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Attendees at the dinner hosted by Consul General Amano on March 8, 2017.
On Wednesday, March 8 the 2017 TOMODACHI STEM students joined a number of US-Japan Council members and other guests for a special dinner at the home of Consul General Tetsuro Amano. The dinner was coordinated by the U.S-Japan Council and the purpose was to highlight the innovative TOMODACHI exchange programs in Houston that help connect young people between the United States and Japan, thank the donors and organizers that make student exchanges possible, and highlight the importance of people-to-people connections and exchanges in strengthening U.S.-Japan relations.
Attendees included:
- Japanese undergraduate female STEM students participating in a short-term exchange program at Rice University through the 2017 TOMODACHI STEM @ Rice Program
- American students participating in a KAKEHASHI exchange program between University of St. Thomas and Japan. This program is funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented in partnership with the US-Japan Council.
- U.S.-Japan Council members based in Houston
- Various representatives of supporting companies including Dow, Chevron, Sumitomo, and Daiwa House.
- and other Japanese business and community leaders.
Two of our students also had the opportunity to speak at this event and share about their experiences with U.S.-Japan educational exchanges. Aya Kawamura from Nagoya University introduction the TOMODACHI STEM @ Rice University program and highlighted the importance of international research opportunities for STEM students. Natsumi Komatsu from Keio University spoke about her one-year 
exchange study program at Rice University last year as a Sumitomo Scholar and the impact this had on her inter-cultural development and future goals. Natsumi has now returned to Rice this spring as a participant in the 2017 TOMODACHI STEM @ Rice University program and is planning to pursue a PhD in the U.S. starting from this fall.
The evening was a wonderful way for our female students to celebrate International Women’s Day and we would like to thank Consul-General Amano and all his staff, especially Ms. Sato and Ms. Kawase, for graciously hosting the evening and gave memorable experience to the students.
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