Equal and Secure
Charting a path to a diverse, digital future.
The ACCJ Board of Governors gathered for their November meeting in Nagoya on November 18 prior to the ACCJ/TJCS Champagne Ball.
The May meeting of G7 leaders in Hiroshima has focused efforts across the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) to ensure that our voice is heard—and the importance of the chamber reinforced—as Japan and the United States work to coordinate critical policies.
Of particular importance are all matters digital. For Japan, digital transformation has become a core part of the government’s push to prepare the country for a prosperous future. The ACCJ is dedicated to being a leading voice and partner, representing the global business community, and I am pleased that the Board of Governors confirmed our new Digital Forum in April.
Led by Chair Mitsuhiko Ida, and Vice-Chairs Scott Warren and Kristopher Tate, the forum will enhance the coordination of the chamber’s array of digital committees. As a central hub from which to promote policies and advocacy with one voice, the Digital Forum will no doubt boost our effectiveness in addressing key digital issues in the US–Japan partnership, keeping us at the center of the action.
Equality for All
Also high on our priority list are LGBTQ+ rights. Just before this year’s Tokyo Rainbow Pride event, held in Yoyogi Park April 22–23, the ACCJ issued an open letter calling on the Government of Japan to join its G7 peers in legalizing marriage equality and enacting anti-discrimination protections.
It is vital for the government to bring these protections in line with those of other G7 nations to bolster Japan’s ability to attract global talent, further economic potential, and create a more inclusive living and working environment.
Diversity truly is key to business success, and we were honored to celebrate the completion of the Women in Business Committee’s Transforming Ourselves Together: A 2x4x4 Formula series with US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and more than 200 members and guests at Tokyo American Club on April 11. Programs such as this are critical to developing champions of diverse leadership. They also encourage workplace policy changes that benefit all employees and attract a more diverse workforce that will contribute new innovations and ideas that positively impact society.
Economic Security
Also critical to a prosperous society are free trade and economic growth, and the US–Japan bilateral partnership is key to driving regional collaboration on these issues in the Indo–Pacific region and beyond.
Through our relationship with both governments, the ACCJ continues to focus on our core advocacy area of enhancing economic security as the foundation for flourishing business.
In particular, we must deepen collaboration in the promotion of digital infrastructure development. At the heart of this is the need for enhanced cybersecurity within Japan’s critical industries. With underinvestment in this area now being addressed, there are greatly increased prospects for more US–Japan cooperation that we, as a chamber, need to be at the center of.
I, along with the ACCJ Task Force on Economic Security, specifically discussed the issue of security clearance classifications with Minister of State for Economic Security Sanae Takaichi on April 19. We look forward to continuing this dialogue and engaging with the Government of Japan to further strengthen the US–Japan partnership on key issues related to economic security as we step together into a digital future.
Finally, I’d like to thank each of you for all your contributions to the ACCJ. Together we have made great strides this year. I look forward to seeing you in person around the many activities of the chamber.
