The first KCC Japan Education Exchange Symposium was held in 1995. Each year, a wide audience of scholars, members of the business community, Japanese diplomatic community, and the public come together for a symposium on a topic related to Japan – United States relations.

In 2004, KCC-JEE sponsored a symposium in Minneapolis, entitled “The U.S. and Japan, A 150-Year Relationship” in conjunction with the U.S. – Japan 150 Festival, sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago. Other sponsors included; Japan America Society of Minnesota, Japan Foundation, Macalester College, Minnesota International Center, 3M Foundation, Sumitomo 3M, and Eastman Kodak.

Past speakers include five consecutive Consul Generals of Japan at Chicago, former Vice President and United States Ambassador to Japan Walter Mondale, former Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Kunihiko Saito, distinguished scholars and heads of major corporations.

Kobe College Corporation U.S./Japan Symposium

Date

Venue

Theme

Featured or keynote speaker

Fall of 1995

Minneapolis

Mutsuyoshi Nishimura, Consul General of Japan at Chicago

Oct. 5, 1996

Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA)

Beyond Japan/United States Trade Wars: Many Doors

Tomoyuki Abe, Consul General of Japan at Chicago

Oct. 11, 1997

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Beyond Japan/United States Trade Wars: Many Doors

Tomoyuki Abe, Consul General of Japan at Chicago

Oct. 23, 1998

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

U.S./Japan Partnership For The New Millennium

Kunihiko Saito, Japan Ambassador to the US:
Walter F. Mondale, former U.S. Vice President, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan

Oct. 15, 1999

Minnesota Valley Country Club

Global Prospective in the New Millennium

Nobuhiko Kawamoto, President & CEO, ret., Honda Motor in Tokyo, Japan
Mitoji Yabunaka, Consul General of Japan at Chicago

Feb. 19, 2001

St. Paul,
Macalester College

Demystifying Japanese Education

David McConnell, College of Wooster, Ohio.
Mitoji Yabunaka, Consul General of Japan at Chicago

2003

Chicago

Mitsuo Sakaba, Consul General of Japan at Chicago.
Caroline Matano Yang

Oct. 2, 2004

St. Paul,
Macalester College

A 150 Years Relationship between the U.S. and Japan

John Dower, MIT.
Yutaka Yoshizawa, Consul General of Japan at Chicago.
Walter F. Mondale, former U.S. Vice President, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

For more information on this program, please contact the KCC-JEE office at 847-715-9859