“Walk in U. S., Talk on Japan”

　The goal of “Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan” was to increase awareness about Japan in the U.S. and to develop U.S.—Japan relations through people-to-people diplomacy. To achieve these aims, the program asked for the support of Japanese citizens. It’s participants travelled to many cities in the U.S. and talked about Japan’s many attractions, including its culture. They spoke to members of the U.S.—Japan Council, university students, and organizations with a connection to Japan. They also met with members of the community and talked about U.S.—Japan topics and themes.

　Most recently, 15 participants, between 18 and 82 years old, travelled with former high-ranking Japanese diplomats to 9 states 16 cities such as Philadelphia, Columbus, Richmond, Kansas City and many others.

　One of them was 82 year old Ms. Ryoko Yoshioka. A calligraphy artist and former schoolteacher, she lived in New York and Bangkok and has been teaching Japanese to non-Japanese women in Japan. When she visited the Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas, Ms. Yoshioka talked about the important position of women in Japan. She said the traditional image of Japanese women was that of smart, quiet, and patient homemakers. Modern Japanese women, she continued, are working in increasing numbers instead of staying at home.

　Another participant in the program was Ms. Yukiko Nakamura, a company CEO. Ms. Nakamura spoke about Japan’s recovery after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. She also talked about Japanese women in business.

　Japan has less than 10 percent of women who are CEOs, Ms. Nakamura said, and the number of Japanese women who have become business owners is less than that. To this end, she talked about the challenges Japanese women face to reach the top levels of a company. Some of them, she said, were due to social reasons. Others were due to lack of confidence in women. To empower these women, she said, they should participate in internationalization by, for example, training in the U.S.

　Having lived and worked in the U.S., Ms. Nakamura said that an ability to communicate globally is an important skill for Japanese women who want to be CEOs. To do this, they have to know the feelings and thoughts of their audience. These skills will also help when developing international collaborations. Ms. Nakamura’s participation in the program inspired her to work with people in Indiana and establish an NPO. One of the organization’s main goals will be to support the aspirations of Japanese children with ADHD and other learning difficulties. The NPO will develop its programs via cultural and educational exchanges with partners in the U.S.

　Another leading voice in the program was an I.T. expert, Ms. Tomoko Yamane. Raised in the U.S. and Japan, Ms. Yamane spoke about her experience of culture shock when she first entered the Japanese workplace. As an MBA candidate, she was inspired by her experience of working in Japan to start empowerment seminars for Japanese women.

　Ms. Miyake Tokuro was another participant in the program. A Kyogen actress, she amazed her audiences with tales of Kyogen − a “comedic” theater which has a 600 year old history. Ms. Tokuro’s performances impressed audiences of all age group from the U.S.

　“Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan” did not just change perceptions about Japanese women in society. The program also made people-to-people collaborations stronger and promoted future international activities and diplomacy between the U.S. and Japan.

　Ms. Yoshioka’s inspiring speech is presented on the next page.