2018 U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference TOMODACHI Session Workshop

On November 7, 2018, more than 50 TOMODACHI alumni (past program participants) and current scholars of the U.S.-Japan Council’s the Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship Program, who are studying abroad at universities in Japan, gathered at the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel in Tokyo to attend the TOMODACHI Workshop held in conjunction with the 2018 U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference.

The goal of the Workshop was to hone the skills of participants as next-generation leaders, and to clarify the objectives of taking part in the Annual Conference. To begin, Jo Morita, from the Innovation Office at Prudential, which provides generous support to the TOMODACHI Alumni Leadership Program, and Nate Gyotoku, alumnus of the TOMODACHI Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), gave talks on networking in Japan and the United States.

After the Morning Session, over 40 young professionals mentors, including ELP alumni and Prudential employees, joined a working lunch for mentorship and networking.
In the afternoon, panelists from a wide range of industries shared their views on the “World in 2030” and stressed the importance of remaining adaptable in a changing world. Participants then discussed the skills needed for the global field in 2030 and set personal goals for participating in the following two days of the Annual Conference.
The day-long Workshop ended with a showcase by alumni, where they shared their respective activities and experiences with other participants.

Ryu Nagae, alumnus of the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program, reflected, “Even though our majors, industries in which we work, or awareness of issues differ, all of us want to have a positive impact on society in our own ways. Exposure to such strong passion reminded me of where I come from and where my own passion lies.

The Workshop enabled many TOMODACHI alumni and the Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship Program scholars to meet with one another for the first time and build new networks.

The TOMODACHI Alumni Leadership Program is made possible with generous support from Prudential.