Dear Friends,
It’s a VERY rainy President’s Day Weekend here in the Bay Area, but I understand that Tokyo has had a couple of recent snowfalls. That reminded me of a spectacular snowstorm a few years ago when I was living in Tokyo. It started slowly, with big flakes drifting gently down. Unlike most other Tokyo snows, the snow started coming faster and faster, making visibility difficult. Within a few hours, the airports were closed and traffic had slowed to a crawl. By evening, the entire city was buried under a soft, white blanket, magically transforming the streets and trees to a feathery and tranquil scene.
I hope that the weather here in the Bay Area hasn’t been too hard on everyone. However, if you are feeling a little cabin fever, I have good news – Japan Society has been busy preparing a number of exciting programs to entertain and enlighten you, regardless of the weather outside. Moreover, many of these programs are available online if you aren’t able to make it to the venue.
Coming Attractions
Our recent and upcoming programs cover a variety of interests – from architecture, to history, LGBTQ rights, climate tech, biotech and gaming. Here are some of the coming attractions:
- Japanese Houses: Stories of Remarkable Homes and the People Who Made Them – (2/21 @ 4 pm PT – Online Program). We are very excited to welcome Naomi Pollock, an expert in Japanese architecture, who will be discussing some of the amazing houses featured in her beautiful book, The Japanese House Since 1945, with Yoko Kawai, an expert in Japanese design and a lecturer at Yale School of Architecture.
- The Journey to LGBTQ Rights in Japan and the US: Trans-Pacific Cooperation and Community (2/26 3-5 pm at Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, and online – Hybrid Program). We hope that you can join us (and bring your friends!) for this excellent and rare program that seeks to build understanding and connections between the LGBTQ communities in Japan and the US. Leaders from Japan and the US will join us to discuss the different approaches and lessons from each country’s battle for LGBTQ rights. We will also have video remarks from Rep. Mark Takano of California, and Sen. Scott Weiner from San Francisco. This program is generously supported by a grant from the Japanese Embassy and NAJAS.
- VIP Dinner Event (Invitation Only) with Yoshiaki Fujimori, former CEO of GE Japan and Lixil. (Feb. 28 at 6 pm) This is an invite only dinner for our Leadership Circle members with one of Japan’s business leaders. You can find more information about our Leadership Circle on our website, or by contacting me directly.
- Building a Sustainable Future: Open Innovation Between California and Japan to Tackle Climate Change (3/4 3-6 p.m. in Santa Clara, In Person). This mini-event will feature speakers from 8 manufacturing companies and startups that are working to build on connections between California and Japan that were reinforced by a trade mission led by Lt. Governor Kounalakis to Japan in March 2023.
- Sparking AI Innovation While Securing Our Safety: Comparing Approaches to AI Regulation in the US, Japan and the EU (3/6 4 pm in San Francisco – Hybrid event) How are different countries handling the opportunities and challenges offered by the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence? We have 4 esteemed experts who will share different perspectives on approaches to AI regulation and what it means for people and businesses.
- Building Successful Teams in Biotech Ventures (3/14 @ 5 pm PT, Online Program): This is our 4th workshop in our Biotech Japan series. An exciting lineup of successful venture investors and startup entrepreneurs from the healthtech industry will share their insights about how to build a top-flight startup team.
Recent Events
As many of you know, we’ve also held a number of GREAT programs recently. Some that stand out for me were:
- Japanese American Museum of San Jose Tour – Ono Letters Project. If you haven’t visited this museum, please put it on your list! This wonderful museum tells the story of Japanese immigrants to the US – including the story of their incarceration during WWII. The Ono Letters project features correspondence between family and friends in the internment camps between 1942-45.
- Beverly Hills Spy – a program with author Ron Drabkin about his captivating new book that tells the true story of a double agent and British flying ace during World War II (Frederick Rutland) who shared intelligence about Pearl Harbor with the Japanese.
- Japan Biodesign Fellow reception – a wonderful, intimate VIP reception at the Japan Consul General’s residence with the group of Japan Biodesign fellows who were visiting the Stanford Biodesign Program from Japan.
I hope that you avoid the wet (or snowy) weather, and, if you are looking for a warm, cozy and fun way to spend a wet evening, please join some of our coming programs. Better yet, share the information with your friends and colleagues and make it a group event! Please keep an eye out for future events.
Thank you and hope to see you soon,
Steve
