Tokyo Conference Concludes the 2013-2014 TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program
On April 12, 2014, fifty-eight program participants from Tokyo and Osaka gathered with distinguished guests at the Hotel Okura to celebrate the conclusion of the 2013-2014 TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program and Google live streamed the event to viewers from around the world.
Ambassador Caroline Kennedy delivered opening remarks, commending the mentors and mentees for their enthusiasm and commitment to the program and noting the importance of women’s empowerment for both the United States and Japan. She also spoke about the importance of mentoring future generations: “None of us can do it alone… we are following in the footsteps of those before and setting the way for those to come.”
See google livestream of Ambassador Caroline Kennedy’s speech below:
Other guest speakers included Sachin N. Shah, President and CEO of MetLife Alico Japan; Fujiyo Ishiguro, President and CEO of Netyear Corporation; and Misato Oi, a program participant and student at Kyoto University. Elizabeth Handover, Lumina Learning Partner Asia and co-chair of the ACCJ Women in Business Committee, conducted a capstone workshop on taking leadership from awareness to action, while artist Yoshiteru Otani delighted the audience by performing a live calligraphy demonstration symbolizing the strong friendship between the United States and Japan, in which he painted the kanji for friend alongside an image of Snoopy.
- Take a look at the speeches given at the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program Conference via Google live-streaming
Participants were asked to reflect upon how they changed through the program and the lessons they learned from their trip to the United States. Kana Takagi, a program participant from Keio University, shared her new perspective on leadership: “The typical image of leadership is speaking up and leading from the front, but through this trip I realized that there are other styles of leadership. Each of us can find our own style.” Misato Oi, a program participant from Kyoto University, conveyed how empowering women would benefit everyone in Japan and how the program empowered her and other participants: “Just like I did, each of [the participants] created a new identity. With this new identity, we went to the U.S. and met new ideas, cultures, and peoples.” Expressing how the program changed her goals, she promised “I will realize my dream and become a leader for the next generation.”
Watch Misato Oi’s speech below:
TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program is a a mentoring program that took place over 10 months to promote women’s leadership and empowerment in the workplace. The participants had the opportunity to receive leadership training, networking, and financial literacy. Applications are currently being received for the 2014-2015 Program and the deadline is May 7, 2014. For more information and to apply, click here.
