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.
The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to annouce grants awarded in October 2014. Click here for details.
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 2015-2016 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 2015 conference (July 19, 2015), 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 Sixteenth Annual Conference will be held in Kyoto and Tokyo from July 19-26, 2015. Delegates who start the Program in 2015 are expected to return for their second year at the 2016 conference, currently set for July 16-23, 2016 in Seattle, WA. 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 Thursday, January 8, 2015.
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, 2015.
Visit the USJLP Applications page for complete details and necessary documents.
The Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2014 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Awards.
Letters of inquiry for the Foundation’s fall funding cycle are due by July 15, 2014 and invited full proposals are due at the end of August.
The Japan Society of New York presented USJF President Dr. George R. Packard with its Japan Society Award at their annual gala dinner on June 5, 2014.
The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to announce grants awarded during its April 2014 funding cycle. Link 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 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:
- Ms. Mayumi Fukushima, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Mr. Ryosuke Hayashi, Deputy General Manager, Overseas Business, Administration Department, SBI Holdings, Inc.
- Mr. Shugo Ikoh, Opera and Stage Director
- Mr. Daisuke Kan, Executive Director, Cheerio Group
- LCDR Takuo Kobayashi, Lieutenant Commander, Plans and Programs Division, Maritime Staff Office, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
- Dr. Junya Nishino, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Politics, Keio University
- Dr. Makiko Oku, Program Leader, Gender Program / Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University
- Ms. Aki Shiozawa, Manager, Global Outcome & Epidemiology Research, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.
- Mr. Shinichi Wada, Deputy Director, Operation Department, Bank of Japan
2014-2015 American Delegates:
- Mr. John Berman, Anchor, CNN
- Mr. Lawrence Cann, Founder and CEO, Street Soccer USA
- Dr. Frances Colon, Deputy Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State
- Mr. Ezechiel Copic, Liaison to the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Debt Management, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- Ms. Morgan Courtney, Burma Engagement Lead, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State
- Dr. Clark Cully, Chief of Staff, Office of Global Strategic Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Dr. Matthew Hindman, Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs, George Washington University
- Mr. Michael Hodge, Associate Director of Design, Tianhua Architecture & Planning Ltd
- Dr. Kenji Kushida, Research Associate in Japanese Studies, Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University
- Mr. Paul Nitze, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
- Ms. Madeline Otto Grant, Director, Federal Government Relations, Group Health Cooperative
- Hon. Jacqueline Robinson, Vice Mayor, City of Pasadena, CA
- Ms. Kristine Schenck, Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Asia Pacific Advisory Group, U.S. Navy
- Cmdr. Guy Snodgrass, F/A-18 Hornet Pilot; Prospective Executive Officer, Strike Fighter Squadron ONE NINE FIVE, U.S. Navy
- Ms. Ginger Wange, Science and Technology Development Manager, Twin Cities Public Television
- Capt. Brian Willis, 62d Operations Group Executive Officer; C-17 Instructor Aircraft Commander, U.S. Air Force
Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award Applications are due May 15, 2019. Please click here for Elgin Heinz Eligibility Requirements.