On Saturday, October 16, CEPEX hosted an informal, off the record dinner with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and current LDP Party Shadow Cabinet Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera. The event was attended by approximately thirty-five guests and took place at Tono Sushi in Woodley Park.

In attendance were many former JETs who have continued their involvement with Japan, in addition to participants of the Mansfield Scholarship Program, Congressional staffers, think tank representatives and members of the private sector.

Mr. Abe and Mr. Onodera were visiting Washington, DC to meet with various U.S. governmental and non-governmental officials to discuss the current state of U.S.-Japan relations as well as related global political and economic issues. The attendees enjoyed candidly discussing their past experiences living and teaching in Japan and sought to impress upon Mr. Abe and Mr. Onodera the importance of the Japanese government’s continued support of the JET Program and the U.S.-Japan alliance.

Future Japan experts listen to former PM Abe speak