Meridian Diplomacy Forum on Japan – June 6, 2018

MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER welcomes your attendance at the MERIDIAN DIPLOMACY FORUM ON JAPAN Business | Technology | Defense | Baseball | Trade | Culture WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2018  Program: 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm Cultural Reception: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Meridian International Center | White-Meyer House 1624 Crescent Place, NW, Washington, DC 20009 CONFIRMED SPEAKERS FOR THE PROGRAM TO DATE INCLUDE: HIS EXCELLENCY SHINSUKE SUGIYAMA Ambassador of Japan to the United States KEVIN TSUJIHARA Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Entertainment JULIE CHUNG Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Japan, U.S. Department of State DR. KERSTIN SOPHIE HARING Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Warfighter Effectiveness Research Center, U.S. Air Force Academy DR. LYNNE E. PARKER Interim Dean, Tickle College of Engineering, University of Tennessee DR. TAKANORI SHIBATA Chief Senior Research Scientist, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan DR. SAYURI GUTHRIE SHIMIZU Dunlevie Family Professor of History, Rice University KEN SPURLOCK Raytheon Missile Systems Business Development, Raytheon ADMIRAL GARY ROUGHEAD Robert and Marion Oster Distinguished Military Fellow, Hoover Institution DAN AMOS Chairman and CEO, Aflac LINDSEY FORD Director of Political-Security Affairs, Asia Society Policy Institute AMBASSADOR STUART W. HOLLIDAY President and CEO, Meridian International Center TAKEHIRO SHIMADA Minister for Communications and Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Japan CLAIRE SHIPMAN Journalist and Best-Selling Author NICK SUSSMAN Director of Baseball and Softball, Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy PROF. SATOSHI TADOKORO Professor, Human-Robot Informatics Laboratory, Tohoku University MORI TAHERIPOUR Faculty, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania The annual Meridian Diplomacy Forum convenes the government and business leaders with academic experts and cultural visionaries to examine the position of soft power alongside trade and security in international relations. This year the Diplomacy Forum will highlight U.S.-Japan relations, one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world. The foundation of modern U.S.-Japan ties that began in the late 20th century has been built on the open exchange of ideas, culture, and technology that have led to significant economic gains and opportunities. Through featured speakers and panel discussions, the Forum will address: the state of this bilateral relationship; security and defense partnership; leadership in the areas of robotics and AI and what this means for global trade; Japanese business culture; and, the power of baseball diplomacy. The Forum will culminate with an elegant evening reception celebrating a mixture of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture with an emphasis on technology, fashion, music, dance and cuisine. For additional questions, please contact Frank Justice at forums@meridian.org. Please RSVP by May 30, 2018. Complimentary valet provided. The Meridian Diplomacy Forum on Japan is presented in partnership with: