U.S. CULCON mourns the loss of Minoru (Ben) Makihara, former co-chair of the Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON) and special advisor. Mr. Makihara led the binational advisory panel along with U.S. counterparts, Chairs Thierry Porte and Harry Hill, from 2008 through 2014. Ben’s appointment as CULCON chair signaled a renewed focus on CULCON’s […]
2020 has been a year of unprecedented challenge, especially here in the United States. A global pandemic and its attendant economic and social dislocation continue to highlight economic and social inequities. Similarly, the killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans at the hands of police, prompted mass protests, raising awareness yet again of the […]
Dr. Sheila A. Smith Appointed as Chair Washington, D.C. May 1, 2020: The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and the U.S. CULCON Panel are pleased to announce the appointment of new Chair, Dr. Sheila A. Smith. CULCON and JUSFC have also appointed Dr. Samuel Morse, Professor, Amherst College, and Dr. William Tsutsui, who most recently served […]
The U.S. CULCON Panel mourns the loss of Irene Hirano Inouye, who passed away recently after a long illness. Irene’s distinguished career and tireless efforts building and leading organizations supporting the arts, human rights and U.S.-Japan relations are extraordinary. Within the U.S.-Japan community, Irene was not only an influential advocate for people-to-people exchange between Japan […]
CULCON convened a panel discussion on opportunities and challenges of alumni engagement on March 4, 2020 at IIE offices in Washington, DC. Informative presentations by Nini Forino, Director,International Exchange Alumni, U.S. Department of State; Bahia Simons-Lane, Executive Director, US JETAA; Anne Baker, Vice President, National Peace Corps Association. A great representation of the U.S.-Japan community came out to learn […]
The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC), CULCON and the U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation (USJBF) offer exceptional opportunities for students considering a career in U.S.-Japan relations. We are currently seeking two (2) Summer 2020 interns to support current initiatives, which include activities promoting U.S.-Japan cultural, educational and people-to-people exchange. Interns will be working from a small office in […]
CULCON, The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission and the U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation were jointly honored with the Cultural Vistas Global Partnership Award on October 17, 2019 at the Cultural Vistas Gala in New York City. Established in 2018, the Cultural Vistas Awards Gala recognizes individuals and institutions for their influence and notable contributions toward the advancement of […]
This activity is a result of the CULCON Next Generation Task Force recommendation: JUSFC Webinar Series: Resilient Rural Communities in the United States and Japan Sept.12The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission invites you to attend an online discussion on Resilient Rural Communities in the United States and Japan. September 12, 20197:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. EDT September […]
CULCON hosted a Summit to bring together representatives from approximately 30 U.S.-Japan related organizations and facilitate conversations about the next generation of U.S.-Japan leadership. Jim Heller, Director, Office of Japanese Affairs, Bureau of East Asian & Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, joined as keynote speaker. His presentation focused on the current status of the […]
TeamUp is a CULCON-inspired campaign that cultivates partnerships between U.S. and Japanese colleges and universities with the goal of boosting student mobility in both directions. A TeamUp delegation attended the Sister Cities International (SCI) annual conference in Houston on July 17-20. Two successful small-sized city-pairs proposed programs aimed at boosting student mobility through a collaboration […]
