JASC was created by a group of university students, and ISC has continued that tradition with each of its Conferences being student-run.

Each year, the delegates select an Executive Committee, consisting of an equal number of American and Japanese students who will take on the task of organizing their Conference for the coming year.

The Executive Committee, with the help of advisory committees and ISC, spends the year planning the conference, fundraising, recruiting and selecting new delegates, and finally attending and leading the next Conference.

The 62nd (2010) JASC American Executive Committee (AEC)

The 62nd (2010) JASC Japanese Executive Committee (JEC)

AEC Introductions

Naoki Yoshida
    Hello!  My name is Naoki John Yoshida, and I am currently a sophomore student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.  Currently, I am a dual degree candidate pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.  Although it is an odd choice of majors, I aspire to bridge the gap between scientific research and product marketing by working in a technology-related start up.  Outside of my studies, I am also involved in the investment and microfinance clubs at Cornell as part of executive boards.
    As you might be able to tell from my name, I am a Japanese-American.  Although I am bilingual, I have lived my entire life in the United States, mostly in New York before I went to a private boarding school in New Hampshire for high school.  Being a delegate in the 61st JASC was perhaps the best experience in my life, not just culturally, but also academically.  The high-level exchange with the Japanese delegation allowed me to truly open my eyes to other perspectives.
This year, I am pushing for a more diverse, more exciting JASC in America.  As chair of the American Executive Committee, I look forward to molding the 62nd JASC into a significant experience to everyone involved!

Leah Flake
My name is Leah Flake. I am currently a third-year student at Smith College, pursuing a major in Engineering. I heard about the Japan America Student Conference through my Japanese language professor at Smith, and I decided to apply because of my interest in international relations. The level of discussion and the integrity of the participants impressed me during the 61st JASC, which encouraged me to become more involved with the conference as an Executive Committee member. I hope the 62nd JASC will be a memorable and worthwhile experience for all who attend, and I am excited to begin planning next year’s conference with my fellow Executive Committee members.

Ikuno Naka
My name is Ikuno Naka and I am currently a sophomore at Wellesley College majoring in History. Although I am Japanese by nationality I was born in the Republic of Korea and have since lived in numerous different countries from the Maldives to the Philippines to also the United States of America. Having lived in many different cultures and interacted with people from diverse backgrounds, I hope to be able to contribute her “third culture” perspectives to the conference. Of my many hobbies, I particularly enjoy collecting such cultural talents as dancing the Tinikling, a traditional Filipino dance as well as Kakilambe, a ritual dance from Mali. During the 62nd JASC, I look forward to sharing my views while learning from my peers and broadening my perspective.

Diane (Ha Myung) Lee
Currently a junior at Smith College, I am double majoring in English and Government.  I started as an English major because of my love of literature and writing.  However, I realized I also have a strong interest in political science, especially international relations. Due to two strong interests I decided to double major knowing they could only enhance each other.  I aspire to work in international relations whether it is through law or diplomacy.  Experiences such as JASC and my background as a Korean American help my understanding of international relations and personally know that cultural gaps can be overcome.  The meeting of two different cultures can create a brighter and more colorful canvas.  My experiences will become key assets in developing my character as well as the success of my dream. 

Marie Watanabe
    I am a rising sophomore at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and I intend to major in economics. I am Japanese American who spent half of my life in Tokyo and another half in the US. As a bilingual individual, I share both Japanese and American identities which lead me to grow into a global citizen. I am also a competitive tennis player and a member of Wellesley Tennis team. The 61st JASC transformed myself into a more active, confident participant in discussions and expanded my horizon and my view of Japan to a different level. I learned how to network and communicate with professional individuals. I learned how to compromise with seven other roundtable members. I felt the passion of people who are involved in community building in Obuse, Nagano. Through these cultural and academic experiences, I discovered new aspects of Japan and US-Japan relationship, and that is exactly why I became a part of the 62nd JASC. As an AEC, I would like to create opportunities for next year’s delegates to discover new aspects about themselves, the US, and the Japan-US relations. By coordinating roundtable and sites, I look forward to creating one of the best experiences for them.

Mariama Holman
Greetings,
 I am Mariama Simone Holman, a Wake Forest University student in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I am a double major in both Economics and Fine Arts and a sophomore in college. I am considering two career paths, one in Public Policy, and the other in Arts Administration and Community Development. I consider Public Policy because I would like to work in a research organization and aid in educating government officials in how to make wise and prudent decisions. Arts I consider because I believe that art is a crucial medium for the preservation of culture, and by promoting the arts I help to maintain peoples’ links to their community.  I would like contribute business expertise to the entrepreneurial development of the arts. This work would help artists, musicians, and other creative craftsmen find markets for their unique products and develop them accordingly. My interest in the arts has led my interests in the Social Entrepreneurship RT topic. Many small towns and cities have sought to rebuild themselves by creating special Arts Districts and promoting the renovation of historical theatres and choir halls or the creation of new performance venues. I believe that Social Entrepreneurship can work within this process to maintain a local area’s unique culture while stimulating its economy.  I look forward to meeting all of you this summer and having intriguing debate and discussion on our RT topics.

Yudai Chiba
Hello! My name is Yudai Chiba and I am a rising senior at Princeton University, where I am majoring in East Asian Studies and pursuing a Certificate in Musical Performance. Indiana is my home state so I am very excited that JASC 62 will be opening at Earlham College. As a member of the American Executive Committee (AEC) for the 62nd JASC I am serving as the AEC-JEC liaison, communicating with the Japanese Executive Committee (JEC) to make sure that both sides are aware of one anothers' discussions and activities. I will also be holding a roundtable entitled "Security, Military and Peace: the US and Japan" along with my JEC partner, Mari Nakamura. In the spirit of the 50th anniversary of the Japan-US Alliance, we hope to discuss the current state and the future direction of this partnership that we believe lies at the core of JASC itself. For JASC as a whole, however, I firmly believe that the conference provides an irreplaceable opportunity for students on both sides to express their personal opinions. My hope is to be able to contribute to an environment in which all delegates feel that they are given this opportunity.

David Myers
    My name is David Myers. I’m a sophomore political science major at the State University of New York at Geneseo. I also have a great interest in law and I hope to study it after I complete my undergraduate work. In addition to that, I’m very interested in the political process and I hope to one day be involved with the United States government. I first heard about JASC, from an alumnus, when I was interning at Congressman Gary Ackerman’s office in Bayside, New York. What initially drew me to JASC was the allure of visiting Japan and the potential of an academic and cultural exchange with Japanese students. However, what made me want to become an EC was the potential of spreading JASC and the potential it can deliver to future delegates.
 

For more information on the AEC, please visit their blog at www.jasc62.blogspot.com.