy Planning Staff, Office of the Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State
  • Ryan Mackenzie, Member, 134th Legislative District; Deputy Majority Whip, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
  • Kerry O’Connor, Design Director, IDEO
  • Ginger Turner, Senior Economist & Vice President, Swiss Re
  • Elizabeth Whittaker, Senior Director, Diversity and Equity Leadership Development, Leadership for Education Equity

2015-2016 Japanese Delegates:

  • Yukiko Imanaka, Senior Safeguard Officer, Environmental and Social Considerations Review Division, Credit Risk Analysis and Environmental Review Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
  • Miyuki Inoue, Reporter / Member of Media Lab, Asahi Shimbun
  • Naonobu Ishikawa, Manager, Global Network & Co-ordination Team, Global Strategy & Business Development Department, Mitsubishi Corporation
  • Lisa Katayama, Founder and President, The Tofu Project; Program Manager, MIT Media Lab
  • Kei Katsuno, Director of Portfolio Strategy and Programs, GHIT Fund
  • Rie Kijima, Lecturer and Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford Graduate School of Education
  • Mitsuru Kodaira, Counselor for Political Affairs, Embassy of Japan in the U.S.
  • Daiko Matsuyama, Deputy Head Priest, Taizoin Zen Buddhist Temple
  • Sachiko Nakajima, Jazz Pianist / Composer; Mathematician; Manager, Strategy Implementation, CEO Office, Phoenix Consulting, Inc.
  • Genichi Osawa, Chief Representative, Japan Ministry of Finance (MoF) in New York; Deputy Consul-General, Japan Consulate-General in New York
  • Tamon Suzuki, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Law, Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University
  • Nobuko Tabata, Consultant, McKinsey & Company
  • Takeharu Takahashi, CEO, Takahashi Curtain Wall Corp., Ltd.
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