About 40 local residents with ties to Waseda University in Tokyo attended a gathering Feb. 10 at Señor Fish in Downtown Los Angeles.
This was the first Southern California event organized by Waseda USA, which has an office in Berkeley and held a gathering last year in San Francisco.
Anthony Johnson, regional manager, and Kunimitsu Mamiya, executive director, treasurer and secretary of Waseda USA, said in a statement, “Waseda USA staff is full of gratitude to all of the participants of the Waseda Friends Reception 2024, L.A. In particular, we would like to express our thanks to Mr. Michael Okamura, who was not only a guest speaker, but played an essential role in organizing the event; to our guest speakers, Mr. Junpei Tomonaga (chair of the Waseda Alumni Association Los Angeles Chapter) and Mr. Yi Xiao, graduate of the School of Fundamental Science and Engineering; to Mr. J.K. Yamamoto of Rafu Shimpo for helping us spread the word; and to Señor Fish restaurant for graciously providing us with the wonderful space and food.
“The event was a success thanks to everyone, including Waseda Friends, alumni, Waseda exchange students studying in the Los Angeles area and guests. Waseda USA is committed to nurturing and expanding this community, and we look forward to the next reunion and even more participation.”
Okamura, who is president of the Little Tokyo Historical Society, offered tours to those who were unfamiliar with the neighborhood.
Mamiya asked for donations to support Waseda students who, faced with a weak yen and inflation in the U.S., are struggling to make their wish to study abroad in the U.S. a reality. For more information, go to: www.wasedausa.org
In addition to socializing, attendees viewed a video about the history of Waseda, which was founded by Shigenobu Okuma in 1882, and there was a performance of the school song and chant. Everyone received a goodie bag containing a Waseda calendar, pennant and keychains.
Some of the attendees had previously participated in two gatherings of alumni of Waseda’s Kokusai Gakubu or Kokusaibu (International Division), which since the 1960s has enabled students from U.S. schools, including California state and private universities, to study for a year or more in Japan. Those events, organized by Los Angeles-area alumni, were held in Little Tokyo prior to the pandemic.
One of the guests at the Waseda Friends event was a Kokusaibu student in 1972-73.
Also present was Haruo Takehana, a Waseda graduate and president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California. With the Tomon-kai Alumni Club, he established a scholarship fund for graduate students from Waseda who come to the U.S. for master’s or doctoral degrees.
Waseda’s alumni include Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and seven of his predecessors, CEOs of major corporations, novelist Haruki Murakami and film director Hirokazu Koreeda.
For more information on Waseda Friends, visit: www.waseda.jp/inst/us-office/en/
Photos by J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo (except where noted)