TOMODACHI Alumni Program — 2025 Year in Review

In 2025, the TOMODACHI Alumni community continued to grow as a dynamic, interconnected network across Japan, the United States, and beyond. With more than 1,000 participants engaging in regional gatherings, professional development opportunities, leadership programs, and community-building events, this year showcased the power of alumni-led initiatives and cross-cultural collaboration.

Strengthening Regional Communities

Throughout 2025, TOMODACHI Regional Framework (TRF) hosted a wide range of events that brought 229 alumni together in meaningful ways.
Across seven regions in Japan and six regions in the U.S., Regional Representatives organized activities such as:

• Hanami picnics, tea gatherings, and matcha workshops
• Cultural experiences including hat weaving, Okinawa dye workshops, and Megabon
• Community outings such as bowling nights and escape rooms
• Special collaborations, (e.g., the Kagoshima International Exchange Center partnership in Kyushu)
• Heritage Day events with local partners (e.g., Washington Nationals Japanese Heritage Day)

These activities created safe spaces for alumni to reconnect, share experiences, and inspire one another while strengthening regional networks.

 

 

Flagship Gatherings and Summits

2025 featured several major touchpoints for the broader TOMODACHI community:

TOMODACHI Next Generation Summit 2025 — Tokyo (August 2)

With 172 participants, this year’s summit convened alumni and partners for TSUNAGARI Hub exhibition booths, speech contests, and breakout discussions. Alumni played highly visible roles as panelists, moderators, speakers, and exhibitors, demonstrating the impact of TOMODACHI leadership development.

TOMO-KIN Seasonal Gatherings

The TOMO-KIN network continued its tradition of connecting young professionals through Japan-based meetups:

• Shinnenkai at Deloitte Tohmatsu, Innovation Park (January) – 92 participants
  • USJC x TOMODACHI joint Shinnennkai 
  • Panel Discussion by Deloitte employees including TOMODACHI alumni
• Spring at Google Japan (March) – 40 participants
  • Panel Discussion by Google employees including TOMODACHI alumni
• Summer at NEC (June) – 40 participants
  • USJC x TOMODACHI joint event
  • Reverse mentorship session by USJC members
• Winter at Prudential Holding of Japan (December) – 40 participants
  • Panel Discussion by Prudential employees

These events created consistent rhythm and community engagement throughout the year.

 

Leadership, Learning, and Professional Development

The year also featured a range of programs focused on personal and career growth:

• Young Sustainability Professionals Career Development Event (Amazon) – bringing together alumni interested in sustainability-related careers.
• GLA 2.0 Programs in Tohoku (September) and Tokyo (December) – gathering 20 emerging leaders for immersive workshops.

 

International Engagement & U.S.–Japan Relationship Building

Alumni were also active on the international stage through collaborations with major partners:

• Sister City International – Osaka (September) Four TOMODACHI alumni from the Osaka Region hosted a panel discussion at the symposium and further reinforced grassroots U.S.–Japan ties.
• U.S. Government Alumni Receptions (September) in Okinawa, Fukuoka, Osaka, and Nagoya strengthened alumni connections with diplomatic partners.
• U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) Annual Conference Programs – Honolulu (October)
  – TRF Workshops, Next Generation Launchpad, attended by Regional Representatives, Core Committee Members and alumni speakers, totaling 24 participants.

 

 

Spotlighting Alumni Excellence

Each month, TOMODACHI highlighted outstanding alumni achievements through the Monthly Newsletter Alumni Highlights, featuring 12 individuals from February to December. These stories emphasize the impact alumni have across sectors, from education and sustainability to entrepreneurship and community development.

 

A Growing Network with a Shared Mission

In total, the 2025 TOMODACHI Alumni activities engaged more than 1,090 participants across dozens of programs and regions. Each gathering—ranging from intimate tea circles to multi-hundred-person summits—reinforced the core TOMODACHI values of leadership, connection, and cross-cultural understanding.

As the alumni network continues to grow, 2025 demonstrated once again how TOMODACHI empowers individuals to recognize their strengths, broaden their perspectives, and uplift future generations.