Leaders from Around the World Invited by Japanese Government to Participate in Cultural and Business Exchange Opportunity
HONOLULU (February 25, 2014) – The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii’s President and CEO, Sherry Menor-McNamara, has been invited by the Japanese government to participate in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs program. Leaders from around the world in the field of politics, economics, administration and academia have been invited to participate in the program, March 3-9, 2014, as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Japan through the exchange of views with Japanese experts from government and private sector, as well as through visits to industrial and cultural institutions.
Japan Consul General Toyoei Shigeeda nominated Menor-McNamara to be a participant in this distinguished program, for which very few people from Hawaii are nominated to participate.
“Ms. Menor-McNamara will be meeting with many prominent Japanese business leaders and politicians through this program. After completing this program, I am certain Ms. Menor-McNamara will be able to gain a greater understanding of Japan and will come up with new productive ideas that will benefit Japan-Hawaii business relations and Hawaii’s economy,” said Consul General Shigeeda.
In addition to meetings with government dignitaries, including the mayors of Iwaki and Yokohama, and Diet (national legislature of Japan) members, one-on-one meetings for Menor-McNamara and visits to Tokyo, Fukushima and Osaka are being arranged by the Japanese government with many prominent business leaders, including:
- Mr. Tsujimoto, President & CEO, Capcom and Kenzo Winery
- Mr. Tagawa, President & CEO, JTB Corp.
- Mr. Hasegawa, General Manager, International Division, Asahi
- Mr. Tanabe, Vice President, Hitachi
- Mr. Niinami, CEO, Lawson
- Mr. Iijima, CEO, Mitsui & Co.
She will also be visiting senior executives with Uniqlo, Sony Nippon Professional Baseball and Takenaka Corp, and members of the Keidanren, as well as other chambers of commerce.
Menor-McNamara has also been asked to speak to the membership of the Urayasu Chamber of Commerce. She is only the second person to address this audience, the first being former Governor George Ariyoshi.
As the leading “Voice of Business” in Hawaii, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii is the state’s largest organization advocating for businesses in Hawaii. Established in 1850, the Chamber works on behalf of its approximately 1,000 member companies and the business community, as a whole, to advance the state’s economic climate and help businesses succeed. The Chamber supports its members with training, business building and networking opportunities; lobbies government and advocates on behalf of business interests; and serves as a liaison between civilian and military communities in Hawaii.
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