34th "Award of Honor" Gala

Join us at our signature event of the year to celebrate U.S.-Japan collaboration!

When

U.S.

December 4, 2020
5:00-6:00 PM PST

Japan

December 5, 2020
10:00-11:00 AM JST

Where

via Zoom Meeting

View Agenda

The 2020 Silent Auction is now open!

From plane tickets to Tokyo to a private dinner for six at the Consul General’s residence, explore our list of amazing auction items.

This auction is open to the public! You do not have to attend the Gala to participate, though we encourage you to attend as well. The auction will close on December 4th, shortly before the virtual Gala ends.

View Silent Auction

Award of Honor

His Excellency, Shinzo Abe

Former Prime Minister of Japan

Humanitarian Award

Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, MD

White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator

Dr. Shinya Yamanaka

Senior Investigator and the L.K. Whittier Foundation Investigator in Stem Cell Biology at the Gladstone Institutes
Professor of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco
Director / Professor, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Japan
Representative Director, CiRA Foundation, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, Kyoto, Japan

Zuiho Taiko

This professional Japanese drum ensemble is from Nagasaki Prefecture and performs over 100 programs a year in Japan and internationally. The members have intellectual disabilities and their performances are an opportunity to witness a more inclusive society. They have been invited to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., at a United Nations event and in France at one of the largest concert venues. Their performance at the gala will be from the documentary, “Challenged” – a film by renowned director, Kenichi Oguri, that chronicles the story of this remarkable performance troupe.

Agenda

Welcome Remarks

Jon Metzler, Chairman of the Board Japan Society of Northern California & Lecturer, UC-Berkeley
Nobuko Saito Cleary, Chair, Japan Society Gala, Executive Member of the Board, Japan Society of Northern California

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Commemorating 150 Years of Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco

Consul General of Japan in San Francisco Toru Maeda

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Japan Society of Northern California 115 years with photos

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2020 Humanitarian Award

Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, Senior Investigator and the L.K. Whittier Foundation Investigator in Stem Cell Biology at the Gladstone Institutes
Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, MD, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator

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Entertainment Zuiho Taiko, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

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2020 Award of Honor

His Excellency Shinzo Abe, Former Prime Minister of Japan

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Closing Remarks

Takahide Akiyama, President, Japan Society of Northern California
Nobuko Saito Cleary, Chair, Japan Society Gala, Executive Member of the Board, Japan Society of Northern California

Download 2020 Brochure

About the Gala

For more than 100 years, the Japan Society of Northern California has fostered collaboration and understanding between the United States and Japan by providing Northern Californians with a range of language, cultural and business programming and opportunities for fellowship. The programming has varied through the years but the mission to foster understanding and collaboration between Japan and the United States remains unchanged.

On December 4, 2020 (December 5, 2020 in Japan), the Japan Society will hold its 34th Annual Award of Honor Gala via Zoom. The gala is our signature event of the year attended by a wide range of Americans and Japanese from business, government, the arts, academia and the community who share a strong commitment to close ties between the United States and Japan.

Sponsorship opportunities here

2020 Sponsors