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VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
X-WR-CALNAME:Panel Discussion - "Toyota\, Sony\, and Sushi: Nisei and the J
 apan Boom in the US"
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Pacific Time (US & Canada)
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20261014T132828Z
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_44438318037748
DTSTART:20240321T210000Z
DTEND:20240322T000000Z
DESCRIPTION:Reception with light refreshments starting at 1:30 PM\n\n \n\nA
 merica’s current love affair with Japanese consumer products\, popular c
 ulture\, and tastes stems from an era just after World War II that produce
 d the “Japan Boom.”  This panel highlights and explores the hidden rol
 e that second-generation Japanese Americans (Nisei) played in this boom in
  Japanese exports.  What were Japan’s postwar export strategies and how 
 and why did Nisei contribute to them as ethnic brokers paving the way for 
 fledging companies such as Toyota and Sony\, and new tastes such as sushi 
 to enter the US market?  \n\n \n\nEach of the below panelists will address
  a different part of this question.  Professor Saori Katada will layout th
 e context of postwar Japan’s international and domestic economic policie
 s.  Jon Kaji and Shawn Layden will address the crucial role played by Nise
 i for Toyota and Sony\, respectively.  Atsuko Kanai will discuss her Nisei
  father Noritoshi Kanai and his role in birthing the sushi boom in the US 
 through his business Mutual Trading Company.  Finally\, Professor Lon Kura
 shige will chair the panel and introduce the themes connecting the panelis
 ts’ talks. \n\n \n\nPlease join us for light refreshments starting at 1:
 30 PM. The panel will start promptly at 2 PM. \n\n \n\nPanelists\n\nJon Ka
 ji: President\, Kaji and Associates\, Former Director of the State of Cali
 fornia Office of Trade and Investment in Tokyo\, Japan and South Korea\; c
 urrently Torrance city council member. His father Bruce Kaji was instrumen
 tal in bringing Toyota’s US headquarters to Torrance in the 1950s.Shawn 
 Layden: Former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America and former ch
 airman of PlayStation Worldwide Studios. Prior to that\, he worked for Son
 y founder Akio Morita as speechwriter and special assistant. Layden curren
 tly advises a number of firms including Tencent Games and Streamline Media
  Group. Atsuko Kanai:  Executive Vice President of Mutual Trading Company\
 , an American firm specializing in the import-distribution of Japanese foo
 ds. Kanai’s father Noritoshi Kanai was recently featured in a Los Angele
 s Times article about the Little Tokyo origins of America’s love of sush
 i.Saori Katada:  USC Professor of International Relations and expert on Ja
 pan’s economic and foreign policy.Lon Kurashige: USC Professor of Histor
 y and expert on Japanese American history. \n\nThis event is presented by 
 the Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture\, and co-sponsore
 d by the Center for International Studies\, Department of History\, and Ea
 st Asian Studies Center.
LOCATION:TCC Rosen Family Room 
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion - "Toyota\, Sony\, and Sushi: Nisei and the Japan 
 Boom in the US"
URL;VALUE=URI:https://calendar.usc.edu/event/toyota_sony_and_sushi_nisei_an
 d_the_japan_boom_in_the_us
CATEGORIES:Lecture / Talk / Workshop
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