2025 Tennessee-Japan Forum / Annual Meeting & Networking Luncheon

2025 Tennessee-Japan Forum

Annual Meeting & Networking Luncheon

June 13, 2025

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CDT

Geodis Park

Goal Post Club

Parking Lot 10

0 Wilson Drive

Nashville 37204

Special Guest Speakers

        U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty   (Ret.) General Paul M. Nakasone

  Moderator

Christine Karbowiak Vanek

With remarks from

The Honorable Shinji Watanabe

Consul-General of Japan in Nashville 

You are cordially invited to the Japan-America Society of Tennessee's 2025 Tennessee-Japan Forum / Annual Meeting & Networking Luncheon on Friday, June 13 from 11:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m. CDT at Geodis Park in the Goal Post Club.

AGENDA

10:45 a.m.

Registration opens

Informal Networking and Beverages

11:15 a.m.

Luncheon and Program

1:00 p.m.

Program concludes

The program will feature U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, (Ret.) General Paul M. Nakasone and Consul-General of Japan in Nashville Shinji Watanabe.

U. S. Senator Bill Hagerty was elected to the U. S. Senate in 2020 and is currently serving his first term representing the State of Tennessee. His committee assignments include: U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affaires; U.S. Senate Committee on Foriegn Relations; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations; and U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration. Prior to his election to the Senate, Senator Hagerty served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. A life-long businessman, he started his career with the Boston Consulting Group, where his work took him to five continents, including three years based in Tokyo. He later became a venture capital and private equity investor. From 2011 to 2014, Senator Hagerty served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. 

(Ret.) General Paul M. Nakasone joined Vanderbilt on June 1, 2024. His service as commander of U.S. Cyber Command and NSA director began in May 2018. Previously he had commanded U.S. Army Cyber Command from 2016 to 2018. General Nakasone’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), the Defense Superior Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal (with oak leaf cluster), Army Achievement Medal (with four oak leaf clusters), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Combat Action Badge and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge.

Christine Karbowiak Vanek is Retired, Vice Chair, Executive Vice President, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. and Executive Vice President, Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation. Ms. Karbowiak is active in community organizations and has served on numerous boards, including the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Franklin American Music City Bowl (now known as the Transperfect Music City Bowl). She has received a number of recognitions for her civic work and has been conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette by the Government of Japan for her work to strengthen Tennessee-Japan relations over the past nearly three decades.  

The Honorable Shinji Watanabe assumed his post as Consul-General of Japan in Nashville in April 2024. This is his second diplomatic assignment in the United States, following his first assignment at the Consulate-General in Denver. Trained in the Swedish language, Consul-General Watanabe has also served at the Embassy of Japan in Sweden on three occasions, with his most recent assignment being the Deputy Chief of Mission. Prior to his assignment as Consul-General, he worked as the Director of Exchange Programs Division, Minister’s Secretariat, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan from February 2021. The division is responsible for policies on people-to-people exchanges including the Fulbright Program, JET Programs, and sports exchanges. 

Parking

Parking is complimentary in Lot 10, 0 Wilson Drive, 37204.

JAST members attend FREE. Non-members, $50. 

Reserve your spot by May 30th. 

We look forward to seeing everyone!

If you are a member, please log into your membership account to register for this event at the member rate.

For information about JAST membership, please email Sammie Arnold at sarnold@jastn.org or Ginger Byrn at gbyrn@jastn.org. 

If you have any difficulties with registering or have other inquiries, please contact jastninfo@jastninfo.org.