Japan Now:今月はミス『さくら』が日本に滞在し親睦交流をし、大使の公務やさまざまな大使館のプレゼンテイションに参加しました。日本は太鼓を披露しました。
Japan in the News“That’s when I realized: Oh, my goodness, how is this possible, it’s me!” Margaret O’Meara was surprised when chance made her the 2018 Cherry Blossom Queen, but with a trip to Tokyo coming up, the adventure is just starting for this Virginia Tech student! During her trip, Ms. O’Meara will meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and members of the imperial family. The Cherry Blossom Princess Program celebrated its 70th year in 2018. The program, run by the National Conference of State Societies, promotes leadership development and cultural exchange. For more, see this article from Virginia Tech News.
Ambassador Shinsuke J. Sugiyama’s 50 State Goal
“There is an infrastructure of state and local support for closer business ties, and this Summit is evidence of that.” Continuing his mission to visit all fifty states, Ambassador Sugiyama spoke at the U.S.-Japan Council’s Japan-Texas Economic Summit in Houston, Texas. Following the Summit, Ambassador Sugiyama visited sites showcasing the Japan-U.S. economic partnership, including the new Daikin factory and the Freeport JERA LNG plant near Houston, as well as Toyota’s new headquarters near Dallas. He also discussed the progress on Texas’ new high speed rail project with Texas Central Partners, the companybringing Japan’s bullet train technologyto Houston and Dallas. Ambassador Sugiyama wrapped up his trip by meeting with Texas Governor Gregory Abbott in Austin. The Ambassador has now made visits to Texas, California, Virginia and Maryland from his home base in Washington, DC since his arrival in late March. Next on the list? Hawai’i!
People-to-People, Heart-to-Heart
“The idea that I would spend a springtime in the nation’s capital meeting Ambassadors and Mayors…or being a backstage dancer on a parade float behind a Top-40 star on national television wasn’t something I thought possible.” Meet Anshu Jain, from Cupertino, California, this spring’s Digital Intern at the Embassy of Japan and one of 2018’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Goodwill Ambassadors! Through these two roles Anshu spent the spring helping to grow Japan-U.S. ties. The George Washington University student hopes to pursue a future career in this community that lies at the intersection of many nations. His full blog post about his experience canbe read at ourMedium page.
Thousands Tour Embassy’s Grounds At Passport DC
Thanks to the many thousands of visitors who chose the Embassy of Japan for one of their stops on the Passport DC Embassy Tour! We loved hosting you in our newly renovated Old Residence, a classic Massachusetts Avenue building from the 1930’s. We hope you enjoyed the great food, energetic performances, and cultural items on display at the Old Residence. And if you are ready to plan your own amazing trip to Japan, make sure to follow Visit Japan on Facebook to get the latest travel tips!
