The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Center for Japanese Studies U.S.-Japan Leaders-in-Residence program invites influential leaders in U.S.-Japan relations to the campus for multi-day residencies that include meetings with students, faculty, senior administrators, and local community organizations engaged with Japan. Through lectures, classroom visits, and conversations across disciplines, the program fosters dialogue on critical issues and strengthens connections between academic inquiry and broader professional practice. Visitors from business, economics, policy, media, and cultural sectors contribute to an exchange of ideas and perspectives. These visits are structured to create opportunities for dialogue, exchange, and reflection—both on campus and with local organizations engaged in U.S.-Japan-Hawaiʻi-related work and issues.

We were honored and delighted to host Mr. Glen S. Fukushima, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington D.C. and Vice Chair of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, as our inaugural visitor in March 2025. His visit set a strong foundation for the program. We look forward to building on the experience and looking toward additional opportunities for future residencies that continue to foster collaboration with leaders in the field.

The events and interviews were also featured on Hawaii News Now, and UH News, and Hawaii Public Radio.

Download our program booklet here.