Former ambassadors Ichiro Fujisaki and John Roos will headline next week’s Japan In 2014 Symposium at the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City Hotel.
The daylong symposium is scheduled for Feb. 13 and will focus on the direction of Japan’s domestic affairs and the bilateral relationship between the island nation and the United States.
Japan America Society of Southern California (JASSC) and Japan Business Association of Southern California are the event’s presenters. The Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA provided both presenters with a grant to organize the event.
“As ambassadors who recently completed their appointments and have ‘retired’ from diplomatic service, we are looking forward to a candid discussion about their experiences in office and prospects for the future of U.S.-Japan relations,” JASSC president Douglas Erber stated. “We also are pleased to have discussion panels populated by Japan experts who will share their outlooks for Japan in the coming year.”
Fujisaki served as Japan’s ambassador to the United States between 2008 and 2013, while Roos was the United States ambassador to Japan from 2009 to 2013.
Since leaving their respective posts, Fujisaki went on to become the president of the America-Japan Society and serves as a distinguished professor at Sophia University and Keio University in Tokyo; Roos is currently a global advisor for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial.
While Fujisaki and Roos will serve as the event’s featured speakers, others presenting speeches at Japan In 2014 include: acting U.S. trade representative Wendy Cutler; Toyota Motor Sales USA executive chairman Yoshima Inaba; USC associate professor Saori N. Katada; The Oriental Economist Report editor-in-chief Richard Katz; and, Mitsubishi Electric U.S. chairman and CEO Katsuya Takamiya, among others.
The symposium begins at 12 Noon with a luncheon program, where Cutler will serve as the keynote speaker. A series of panel discussions will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both ambassadors will speak from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
UC Berkeley professor of political science Steven K. Vogel will chair the ambassadors’ discussion.
A networking reception follows the ambassadors’ segment.
Admission to the Japan In 2014 Symposium is $65 for JASSC members and $80 for non-members. For more information, contact Kay Amano at (310) 965-9050, ext. 104, or visit www.jas-socal.org.
The Intercontinental is located at 2151 Avenue of the Stars.
