Expanding the Pipeline

Cross-border investments between Japan and Hawaii began over 150 years ago when 150 Japanese migrant workers arrived in Honolulu. With them came the steady, remarkable growth of Japanese businesses in Hawaii, the first of their kind to cater to the needs of contracted workers and their families, followed by the rise of enterprises servicing the increasing number of inbound Japanese tourists. Today, Hawaii’s “Japan-Friendly” market continues attracting Japanese investors seeking diversification and access to the U.S. economy, capital, and concepts. This session will explore how Japan and Hawaii can leverage the historical, culturally tied, and personal relationships born from over one-and-a-half centuries of mutual investment and benefit.

Cross-Border Commerce

Moderator

Mitsuru Claire Chino, Managing Executive Officer, ITOCHU Corporation

Speakers

Mark Fukunaga, Chairman & CEO, Servco Pacific, Inc.

Meli James, Co-Founder of Mana Up, President, Hawaii Venture Capital Association

Sadanobu Takemasu, Chairman, President, CEO, CSO, Lawson Inc.

Haruyoshi Kinoshita (General Manager, Cross Border Trading Business Department, Rakuten Group, Inc.)

Sustainable Agriculture

Moderator

Ian Kitajima, President, Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR)

Speakers

Denise Yamaguchi, Executive Director, Hawaii Agricultural Foundation

Erimitsu Erie SUZUKI, Chief Researcher (Railway Technical Research Institute, Japan)

Dr. Kazuhiro Chiba, President, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Powering to Sustainability

Renewable energy is essential for both Japan and Hawaii, as both are island communities surrounded by ocean and with limited natural resources. In becoming more independent for energy and other resources, regions will be better equipped to recover from natural disasters that impact access to outside suppliers. Advancements in renewable energy technologies will also impact the world on a global scale, combating the effects of climate change including warming oceans, rising sea levels, and erratic weather patterns. This session will explore a variety of renewable energy technologies, ideas for funding new and ongoing projects, and discuss avenues for collaboration between sister governments

Moderator

Mark Glick, Chief Energy Officer, State of Hawaii

Speakers

Dawn Lippert, CEO, Elemental Excelerator

Scott Seu, President & CEO, Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

Steve Winn-CEO, JERA Americas, Inc.

Pursuing Suitable Balance

Tourism contributes to the economy by bringing in visitor spending, generating tax revenue, and creating jobs. However, over-tourism can negatively impact the natural environment as well as the livelihood of the residents of the hosting community. For popular travel destinations like Hawaii, along with many of its sister prefectures and sister cities in Japan, it is essential that governments establish and enact long-term sustainability practices that balance environmental, socio-cultural, and economic aspects involving tourism. This session will share examples of areas facing over-tourism, examine post-pandemic era developments, and explore best practices for managing tourist sites and destinations for a sustainable future.

Moderator

Michelle Kauhane, Senior VP of Grants & Investments, Hawaii Community Foundation

Speakers

John DeFries, President and CEO, Hawaii Tourism Authority

Kurt Matsumoto, President, Pulama Lanai

Junichi "Jack" Kumada, General Manager of International Affairs, JTB Corp.

Nurturing Global Talent

Hawaii and Japan have much in common: from the “Aloha Spirit” and “Omotenashi,” to an abiding and deep respect for the environment. This relationship grows and strengthens through continued efforts to integrate Hawaii’s and Japan’s cultural and socio-economic perspectives, and in the process American and Japanese perspectives. Integration can best be achieved through education at various levels: intercultural understanding, dialogue of ideas, study abroad, student and faculty exchanges, bilateral collaborations, and other efforts to bridge cultures. This session will explore the importance of global learning and ways in which Hawaii and its sister prefectures are furthering and strengthening the Hawaii-Japan relationship through education.

Moderator

Dr. Denise Konan, Dean, College of Social Sciences and Professor of Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Speakers

Keith Hayashi, Superintendent, Hawaii State Department of Education

Suzanne Vares-Lum, President, East West Center