A delegation of seven US Congressional Staff members traveled to Tokyo and Hiroshima from October 9 to October 15, 2023, for a series of briefings, meetings, and roundtables focusing on the factors that shape Japanese politics and the US-Japan alliance. The US Congressional Staff members had opportunities to meet with several politicians and leaders, and visit the National Defense Academy to meet with the academy’s president and students.
In addition to Tokyo, the group traveled to Hiroshima, where the 49th G7 Summit 2023 was held in May. Activities in Hiroshima included meetings with Mayor Kazumi Matsui, faculty from the Hiroshima Peace Institute, and Keiko Ogura, an atomic bomb survivor who shared her moving experiences with the group.
![Staff meet with Masakatsu Ota, Senior and Editorial writer of Kyodo News.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231010_140456-scaled-e1698426822616.jpg)
![Staff meet with Shujiro Urata, Expert at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231010_155659-scaled-e1698426876412.jpg)
![Participants take part in a breakfast roundtable with Japanese Diet Members.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231011_092241-scaled-e1698428550119.jpg)
![Participants with Rep. Kiyomi Tsujimoto who recently travelled to DC on JCIE's women leaders program.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231011_1342140-scaled-e1698427060562.jpg)
![Staff meet with Assist. Chief Cabinet Sec. Keiichi Ichikawa.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231011_154953-scaled-e1698427217262.jpg)
![Staff meet with Fumiaki Kubo, President of the National Defence Academy.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231012_113411-e1698427539682.jpg)
![Participants stopped by the Kotoku-In, Kamakura in between meetings.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231012_165100-scaled-e1698427603910.jpg)
![Participants and JCIE staff at the Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231014_101247-scaled-e1698428577841.jpg)
![Participants meet with the Mayor of Hiroshima, Kazumi Matsui.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/F8lKSZkWsAAdPXS-e1698427679737.jpeg)
![Participants listen to the moving story of Keiko Ogura, an atomic bomb survivor.](https://jcie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/F8lKUQTW0AIUYVG-e1698427729362.jpeg)
Participants
STEVEN CLARK, Legislative Assistant, Representative Alex Mooney (R-WV)
JEN CURT, Legislative Director, Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL)
BRENNA MARIE GAUTAM, Assistant Counsel, Office of the Legislative Counsel, House of Representatives
JORDAN PAKULA, Professional Staff Member, Senate Committee on the Budget
CHRIS RINGER, Legislative Assistant, Representative Jeff Duncan (R-SC)
RAHMON ROSS, National Security Advisor, Representative Jennifer L McClellan (D-VA)
MARGARET FLYNN SAPIA, Foreign Policy and Defense Legislative Aide, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)