Conference Overview
The 55th Japan-U.S. Midwest Association Joint Conference was held September 7-9, 2025, at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Under the theme "Sustainable Future Created by Innovation and Partnership," approximately 330 representatives from both Japan and the United States participated.
Participants
Japan Side: Local government leaders including Taizo Mikazuki (Governor of Shiga Prefecture), Motohiro Ono (Governor of Saitama Prefecture), and Ichita Yamamoto (Governor of Gunma Prefecture), along with leading political and business figures such as Yuji Akasaka (Chairman of the Board, Japan Airlines) and Yuzaburo Mogi (Honorary Chairman of the Board, Kikkoman).
U.S. Side: Gretchen Whitmer (Governor of Michigan, Democrat), Jim Pillen (Governor of Nebraska, Republican), David Toland (Lieutenant Governor of Kansas, Democrat), and U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass participated.
Key Sessions
The opening ceremony featured greetings from Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Hisayuki Fujii and a keynote speech by Parliamentary Secretary for Economy, Trade and Industry Akira Kato, calling for strengthened Japan-U.S. collaboration to address global challenges. The final day's "Partnership for the Future" session featured JETRO Chairman Norihiko Ishiguro as moderator, with speakers including Yuichi Manno (President and Representative Director, Mitsubishi Logisnext) and Osamu Mogi (Representative Director and Executive Managing Director, Kikkoman).
Discussion Topics
Sustainability Initiatives: Introduction of energy-saving technologies in manufacturing and logistics industries and supply chain resilience were highlighted.
Corporate Partnership Examples: United Airlines and ANA alliance strengthening and Union Pacific's major acquisition cases were cited as market expansion and service improvement opportunities.
Community Contribution: Kikkoman's community investment and Mitsubishi Logisnext's local job creation were emphasized as important aspects of community-rooted sustainable corporate growth.
Joint Declaration
The joint declaration adopted at the closing ceremony on September 9 included three pillars for deepening cooperation: (1) promoting innovation in Japan-U.S. trade and investment promotion infrastructure, (2) addressing global challenges through supply chain resilience and decarbonization, and (3) investing in the next generation through education and human resource development. The 56th conference is scheduled for September 9-11, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.