Over the last two decades, the United States has become a world champion for LGBTQ rights, but it was not an easy road to get there. Japan is currently fighting to have the same rights, and in 2023, the Japanese National Diet hosted a discussion about next steps for LGBTQ rights in Japan. We at the Japan Society believe that both nations can learn from each other to help improve the rights of the LGBTQ community. The Japan Society of Northern California strongly believes in equal rights for all. We were honored to host “The Journey to LGBTQ Rights in Japan and the US: Trans-Pacific Cooperation and Community” on February 26 at Salesforce Tower in San Francisco.
We were honored to have three experts from America and Japan speak at our event. Those experts were Aaron Belkin, Akira Nishiyama, and Larry W. Bates. Aaron Belkin is the interim Political Science Department Chair at San Francisco State University, and he was integral in getting the American military to repeal its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Akira Nishiyama is the Deputy Secretary General for the Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation (J-ALL). Akira helped spearhead the creation of “Pride 7,” a new engagement group within the Group of Seven (G7) that focuses on promoting and strengthening LGBTQ rights in each G7 country. Finally, Larry W. Bates is a former Corporate Director, Executive Officer, General Counsel, and Business Advocate. Larry became the first non-Japanese member of the Board of Directors for the Panasonic Corporation in 2018. Larry has been an advocate for marriage equality, having worked closely with organizations such as ACCJ, LGBT Lawyers and Allies Network, and Equal Marriage Alliance Japan.
After opening remarks from Japan Society’s Board Chair Larry Greenwood and Salesforce Head of Public Affairs Margaret Taylor, each of our speakers gave a presentation on the US-Japan relationship and how the LGBTQ communities from each country can learn from each other. Akira’s provided the audience with a recap of the LGBTQ discussion in Japan. Aaron reflected on his work with the Palm Center when fighting back against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and how those lessons are still as relevant as ever. Larry told his personal and professional story of what it was like being a member of the LGBTQ community in Japan and the changes he saw over his distinguished career.
After the speakers’ presentations, the event transitioned into a panel discussion. Once the panel discussion and audience Q&A session concluded, attendees could network with each other while enjoying the breathtaking views of San Francisco. Once the event concluded, select attendees got the opportunity to join our speakers for a VIP dinner at Sushi Hashiri.
As we move into the future, we at the Japan Society of Northern California will continue to host and support events that promote the inclusion of people from all backgrounds and beliefs.
We extend a special thanks to Salesforce for providing the venue for our event, the Embassy of Japan and NAJAS for support, Japan Society of Northern California Chairman Larry Greenwood for being the emcee, and Amy Sueyoshi for moderating the event. We also thank Congressman Mark Takano and Senator Scott Weiner for taking the time to send a video message to our audience. Lastly, we thank our guests for attending and making this event possible.
We look forward to seeing you at more Japan Society of Northern California events in the future!
