Since 2000, the US-Japan Leadership Program has been devoted to developing a network of friendship, communication and understanding among the next generation of leaders in the two countries. Over the course of two summers, some 40 young leaders are brought together to explore and discuss important topics of mutual interest. Once selected for the Program, participants gain lifelong access to the unique pool of USJLP talent, connections and opportunities.
To qualify for the 2019-2020 USJLP conferences, candidates must hold U.S. or Japan citizenship, be between the ages of 28 and 42 as of the first day of the 2019 conference (July 21, 2019), and have demonstrated leadership, achievement, or the potential for leadership in their respective fields. USJLP strives to achieve a diverse and balanced class each year, and consideration will be given to proven leaders from a broad spectrum of careers and backgrounds.
The 20th Annual Conference will be held in Kyoto and Tokyo from July 21-28, 2019. Delegates who start the Program in 2019 are expected to return for their second year at the 2020 conference, currently scheduled to be held July 11-18, 2020 in Seattle. Learn more about USJLP conferences here.
To nominate a young leader for USJLP, send a brief note to applications@usjlp.org and the secretariats will be pleased to contact your nominee with application details.
The application deadline is Monday, December 3, 2018.
Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV, personal statement, recommendation letter, and an application cover sheet with headshot photo. Applicants will be notified of the results in February, 2019.
Visit the USJLP Applications page for complete details and necessary documents.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNITED STATES-JAPAN FOUNDATION HIRES NEW DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION GRANTS!
August 1, 2018, New York, NY – The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to announce and welcome Daniel M. Tani as the organization’s new Director of Foundation Grants. Dan will manage and supervise the Foundation’s grant-making program in the United States and Japan. This includes regular engagement with US-Japan networks in the areas of US-Japan education, communication/public opinion, and US-Japan policy studies. The position is based in New York City and Dan will travel domestically and to Japan to monitor grants and explore new projects for potential support. In addition, he will oversee the Foundation’s Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award.
Dan’s relationship with the US-Japan Foundation (USJF) dates back to 2002, when he was selected as a member of the Foundation’s flagship US-Japan Leadership program. After serving as a delegate, he contributed as a member of the program’s Executive Committee and then was invited to join the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Dan joins the Foundation from the American School in Japan, (ASIJ) where he taught Middle and High School Science, Technology and Design from 2016 to 2018. Prior to his position at ASIJ, Dan was a manager at Orbital ATK an aerospace contractor located outside of Washington DC. The majority of Dan’s career was spent with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where he served as an astronaut at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). In his tenure in the astronaut office, Dan flew on 2 space missions to the International Space Station (ISS), for a total of 132 days in space, featuring 6 space walks.
A third-generation Japanese American, Dan brings a unique perspective to the US-Japan relationship as the son of parents interned during World War II. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, Dan holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dan and his wife have 3 children.
Dan brings his wealth of leaderships experience, strategic perspective, interpersonal skills and humanitarian outlook to his position in the Foundation. Dan says, “my new position with the Foundation will continue my departure from aerospace and towards a professional and personal interest in developing and strengthening the relationship between Japan and the United States.”
Dr. George R. Packard, President, states, “We are very excited to welcome Dan to the team at the United States-Japan Foundation. Dan will bring a new strategy and focus to our grant-making. He is a huge role model and inspiration to our staff and grantees who come into contact with him.”
The United States-Japan Foundation, incorporated under United States law in 1980, was founded with a grant of $44.8 million from the Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation (now known as the Nippon Foundation).
The United States-Japan Foundation is the only private independent American grant making foundation dedicated to the mutual interests of the American and Japanese people. The United States-Japan Foundation is committed to promoting stronger ties between Americans and Japanese by supporting projects that foster mutual knowledge and education, deepen understanding, create effective channels of communication, and address common concerns in an increasingly interdependent world.
The United States-Japan Foundation offers grants in the areas of pre-college education, communication / public opinion, US-Japan policy studies and operates the United States-Japan Leadership Program.
The Foundation is pleased to announce the 2018 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award winners! Read about them here.
The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to announce grants award during its April 2018 funding cycle. Click here to learn more.
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 friendships.
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 eighteen years, the USJLP network boasts 410 members in both countries. Prominent members of the Program include: Foreign Minister Taro Kono, National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Matthew Pottinger, member of Japan’s House of Representatives Motohisa Furukawa, renowned violinist Midori Goto and pianist Gohei Nishikawa, Claire Chino (Managing Executive Officer, Itochu Corporation), Johnathan Capehart (The Washington Post), Nikole Hannah-Jones (The New York Times Magazine), CNN anchor John Berman, medical journalist Dr. Mona Khanna, composers Todd Frazier and Christopher Theofanidis, racing driver Keiko Ihara, architect Satoshi Okada, NASA astronaut Dan Tani, actor Tetsuya Bessho, U.S. State Senators Aaron Ford (Nevada) and Benjamin Allen (California), former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski, and Olympic silver medalist Yuko Arimori.
The pool of candidates for seats at the 2018 conference was extremely competitive. In addition to leadership criteria, selections for each class aim to shape the unique delegation of first and second-year participants with a diverse representation of professions, geographic areas and perspectives. In total, 23 new Delegates (8 Japanese and 15 American) will join 21 returning second year Delegates for the Program’s Nineteenth Annual Conference in Seattle from July 28 – August 4, 2018. The Class of 2018-2019 will convene for their second conference next summer, to be held July 21-28, 2019 in Japan. Delegates will be joined by Fellows (alumni) on the final two days of each conference, creating new and strengthening existing inter-class bonds.
Click here to view all 44 Delegates to the 2018 Seattle Conference
2018-2019 Japanese Delegates:
- Yuichiro Enomoto, Director for Prudential Standards, Prudential Standards Office, Financial Services Agency Japan
- Arfiya Eri, Associate Expert, United Nations
- Satoshi Ezoe, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York
- Yohei Sadoshima, CEO, CORK Inc.
- Masao Takahashi, Senior Director, Head of Membership and Technology Pioneers; Senior Director, Head of Business Engagement – Japan; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum
- Yusuke Tsugawa, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
- Mai Yaguchi, Deputy Director, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
- Shintaro Yamaguchi, Partner, International Tax Services, PwC Tax Japan
2018-2019 American Delegates:
- Megan Carroll, Team Leader, Peacekeeping Evaluation Section, United Nations
- Chloe Demrovsky, President & CEO, Disaster Recovery Institute International
- Brian Ferguson, President & Co-Founder, Arena Labs
- Elena Grewal, Director, Head Data Scientist, Airbnb, Inc.
- Alison Grigonis, Senior Attorney, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP
- Howard Hanna, Founding Partner, Manaia Hospitality; Chef / Owner, The Reiger and Ça Va
- Michael Morales, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force; Legislative Liaison and Chief, Mobility and Special Operations Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force
- Craig Mullaney, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Facebook
- John Noonan, Senior Counselor for Military and Defense, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)
- Rei Onishi, Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary, Office of California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
- Latoya Peterson, Deputy Editor, Digital Innovation, The Undefeated / ESPN
- Sunny Ramchandani, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Aetna
- Monica Sanz, Vice President, AIG Investments, Emerging Markets Research, American International Group (AIG)
- Dennis Skelton, Founder, Paradox Sports; President and CEO, Kairos Alliance Group;
President, A Moveable Feast, Inc. - Guy Snodgrass, Commander, U.S. Navy; Director of Communication and Chief Speechwriter, Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense
The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to announce grants award during its October 2017 funding cycle. Click here to learn more.
Since 2000 the US-Japan Leadership Program has been devoted to developing a network of friendship, communication and understanding among the next generation of leaders in the two countries. Over the course of two summers, some 40 young leaders are brought together to explore and discuss important topics of mutual interest. Once selected for the Program, participants gain lifelong access to the unique pool of USJLP talent, connections and opportunities.
To qualify for the 2018-2019 USJLP conferences, candidates must hold U.S. or Japan citizenship, be between the ages of 28 and 42 as of the first day of the 2018 conference (July 28, 2018), and have demonstrated leadership, achievement, or the potential for leadership in their respective fields. USJLP strives to achieve a diverse and balanced class each year, and consideration will be given to proven leaders from a broad spectrum of careers and backgrounds.
The Eighteenth Annual Conference will be held in Seattle from July 28 – August 4, 2018. Delegates who start the Program in 2018 are expected to return for their second year at the 2019 conference, currently scheduled to be held July 21-28, 2019 in Japan. Learn more about USJLP conferences here.
To nominate a young leader for USJLP, send a brief note to applications@usjlp.org and the secretariats will be pleased to contact your nominee with application details.
The application deadline is Monday, January 8, 2018.
Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV, personal statement, recommendation letter, and an application cover sheet with headshot photo. Applicants will be notified of the results in March, 2018.
Visit the USJLP Applications page for complete details and necessary documents.
The Foundation is pleased to announce the 2017 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award winners! Read about them here.
The Foundation is pleased to announce grants awarded in the Spring funding cycle. Click here for details.
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 seventeen years the USJLP network boasts 392 members in both countries. Prominent members of the Program include Cabinet of Japan minister Taro Kono, members of Japan’s House of Representatives Motohisa Furukawa and Keiichiro Asao, renowned violinist Midori Goto and pianist Gohei Nishikawa, Claire Chino (Executive Officer, Itochu Corporation), Johnathan Capehart (The Washington Post), Nikole Hannah-Jones (The New York Times Magazine), CNN anchor John Berman, Dr. Mona Khanna (Fox Chicago News), composers Todd Frazier and Christopher Theofanidis, racing driver Keiko Ihara, architect Satoshi Okada, NASA astronaut Dan Tani, actor Tetsuya Bessho, U.S. State Senators Aaron Ford (Nevada) and Benjamin Allen (California), former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski, and Olympic silver medalist Yuko Arimori.
The pool of candidates for seats at the 2017 conference was extremely competitive. In addition to leadership criteria, selections for each class aim to shape the unique delegation of first and second-year participants with a diverse representation of professions, geographic areas and perspectives. In total, 19 new Delegates (6 American and 13 Japanese) will join 25 returning second year Delegates for the Program’s Eighteenth Annual Conference in Kyoto and Tokyo from July 23-30, 2017. The Class of 2017-2018 will convene for their second conference next summer, to be held July 28 – August 4, 2018 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.
Click here to view all 44 Delegates to the 2017 Japan Conference
2017-2018 American Delegates:
- Brian Ferguson, President & Co-Founder, Arena Labs
- Nadim Hossain, CEO & Co-Founder, BrightFunnel
- Scott Mulhauser, Visiting Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
- Sharmeen Premjee, Senior Public Health Advisor, Global HIV and TB, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Sea Thomas, Major, U.S. Marine Corps; J2/Intelligence Directorate, U.S. Pacific Command
- Amy Webb, Founder & CEO, Future Today Institute
2017-2018 Japanese Delegates:
- Yutaka Arai, Principal, Sapporo Shinyo High School
- Michinao Hashimoto, Assistant Professor, Singapore University of Technology and Design
- Makiko Hirata, Classical Pianist, Rice University; River Oaks Chamber Orchestra; Ensemble MATIMA
- Hardy T S Kagimoto, President & CEO, HEALIOS, K.K.
- Tomoko Kubota, News Caster / Reporter, Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc.; Professional Fellow, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
- Keiko Namba, Deputy Director, Second North America Division, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- Hiro Nozaki, Director, BlackRock, Inc.
- Koji Okubo, Senior Architect, Nikken Sekkei, Ltd.
- Eiko Ooka, Director, Corporate Advisory Division, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
- Haruko Sasamoto, Assistant Manager, Silicon Valley Branch, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)
- Mio Takaoka, Managing Director and Member of the Board, Monex Ventures; Advisor, Monex Group, Inc.
- Mayumi Uejima-Carr, Co-President, TABLE FOR TWO USA
- Mayu Yamaguchi, PhD Candidate, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo