US/Japan: San Antonio-Kumamoto Young Professionals Forum

As part of KIF Global's Subnational X Initiative, 1st U.S.A.-Japan Subnational Global Young Professionals Forum was held virtually between the City of San Antonio, Texas and City of Kumamoto, Japan.

The Forum is a public-private partnership (PPP) in a forum series held virtually and organized globally by the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF) Japan, KIF America and Junior Chamber International (JCI) Japan. The subnational hosts are  City of San Antonio, City of Kumamoto and JCI Kumamoto.

The purpose of the forum is for American and Japanese young professional leaders to deepen bilateral economic and cultural people-to-people relationships to foster mutual understanding, as well as to create an international cooperation between communities in the United States and Japan at a subnational level.

American speakers from San Antonio, Texas

  • Dr. Douglas Brooks - Manager, Intelligent Systems Division, Southwest Research Institute; Member, Leadership San Antonio Class of 45
  • Ms. Gigi Kamali - Founder and CEO, Biome and Golden Juju
  • Ms. Dominique Liu - President, San Antonio Jaycees; Vice President, Global Chamber San Antonio; State Secretary, Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Texas
  • Mr. Wayne Smith - Regional Sales Executive, CoStar Group; Co-Chair of World Affairs Council of San Antonio Young Professionals
  • Mr. Faris Virani - President, San Antonio Young Professionals

Japanese speakers from Kumamoto, Japan

  • Mr. Shunichiro Watanabe - President, Kaikensetsu (Construction) and President, JCI Kumamoto
  • Mr. Shogenji Yuto - President, Kenkosha (Real Estate) and Board member, JCI Kumamoto
  • Mr. Shota Yamaguchi - President, Ohana Osteopathic clinic and Board member, JCI Kumamoto
  • Ms. Miyuki Teramoto - British antique furniture import and sales business and Board member, JCI Kumamoto
  • Ms. Natsuki Yoshimoto - Agriculture, Café, English teacher and JCI Kumamoto member

The U.S. and Japan also share more sister city relationships with each other than with any other country, with a total of 458 subnational partnerships at the prefecture, city, ward, town and village levels. The final report of the Forum will be presented by JCI Japan as a bilateral recommendation to the United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON) in Japan.

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