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:
2015-2016 Japanese Delegates: