Mission Ready
After a year of reset, the ACCJ has begun to transform itself to meet its strategic goals and strengthen US–Japan ties.
This spring has been a pivotal and exciting time for the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) and the country as a whole. In April, the much-anticipated Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai officially kicked off; meanwhile, back in Tokyo the new US Ambassador, George Glass, arrived to take up his post. Adding to the momentum on the business and diplomatic front, an ACCJ delegation visited Washington to meet with key government officials and partners to strengthen bilateral ties.
May was a milestone month for the ACCJ across the country. The Chubu chapter hosted the 34th annual Walkathon—one of the chamber’s most important community events—on the 18th, and I had the pleasure of joining this family-friendly outing to help raise funds for charities and local organizations.
Meanwhile, the Kansai chapter’s annual Healthcare x Digital (HxD) initiative took its next step, as the winner of February’s SelectUSA x ACCJ HxD Exclusive Pitch Event traveled to the United States. AMI Inc.—which was selected by HxD judges for its “super stethoscope” and cloud-based health promotion network, Cloud Kenshin—became the first Japanese company to present at the SelectUSA Summit, held in Maryland from May 11 to 14. The ACCJ is proud to support the communities in which we live and work, and to help innovative healthcare and healthtech start-ups improve lives.
We’ve also hosted many fantastic speaker and networking events, and especially look forward to welcoming Ambassador Glass at our June 6 luncheon together with the America-Japan Society.
Year of Transformation
In my previous column, I said that 2024 was a year of reset and that 2025 would be one of transformation. We’ve already made steady progress in advancing our strategic goals of empowering growth, elevating impact, and advancing the US–Japan partnership.
Our committees are the driving force behind all our advocacy and events; they are the lifeblood of the ACCJ. So this year, we have implemented a new committee structure built around forums to help them better support member interests and key ACCJ focus areas. I am grateful to all committee leaders and members for their dedication and contributions.
Back in January, we introduced two new membership tiers for the next generation of leaders: the Graduate Student Package and the Young Professional Package. These options enable professionals just starting their careers to participate in top-tier networking and develop connections with Japan’s most influential leaders. The new tiers also align with our mission to ensure a more sustainable, future-ready chamber.
Strengthening US–Japan Ties
The ACCJ remains the key voice for international business in Japan, meeting regularly with the US and Japanese governments as their go-to source for insights from international business leaders. These interactions, such as our February meeting with Minister of State for Economic Security Minoru Kiuchi and ongoing dialogue with influential partner organizations, including Keidanren and Keizai Doyukai, highlight the value Japanese leaders place on the experiences and views of ACCJ members.
The partnership between the United States and Japan is essential to the economic health of both nations. With the recent arrival of Ambassador Glass, we look forward to collaborating with such a distinguished business leader to promote a fair, transparent, competitive, and mutually beneficial business environment.
It is a privilege to work with my fellow 2025 Board members, committee leaders, and our valued members. Each of you plays an important role in achieving our mission and strengthening the US–Japan partnership.
I look forward to seeing many of you at our events throughout the year—especially as we celebrate Independence Day at our Night of Stars and Stripes on July 3.
