TOMODACHI Welcomes the 65th Japan-America Student Conference at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

On August 21 2013, 72 students visited the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to participate in the 65th Japan-America Student Conference (JASC). JASC is a student-led exchange program that took 2013 participants to visit Kyoto, Nagasaki, Iwate, and Tokyo and to analyze and discuss U.S.-Japan relations.

Charge d’Affaires Kurt Tong, a JASC alumnus, spoke to the students in in the morning about his experience at the conference. The students split into four groups: TPP and agriculture, student exchanges, U.S. bases in Japan, and history and regional affairs. Each group was paired with an Embassy official to debate potential solutions to the issue. Afterwards, the students attended a lunch reception at Charge d’Affaires Kurt Tong’s residence.

TOMODACHI Initiative funded transportation costs for the conference participants to visit Iwate Prefecture. TOMODACHI Initiative participated in the morning discussions as a part of the student exchanges group. In addition, two Japanese high school students who participated in the TOMODACHI Summer 2012 Coca-Cola Educational Homestay Program attended the lunch reception to meet with JASC and share their experiences.

• For more information, read the program description