President’s Letter

Summer 2025

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are living through profoundly uncertain times—where the local and the global collide in unexpected ways. As the saying goes, all politics are local: in Tokyo, the municipal elections are shaping the national trajectory ahead of a pivotal Upper House showdown for Prime Minister Ishiba’s LDP. Meanwhile here in New York, the stunning Democratic primary upset of former Governor Andrew Cuomo by progressive Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani reminds us that political change can come from any direction, at any moment. In moments like these, we are called to something higher than partisanship: a shared purpose as stewards of the vital U.S.-Japan relationship. My hope is that Japan Society can be that unifying force—a bridge not only between New York and Tokyo, but between ideas, generations, and nations.

Normally, my summer newsletter highlights the joy of seasonal traditions—from America’s Fourth of July celebrations to Japan’s Tanabata festival, when people write wishes filled with hope for the future. I’m very much looking forward to both, as I always do. But this summer feels different. As the world around us grows increasingly uncertain, our work at Japan Society takes on even more importance and urgency. We’re here to help you navigate these times and become part of something that is bigger than yourselves. My expertise, in particular on the intersection between what’s going on in the Middle East, what’s happening in Asia, and U.S. foreign policy, is falling into place and I’m going to be a lot more intentional in analyzing and educating our community about what’s happening in the world, from DC to Tokyo to the global stage that is New York City.

To this end, and to see what people are responding to, I highly recommend that you take a look at two stories on my own leadership journey recently published in Nikkei’s Leadership series. The first speaks to my personal experiences of growing up in Japan and lessons learned from my pastor father, and the second piece focuses more on my professional career since leaving Japan including working with Ian Bremmer at Eurasia Group prior to taking on the leadership of Japan Society—how geopolitics shapes my understanding of why Japan’s moment is now and how that allows us to think about the future. I’d also recommend “A New Generation of Japan Hands and a Changing World,” my latest op ed in the Japan Times plus an additional opinion piece—“A Call to Action for U.S.-Japan.” I warned you I was going to be stepping more fully into the thought leadership space, right?

Japan Trip

I recently returned from a meaningful and energizing trip to Japan that reminded me of both the urgency of this moment and the incredible support that Japan Society has across the Pacific. From Kansai to Tokyo, I met with many of our closest partners—the International House of Japan, U.S. Embassy Tokyo, Keidanren, Keizai Doyukai, and other cultural and government leaders who continue to believe in our mission. I was especially honored to connect with Ambassador George Glass, whose commitment to the U.S.-Japan alliance gave me great insights and hope in the future of this relationship.

I visited the World Expo 2025 site in Osaka, where I saw the USA Pavilion along with 10 other pavilions with friends from METI and beyond. This Expo is a powerful moment for global connection, innovation, and Japan Society is poised to be a vital cultural link leading into and beyond 2025. I also spent time in Kyoto, Nara, and Koya-san while in Kansai, where I was reminded of the deep cultural and spiritual roots that make Japan so special. These cultural exchanges reinforce why Japan Society is such a needed and powerful institution at this moment—to bridge tradition and innovation, East and West, past and future.

2025 Annual Dinner

I’m delighted to share the video highlights of our 2025 Annual Dinner on June 12—our Gala evening in support of Japan Society that celebrates and reaffirms the U.S.-Japan relationship. Thanks to your generosity, we raised $1.7 million that will provide essential funding for Japan Society’s programming and operations. We hosted an illuminating keynote conversation on the state of U.S.-Japan business relations with David Goeckeler, Chairman and CEO, Sandisk Corporation; Chair, U.S.-Japan Business Council; and Chairman, Semiconductor Industry Association and Jun Sawada OBE, Executive Chairman, NTT Group; Chairman, Japan-U.S. Business Council; Vice Chair, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation); and Co-Chairperson, Kyoto Institute of Philosophy. On the arts and culture side, we honored Dr. Kurt Gitter with the 2025 Japan Society Award for his lifelong and transformative dedication as a collector and supporter in the field of Japanese art.

Additionally, we heard from Jim Small, World Baseball Classic President and SVP International, Major League Baseball, following an introduction of Yakyu | Baseball: The Transpacific Exchange of the Game, an upcoming exhibition from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. We benefited from a live auction of manga artist Acky Bright’s live drawing, and the evening’s entertainment featured a brilliant performance by the musical duo Kokusyoku Sumire. Pianist Sara Davis Buechner ably served as the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies. Thank you all again for your friendship and support—arigato gozaimasu!

A Call to Action

Literally 10 minutes before I gave the President’s Remarks at the Annual Dinner, I received word that Israel had attacked Iran. I opened my speech with that news, which was not at all what the audience had expected to hear that evening. But in all ways I stayed true to my script, which was about making that night about something bigger than the moment. Let me reiterate my message: The world as we know it has fundamentally changed—and 80 years of postwar American leadership is now at stake. This means Japan Society’s mission has never been more important—but it also means that it has never been as misunderstood or taken for granted. It’s time to step up and take agency; it’s time to come together for a common purpose. There is work to be done. This isn’t going to happen on its own, and no individual or organization can do it alone. Our greatest responsibility now is to get involved. Whatever you are currently doing, consider giving more of yourself. If you’re an individual member introduce us to your friends and neighbors. If you’re a corporate member, can you raise the level of your corporate membership or think of other partners who should be with us? I truly believe that Japan Society has the best chance of any institution in our space to make a meaningful difference and we have weathered the storms of history before. We have the best chance of doing this together whereas we don’t stand a chance alone.

MIRAI Project

To meet this moment, Japan Society must adapt. We’ve been working hard with our Board on a strategic roadmap—starting with budget discipline, ambitious programming, and a refreshed development strategy. I’m confident in the direction we’re headed but it will take significant commitment and investment from our entire community, and our focus must now be firmly on the future.

I’m thrilled to introduce MIRAI, Japan Society’s bold new strategic vision for the future. Through MIRAI, we will expand our reach and relevance to today’s U.S.-Japan audiences, creating new relevancy and growing our influence locally, nationally, and globally through three core programming pillars:

• NEXT GEN JAPAN, a focus on drawing new, young, broad audiences with an interest in contemporary Japan to Japan Society to cultivate our next generation of supporters and members.

• ITSUDEMO JAPANESE, which will allow the Language Center to grow its already record-breaking enrollment for Japanese language learning through evergreen video-on-demand.

• GLOBAL JAPAN, new partnerships to increase our international presence through new streaming technology, partnerships, and programming that will better serve audiences, institutions, and corporate members around the world—our strategic partnership with the International House of Japan gives us a platform to foster direct conversations with Japanese business leaders like never before.

Countdown to 2027

As announced at the Annual Dinner, we are starting our countdown to 2027 when Japan Society will be celebrating its 120th anniversary. We invite you to join us in celebrating this monumental milestone and help us continue our vital mission for years to come. This summer, the spotlight will be on Susumu Shingu: Elated!, which relaunches our summer exhibition series for the first time in 14 years—running alongside our iconic JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japan Film, now in its 18th year.

In times like these, when our city, our nation, and our world can feel increasingly unmanageable, the most powerful thing we can do is take agency—starting with ourselves. Japan has taught me that discipline begins from within, whether through mastering the language, practicing tea ceremony, or simply showing up with intention and care. At Japan Society, we offer something for everyone—and if we don’t have it, we know someone who does. As the temperatures continue to rise this summer, let’s be the ones who cool each other down, offering community, perspective, and purpose. Now more than ever, we need to be part of something bigger than ourselves—something lasting. That’s what U.S.-Japan relations represent: a living partnership built on trust, respect, and shared values. From New York to Tokyo and beyond, let’s honor that legacy together. Join us—at Japan Society—as we lead the way forward, one meaningful connection at a time.

All the best,

Joshua W. Walker
President and CEO, Japan Society