Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc.

コロナウィルス（COVID-19）についての州政府と州内各地域アップデートのページ（日本語）を作りました。州内と各地域での状況のリンクを集めてあります。ご利用くださいませ。 We have added a State and Regional Update page in Japanese onto our website. Please share if you know any Japanese family, friends, or colleagues who need information regarding COVID-19. https://bit.ly/2U4Zzb2

Margaret Armour, Nathaniel Hudson, Sumi Worley and Byron Stithem founded locally-owned, Japan-connected enterprises in Tennessee, specializing in Japanese products and traditions. On Thursday, March 20th at 3:00 p.m. CDT, they will share their stories on Zoom for The Mitsui Lecture Series. Margaret Armour's I Go Tokyo is a unique boutique bringing high-quality Japanese linens, stationery, ceramics and distinctive Kawaii (cute) items to Chattanooga. Nathaniel Hudson's TN Sumo Association and the competitive team of wrestlers promote Japanese culture through sumo and celebrate the traditional Japanese sport. Sumi Worley's Camellia’s NovelTEA is bringing a new tea-drinking culture to Memphis one cup at a time, embracing quality time over a cup of tea. Byron Stithem's Proper Sake Co., Tennessee's first sake brewery, is introducing Tennesseans to the fermented rice drink and demystifying sake. The Mitsui Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of The Mitsui U.S.A. Foundation. For more information and to register: https://lnkd.in/eHXrsRez Clockwise, from top left: Margaret Armour, Nathaniel Hudson, Sumi Worley and Byron Stithem 

On January 29th, three longstanding Japanese community leaders will share their experiences and insights as Tennessee residents in a virtual Mitsui Lecture Series session. Join Kumi Alderman, Executive Director of the Asian Culture Center of TN; Hideko Shimizu, Senior Lecturer in Japanese at Vanderbilt University; and Kanzi Takayama, U.S.-Japan Investment Specialist with expCommercial Realty for this webinar conducted entirely in Japanese. Reina Lyons, JAST Manager of Japanese Community Outreach and Support Services, will host the regional roundtable discussion at 6:00 p.m. CST on Zoom. Special guest Ikuo Hayashi, CDIO for Mitsui Americas, will speak about Mitsui and Mitsui initiatives in the Americas region. A video transcript in English will be available after the session. To register: https://lnkd.in/eEuk5QmA

Congratulations to Lori Odom, JAST Board Member and Senior Vice President of Economic Development with Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Consul General Rosaline Kwan introduced Lori as the new Honorary Consul of Tennessee for the Consulate General of Canada in Atlanta while in Nashville with senior Canadian officials. Lori is responsible for oversight of the Chamber’s business marketing, recruitment, retention and expansion initiative. Prior to joining the Chamber, she oversaw international business development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. We know from her work on behalf of JAST that Lori is totally dedicated to everything she does. Admirable and accomplished, Lori is the perfect choice for this amazing honor.

Masami Tyson, JAST Board Chair and Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, will be a session panelist at the 2024 Nashville Bar Association Diversity Summit. This year's NBA Diversity Summit will be held on September 20th from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Belmont University College of Law. The NBA Diversity Summit is a biannual, full-day conference produced by the Diversity Committee of the Nashville Bar Association. Renowned speakers and engaging breakouts provide the structure for this event, designed to equip attendees with the tools to become champions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The conference focuses on the importance of moving beyond conceptual ideas to creating actionable plans to address disparities. For more information and to register: https://lnkd.in/e9WYgYSW

On August 14th, Governor Bill Lee, U. S. Senator Bill Hagerty, Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Allen Borden, JAST Board Chair Masami Tyson and members of the JAST Board of Directors welcomed Consul-General of Japan in Nashville Shinji Watanabe to Tennessee during a reception at Tennessee’s Executive Residence. This is Consul-General Watanabe's second assignment in the United States, having served at the Consulate-General of Japan in Denver from 2001 to 2005. Outside of the U.S., Consul-General Watanabe has worked at the Embassy of Japan in Sweden three times. The Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville has jurisdiction over five states in the Southeast - Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. A message from Consul-General Watanabe: https://lnkd.in/e7ADHaGc

The Embassy of Japan in the USA and Kizuna Across Cultures (KAC) are co-hosting the the inaugural Japan-U.S. Career Webinar on July 18th at 7:00 p.m. CDT. This webinar is open to everyone, including high school and college students. Hear from four professionals in a variety of industries how an interest in Japan can lead to an amazing career. To register for the webinar: https://lnkd.in/gv6yRPwn

Ambassador of Japan to the United States Shigeo Yamada joined U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty and JAST Board Chair Masami Tyson for a “fireside chat” on the vital significance of U.S.-Japan relations at the 2024 JAST Annual Meeting on May 24th. Consul-General of Japan in Nashville Shinji Watanabe delivered remarks, and Dr. James E. Auer was remembered and honored for his decades of contributions to the U.S.-Japan friendship. Tributes to Dr. Auer were offered by Torkel Patterson, Suzanne Basalla and his daughter Helen Girard. Many thanks to our sponsors for supporting JAST and for the resources to make this event a success: Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund, DENSO, Philip Morris International and Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development. A video of the event can be found on the JAST YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/g6s6bM6Y