2016 Capitol Hill Diet Reception

May 3, 2016
Washington DC

A coalition of US-Japan groups headed by JCIE and the The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation co-hosted a reception at the US Capitol yesterday evening to welcome 10 visiting Diet members to Washington. The gathering attracted about 170 leading figures in US-Japan relations, including senior government officials, former members of Congress, business executives, NGO heads, and others. Among others, the Hon. Tom Petri (former member, House of Representatives, R-WI) and Hon. Kozo Yamamoto (member, House of Representatives of Japan) spoke briefly about the importance of the US-Japan alliance and maintaining dialogue among parliamentarians.

Fittingly, JCIE/USA's James Gannon welcomed the crowd in the Mike Mansfield Room of the US Capitol, with a portrait of the late ambassador to Japan looking on.
Fittingly, JCIE/USA's James Gannon welcomed the crowd in the Mike Mansfield Room of the US Capitol, with a portrait of the late ambassador to Japan looking on.
Frank Janunuzi, President of the The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, addressed the gathering.
Frank Janunuzi, President of the The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, addressed the gathering.
Hon. Kozo Yamamoto offered brief remarks and a toast.
Hon. Kozo Yamamoto offered brief remarks and a toast.
Hon. Keizo Takemi, Member, House of Councillors (center) speaking with Mr. Peter Kelley, President, National Association of Japan America Societies (right) and another guest. 
Hon. Keizo Takemi, Member, House of Councillors (center) speaking with Mr. Peter Kelley, President, National Association of Japan America Societies (right) and another guest. 
Rust Deming (left) with Hon. Tom Petri, Former Member, House of Representatives.
Rust Deming (left) with Hon. Tom Petri, Former Member, House of Representatives.
Hon. Yukihisa Fujita, Member, House of Councillors (right) speaks with Henry Nau of George Washington University. 
Hon. Yukihisa Fujita, Member, House of Councillors (right) speaks with Henry Nau of George Washington University. 

REMARKS

Hon. Tom Petri, Former Member, US House of Representatives

Hon. Kozo Yamamoto, Member, Japan House of Representatives

Amb. Rust Deming, Adjunct Professor of Japan Studies, Johns Hopkins University SAIS; former US Ambassador to Tunisia 

GUESTS OF HONOR

Hon. Jiro Aichi, Member, House of Councillors

Hon. Yukihisa Fujita, Member, House of Councillors

Hon. Yukihisa Fujita, Member, House of Councillors

Hon. Hitoshi Kikawada, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs; Member, House of Representatives

Hon. Hiroe Makiyama, Member, House of Councillors

Hon. Masaharu Nakagawa, Member, House of Representatives

Hon. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Member, House of Representatives

Hon. Keitaro Ohno, Member, House of Representatives

Hon. Takashi Shinohara, Member, House of Representatives

Hon. Keizo Takemi, Member, House of Councillors

Hon. Kozo Yamamoto, Member, House of Representatives

The reception was organized in cooperation with the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission – JUSFC, CULCON (U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange), the U.S.-Japan Council, the Congressional Study Group on Japan, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA.