An Evening w/ Toru Maeda & San Jose Taiko - AAPI Heritage Month

Come meet Toru Maeda, Consul General of Japan. There will be a short discussion of the relationship between Japan and California, our history, the impact of Japan on the Bay Area and the role of the Embassy in San Francisco.  There will also be a performance by San Jose Taiko and a Q&A session.     

Background: San Francisco is known for its deep historical, geographic, and economic connections with Japan. In 1860, the ship Kanrin Maru arrived in San Francisco as the first Japanese diplomatic mission to the United States. In 1870, our Consulate was founded as Japan’s first overseas diplomatic establishment. In 1951, the San Francisco Peace Treaty and the first Japan-US Security Treaty were signed here. 

Currently, about 42,000 Japanese nationals live and work in the region.  Japanese companies have been doing business in Northern California for a long time. In particular, Silicon Valley’s cutting-edge perspectives on business and innovation are drawing much interest from Japanese companies. These companies contribute to the U.S. economy in a significant way by creating jobs and adding value. 

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