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2003-2004
Annual Report
Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of U.S.-Japan relations and the 80th anniversary of our organization.
Mission Statement and Goals
Board of Directors and Professional Staff
Message from the Chair
Corporate Membership (as of April 22, 2004)
2003-2004 Year in Review
The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is a private, nonprofit, statewide organization founded in 1923.
For more than 80 years, the Society has played a pivotal role in improving relationships between the United States and Japan and in helping the people of Japan and the U.S. better understand and appreciate one another and their respective cultures.
The Society's American and Japanese corporate and individual members throughout Washington State support a diverse range of business and trade, public affairs, cultural, and educational projects to fulfill the Society's mission.
The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is a non-profit organization with IRS classification 501(c)3 (EIN 23-7282194). The Society is also registered as a Charitable Organization (JAA-M95-024) with the Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington.
Mission Statement of the Society
The mission of the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is to promote mutual understanding and friendship
between the peoples of Japan and Washington state by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information.
Goals of the Society
The goals of the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington are the following:
1. Provide leadership to increase understanding between the peoples of Japan and the State of Washington
2. Build positive relations between the peoples of Japan and the State of Washington
3. Maintain a diverse membership of Japanese and American citizens from throughout Washington State
4. Provide varied programs and public information consistent with the mission of the Society
5. Be a vehicle for interaction and cooperation among individuals and organizations interested in Japan and US-Japan relations
6. Manage its resources in a responsible manner.
2003-2004 Board of Directors and Professional Staff
2003-2004 Executive Committee
Chair
Christopher Helm, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Chair-Elect
Paul Rollins, Bank of America
Past Chair
Sara Sandford, Garvey, Schubert Barer
Vice Chairs
Shinji Kokage, Yamato Transport U.S.A., Inc.
Noriyuki Sato, Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc.
Mikio Takeuchi, Sojitz Corporation of America
Kent Wheiler, Weyerhaeuser Company
Honorary Vice Chairs
The Honorable Tadahiro Abe, Consul-General of Japan
The Honorable Gary Locke, Governor, State of Washington
The Honorable Greg Nickels, Mayor, City of Seattle
The Honorable Ron Sims, King County Executive
Secretary
Brendan Dugan, Port of Tacoma
Treasurer
Andrew Read, Deloitte & Touche LLP
At-Large Member
Michael P. Birt, National Bureau of Asian Research
John Gissberg, Pacific Northwest Advisors
Jamie Rector, Cypress, Inc.
Linda Salomon, Japan Studies Program, U.W.
Directors
Class of 2004
Thomas Andersen, KeyBank
Hiroshi Arai, Arai International
Jody Chafee, Jr., Riddell Williams P.S.
Stephan Coonrod, Preston Gates Ellis LLP
Philip Grad, Ernst & Young LLP
J. Dax Hansen, Perkins Coie LLP
T. Andy Ike, Uwajimaya, Inc.
Franz Lazarus, Costco Wholesale
Sarah Loudon, Seattle Art Museum
Peter Maslen, Fortress Pacific Ltd.
Matt Smith, Individual Member
Aiko Suganuma, Kohtoku Enterprise, Inc.
Fred Taucher, Corporate Computer
Larry Williams, Washington State CTED
Class of 2005
Nobuki Ando, Nippon Express USA, Inc. (served part of year)
Junji Ban, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
Keith Dipboye, Virginia Mason International Medical Services
Shoko Farmer, Frank Russell Company (served part of year)
Steven Gilbert, Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders
Mari Horita, Preston Gates Ellis LLP
Hiro Iwamura, JAMCO America
Anna Nye, Frank Russell Company (served part of year)
John Okamoto, Port of Seattle (served part of year)
Doug Palmer, Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson, P.S.
Charles Riley, Jr., Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP
Penny Tesch, United Airlines
Tom Tierney, Port of Seattle, (served part of year)
Dennis Yamashita, AON Risk Services of Washington
Class of 2006
Kirsten Aoyama, Global Business Center, U.W.
Seiko Callender, U.S. Bank
William Franklin, Franklin International
Hiroyuki Fuse, Achilles USA
T. Dennis George, McNaul Ebel Nawrot Helgren & Vance PLLC
Allen Hamblen, Glacier Northwest
Takeshi Ito, NYK Line North America, Inc.(served part of year)
Mary Jacobs, Northwest Airlines
Kevin Kelly, Heller Ehrmann White & McAuliffe LLP
Jane Corddrey Langill, One Reel
Rick Martin, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group
Tetsuhisa Nakajima, Nichirei Foods
Tamami Nakamoto, Mitsubishi International Corp.
Susan Okamoto, Susan K. Okamoto, Inc.
Tom Sasaki, BBS International
Herman Uscategui, Starbucks Coffee International
Executive Staff
Jeff Demetrescu, President
Toshie Ando, Director of Operations (until April, 2004)
Tomoko Miwa, Office Manager (from April, 2004)
Hiroshi Nonomura, Japan in the Schools Coordinator
Message from the Chair
Christopher Helm, Chair, 2003-2004
Japanese version
It has been my pleasure and privilege to serve as your Chair for the past year. As Chair, I succeeded many talented and committed individuals. I am honored to have been included in their number.
Japan is the second largest economy in the world and our State’s single largest trading partner. Things Japanese are quite familiar to us, and often touch upon our personal and professional lives; but the Japan America Society brings three added dimensions to our lives:
First, the Society is a place to explore things Japanese alongside our Japanese friends. Our programs and activities give us the opportunity to explore aspects of Japan that we might not have previously known about, or wanted to find out more about.
Second, the Society is a place to meet other people, both Japanese and American, who share our interest in Japan. The real business of relationship building takes place on a person to person basis: it is not until we have worked, studied and/or played together, that we truly begin to understand each other: appreciate our similarities and respect our differences.
Third, the Society is a place where we can learn and exercise leadership skills; where we can serve our community; and we can work with other distinguished institutions and organizations, such as the Consulate General of Japan, the Japan Business Association, the Japan Studies Program and the Global Business Program at UW, the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the Eastside Matsuri.
So it was for me, these past 12 months. I would like to thank those who have made this experience possible for me and for many others like me: Our President, Jeff Demetrescu, and staff, Toshie Ando and Hiroshi Nonomura, for the terrific job you do; I am eternally grateful to an extremely dedicated group, our Executive Committee, in particular, Sara Sandford, past chair, Paul Rollins, Chair-Elect, Linda Salomon, past vice-chair, and to the chairs of the various committees:
Andy Read, Finance
Roger Williams, Nominations
Matt Smith and Joe Masaki, Golf Tournament
Paul Rollins and Louie Masuda, Holiday Dinner
John Gissberg, Shinji Kokage, Hiroo Iwamura, and Tom Sasaki
 JAS-JBA Garage Sale and Newcomer’s Reception
Kent Wheiler, Bill Franklin, and Jeff Demetrescu, Ambassador's Series
Finally, thank you to all of you who have volunteered your time for various events, and who have participated in our programs for the past year. This is your Society, and it goes without saying that we wouldn't be here without your interest and involvement.
And I cannot forget our many wonderful sponsors who made it possible for us to offer our programs to a wider audience than we might have been able to do, without their help.
For the Ambassadors' Series: The Consulate General of Japan; The Columbia Tower Club; Dorsey & Whitney LLP; the Japan Business Association; from the University of Washington, the East Asia Center, The Global Business Center and the Japan Studies Program; Northwest Airlines; The Trade Alliance of Greater Seattle; US Bank; Washington Council for International Trade; and the Weyerhaeuser Company.
For the JAS Golf Tournament, United Airlines.
For the Holiday Celebration Dinner, Northwest Airlines.
For tonight's annual meeting, the Weyerhaeuser Company.
Thanks to my partners at Davis Wright Tremaine for your patience and support. And finally, thanks to my wife, Victoria Helm, without whom I would not be what I am, my mother, Barbara Helm, without whom I would not be at all, and my two Japanese sons, Brendan Shuichi and Marcus Takeshi, who represent why I do what I do. Thanks for your love and understanding.
A recent survey conducted by Japan’s Central Bank, and as reported in the April 2 edition of the New York Times, shows that “Executives at Japan’s biggest manufacturers are more optimistic about business than at any time in nearly seven years, and the mood is spreading among smaller companies.” I share this optimism and, it is in this spirit of optimism and hope that I hand over the gavel to the new chair, Paul Rollins. Thank you all for the privilege of serving.
As my last official act as Chair of the Board of Directors, I take great pleasure in introducing to you the next Chair of the Society, Paul Rollins, Senior Vice President, Bank of America. Paul, it’s now in your hands.
Corporate Membership
(as of April 22, 2004)
Benefactor
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Port of Seattle
Weyerhaeuser Company
Patron
Bank of America
Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc.
Sojitz Corporation of America
Pacific Software Publishing
Sustaining
Achilles USA, Inc.
Anderson ZurMuehlen & Co., P.C.
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Ltd.
Corporate Computer, Inc.
Costco Wholesale
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Ernst & Young, LLP
Frank Russell Company
Garvey, Schubert Barer
Glacier Northwest
Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP
JAMCO America, Inc.
KeyBank
KPMG
Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP
Mithun, Inc.
Mitsubishi International Corporation, Seattle Branch
Nippon Express USA, Inc.
Nippon Suisan (USA), Inc.
Northwest Airlines
Port of Tacoma
Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
Reed Global Advisors, LLC
Riddell Williams P.S.
Toray Composites (America), Inc.
Tri-Ports of the Tri-Cities
United Airlines
Regular
Acordia Northwest, Inc.
Alaska Frontier Company
All Nippon Airways
AOL Mobile
Aon Risk Services, Inc. of Washington
BBS International, Inc.
Betts, Patterson & Mines, P.S.
Central Washington University
Christensen, O'Connor, Johnson & Kindness
Civil Aircraft Engineering Services (CAESCO)
Columbia Tower Club
Consulate-General of Japan
C.T. Takahashi & Company, Inc.
Development Bank of Japan
Everett Community College
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.
Fluke Corporation
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle
Group Health Cooperative International Services
Hanwa American Corporation
High Technology Management
Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson, P.S.
Hitachi Consulting
Hyogo Business & Cultural Center
ICOM America, Inc.
ITOCHU Aviation, Inc.
Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.
JEN, Inc.
JETRO Seattle
Jones Stevedoring Company
Kawasaki Heavy Industries (USA), Inc., Seattle Office
Kibun Foods (U.S.A.), Inc.
Kinokuniya Book Stores of America Co., Ltd.
K-Line America, Inc.
Kobe Trade Information Office
Kohtoku Enterprise, Inc.
Kyokuyo America Corporation
LizardTech, Inc.
McNaul Ebel Nawrot Helgren & Vance PLLC
Moss Adams LLP
MulvannyG2 Architecture
Nabtesco Aerospace, Inc.
Nichirei U.S.A., Inc.
Nordstrom Product Group
Northwest Suites and Housing Services
NSRI (USA) Inc.
One Reel/Teatro ZinZanni
Pacific Lumber & Shipping Co.
Pacific Market International
Pacific Northwest Advisors
Perkins Coie LLP
Phi-Ten USA
Port of Everett
Port of Moses Lake
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Mariners Baseball Club
Seattle's Convention Bureau
Seed Intellectual Property Law Group
Starbucks Coffee International
Stevedoring Services of America
Sumitomo Metal Mining America Inc.
Susan K. Okamoto Interiors
Swedish Medical Center
Trajal USA, Inc.
Union Bank of California
U.S. Bank
Uwajimaya, Inc.
U.W. Global Business Center
U.W. Japan Studies Program
U.W. Jackson School of International Studies
Virginia Mason Medical Center International Medical Services
Washington State CTED
Western Alaska Fisheries, Inc.
Western Washington University
The Westin Seattle
Yamato Transport U.S.A., Inc.
Yokohama Aerospace America, Inc.
Associate
Advanced Silicon Materials, Inc.
Big Island Abalone Corporation
Cypress, Inc.
Hori Nichibei Consulting, LLC
International Incubation Inc.
Japan Pacific Publications, Inc.
Junglecity Network, Inc.
Law Office of Daryl S. Vhugen
Miller Nash LLP
NeuralTech Business Information, Inc.
Pinpoint Marketing Japan Inc.
QuantumFusion, Inc.
Sakahara & Hashimoto, L.L.C.
Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association
Strategic Resource Services Inc.
Toho Marine Service Company, Ltd.
Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association
Washington International Business Ventures
Wellness Solutions International, Inc.
Yamaguchi Architecture
2003-2004 Year in Review
April 2003
8: Program and reception featuring Masaki Kinoshita, General Manager, NTT DoCoMo USA San Jose Office and SVP of its Mobile Multimedia Division. 24: Robert Whiting, Author of You Gotta Have Wa! 24: Wakabakai Dinner at Yoshinobo (Seattle). 29: 2003 Annual Meeting. Keynote Speaker: Wendy Cutler, U.S. Trade Representative for North Asian Affairs.
May 2003
6: Quarterly Business Briefing: Jeremiah Sullivan, U.W. Business School. 21: Wakabaki Dinner at Tokyo Japanese Restaurant (Bellevue).
June 2003
5: Japan-America Society Welcome Reception for newly-arrived employees of Japanese companies at Newport Yacht Club.
July 2003
14: 2003 Golf Tournament at Mill Creek Country Club. 24: Wakabakai Dinner at I Love Sushi (Seattle).
August 2003
11: Lawrence Repeta, World Freedom of Information Movement Focus on Japan. 16: Wakabakai Potluck at Bellevue Botanical Garden.
September 2003
18: Japanese Corporate and Venture Funding for U.S. Biotechnology Companies featuring Koichi Kato, President & CEO, Takeda Research Investment , Inc.
October 2003
15: Living in the USA: Changes in Tax Laws and Estate Planning
with Satoko Valdes, Deloitte & Touche, and Akane R. Suzuki, Garvey Schubert Barer. 29: Japan-America Society Members Forum: Asia-Pacific Security: Japan and the North Korea Crisis.
November 2003
4: Live Webcast: Third Annual State of the U.S.-Japan Business Relationship Symposium. 13: Wakabakai Dinner at Saito's (Seattle). 18: Ambassadors Anniversary Series: Ambassador Walter Mondale Luncheon Program.
December 2003
3: Annual Holiday Celebration Dinner and Auction.
January 2004
21: Ambassadors Anniversary Series: Ambassador Thomas Foley Luncheon Program. 23: Wakabakai Dinner at Tuna House (Bellevue). 30: Japan-America Society Night at the Jump to Japan Exhibit at The Children's Museum, Seattle.
February 2004
27: Wakabakai Dinner at Yoshinobo (International District, Seattle).
March 2004
1: Ambassadors Anniversary Series: Ambassador Takakazu Kuriyama Luncheon Program. 24: Ambassadors Anniversary Series: Ambassador Kunihiko Saito Luncheon Program. 26: Wakabakai Dinner at Taste of Tokyo (Bellevue).
April 2004
6. Michael Michalak, U.S. Embassy (Tokyo). 22: 2004 Annual Meeting. Keynote Speaker: Ambassador Michael Armacost.
Co-Sponsorships
The Japan-America Society has been pleased to be a co-sponsor of the following organizations' and institutions' programs and events during the 2003-2004 year:
Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle
Eastside Nihon Matsuri Association
Hyogo Business and Cultural Center
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Japan Studies Program, University of Washington
National Association of Japan-America Societies
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival
Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association
The Children's Museum, Seattle
Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle
U.S. Export Assistance Center (U.S. Commercial Service)
Washington Council for International Trade
World Affairs Council
2002-2003 Annual Report
2001-2002 Annual Report
2000-2001 Annual Report
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