DRIVING INNOVATION AND GROWTH IN THE U.S.–JAPAN PARTNERSHIP
Your Cart
Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth
Your Cart
DRIVING INNOVATION AND GROWTH IN THE U.S.–JAPAN PARTNERSHIP
On February 20, 2026, the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth, in partnership with the SMU Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs, welcomed business leaders, academics, diplomats, students, and community members to the 2026 Japan Currents Symposium at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Supported by the Embassy of Japan and the National Association of Japan-America Societies, the half-day event explored the theme “Innovation and Growth: Urbanization and Globalization in the U.S.–Japan Partnership,” reflecting the DFW region’s growing role as a hub for Japanese business, cultural exchange, and bilateral collaboration.
The symposium opened with a keynote by Mikio Sugeno, chair of the editorial board at Nikkei. Sugeno highlighted Japan’s historic election of Prime Minister Takaichi, the nation’s first female leader, attributing her victory to broad public appeal, strong support from younger voters, and the opposition party’s weaknesses. While her win signals optimism, Sugeno noted that challenges remain in the upper house, and financial markets are sending mixed signals, with stock prices rising on fiscal optimism but the yen remaining weak.
Turning to U.S.-Japan relations, Sugeno highlighted robust Japanese investment in the United States, including a $550 billion commitment driven by market potential, technological leadership, and strategic considerations. He emphasized that companies will pursue opportunities only where genuine profitability exists and stressed the critical role of people-to-people exchange, noting the decline in Japanese students studying in the U.S. and the potential for cities like Dallas to deepen ties beyond the traditional Washington-Tokyo axis.
Senior Editorial Writer / Senior Staff Writer, Nikkei Inc
Washington Bureau Chief at Nikkei
Nikkei is Japan’s largest and most respected economic newspaper. Mikio Sugeno serves as Senior Editor and currently chairs its Editorial Board, which is comprised of nearly 30 members. Since joining Nikkei in 1987, he has reported extensively on economic affairs as well as global politics. Sugeno served as Washington Bureau Chief from 2018 to 2022, covering the final years of the Trump administration and the early Biden presidency. He has also been posted twice to Europe—reporting from Berlin and London—where he covered the Eurozone debt crisis and the rise of the UK’s anti‑EU movement that ultimately led to Brexit.
Sugeno will deliver a talk titled “Sanaenomics and the U.S.–Japan Relationship — Will Japan Really Gain Momentum for Change?” in the context of Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. His remarks will explore Japan’s economic challenges and opportunities, along with the emerging policy framework known as Sanaenomics.
The afternoon panel brought together experts from the DFW area and beyond—Dr. Kristin Vekasi (University of Montana), Chris Carter (Toyota Motor North America), Mike Chmielecki (Nomura Research Institute), and Russell Keith (1Finity)—to examine innovation, globalization, and practical collaboration between U.S. and Japanese businesses. Panelists discussed Japan’s Economic Security Promotion Act, Toyota’s Kaizen philosophy and the value of international teamwork, and the transformative impact of AI and digital technologies. Notably, Japanese companies appear to adopt AI and global resource footprint more systematically and collaboratively than their American counterparts, panelists observed, utilizing AI and resources throughout the world, around-the-clock, taking advantage of different time zones and global development resources. Audience discussion highlighted broader issues—from data sovereignty to immigration policy—underscoring that while technology and business strategies matter, the enduring backbone of the U.S.-Japan relationship remains the human connection: grassroots, people-to-people exchange that strengthens ties across cultures and borders.
SMU Tower Center | http://www.smu.edu/TowerCenter
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
3300 University Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75275-0117
214-768-3954
tower@smu.edu
General Manager, Executive Program Manager, Research & Development, Advanced Product Planning Office, Toyota Motor North America
Chris Carter is the General Manager and Executive Program Manager for R&D in the Advanced Product Planning Office at Toyota North America. With 19 years of global experience at Toyota in research and development, portfolio management, leadership, and team development, he oversees portfolio management for all new Toyota and Lexus infotainment systems and leads technology strategy, market research, and global tech life‑cycle planning.
He is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) through Georgia Tech University and serves as Professor of the Practice and Academic Program Director for Project Management at Georgia Tech.
Head of Global Marketing and Portfolio Offerings, 1Finitity (formerly Fujitsu Network)
As the Head of Global Business Development at Fujitsu, with over 30 years of experience at Fujitsu Network covering key roles Marketing, Commercial and Product Management, and Sales leadership, Keith helps customers and partners realize their objectives through direct engagement, co-creation and in collaboration with empowered and engaged technologists, business leaders, and visioners.
Mansfield Chair of Japan and Indo-Pacific Affairs at University of Montana
Kristin Vekasi is the Mansfield Chair of Japan and Indo-Pacific Affairs and an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Montana. Her research focuses on trade and investment strategies in changing geopolitical environments, and the political risk management of supply chains. She specializes in Northeast Asia, and has spent years conducting research in China, Japan, and South Korea. Her book Risk Management Strategies of Japanese Companies in China (Routledge 2019) explores how Japanese multinational corporations mitigate political risk in China. Her current research examines how Japan, China, and the United States cooperate and compete to manage complex supply chains, focusing on industries essential for the transition to green energy.
Senior System Solutions Architect at Nomura Research Institute (NRI)
Nomura is a global financial services conglomerate with a history spanning more than 100 years. NRI, its IT support and services division, specializes in developing on‑site information systems. Chmielecki is a technical leader with over 27 years of experience delivering large‑scale software architecture and implementation projects. He focuses on Pega LSA–certified system architecture, leveraging advanced platform capabilities and the latest AI‑driven tools to streamline and optimize complex business processes.
Associate Professor and Director
Sun & Star Japan and East Asia Program
SMU Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs
Hiroki Takeuchi received his B.A. of Economics from Keio University in Japan, his M.A. of Asian Studies from University of California at Berkeley, and his Ph.D. of Political Science from University of California at Los Angeles. He is currently an associate professor of political science, and Director of the Sun and Star Program on Japan and East Asia in the Tower Center at SMU. Previously, he taught at UCLA as a faculty fellow of the Political Science Department and at Stanford University as a postdoctoral teaching fellow of the Public Policy Program.
Professor Takeuchi’s research and teaching interests include Chinese and Japanese politics, comparative political economy of authoritarian regimes, and international relations of East Asia, as well as applying game theory to political science.
In 2019, NAJAS inaugurated the “Japan Currents” public affairs series, with support from the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC. The series involved events in fourteen different cities, each hosted by the local Japan-America Society, and composed of speakers from Japan, the U.S. and the local community. Public affairs topics of interest relating to Japan vary by location. Each host selected the theme and the reports of the events demonstrate the depth and variety of interest in Japan across the country. As the only national public affairs program series focusing on the US-Japan relationship, we believe Japan Currents serves an important part of the mission of Japan-America Society network. We are grateful for the support of the Embassy of Japan for this program.
In partnership with the Sun & Star Program on Japan and East Asia at the SMU Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs
Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth
Southern Methodist University, Tower Center of Asian Studies
This program is supported by a grant from the National Association of Japan-America Societies, Inc., with the support of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC.
This is an annual event sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SMU Tower Center, presented by JASDFW to highlight trends and information related to U.S. and Japanese business. This year’s theme is “Innovation and Growth: Urbanization and Globalization in the U.S. – Japan Partnership”.
Senior Editorial Writer / Senior Staff Writer, Nikkei Inc
Washington Bureau Chief at Nikkei
Nikkei is Japan’s largest and most respected economic newspaper. Mikio Sugeno serves as Senior Editor and currently chairs its Editorial Board, which is comprised of nearly 30 members. Since joining Nikkei in 1987, he has reported extensively on economic affairs as well as global politics. Sugeno served as Washington Bureau Chief from 2018 to 2022, covering the final years of the Trump administration and the early Biden presidency. He has also been posted twice to Europe—reporting from Berlin and London—where he covered the Eurozone debt crisis and the rise of the UK’s anti‑EU movement that ultimately led to Brexit.
Sugeno will deliver a talk titled “Sanaenomics and the U.S.–Japan Relationship — Will Japan Really Gain Momentum for Change?” in the context of Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. His remarks will explore Japan’s economic challenges and opportunities, along with the emerging policy framework known as Sanaenomics.
General Manager, Executive Program Manager, Research & Development, Advanced Product Planning Office, Toyota Motor North America
Chris Carter is the General Manager and Executive Program Manager for R&D in the Advanced Product Planning Office at Toyota North America. With 19 years of global experience at Toyota in research and development, portfolio management, leadership, and team development, he oversees portfolio management for all new Toyota and Lexus infotainment systems and leads technology strategy, market research, and global tech life‑cycle planning.
He is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) through Georgia Tech University and serves as Professor of the Practice and Academic Program Director for Project Management at Georgia Tech.
Head of Global Marketing and Portfolio Offerings, 1Finitity (formerly Fujitsu Network)
As the Head of Global Business Development at Fujitsu, with over 30 years of experience at Fujitsu Network covering key roles Marketing, Commercial and Product Management, and Sales leadership, Keith helps customers and partners realize their objectives through direct engagement, co-creation and in collaboration with empowered and engaged technologists, business leaders, and visioners.
Mansfield Chair of Japan and Indo-Pacific Affairs at University of Montana
Kristin Vekasi is the Mansfield Chair of Japan and Indo-Pacific Affairs and an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Montana. Her research focuses on trade and investment strategies in changing geopolitical environments, and the political risk management of supply chains. She specializes in Northeast Asia, and has spent years conducting research in China, Japan, and South Korea. Her book Risk Management Strategies of Japanese Companies in China (Routledge 2019) explores how Japanese multinational corporations mitigate political risk in China. Her current research examines how Japan, China, and the United States cooperate and compete to manage complex supply chains, focusing on industries essential for the transition to green energy.
Senior System Solutions Architect at Nomura Research Institute (NRI)
Nomura is a global financial services conglomerate with a history spanning more than 100 years. NRI, its IT support and services division, specializes in developing on‑site information systems. Chmielecki is a technical leader with over 27 years of experience delivering large‑scale software architecture and implementation projects. He focuses on Pega LSA–certified system architecture, leveraging advanced platform capabilities and the latest AI‑driven tools to streamline and optimize complex business processes.
Associate Professor and Director
Sun & Star Japan and East Asia Program
SMU Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs
Hiroki Takeuchi received his B.A. of Economics from Keio University in Japan, his M.A. of Asian Studies from University of California at Berkeley, and his Ph.D. of Political Science from University of California at Los Angeles. He is currently an associate professor of political science, and Director of the Sun and Star Program on Japan and East Asia in the Tower Center at SMU. Previously, he taught at UCLA as a faculty fellow of the Political Science Department and at Stanford University as a postdoctoral teaching fellow of the Public Policy Program.
Professor Takeuchi’s research and teaching interests include Chinese and Japanese politics, comparative political economy of authoritarian regimes, and international relations of East Asia, as well as applying game theory to political science.
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Registration
12:00 p.m. – 01:30 p.m. Keynote Luncheon
02:00 p.m. – 03:30 p.m. Afternoon Panel
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required and the seats are first come, first served. Please click below for registration.
In 2019, NAJAS inaugurated the “Japan Currents” public affairs series, with support from the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC. The series involved events in fourteen different cities, each hosted by the local Japan-America Society, and composed of speakers from Japan, the U.S. and the local community. Public affairs topics of interest relating to Japan vary by location. Each host selected the theme and the reports of the events demonstrate the depth and variety of interest in Japan across the country. As the only national public affairs program series focusing on the US-Japan relationship, we believe Japan Currents serves an important part of the mission of Japan-America Society network. We are grateful for the support of the Embassy of Japan for this program.
In partnership with the Sun & Star Program on Japan and East Asia at the SMU Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs
Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth
Southern Methodist University, Tower Center of Asian Studies
This program is supported by a grant from the National Association of Japan-America Societies, Inc., with the support of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC.
Any person who requires a reasonable accommodation on the basis of a disability in order to participate in this program should contact the SMU Tower Center at tower@smu.edu in advance at least 4 days prior to the event to arrange for the accommodation.
SMU Tower Center | http://www.smu.edu/TowerCenter
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
3300 University Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75275-0117
214-768-3954
tower@smu.edu
