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October 2025 Issue

TOMODACHI MUFG Sustainable Entrepreneurship Program 2025 successfully completed its U.S. training and Final Presentation　

From August 17 to 26, the TOMODACHI MUFG Sustainable Entrepreneurship Program 2025 conducted its U.S. training program. The 20 high school students selected from across Japan participated in pre-training sessions held online from June and later presented their learnings at a final reporting session in Tokyo following the U.S. program.
During the U.S. training in San Francisco, participants deepened their understanding of leadership and sustainability practices in the United States, the current state of U.S. Japan relationships, and MUFG’s initiatives and entrepreneurial activities in Silicon Valley. The program offered a variety of sessions, including lectures and workshops at Stanford University, a session with a young female entrepreneur of the same age group, an SDGs game workshop, lectures on environmental issues, and sessions on LGBTQ+ topics.
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TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar Hackathon 2025

TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar is a program to provide opportunities for hands-on learning and to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, with the goal of equipping the next generation with innovation and leadership skills. For its 15th year in 2025, the program had a new focus on combining entrepreneurship with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education. 20 students, ranging from high schoolers to doctorate students, who are studying in STEM fields, joined the program from across Japan.
As part of the program, a three-day hackathon was held in Tokyo from September 26th to 28th, 2025. The participants brought their diverse expertise and unique perspectives to the event, exploring solutions to societal challenges. The event was a productive three days with active discussions and creative idea generation.
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Workshop Report: Next Generation Launchpad in Hawaii

On October 14, 2025, the Next Generation Launchpad was held at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu, Hawaii, as a prelude to the 2025 U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference. Approximately 40 TOMODACHI alumni and young leaders gathered to engage in networking, discussions, and intergenerational exchange through interactive learning and practice.
The first half of the program featured an interactive workshop led by Janrose Samson, Regional Representative of the Washington D.C. Vicinity Region, and Shiori Sata, Regional Representative of the Chubu-Hokuriku region from the TOMODACHI Regional Framework. Under the theme “Strategic Collaboration and Meaningful Impact,” participants explored cross-cultural and intergenerational communication as well as effective networking skills through conversation with other participants.
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TOMODACHI Alumni Highlight: Kaho Arima, from USJC Annual Conference 2025

Kaho Arima joined the 2021 TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program while studying in Tokyo, where the experience inspired her to found a student organization supporting nonprofit initiatives. After winning a national English speech competition and interning at a startup working to revitalize her hometown, she joined a large IT company to strengthen her business development skills.
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TOMODACHI Alumni Highlight: Dan Ito, from USJC Annual Conference 2025

Dan Ito is an alumnus of the 2022 TOMODACHI Story Jam for Youth with Disabilities Program. He started running his own business providing both individuals and companies / organizations with services to support second language acquisition as well as language coaching. He also offers Japanese and English translation / interpretation services and counseling services to those desiring to study abroad. He stayed in Utah, United States for 9 years to finish his degrees. He first pursued his associate’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship at Ensign College. He then transferred to Brigham Young University to finish his bachelor’s degree in English Language with minors in TESOL and Civic Engagement Leadership. Not only does he value his unique linguistic view and integrate it into the business, but he gets involved with several nonprofits and exercises his talents to enlighten the society.
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TOMODACHI Opportunities

U.S.-JAPAN COUNCIL (Japan) Program Coordinator
The Program Coordinator will work closely with Managers, Directors, and other senior staff to provide administrative support in the development, coordination and execution of assigned programs that support and promote USJC’s mission. This position is responsible for the administrative and operational functions required to coordinate activities, manage events, and provide administrative and staff support for assigned programs, which include new and existing USJC signature, regional, and other educational programs in various areas.

This is a full-time position based in the U.S.-Japan Council Tokyo office which allows teleworking. This will be a one year contract for the first five years and renewed every year. A Japanese native and fluency in English is required. USJC does not sponsor visas for working in Japan.

For more information and to apply, click here.

TOMODACHI Initiative Program Intern
The internship at the TOMODACHI Initiative offers an exciting environment where interns will be exposed to the non-profit, corporate, and government fields simultaneously. Responsibilities include creating and drafting documents, translation, website management, social media management, newsletter development support, public speaking, communication with program participants, designing presentations and posters, and event planning and operations. Interns generally work remotely, but may occasionally be asked to assist with in-person tasks at the office or support events as needed.

U.S.-Japan Council Development Intern
The Development Intern will assist the Development Manager in fundraising and organizing events for business leaders for the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC). Responsibilities include drafting documents in Japanese and English, translation, writing newsletter articles, creating presentations and promotional materials, and providing administrative support for event planning and management. The position is primarily remote, but may require office work and on-site event support as needed.

Alumni Intern
The Alumni Social Media Intern will assist the Director of Programs and Partnerships for the U.S.-Japan Council and the TOMODACHI Alumni Program Manager in the area of programming, social media and other marketing and communications for the TOMODACHI Initiative Alumni Leadership Program as needed. Reports to the Director of Programs and Partnerships for the U.S.-Japan Council. This position requires conveying and dispersing information from TOMODACHI Alumni Affairs to the TOMODACHI alumni community, as well as the broader U.S.-Japan Council community.

Please see here for details on the above intern recruitment information.

Update from Team TOMODACHI - October 2025

For donors, supporters, and friends of the TOMODACHI Initiative and the TOMODACHI Generation.

Led by the U.S.-Japan Council and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo , the TOMODACHI Initiative is a public-private partnership born out of support for Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. TOMODACHI invests in the next generation of Japanese and American leaders through educational and cultural exchanges and leadership programs.