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2003
Highlights of the Japan-America Society Year
The following constitute, in the order they occurred, the major highlights of the 2003 year.
February 19, 2003
Japan IT: 2003
A Panel Discussion and Networking Reception
Bruce Rutledge, Editor-in-Chief of Tokyo's J@pan Inc. magazine, the single best English-language source for keeping up with the various elements of Japan's IT community, was the featured speaker for Japan IT: 2003, an afternoon program and networking reception. After Rutledge's presentation, Leslie Helm, former Tokyo correspondent for Business Week and the L.A. Times, and Sharon Pian Chan, technology reporter for the Seattle Times, offered their expert comments. This program was co-sponsored by Perkins-Coie LLP.
April 8, 2003
Getting the Deal Done in Japanese Mobile IT
A Panel Presentation and Networking Reception
Masaki Kinoshita, General Manager of the NTT DoCoMo USA San Jose Office and Senior Vice President of its Mobile Multimedia Division, often cited as the most important gateway for American technology vendors who hope to sell to DoCoMo and its many Japanese affiliates, was our featured speaker at this program co-sponsored with JETRO. Kinoshita discussed the kinds of technologies DoCoMo is actively shopping for and what qualifies others as interesting to their group. He also discussed the channel options and “how-to’s” for selling into DoCoMo. Adding to his buy-side perceptions, our other panelists -- Kent Hellebust of BSquare, Damian Davis of PictureIQ, and Jeff Pancottine of F5 Networks -- discussed their recent establishment of multiple channels from the sell-side perspective, demonstrating state of the art sales techniques that work with limited resources. This program was co-sponsored by the Northwest Entrepreneur Network, the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, and WSA (formerly the Washington Software Alliance).
April 18-20, 2003
28th Annual Seattle Cherry Blossom
and Japanese Cultural Festival
The Japan-America Society and the Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association once again combined to produce and staff one of the most popular festival attractions, the Kimono & Yukata Dress-Up Booth, a major highlight of the festival for many families and children. Visitors to the festival also enjoyed stage entertainment, booth exhibits, demonstrations, and food stalls featuring Japanese culture and arts at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion and Center House.
April 24, 2003
Author Robert Whiting
Baseball in Japan
In cooperation with the Seattle law firm of Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson, the Japan-America Society presented a members-only afternoon discussion with noted writer Robert Whiting, author of the classic works on baseball in Japan: You Gotta Have Wa, The Chrysanthemum and the Bat: Baseball Samurai Style, and Slugging It Out in Japan: An American Major Leaguer in the Tokyo Outfield, the latter written with former MLB player Warren Cromartie. Whiting, who is one of the very few Westerners to write a regular column in the Japanese press and who has written for The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and Time, among other publications, was in Seattle to research his forthcoming book on Japanese players in the U.S. major leagues.
April 29, 2003
2003 Annual Meeting
Keynote Speaker Wendy Cutler
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for North Asian Affairs
Over 270 members and their guests heard Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for North Asian Affairs Wendy Cutler, the top person in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative responsible for the development and implementation of the United States' overall trade policy towards Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mongolia, at the 2003 Japan-America Society Annual Meeting. A new slate of Officers and Directors was nominated by the members present. Chris Helm, Partner at the Seattle law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, assumed the position of Chair of the Board of Directors succeeding Sara Sanford.
July 14, 2003
2003 Annual Golf Tournament
The Japan-America Society's Annual Golf Tournament was held under mild sunny skies on July 14 at the Mill Creek Country Club. 116 JAS members and their guests took on the challenging tight tree-lined 6,300 plus yard Mill Creek Country Club golf course. Following the competition, members and their guests relaxed with a buffet dinner and awards ceremony. United Airlines was the Event Sponsor for the 2003 Tournament.
September 18, 2003
Japanese Corporate and Venture Funding
for U.S. Biotechnology Companies
Program and Reception
Dr. Koichi Kato of Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan spoke on corporate and venture funding for U.S. biotechnology companies at this afternoon program. Responding to Dr. Kato’s presentation were three local individuals involved in the biotech industry: Steve Gilbert, Director of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders, Kevin Kelly of the law firm of Heller Ehrmann White & McAuliffe LLP, and Tom Ranken, CEO of VizX Labs. Brandon Boyle of JETRO-San Francisco led off the program with a brief overview of biotechnology in Japan. Following the program, a networking reception was held. The program was co-sponsored by JETRO - San Francisco and the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association.
October, 2003
Japan in the Schools Program Begins its 10th Year
The Japan-America Society's nationally-recognized Japan in the Schools Program began its 10th year of operations bringing Japanese language and cultural programs to elementary and high school students in the Puget Sound region. Since its inception, 627 volunteers have brought the program to 20,641 students in 883 classrooms since its first year in 1994. Quite an achievement, indeed!
November 18, 2003
Ambassador Walter Mondale
Ambassadors Anniversary Series
The first in a series of programs during 2003 and 2004 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of U.S.-Japan relations and the 80th Anniversary year of our organization's founding. The programs feature former U.S. Ambassadors to Japan and former Japanese Ambassadors to the U.S. speaking on the future of the U.S.-Japan relationship. The series began on November 18 with a sold out luncheon featuring The Honorable Walter F. Mondale, former Vice President of the United States and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1997. Ambassador Mondale's distinguished background also includes the following: Democratic Nominee for President of the United States, United States Senator from the State of Minnesota from 1964 to 1976. He currently practices law at the firm of Dorsey & Whitney in Minneapolis. Dorsey and Whitney LLP and the University of Washington Global Business Center were the prime c0-sponsors of this program.
December 3, 2003
2003 Holiday Celebration
Dinner and Auction
On December 3, 502 Japan-America Society members and their guests descended upon the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle for our annual holiday gathering. Four silent auctions preceded the festive dinner and entertainment.
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