Regional Leader, Hokkaido Region
Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture
Hiromi Waragai is the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Hokkaido Region. She is an alumna of the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program. During the program, she met many women from different backgrounds and was inspired by them. After the program, she was empowered to challenge herself and engage in new experiences and began helping international students get settled in her city and organized events. Through all these experiences, she learned to rely on others and about the importance of leadership. She believes leaders are responsible to ensure that teams do well through cooperation and communication. She looks forward to working with amazing people in this program. Hiromi is originally from Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture and is currently studying Forestry at Hokkaido University.
Regional Leader, Tohoku Region
Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture
Saaya Toyoda serves as the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Tohoku Region. She is originally from Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture and participated in the TOMODACHI Honda Cultural Exchange Program in 2015. Through the program, she became interested in creating a community that harmonizes with various values. In order to deepen her understanding, she pursued multiple fields of interest at Tohoku Gakuin University including Gender Study, Intercultural Communication, and Literature. As a TOMODACHI alumna, she participated in the TOMODACHI Generation Global Leadership Academy 2020 to learn about leadership and the importance of civic engagement.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Sawa Shimokawa serves as the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Kanto Region. Pursuing her interest in disaster resilience, she participated in the 2017 TOMODACHI-STEM @ Rice University Program where she conducted research on the reliability of aging bridge girders. Thanks to this experience, Sawa became more interested in her major, civil engineering, and began to research the effects of tsunamis on bridge piers at Osaka University. Her project was selected as one of the top ten undergraduate research projects in Japan for excellence. She decided to study abroad in 2018 to further deepen her knowledge and experience, especially as a female engineering student. She was excited to learn about the differences between natural disasters in Japan and the United States at the University of California, Berkeley. She currently studies in the University of Tokyo and her dream is to become an enthusiastic civil engineer who can consider infrastructural problems from multiple standpoints and continue to find the best answers.
Regional Leader, Chubu-Hokuriku Region
Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Mami Kimura serves as the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region. She participated in the 7th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar in 2017, which triggered her to take part in the activity to revitalize the local shopping district in her hometown of Toyama. Pursuing her interest in business, she transferred to a university in Tokyo after graduating from a technical college, and is currently studying business administration. Through her life in Tokyo, she realized that the opportunities available in the city versus the suburbs differ, and after graduating from university, she hopes to help realize a society where people can have satisfying lives despite one’s place of residence.
Regional Leader, Kansai-Chugoku-Shikoku Region
Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture
Maho Kitano is the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Kansai-Chugoku-Shikoku Region. She participated in the 2018-2019 TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program. Thanks to the people she met in the program, she has decided to focus on the studies of cultural anthropology. In 2019, she traveled to four countries (Korea, Nepal, Italy and Kenya) for a total of ten months to conduct field work on the food culture of various cultures. She plans to start a local food security project to find solutions to crops damaged by wildfires. Maho is currently a student at Tokushima University.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Iizuka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Haruka Kurosawa is the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Kyushu Region. Originally from Aizu, Fukushima, he experienced the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake on the day of his graduation ceremony from junior high school. That experience eventually changed his point of view. When he was 16 years old, he participated in the TOMODACHI Summer 2012 English Language Study Program as a member of the first cohort and studied in the State of Maryland, the United States. After that, he went to Dokkyo University and studied French and Ethnic Conflict. While at university, he studied abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a year as a scholarship recipient of the Tobitate! Study Abroad Initiative. He worked at the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo to design and implement an educational program for children with Croatian, Servian and Muslim backgrounds while proceeding with his study on “memories of war.” In April 2020, he began working at a junior high school in Fukuoka as an English teacher, as well as a Teach For Japan fellow, designing an education program under the theme of “connecting the world with the classroom.
Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture
Reo Shimabuku serves as the 2021 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Okinawa Region. She is currently working at AIG General Insurance Company, Ltd. When she was in her junior year, she studied abroad for a month in Cebu Island, in the Philippines with the money she saved by herself. After coming back to Japan, she participated in the 2018-2019 TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program. When she was a senior, she did a part-time job at the U.S. military base in Okinawa, took on the chief of the seminar at the university and wrote a graduation thesis titled “The Ideal and Reality at the English Department and the Course.” She graduated from Okinawa University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of International Communication in March 2020. She loves taking on challenges and searching for her true self.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture
Hiromi Waragai is one of the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. She is an alumna of the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program. During the program, she met many women from different backgrounds and was inspired by them. After the program, she was empowered to challenge herself and engage in new experiences and began helping international students get settled in her city and organized events. Through all these experiences, she learned to rely on others and about the importance of leadership. She believes leaders are responsible to ensure that teams do well through cooperation and communication. She looks forward to working with amazing people in this program. Hiromi is originally from Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture and is currently studying Forestry at Hokkaido University.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture
Hinako Owada is one of the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Hokkaido-Tohoku Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Softbank Leadership Program in 2015. Through the program, she felt that she could give hope to the community by sharing her own passion, and now has the power to challenge what she wants to do without fear. She would like to improve the regional situation by continuing to cultivate her leadership skills and create a stronger TOMODACHI network. Her aim is to create opportunities for people in Hokkaido and Tohoku to connect with various opportunities to think introspectively to impact society. Hinako is currently a student at Yamagata University majoring in English Education. She is part of the cheer dancing circle at school and also participated as a student ambassador to the University of Latvia. In addition, She completed the Honolulu Marathon in 2018 and has experience in making show models. She is currently the Tohoku Community Leader for an organization called Women's Innovation and focuses on reporting on women who are brilliant role models in the region.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Shunsuke Watando is one of the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. He participated in the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program in the summer of 2018. Throughout the program, he learned the ability to deal flexibly with things from a comprehensive perspective. And what he was particularly interested in was the greatness of the community regardless of size. He learned that even if the age and gender are different, it is possible to develop a better society together by having common consciousness with one another. He was the Kanto Regional Leader in 2019. Shunsuke will be a Freshman at Keio University this April.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Shinjuku, Tokyo
Hiroko Ogasawara is one of the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI MetLife Woman’s Leadership Program (2018-2019) and learned new aspects of herself and how to achieve her goals. Through the program, she gained a network of powerful women with high aspirations from various backgrounds, which continues to inspire her today. Her two goals as a Regional Leader are to “pay it forward” and to deepen her understanding of empowerment. She is really looking forward to energizing the TOMODACHI community. Hiroko will be a 5th-grade medical student at Yamanashi University.
Regional Leader, Chubu-Hokuriku Region
Toyama, Toyama Prefecture
Taiki Ito is the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region. He participated in the TOMODACHI Microsoft iLEAP Social Innovation and Leadership Program in 2018 where he became more interested in focusing on environments where children grow up. He currently works at a nonprofit to support children who struggle with bullying, poverty, abuse. Previously, he worked for a DMO (designated management organization) that supported regional tourism. Through this program, he wants to challenge various things to expand our circle of alumni through interaction.
Regional Leader, Kansai-Chugoku-Shikoku Region
Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture
Maho Kitano is the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Kansai-Chugoku-Shikoku Region. She participated in the 2018-2019 TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program. Thanks to the people she met in the program, she has decided to focus on the studies of cultural anthropology. In 2019, she traveled to four countries (Korea, Nepal, Italy and Kenya) for a total of ten months to conduct field work on the food culture of various cultures. She plans to start a local food security project to find solutions to crops damaged by wildfires. Maho is currently a student at Tokushima University.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Haruka Kurosawa is the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Kyushu Region. He participated in the TOMODACHI Summer English Language Study Program in 2012. He was born and raised in Fukushima, where the nuclear meltdown in 2011 horrified the whole population and beyond. He was a high school student at the time, and the experience of having received unwavering support from TOMODACHI at the time of crisis made him think about life – in a way that he determined to rise above hardships to help others in need in the future. In 2017-2018, he spent a year in Bosnia and Herzegovina, designing and implementing a program for youth with Croatian, Serbian and Muslim backgrounds. There, he reached out to students living in different entities with nationalistic circumstances, sentiments that remain from the Bosnian War, and implemented workshops where such students could thrive together towards a more peaceful society. Recently, he returned to Japan with a determination to start his career as an English teacher in Fukuoka as a fellow of Teach For Japan, in order to address the issue of educational inequality, which is a widely spreading issue in the region.
Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Naha, Okinawa Prefecture
Rika Yonamine is the 2020 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Okinawa Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program in 2018. Throughout the program, she learned about her strengths and the experiences inspired her to continue to learn about leadership. She established a Toastmasters Club, a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills, at the University of the Ryukyu in June 2019. She now hopes to make more opportunities for Okinawa’s university students to learn leadership skills and expand their network nationwide and even worldwide. One of her goals as a Regional Leader is to be a leader that can motivate people and to use her strengths and skills to contribute to Okinawa’s society in the future.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team A)
Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture
Sakura Hayashi is one of the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI Honda Cultural-Exchange Program in 2016 and the TOMODACHI High School Women Career Mentoring Program in Fukushima in 2017 as a mentor. Through these programs, she was interested in the relation between different cultures or regional societies and people, and their communication. At present, she studies about the relation between languages and regions or social groups at the University of Tsukuba, touching on various activities of Iwate.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team B)
Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture
Ayaha Kanno is one of the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. She was born and raised in Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture. In 2017, Ayaha participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Softbank Leadership Program. Since the program, she has been continuing to stay active especially through engaging in activities to protect animals (regarding culling) which is one of her true passions. At the same time, she is participating in the TOMODACHI KaoLINK Fukushima Rebranding Program. She has learned diverse ways of thought from various programs and continues to grow through this. After she gradutes from high school, she would like to pursue studies regarding international relations and business.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Shunsuke Watando is one of the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. He participated in the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program in the summer of 2018. Throughout the program, he learned the ability to deal flexibly with things from a comprehensive perspective. What he was particularly interested in was the greatness of the community, regardless of size. Even if the age and sex are different, it is possible to develop into a better society by having common consciousness amongst each other. Post-program, he participated in the TOMODACHI Generation Summit 2018 as a volunteer. He is a member of the Karate Club at school and will be continuing on to the third grade at Keio Shonan Fujisawa Senior High School this April.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Kunitachi, Tokyo
Kirari Miura is one of the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. Born and raised in Iwate in the Tohoku Region, she experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake when she was 12 years old, and since then has joined several TOMODACHI programs. She was able to find positivity through such experiences, and now she aspires to be a Leader who can think from diverse point of views. Kirari is always thankful to everyone she meets in her life, and this is why she would like to create a plan to focus on fostering more people-to-people connections.
Regional Leader, Chubu-Hokuriku Region
Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Yuko Ishida is one of the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region. She participated in the TOMODAHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program 2017-2018.
Through the program, Yuko started to think that there is not much diversity in her region such as choice of future, gender or nationality. She would like to change and improve this situation, through continuing to cultivate her leadership skills and create a stronger TOMODACHI network.
She will be a senior at Nanzan University, department of Foreign studies in April 2019, majoring in sociology. She has been a member of the Scouts where she learned and demonstrated leadership skills for more than 12 years. In addition, she has several international experiences such as the “Ship for World Youth Leaders” organized by the Cabinet Office of Japan. She also studied in Czech Republic for half a year as an exchange student in order to learn different perspectives regarding her studies and challenge herself.
Regional Leader, Kansai-Chugoku-Shikoku Region
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Naoya Tosaka is the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader of the Kansai-Chugoku-Shikoku Region. He participated in the TOMODACHI Microsoft iLEAP Social Innovation in Seattle Program. Through his TOMODACHI experience, he met many mentors and was inspired to find the key to creating an ideal society in the future where everyone's voice is heard and everyone is motivated. The program also allowed him to think introspectively and upon returning he has been wanting to contribute more to the alumni community. At university, he took part in the International Law Moot Competition International Round as a leader and runs the summer program for high school students and contributes to the management of the community. Naoya began working for Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. from April 2019.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Toshinobu Sasazu is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kyushu region. He participated in the TOMODACHI Microsoft iLEAP Social Innovation and Leadership Program 2018 where he learned the importance of team-building and values of leadership. After his experiences, Toshinobu developed a eating education project called “eatop”. He wishes to create connections with people of all ages from various countries with the concept of ‘co-eating’; and with this project, he strives to provide possible solutions for a growing social issue -- the culture of solitary eating. Toshinobu is currently studying education, sociology, epidemiology, and other fields to approach eating education from various point of views. He will be a 3rd year student at Kyushu University starting April 2019.
Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Nago, Okinawa Prefecture
Azumi Nakai is one of the 2019 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Okinawa Region. She was born in Tobe Town, Ehime Prefecture. She participated in the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program 2015-2016. She learned that knowing onself’s own personality leads to confidence. Also, she started to face her own mental illness which she had never admitted to but had been struggling for about 10 years. In 2017, she shared her “overcoming adversity” story and experiences at the USJC Annual Conference 2017. She graduated from Meio University (majored language education) and currently, works at Meio University as an office staff while continuing her studies on mental care.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Morioka, Iwate Prefecture
Mio Kakuchi is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. She was born in Kuzumaki Town, Iwate Prefecture. In 2015, Mio participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Softbank Leadership Program where she learned the importance of connecting with people and the value of individual thinking during the program. Based on her own experiences, she hopes to support others through mental health and has begun a support group of students interested in supporting other young people with similar issues. While participating in various alumni programs, she has come to further understand the splendor of Tohoku, her hometown, and hopes to support the region in psycho-social ways. Currently I am studying Tohoku through various activities such as participating in volunteers and programs in Fukushima and Miyagi, mainly in Iwate Prefecture. Mio will be a Sophomore at Iwate University from April 2018, studying the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Kuzumaki, Iwate Prefecture
Kazumasa Motomiya is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. He took part in TOMODACHI Summer 2016 Softbank・Leadership・Program. I was born and raised in Kuzumaki in Iwate. I'm high school's senior and I will enter university next spring. I built students volunteer team at my school. I focused on declining birthrate and aging population and I thought it is important to connect youth and old citizens. So I planned event can communicate youth and old citizens.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture
Ko Sato is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. He participated in the TOMODACHI Summer SoftBank Leadership Program in 2016 and the TOMODACHI US-Japan Exchange Program in 2017. Born in Malaysia, he lived there until age of 8 when he moved to the Tohoku Region in Japan. He experienced the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake when 11-years-old. After his two TOMODACHI experiences, he learned about how people co-exist with nature and how communities rebuild together. He is now more involved in supporting his community and is trying to make his hometown more active. Ko will be entering his third year of high school in April 2018.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Shichigahama, Miyagi Prefecture
Yuuna Watanabe is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. Yuuna participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Softbank Leadership Program in 2016 where she gained the confidence that her opportunities were endless and was energized to challenge herself and take action. After returning from the program she began a group to support the community "through love and connectivity" as its theme. Yuuna has also been an active alumni member as she took part in the TOMODACHI Generation Global Leadership Academy and the TOMODACHI Summit. Through those alumni programs, she has gained the aspiration to become a leader who will value each member's true colors and vows to become a leader who is "true to herself and confident in herself" and plans to create events with a camp-like theme to bring people closer together. Yuuna will be entering her third year of high school in April 2018.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Aizuwakamastu, Fukushima Prefecture
Ayaka Kibushi is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. She served half of 2017 as Co-Leader of the region with Yumeka Watanabe and is recommitting for the full year in 2018. Ayaka took part in the TOMODACHI Fukushima Girls Career Mentoring Program in 2016 where she learned to face herself and her fears. The program became a turning point in her life. From there, she took part in the 2017 TOMODACHI Generation Global Leadership Academy and was fascinated by the field of civic engagement and the idea of giving back to community, and was inspired to take action. With that under her belt, she joined the TOMODACHI Summer 2017 Softbank Leadership program where she was able to learn more about how to contribute to regional empowerment. She is currently working on an anti-bullying project for junior high school students as her final project. Ayaka will be a Freshman at Josai University College of Contemporary Policy Studies Department of Socio-Economic Systems in April 2018.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region
Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture
Daichi Seino is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. He is from Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture. He joined the TOMODACHI Summit SoftBank Leadership Program in and went to America to learn what it was like to be a leader. Upon returning, he was inspired by the leaders he met in the local community. In particular, the leaders found that they were able to hold their own opinions and make presentations in public and motivated him to have his own voice and speak out more. Daichi will be entering his third year in high school from April.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Shimotsuke, Tochigi Prefecture
Risa Tanno is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. She is orginally from Miyagi Prefecture and first participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Coca-Cola Homestay Program in 2012 and visited Elizabethtown, Kentucky. In 2013 and 2015, she joined the TOMODACHI Generation Global Leadership Academy and learned how to think and act as a global leader. This year, she plans to challenge herself as a mentor in the TOMODACHI Fukushima High School Women Career Mentoring Program. Through the TOMODACHI programs, she has become more interested in regional contribution. Her vision now is to lead the change in community-based healthcare within her hometown of Miyagi Prefecture. In 2018, Risa will be continuing her studies at Jichi Medical University.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Toda, Saitama Prefecture
Naoya Tosaka is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. He is an alumnus of the TOMODACHI Microsoft iLEAP Social Innovation in Seattle Program. Through his TOMODACHI experience, he met many mentors and was inspired to find the keys to an ideal society he wants to help create in the future. The program also allowed him to think introspectively and upon returning his has been wanting to contribute more to the alumni community. He wishes to create an atmosphere where eveyrone's voices are heard and everyone is motivated. At university, he took part in the International Law Moot Competition International Round as a leader and runs the summer program for high school students and contribute to the management of community. Naoya will be entering his Senior Year at Waseda University in April.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Ryotaro Morimoto is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. He participated in the 2017 TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program and was inspired by new knowledge about the cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan, youth entrepreneurship seminars, and friendships formed with his peers and began designing a business model. By using lessons about business development that he learned from interactions with entrepreneurs during and after the seminars, Ryotaro developed several ideas that would contribute to society and is currently preparing to launch his first business. At school, Ryotaro serves as the Student Council President and the Captain of the Futsal Team. He is looking forward to continuing the cultivation of his leadership and project management skills, and to connect TOMODACHI Alumni through his new position as a Regional Leader. This April, Ryotaro will advance into his final year at Keio Shonan Fujisawa High School.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Yuuki Takashima is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program in the summer of 2017. Visiting Washington D.C. for two weeks and Tohoku for a week, she noticed the power young generations can have and became passionate about contributing to the society as part of the TOMODACHI Generation. She hopes to continue to learn and discover her passions by interacting with other TOMODACHI Alumni. She also participated in the TOMODACHI Generation Summit 2017 as a volunteer. She has been trying her best at English since she lived in India for a year during in junior high school. She is a member of the Soccer Club at school and will be a continuing on as a Sophomore at Keio Shonan Fujisawa High School this April.
Regional Leader, Chubu-Hokuriku Region
Toyama, Toyama Prefecture
Lillian Hart is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI Inouye Scholars Program in 2014 and decided to move to Japan on the JET Program shortly after. Lillian grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she completed the K-12 Japanese Immersion Program and went on to graduate from DePaul University with a major in PR and minors in Japanese and Global Asian Studies. Now on her third year of the JET Program in Toyama, Lillian wants to share, plan and expand opportunities for exchange between the U.S. and Japan. Her two goals as Regional Leader are sharing the charm of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region with the rest of Japan, and recruiting more TOMODACHI participants from the area.
Regional Leader, Chubu-Hokuriku Region
Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture
Miki Takahashi is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI Foster Youth Leadership Program in 2017 where she learned about the foster care system in Washington State and shared her personal stories of growing up in the Japanese foster care system for ten years. She wants to spread awareness about the foster care system and hopes to realize a future in which children will not have to suffer social discrimination due to their upbringing. She is currently a senior at Shizuoka University majoring in Law.
Regional Leader, Chubu-Hokuriku Region
Nagano, Nagano Prefecture
Shiki Kawamukai is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Chubu-Hokuriku Region. She is an alumna of the TOMODACHI Summer SoftBank Leadership Program that provided her the opportunity to travel to California and learn about civic engagement. In March 2018, she left her hometown in Miyagi Prefecture and is currently a Freshman at the University of Nagano studying Economy and Community Design. Through the lessons she learned on the program, she hopes to give back to her TOMODACHI community and help to engage alumni in her new region of Chubu-Hokuriku.
Regional Leader, Kansai Region
Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture
Shiori Osako is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kansai Region. She participated in the TOMODAHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program 2016-2017. Inspired by various people she met through the program, she thought she would like to continue to cultivate her leadership skills and absorb various knowledge under TOMODACHI networks in order to expand her own potential for her future goal. Shiori will be a Junior at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies this April, majoring in Russian studies. She has been a member of Girl Scouts and has been actively involved in activities to empower young women for more than 13 years.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture
Kota Kondo is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kyushu Region. He joined the U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar in 2017 that provided a great opportunity to learn what entrepreneurship is and to help him brush up his business ideas with mentors. During the final presentations, his team won an invitation to head to Silicon Valley. Through the program, Kota was able to think about developing a business as a realistic option in the future. Currently, Kota is studying aerospace engineering at Kyushu university, hopeing to support aerospace companies contribute to the global society. He hopes to hold a regional event related to LGBTQ issues from his own mistakes and new awareness of the issues and lack of awareness surrounding LGBTQ people and communities in Japan. Kota will be entering his Junior Year at Kyushu University in April.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Nazuna Yamasaki is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kyushu Region. She served half of 2017 as Co-Leader of the region with Kaito Manabe and is recommitting for the full year in 2018. She is an alumna of the 2015-2016 TOMODACHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program. As a high school student, she studied in Denmark and became interested in the differences between Japanese and other overseas cultures. From her experiences abroad, she wants to support Japanese students to have more actively engaging mindset. Nazuna is also on the women's wheelchair basket team where all team members are handicapped professional women who go to work and take care of their children like any other person but with superior drive and motivation. Their strength made her think about the concept of women's empowerment and how she can support alumni in her region further. Nazuna will be a 4th year student at Kyushu University majoring in Education.
Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture
Haruka Morikawa is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Okinawa Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program (TMWLP) in 2017 and visited Washington D.C. and New York and saw many women who were active on a worldwide scale and was empowered by them. She would like to give same opportunity that she had in TMWLP to young generations of women in Okinawa to help stimulate and empower them to challenge themselves and dream big. Haruka will be entering her 4th year in the Ryukyu University School of Medicine in April 2018.
Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture
Narumi Goya is one of the 2018 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Okinawa Region. She joined the TOMODACHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program (TMWLP) in 2014 and learned about women's empowerment. When she was a senior high school student, she participated in Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Internship. It was a great opportunity for her to identify and address social issues to create a better future. Through those experiences she became interested in community development and cultivation of human resources. Narumi is also became interested in economics and business marketing when she was participated in TOMODACHI program and appreciates the opportunity to learn about other themes and issues outside her studies at university. In April, Narumi will be a 4th year student majoring in English Language and Culture at the University of the Ryukyus.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team 1)
Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
Hikaru Sato is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. Hikaru participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Coca-Cola Homestay Program in 2013. He was born and raised in Sendai, he experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake when he was just 13-years-old. As a member of the Sendai YMCA, he plays an active role in the YMCA Global Citizenship Project to create his action plan for the region. Hikaru is studying at Tohoku Gakuin University in Miyagi Prefecture, and will be a 2nd year student in April.
Deputy Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team 1)
Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
Miyu Sugita is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. Miyu participated in the TOMODACHI Spring Homestay Program and the TOMODACHI Sendai Dallas Young Ambassadors Program, both in 2015. Last year, Miyu participated in the TOMODACHI Generation Global Leadership Academy 2016 that challenged her to think about the issues in her hometown and how she might be able to support. These experiences made her positive, interested in other regions, and provided her with a broader view. As a result, she is currently thinking of ways to increase foreign visitors to her hometown. Miyu attends the Sendai Seiryo High School in Miyagi Prefecture, and will be a 3rd year student in April.
Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team 2)
Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture
Momoka Sato is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. Momoka’s first experience with TOMODACHI was when she joined the TOMODACHI Coca Cola Summer Homestay Program in 2014. Since then she has participated as an alumna in the TOMODACHI Generation Global Leadership Academy in 2016, the TOMODACHI Alumni Learning Journey on Leadership in 2016, and the TOMODACHI Disaster Resilience Training Program in Ishinomaki. The programs helped her to think deeply about her hometown in Tohoku and what she could do for it. Through participating in these programs, her feelings towards Tohoku became stronger and she found her own style of leadership. Utilizing this, she set up a student organization at her university that works to strengthen the connection between the local residents and students at the university.
Momoka attends Yamagata Prefectural Yonezawa Women's Junior College, and will be a 2nd year student in April.
Deputy Regional Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team 2)
Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
Hiroto Konno is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. Hiroto was born in Furukawa (now Osaki) in Miyagi Prefecture. His first TOMODACHI experience took him to Los Angeles, California where he took part in cultural exchanges and homestays. After the program, he has been a proactive leader in his community, starting up a Ryugaku Cafe to create awareness about opportunities to study abroad for junior high and high school students in Osaki. In 2016, Hiroto became head of the student council and took part in his second TOMODACHI program, this time as an alumni, and went to Washington D.C. to learn about the importance of civic engagement. Hiroto attends the Miyagi Furukawa Reimei High School, and will be beginning his third year in April.
TOMODACHI Summit Core Committee 2018 is here.
Regional Co-Leader, Tohoku-Hokkaido Region (Team 3)
Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture
Yumeka Watanabe is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Tohoku-Hokkaido Region. Yumeka was born in Shirakawa in Fukushima Prefecture. In 2015, she took part in the TOMODACHI Summer Softbank Leadership Program. Inspired by what she learned on the program, she created her own student nonprofit organization called ACE which is a high school volunteer group. They have volunteered in local festivals and held various events within the community by high school students. She is currently part of the AirAroma Fukishima KaoLINK Project to help “rebrand Fukushima” through the power of scent. Yumeka will be graduating from Shirakawa High School this March and will enter Gumma Prefectual Women’s University, majoring in International Communication, in April.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region (Team 1)
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Naho Yamazaki is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. Naho is originally from Morioka, Iwate and her first experience with TOMODACHI was on the TOMODACHI SoftBank Summer Leadership Program in 2012. She then joined the TOMODACHI English Language Study Program the following summer that took her to Maryland to further her growing interest in English language education. As an alumni, she wanted to reconnect with others in Tohoku who had gone to the U.S. on TOMODACHI programs and joined the TOMODACHI Global Leadership Academy (GLA) in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Through these programs, she realized the importance of connecting to one another and of contributing to a better society. Naho has also been interested in furthering her awareness of disaster resilience and has joined the TOMODACHI Alumni Disaster Resilience Training Program in 2016. As a Regional Leader, Naho looks forward to creating a space where alumni can connect and act together. Naho is majoring in English Phonetics at the University of the Sacred Heart and will be entering her third year this April.
Deputy Regional Leader, Kanto Region (Team 1)
Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture
Ena Nakata is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. Ena joined the TOMODACHI Generation in August 2016 when she finished the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program. She has joined various alumni programs such as the Asian American Leadership Delegation and the Holiday Party at the Ambassador’s Residence this past December. When the Great East Japan Earthquake happened in 2011, she was in Australia. As a Fifth Grader at the time, she made a speech at her school to inform students of the magnanimity of the disaster and sent donations she collected there to Japan. Ena is interested in outer space and her future dream is to be a scientist. Ena is a self-starter as she created the Astronomy Club she belongs to after realizing that no such club had existed before at her school. Ena looks forward to creating events as a Regional Leader and is excited to be able to create opportunities for people her age to make the community a better place. Ena will be entering her third year of High School this April.
TOMODACHI Summit Core Committee 2017 is here.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region (Team 2)
Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Shota Eda is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. He participated in TOMODACHI-Microsoft iLEAP Social Innovation and Leadership Program 2015, where he learned about leadership, met inspiring role models, and built life-long relationships with his host family, staff, and fellow participants. Shota is a student entrepreneur, running a sharing-economy startup called TASKEYA Inc. as Founder and CEO. Shota was chosen as one of eight alumni speakers to attend the U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference in Silicon Valley this November 2016. There he had opportunities to interact and deepen friendships with other alumni from other TOMODACHI programs, and he realized the potential and the possibility of the alumni network, where people are helpful, ambitious, and share common values. Shota also likes playing the guitar and watching movies of all kinds. Shota is studying law and politics at the University of Tokyo, and will be starting his 4th year this April.
TOMODACHI Summit Core Committee 2018 is here.
Deputy Regional Leader, Kanto Region (Team 2)
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Hayato Kimura is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. He joined the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program in the summer of 2016. Hayato was fascinated by the concept and vision of the TOMODACHI Initiaitve through his participation in the program. He hopes to continue to learn and find ways to contribute to society through TOMODACHI. Hayato has lived in New York and Atlanta during his elementary and middle school years. Hayato has taken part in the World Kids Sport Summit in Yokohama in 2009. Hayato attends Keio Shonan Fujisawa High School will be advancing into his final year this April.
TOMODACHI Summit Core Committee 2018 is here.
Regional Co-Leader, Kanto Region (Team 3)
Nakano-ku, Tokyo
Yuka Iwabuchi is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. She first joined TOMODACHI as part of the Dallas Sendai Young Ambassadors Program in 2013. Yuka shared her experience in Miyagi with a host family in Dallas, TX and made a lifelong connection with them. This motivated her to become a bridge between Japan and the United States. After the program, she has joined more than eight TOMODACHI alumni events and has even joined another program that took her to Seattle in the spring of 2016. Born and raised in the Miyagi Prefecture, her hometown was heavily affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. After returning from those TOMODACHI programs and events, she has been inspired to challenge herself to apply to a number of new opportunities. Yuka will be entering her 3rd year of Rikkyo University, studying law and politics, this April.
TOMODACHI Summit Core Committee 2017 is here.
Regional Co-Leader, Kanto Region (Team 3)
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Fumiya Otani is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kanto Region. Fumiya experienced the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in Iwate prefecture when he was a junior high student. Participating in the TOMODACHI Summer Softbank Leadership Program in 2014, he became determined to take initiative so he can contribute to rebuilding his community. Fumiya took part in the U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program in 2015 as one of two alumni selected to join with new participants to travel to Washington D.C. to learn about civic engagement. Since being involved in the TOMODACHI community, he is trying to change the world wherever he goes by taking actions based on what he learned from the earthquake and through TOMODACHI programs. Fumiya studies human science at Yokohama National University, and will be entering his third year this April.
Regional Leader, Kansai Region
Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture
Koh Matsuki is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kansai Region. He joined the TOMODACHI Generation by taking part in the TOMODACHI Alumni Internship Program. Koh has spent a semester in Washington D.C., taking part in the Prudential Global Global Citizens Program Spring 2015 and did an internship at the U.S.-Japan Research Institute. In the Fall of 2015, he did an internship at Berliner Stadtmission, a Refugee Camp in Berlin while doing an exchange student program in Germany. Koh is a budding journalist as he continues to contribute articles to Huffington Post Japan especially as it relates to the current European Refugee Crisis. Koh will be the Student President at Yabunaka-juku Global Terakoya in Kyoto, where students who study international politics practice diplomatic discussions. In addition, Koh is a leader in Team Ozeki, a student group working to energize Kansai’s sightseeing while shooting documentary TV programs. He will be a 4th year student studying Economics at Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo this April.
Deputy Regional Leader, Kansai Region
Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture
Yuichi Fukuanga is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kansai Region and planned the Kansai Gathering in Osaka on August 28th 2016 with Sachiho Tani. Yuichi participated in the 2015 TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy. Having been and raised in Kansai, the region shaped his character and perspective. Ever since he enrolled in Nishiyamato Gakuen, he has actively engaged in social activities not only at school but also outside of school. He was a Model United Nations (MUN) club sub-representative, a photography club representative, HSD 2016 participant, World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions at Yale University, and Makers University U-18, and also managing the student organization which aims at introducing Kyoto culture to the world. Yuichi is interested in international studies, entrepreneurship, and Kansai culture. Yuichi will become a Senior at Nishiyamato Gakuen High School in Nara this April.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Kaito Manabe is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Kyushu Region. He joined the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program in 2015, which provided him the opportunity to study abroad in America for a year. Kaito’s dream is to become an astronaut and he hopes to use his experiences to grow into a leader in Japan. Kaito sees the importance of Japanese leadership in the world and the need to have a wider range of views. Through his one year experience abroad, he has come to realize the importance of the connection between TOMODACHI alumni because everyone has the power to inspire one another, and that should carry on to the next generation. Kaito is currently studying mechanical engineering at Kyushu University, and will begin his 4th year this April.
Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Nishihara, Okinawa Prefecture
Mai Kinjo is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Okinawa Region. She joined the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program (TMWLP) in 2015 and learned about women’s empowerment. When she was a junior high school student, she participated in an international summit that taught her about the medical situation in developing countries. That inspired her to want to become a doctor to help people in need. Since the Japanese medical field is still dominated by men, it was a great opportunity for her to learn how to empower women in a community. Mai also became interested in business when she met many successful women during the TOMODACHI program. As an alumna, she was selected to join the ACCJ Women in Business (WIB) Summit 2016, and attended panels and workshops where she deepened her interest in women’s empowerment. Mai will be a 4th year student, majoring in medicine at the University of the Ryukyus, this April.
Deputy Regional Leader, Okinawa Region
Naha, Okinawa Prefecture
Hiroko Nakada is one of the 2017 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leaders of the Okinawa Region. She participated in the TOMODACHI Ryukyu Frogs Program in 2014 and became interested in IT and entrepreneurship. After this opportunity, she won the business contest and received seed money to begin working on her idea. In 2015, seeing the need for more role models in her region, she kick-started her own company “Cassini Inc.” that provides career education for Okinawan teenagers. In addition, she took part in an internship at a design consulting company in San Francisco to learn how to manage a business well. Hiroko is interested in studying Philosophy and Ethics as she hopes to learn more about the relationship between people and technology. Hiroko will be a Senior at the High School Affiliated to Showa Pharmaceutical University this April.
Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Tokyo
Kazuki Kokubun is the 2016 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader for the Kanto Region and planned the Tokyo Gathering on July 17th 2016 with Kana Sagawa. Originally from Fukushima, he participated in the TOMODACHI Summer Coca-Cola Homestay Program in 2013 and visited Washington D.C, Atlanta, and Elizabethtown in Kentucky. He also took part in various alumni programs, memorable one being the TOMODACHI Beyond Tomorrow Global Leadership Academy where he was a participant in 2014 and returned as one of the student leaders in 2016. The TOMODACHI Alumni Learning Journey he took part in was especially memorable as it helped him find his own leadership style. Kazuki will be a 3rd year student at Meiji University this April, majoring in Global Japanese Studies.
Deputy Regional Leader, Kanto Region
Tokyo
Kana Sagawa is the 2016 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader for the Kanto Region and planned the Tokyo Gathering on July 17th 2016 with Kazuki Kokubun. Kana was born and raised in Iwaki, Fukushima and has participated two TOMODACHI Programs related to Tohoku. In 2013, she took part in the TOMODACHI Softbank Leadership Program and visited California to learn about leadership and regional contribution with 99 other Japanese students from the Tohoku Region. In 2014, she took part in the TOMODACHI Fukushima High School Women Mentoring Program to give back to her community. Through the program, she met powerful women working at various international corporations, international students studying in Japan, and fellow students from Fukushima to discuss the future together. Kana will be a 2nd year student at Keio University this April.
TOMODACHI Summit Core Committee 2018 is here.
Regional Leader, Kansai Region
Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
Sachiho Tani is the 2016 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader for the Kansai Region and planned the Kansai Gathering in Osaka on August 28th 2016 with Yuichi Fukunaga. Sachiho is passionate about empowering young people not just in Japan but globally, and is heavily involved in Model United Nations (MUN) activities in Japan, having just served as the Secretary General for first international MUN conference held in Japan. Sachiho is an alumna of the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program 2013-2014 and has actively participated in many alumni programs including the U.S.-Japan Council 2014 Annual Conference in Honolulu. She has also spoken on behalf of the TOMODACHI Alumni at Ambassador Kennedy’s residence as well as the TOMODACHI Generation Summit in 2015. Sachiho is currently a senior at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, and will be graduating this March.
Regional Leader, Kyushu Region
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Eiko Megan Uchida is the 2016 TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Leader for the Kyushu Region, and planned the Fukuoka Gathering on February 18th 2017. Eiko is an alumna of the 2014-2015 TOMODACHI MetLife Women's Leadership Program. In 2014, she joined the Environmental Leadership Camp supported by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and held by the American Institute in Taiwan. Eiko holds a B.A. in Agriculture from Kyushu University and is currently continuing her studies on plant-based environmentally-friendly materials as a master course student at Kyushu University, Department of Agriculture.
New Otani Garden Court 12F
4-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0095 Japan
