JAPAN AMERICA SOCIETY OF SO CALIFORNIA

2023 JAPAN CURRENTS PUBLIC AFFAIRS SEMINAR SMART CITIES FOR A BETTER FUTURE: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE U.S. AND JAPAN (MARCH 10, 2023)AS PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD CONTINUE TO PREFER THE URBAN LIFESTYLE, DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE CITIES ALSO INCREASE AT A SUBSTANTIAL RATE. ACCORDING TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, 55% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION CURRENTLY LIVE IN CITIES AND BY THE YEAR 2050 THAT NUMBER WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 80%. WITH GLOBAL MATERIAL CONSUMPTION MORE THAN DOUBLING, DEMANDS ARE INCREASING FOR OTHER CITY RESOURCES SUCH AS ENERGY AND POWER, MUNICIPAL WATER, AND QUALITY AIR. THE WORLD BANK GROUP DISCUSSES THE NUMEROUS CHALLENGES GENERATED BY RAPID URBANIZATION FOR THE "NEARLY 1 BILLION URBAN POOR" WHO HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO "AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WELL-CONNECTED TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE, BASIC SERVICES, AS WELL AS JOBS."MANY CITIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE PLANNING TO MITIGATE THESE ISSUES BY LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE THEIR CITIES MORE SUSTAINABLE AND "SMARTER" THROUGH EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. IN 2019, LOS ANGELES'S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCY ALONG WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY LAUNCHED ITS SMARTLA 2028 STRATEGY TO "BUILD A SMARTER, BETTER LOS ANGELES FOR THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY HERE." IN ASIA, WHERE MATERIAL CONSUMPTION IS EXPECTED TO GROW THE FASTEST, CORPORATIONS SUCH AS TOYOTA BROKE GROUND IN 2021 ON THEIR WOVEN CITY SMART CITY PROJECT AND WHAT THEY'RE CALLING "THE WORLD'S FIRST PROGRAMMABLE CITY." THE JAPAN AMERICA SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PARTNERED WITH THE ARATANI FOUNDATION, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN AMERICA SOCIETIES (NAJAS), AND THE EMBASSY OF JAPAN WERE DELIGHTED TO PRESENT A PROGRAM AS PART OF THE JAPAN CURRENTS FY2022 PUBLIC AFFAIRS SERIES. FOR THIS PROGRAM, WE INVITED EXPERTS WHO ARE LEADING THE WAY IN THE FUTURE OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE PACIFIC TO DISCUSS THEIR VISIONS OF HOW A SMARTER FUTURE MAY ALSO LEAD US TO A BETTER FUTURE.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: DR. HISAKAZU OKAMURA, PROFESSOR, FACULTY OF URBAN INNOVATION, ASIA UNIVERSITY (TOKYO); MR. TED ROSS, CIO, CITY OF LOS ANGELES / G.M., INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCY (ITA)PANELISTS: MR. RYAN BATES, REGIONAL OFFICER FOR LOS ANGELES, MITSUI & CO. (U.S.A.), INC.; MR. ERIC PHILLIPS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, CITY OF MARYSVILLE, OHIOMODERATOR: DR. JANE MACFARLANE, DIRECTOR, U.C. BERKELEY SMART CITIES & SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY RESEARCH CENTERSPONSORS: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN-AMERICA SOCIETIES, INC. (NAJAS) AND MS. MARI MIYOSHIVENUE: DOUBLETREE BY HILTON LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN

HITACHI JAPANESE KITE WORKSHOPS [OCTOBER 2023]JAPANESE KITE MASTER MIKIO TOKI FROM JAPAN ALONG WITH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE JAPAN AMERICA SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (JASSC) VISITED 16 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, SERVING OVER 1,000 CHILDREN, IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO TEACH THE STUDENTS HOW TO MAKE A JAPANESE KITE MADE OF JAPANESE WASHI PAPER AND BAMBOO. THE KITES, WHICH ARE TAILOR-MADE FOR CHILDREN, ARE THE DESIGN OF JAPANESE KITE MASTER MIKIO TOKI, WHO PREPARED THE KITE MATERIALS. THE KITE WORKSHOPS ARE OFFERED AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOLS. IT IS A WAY JASSC GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.SUPPORTED BY GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: HITACHI, LTD.; COX, CASTLE & NICHOLSON LLP; AND THE JAPAN FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES