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2008 ANNUAL REPORT 2008 ANNUAL REPORT The Japan America Society of Chicago 20 N. Clark Street Suite 750 Chicago, IL 60602 Phone: 312.263.3049 Fax: 312.263.6120 www.jaschicago.org Our mission is to create and promote Japanese and American friendships. We do this through business, social, educational and cultural activities. We are the only organization in Chicago that touches all of these areas in American and Japanese relationships. The Japan America Society of Chicago is a nonprofit association made up of individuals and corporations interested in United States-Japan business, cultural, political and social relations. Founded in 1930 to foster mutual goodwill and friendship between the people of Japan and the United States, the Society enjoys a total membership of over 150 American and Japanese corporations and over 600 individuals throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. The Society sponsors over 50 public affairs and cultural programs annually, including business luncheons, evening lectures, cultural events and social/networking opportunities. All members receive discounts on program registration and invitations to special member-only events. The Society also has a Young Professionals Committee that organizes various evening lectures and social outings throughout the year for members in their twenties and thirties. In addition, the Society offers over six levels of Japanese and English language courses. For membership information and other inquiries, visit www.jaschicago.org or contact the Society office. LETTER FROM THE HONORARY CHAIRMAN What a remarkable year this has been for the Japan America Society of Chicago. A great team is at the helm. Mr. Ed Grant was named President in July, and Mr. Mitsukuni Baba became Executive Director last January. Thanks to them, the other officers, the Board of Directors and many dedicated members, the Society’s future is now brighter then ever. With its many achievements during the last 12 months, the Society’s plans for 2009 are most exciting. So, I welcome this annual report, which looks back as it looks to the future. Last July, when I arrived in Chicago as Consul General, I was most delighted to also become your Honorary Chairman. Your welcoming reception touched me deeply. As I met many of you for the first time, I was so impressed. Your passion for our Japan-Chicago friendship shined through. I knew then that Chicago was the perfect place to be. I couldn’t wait to begin cooperating with you. Some of you know that much of my diplomatic career has been devoted to America. I’ve served in Washington, D.C. and New York City. When I was Consul General in Atlanta, I worked closely with the Japan America Society of Georgia. I saw firsthand how important Japan America Societies are to our Japan-U.S. partnership. So, even before leaving Tokyo for Chicago, I knew that the JASC would be one of my highest priorities. Our cooperative relationship, which has always been strong, continues to deepen. Together, we are organizing more events of greater significance and of greater variety. Just look at the last 12 months. In February, former Consul General Shinoda spoke at a Society lunch on “Japan and America: Two Champions Tackling Global Challenges.” We then co-hosted a seminar, “An Insider’s Look at Working for a Japanese Company,” at the Japan Information Center. In March, the annual Membership Reception featured business insights by a former Motorola senior executive. We also held the 22nd Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest, which was better then ever as many young Japanese language students impressed the audience. In April, the always popular Sake Seminar & Tasting event offered wonderful samples donated by six Japanese breweries. We even experienced an incense ceremony performed by Koda specialists, which is rare outside Japan. Before I left Tokyo for Chicago last summer, I wanted to bring excellent programs to you. So, I met with former Cabinet Minister Heizo Takenaka, the architect of Japan’s structural reform, and invited him to speak. He eagerly accepted and was delighted to share his insights with the Society last October. In addition to public events, we also work closely together behind closed doors. At the Midwest Forum, which we co-hosted in April, Mr. Grant joined other key players in Japan-Midwest relations, including six Japan America Society presidents and five Honorary Consuls General, at the Japan Information Center. New opportunities for increased information-sharing and closer coordination between organizations were discussed. For fifteen years, the Midwest Forum has been all-important to our strategic planning. It enables all our organizations to better bring Japan to Chicago and the entire Midwest. I believe that the meeting should be held annually, and I look forward to co-hosting the Midwest Forum next spring. Beyond this, the top leadership of the Society regularly plays a key role at Consulate events, for instance, at Ms. Yoko Nishi’s koto performance, the Japan Foundation’s panel discussion on the prospects for Japan-U.S. relations under the next administration, and the dinner in honor of Dr. Yoichiro Nambu, who has just received the Nobel Prize in physics. This past year has been tremendous, but it is just the beginning. Next year, I hope to co-organize even more events with the Society. Together we can undertake new, dynamic initiatives that will further boost our Japan-Chicago friendship. I’m most eager to hear your suggestions, and I have some ideas of my own. Let’s continue to translate new opportunities into new achievements. There’s no question that the Japan America Society of Chicago is the core organization, which brings Japan to Chicagoland. Thanks to all of you and your many past achievements, our friendship has become closer and closer. For all that you have done, you have my deepest appreciation. For all that we can do together in the future, you have my most enthusiastic support. JAPAN’S STRUCTURAL REFORM: YESTERDAY,TODAY AND TOMORROW Best Regards, OCTOBER 6, 2008 George Hisaeda Consul General of Japan at Chicago OFFICERS & DIRECTORS 2008-09 Chairman Directors Michael H. Moskow John D. Angster Junji Hayashi Jody E. Kurtzhalts David A. Riggle Thomas Studney Senior Fellow on the Global Economy Vice President, Human Resources Deputy General Manager President & COO Partner CEO & President The Chicago Council on Global Affairs Komatsu America Corp. Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. Yaskawa Electric America, Inc. Riggle and Craven Sunstar Americas, Inc. Honorary Chairman Rita R. Athas Walter Hladko Dr. Phyllis I. Lyons David Roden Noboru Tajima The Honorable George Hisaeda Executive Director Manager, Midwest USA Associate Prof. African & Asian Languages Vice President & Group Manager President & CEO Consul General of Japan at Chicago World Business Chicago Imperial Hotel Tokyo/Osaka Northwestern University Fifth Third Bank Daido Steel (America), Inc. Consulate General of Japan at Chicago Jack D. Beem Makoto Iwai James A. McClung Howard J. Romanek Sachio Takahashi Treasurer & Secretary to the Board Chairman and Chief Executive Illinois State University General Sales Manager Chairman Emeritus Benita Boettner Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago Lismore International Inc. NYK Line (North America), Inc. Adlai E. Stevenson Executive Director, Corporate Program Yasuo Sakae Chairman The Chicago Council on Global Affairs Ken Kabira Greg Merkley Senior Vice President & CFO Muneo Takashi SC&M Investment Management Corp. Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Astellas US LLC Chief Executive Director Robert A. Center Officer Kimitoshi Minami JETRO Chicago President Global Vice Chair-Japanese Chicago Transit Authority President & CEO August W. Schaefer Edward A. Grant Ernst & Young LLP Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. SVP & Public Safety Officer Futoshi Takumiya Principal Toshihiko Kaji Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Vice President & Regional General Manager Arthur Andersen LLP Kenneth A. Dixon SVP & General Manager Shinji Minobe NIPPONKOA Management Corporation Partner Sumitomo Corporation of America Executive Vice President & General Manager Yoshio Shibazaki Executive Vice Presidents Deloitte & Touche LLP Nippon Steel U.S.A., Inc. Managing Director Naomichi Terazaki Sam Cremin Robert W. Karr, Jr. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP VP & General Manager Director of Marketing Communications Lynn Durning Partner Thomas T. Miyano All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. Molex Inc. Senior Vice President Jones Day CEO Noriaki Shigemitsu Wells Fargo HSBC Trade Bank MiyanoHitec Machinery, Inc. Assistant Vice President Takanobu Tokugawa Shunichiro Kishioka Steven L. Katz Mitsui Steel, Inc. President Chairman William Florida Principal Dana E. Morrison Nissan Forklift Corporation, N.A. I.T.A., Inc. Equity Analyst Masuda Funai Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd. President Kazuo Shimizu Advisory Research, Inc. Genieco, Inc. President & COO Mike M. Tsuruga Secretary Kohei Kawashima Kikkoman Foods, Inc. President Shane Stiles Marcia E. Goodman President Takashi Okamura Pacific Advisory Service, Inc. President Partner Honda Connectors, Inc. SVP & General Manager Toshio Shiozaki gate39MEDIA Mayer Brown LLP Tokio Marine Management, Inc. Vice President & General Manager Shawn Y. Valukas Toshitaka Kobayashi Japan Airlines International Financial Advisor Treasurer Yuji Hama Senior Vice President Ritsuko Okuno Welch Merrill Lynch Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. Jonathan Y. Kim Senior Vice President Private Banking Manager, Intl. Finance Yasuhiro Shoji Partner JPMorgan Chase Bank Fifth Third Bank Vice President