Japanese Ambassador Joins USMEF for Colorado Yamagata Celebration
Published: Aug 19, 2011
Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki and other Japanese dignitaries joined Colorado guests including USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng recently to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Colorado-Yamagata relationship.
Ambassador Fujisaki, the special guest and keynote speaker, opened his address with a sincere expression of appreciation and gratitude for the generosity of the Americans who contributed to the relief effort for Japan’s March earthquake and tsunami. He spoke of the impact on Japan’s government, people, families and children. He said the U.S.-Japanese relationship is vitally important at this time of crisis.
USMEF members have contributed in excess of $515,000 to the Japan Relief and Recovery Effort.
The Colorado-Yamagata relationship began in 1984 when the governor of Yamagata came to Colorado on a mission to advance international relations in the Tohoku region of northern Japan – the area at the epicenter of the recent earthquake. The sister-state relationship opportunities increased, resulting in the State of Colorado and Yamagata Prefecture signing an agreement on Dec. 2, 1986. Since that time, Yamagata and Colorado have regularly hosted cultural, educational and business exchanges for both youth and adults.
The vice governor of Yamagata Prefecture, Takashi Takahashi, attended as well as other dignitaries from Yamagata, including Kozo Taira, chairperson of the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. The program was hosted by the Japan American Society of Colorado.
Seng asked the ambassador when Japan would join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement that would include the United States. The ambassador shared his perspective that Japan’s national interest has to prevail over the interest of a group, meaning Japanese agriculture. He continued by saying it would be a matter of time before Japan joined and that TPP is very much in Japan’s long-term interest.
The ambassador concluded his comments by commending Issei and Nisei, first and second generation Japanese-Americans, respectively, for their example of hard work and perseverance. He suggested that present-day Japan could learn immensely from their example and dignity in the face of oppression and hardship.
Seng is former president of the Japan American Society of Colorado, a nonprofit organization which promotes better understanding between the people of Japan and the Rocky Mountain region.
Ambassador Fujisaki, the special guest and keynote speaker, opened his address with a sincere expression of appreciation and gratitude for the generosity of the Americans who contributed to the relief effort for Japan’s March earthquake and tsunami. He spoke of the impact on Japan’s government, people, families and children. He said the U.S.-Japanese relationship is vitally important at this time of crisis.
USMEF members have contributed in excess of $515,000 to the Japan Relief and Recovery Effort.
The Colorado-Yamagata relationship began in 1984 when the governor of Yamagata came to Colorado on a mission to advance international relations in the Tohoku region of northern Japan – the area at the epicenter of the recent earthquake. The sister-state relationship opportunities increased, resulting in the State of Colorado and Yamagata Prefecture signing an agreement on Dec. 2, 1986. Since that time, Yamagata and Colorado have regularly hosted cultural, educational and business exchanges for both youth and adults.
The vice governor of Yamagata Prefecture, Takashi Takahashi, attended as well as other dignitaries from Yamagata, including Kozo Taira, chairperson of the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. The program was hosted by the Japan American Society of Colorado.
Seng asked the ambassador when Japan would join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement that would include the United States. The ambassador shared his perspective that Japan’s national interest has to prevail over the interest of a group, meaning Japanese agriculture. He continued by saying it would be a matter of time before Japan joined and that TPP is very much in Japan’s long-term interest.
The ambassador concluded his comments by commending Issei and Nisei, first and second generation Japanese-Americans, respectively, for their example of hard work and perseverance. He suggested that present-day Japan could learn immensely from their example and dignity in the face of oppression and hardship.
Seng is former president of the Japan American Society of Colorado, a nonprofit organization which promotes better understanding between the people of Japan and the Rocky Mountain region.