U.S.-Japan Council and U.S. Department of State Launch
Mineta Ambassadors Program
By Alison Aadland
U.S.-Japan Council
The U.S.-Japan Council is proud to partner with the U. S. Department of State in launching the Mineta Ambassadors Program (MAP), an education endowment program to support exchange opportunities between U.S. and Japanese students.
The program exemplifies the shared mission of investing in the next generation of leaders to ensure the future of the U.S.-Japan relationship. Its name honors the legacy of the late and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Commerce, the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta. In addition to his celebrated career of public service, he was a longtime member and leader within the U.S.-Japan Council. By creating opportunities for students to study abroad in Japan and the United States, the MAP will foster global mindsets, cultivate long-term bilateral ties, and bolster the strength and resilience of the special relationship between the U. S. and Japan.
The program is made possible by sponsors committed to the mission of U.S.-Japan student exchanges. Sponsors collectively raised over $11 million, quickly surpassing an original goal of $10 million. This has enabled more Japanese and American students to pursue international study. MAP sponsors include:
● Aflac
● Apple*
● The BlackRock Foundation*
● CrowdWorks, Inc.
● Dr. Hiroyuki and Mrs. Mikiko Fujita
● Goldman Sachs
● Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., and Kawasaki Good Times Foundation
● Kikkoman Corporation
● Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
● Oisix ra daichi Inc.
● PKSHA Technology Inc.
● Sony Group Corporation
● Suntory Holdings Limited
● The Toshizo Watanabe Foundation*
● Thierry Porté
● TOBE MAKI Foundation and Otsuka America, Inc.
● United States-Japan Foundation *Top sponsors
The U.S.-Japan Council and the U.S.-Japan Council Japan will administer the MAP. The U. S. Embassy in Japan will serve as the U.S. government’s lead on guiding and supporting the program.
About the U.S.-Japan Council
The U.S.-Japan Council develops and connects global leaders to create a stronger U.S.-Japan relationship. Members of the nonprofit organization believe people-to-people relationships are a powerful way to bring together leaders in the U. S. and Japan to address and create solutions of mutual concerns. The council is a 501c3 nonprofit educational organization that was founded by a group of Japanese American leaders in 2009. In 2012, the U.S. – Japan Council Japan was created. In 2013, it became a Public Interest Corporation (koeki zaidan hojin).
