About Us

Established in 2000 to promote friendly relations and cultural understanding between the people of the state of Tennessee and Japan, The Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc. (JAST) is a non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation, funded by individual and corporate membership fees.  Serving as Honorary Co-chairs of the Society are The Honorable Phil Bredesen, Governor of Tennessee, and The Honorable Howard H. Baker, Jr., former U.S. Senator and U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

Headquartered in Nashville, with newly established Regional Centers in West and East Tennessee in 2008, JAST is overseen by a 25-member volunteer Board of Directors from leading businesses, institutions and organizations statewide.

Goals

Providing to the citizens of Tennessee accurate information about the people of Japan and their culture;

Promoting social, cultural, scientific and educational interchange between Tennessee and Japan; and

Encouraging appreciation and respect for the differences and similarities of the cultures of the peoples of Japan and Tennessee 

Activities

Annual networking receptions and support of Tennessee’s business delegations to the Southeast-U.S. Japan Association Conferences each year are highlights of the organization’s activities.  JAST-supported programs also include the Mitsui USA Scholarships in Tennessee Program, an annual Tennessee-Area Japanese Speech Contest, and a variety of regional cultural festivals – including the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival – as well as occasional gatherings that focus on specific aspects of business, culture and society, including lectures, seminars, exhibitions, music performances, roundtable discussions and other social and networking events.

Benefits

JAST members gain access to business, educational, cultural and social programs, which provide opportunities for developing personal relationships with members of both the Japanese and American communities. Additionally, membership allows Japanese firms with a way to contribute to the cultural fabric of the state, to show community interest, involvement and concern outside of Japanese circles, and to meet American business people who are doing business or are interested in Japan. Non-Japanese firms also gain opportunities to make friends and do business with Japanese residents across the state.

Board of Directors

A listing of our current Board of Directors can be viewed here. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required.)