Second Annual Alumni Reunion

Sasakawa USA held its Second Annual Alumni Reunion on Thursday, March 23.

The private reception is an annual celebration of Sasakawa USA’s “Japan Alumni” Program, which is offered exclusively to those who visited Japan under programs organized or sponsored by Sasakawa USA and its sister organizations, as well as our friends and partners in the U.S.-Japan community who have collaborated with us on other projects and events. It will be an opportunity for alumni to re-connect with Japan and other alumni who have traveled or worked together, and to re-engage on current issues in U.S.-Japan relations.

For the 2017 reunion, the evening featured a special discussion with leaders of prominent think tanks in Washington, D.C. on “The Future Role of Think Tanks and Implications for U.S.-Japan Relations.” Speakers addressed the challenges think tanks are facing today under a changing domestic landscape, and how they are adapting their goals and strategies to continue to play an important role in U.S. policy-making.

Read more in our post-event coverage here.

Agenda

6:00 p.m. | Registration and reception
6:20 p.m. | Welcome and introduction
6:45 p.m. | Special panel discussion: “The Future Role of Think Tanks and Implications for U.S.-Japan Relations”
7:30 p.m. | Audience Q&A
7:45 p.m. | Raffle
8:00 p.m. | Adjourn

Speakers and participants

• Ambassador James Zumwalt, CEO, Sasakawa USA
• Sharon Burke, Senior Advisor, New America
• Richard Fontaine, President, Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
• Vikram Singh, Vice President for National Security and International Policy, Center for American Progress (CAP)
• Joshua W. Walker, CEO and President, USA Pavilion of the 2017 World Expo in Astana, Kazakhstan

Opportunity for out-of-state alumni

For this event, Sasakawa USA offered an opportunity for out-of-state alumni to attend the Second Annual Alumni Dinner as follows:

We will cover round-trip airfare to D.C. and a one night stay at a hotel near the venue. In order to be considered for this opportunity, alumni should send us a paragraph sharing their involvement with Sasakawa USA and how their experience has contributed toward their professional or personal development.

To be considered for this opportunity, alumni also must commit to contribute one of the three types of publications below:

Sasakawa USA Forum
• The Sasakawa USA Forum is a new platform for research and analysis related to Japan and U.S.-Japan relations in a bilateral, regional, and global context. In order to gain a more comprehensive view of U.S.-Japan relations, the Sasakawa USA Forum offers experts outside Sasakawa USA as well as our esteemed alumni a chance to bring their work to a wide audience.
• Submissions should be 750 to 2,000 words in length and written on issues that previously have been inadequately covered regarding Japan or U.S.-Japan relations from a bilateral, regional, and global context. Click here for details.

“True Stories From Japan”
• True Stories from Japan is an occasional blog featured on the Sasakawa USA website that compiles reflections from one’s travels to Japan. Topics range in interest from policy to culture and everything in between.
• Articles should be accompanied by your biography, a head-shot photo of you, and a picture relating to the article (if you have one).

Quarterly Alumni Newsletter
• An interview in our “Featured Alumni” section of our Quarterly Alumni Newsletter. We would send a list of questions to be featured in our next quarterly newsletter.

The paragraph and type of intended publication should be sent to Juliane Doscher (jdoscher@spfusa.org), who will work with the chosen alumni on writing deadlines.