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Allies in Transition: Perspectives on U.S.-Japan Relations Under Prime Minister Takaichi and President Trump

Dec 04 2025, 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm

Virtual Event: Zoom


Join us for a thoughtful and provocative conversation about the future of the U.S.-Japan relationship under Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, and President Donald Trump. Japan and global trade expert Glen S. Fukushima, former USTR official, and long-time diplomat Katherine “Kemy” Monahan, former Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, will share their insights about the future of US economic and security ties, the chemistry between the two leaders, and the implications for US and Japanese companies. They will discuss tariffs, trade, and investment, as well as the evolving security dynamic in the Asia Pacific. The conversation will be moderated by Japan Society Board Chair and former Ambassador Larry Greenwood.

Please note that this conversation will be off the record.

 

Date & Time: Thursday, December 4th, 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM

Venue: Online via Zoom (Link will sent after registration)

Agenda:
5:00-5:05  Opening Remarks, Larry Greenwood | Board Chair, Japan Society of Northern California & Senior Advisor, BowerGroupAsia
5:05-5:15  Introduction, Glen S. Fukushima | Visiting Fellow, Stanford University & Katherine “Kemy” Monahan | Visiting Scholar and Japan Program Fellow at Stanford University’s Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC)
5:15-5:45  Discussion – Moderator: Larry Greenwood | Board Chair, Japan Society of Northern California & Senior Advisor, BowerGroupAsia
5:45-6:10  Audience Q&A Session
6:10-6:15  Closing Remarks, Steve Pollock | President, Japan Society of Northern California

Our Amazing Speakers:

Katherine “Kemy” Monahan | Visiting Scholar and Japan Program Fellow at Stanford University’s Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC)

Katherine “Kemy” Monahan is a Visiting Scholar and Japan Program Fellow at Stanford University’s Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC). As State Department Senior Foreign Service Officer, she has completed 16 assignments on four continents over 30 years. She recently returned from Tokyo, where she was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Japan, following roles as Charge d’affaires for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, and Deputy Chief of Mission to New Zealand, Samoa, Cook Islands, and Niue. She was Director for East Asia at the National Security Council from 2022 to 2023 and also served in Warsaw, Mexico City and Brussels as well as with the World Bank, USAID and the U.S. Treasury. As lead of UNICEF’s International Financial Institutions office from 2018-2021, Kemy negotiated over $1 billion in funding for children. Before joining the Foreign Service, Kemy lived in Fukui, Japan on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program, and worked as an economic analyst at the Yasuda Fire & Marine Research Institute in Tokyo and as a lawyer in Los Angeles.

Moderator: