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Connecting Japan and Minnesota over 50 years


The Japan America Society of Minnesota is a member-supported, non-profit organization established to promote mutual understanding and friendship between Japanese and US citizens. Through our programs and events, we endeavor to promote an appreciation of cultural, educational, economic, public, and other affairs of interest to both peoples. JASM also connects and supports Minnesota's seven Japanese sister cities, two Japanese-language Saturday schools, over 100 Japanese corporate subsidiaries, and a host of other organizations dedicated to Japan-related topics from Anime to Zen. JASM is open to individuals, corporations, and other organizations interested in supporting its missionFounded in 1972, JASM is a member of the National Association of Japan-America Societies.


Calendar

    • 2025-10-29
    • 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM
    • 120 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55401
    • 29
    Register

    The Quarterly JASM Social

    Presented by JASM Membership Committee 

    We invite you to join us for an informal get-together at JASM Connects!

    When: Wednesday, October 29th from 5:15 pm to 7:00 pm

    Sponsor: Pocket Water Press

    Where: 120 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN (Google Maps)

    Who should attend: This event is open to all Japan America Society members, guests, and friends.


    JASM Connects is a relaxed opportunity to meet new people, catch up with old friends ,and enjoy a casual conversation in any language. There are no agendas, no formalities. Feel free to bring your meishi (business cards), though if you don’t have one, don’t worry — just come along and join the fun!


    Refreshments will be provided by the sponsor, Pocket Water Press.  A cash donation at the door to help offset the cost of refreshments would be appreciated.  Parking is available on the street (metered) and at a public ramp which is 2 minutes' walk from the venue.  Directions on parking and venue access will be provided once you register.


    Free for JASM members

    $10 for non-members — apply for membership now! Simply scan the QR code or click here to join. The $10 fee will be credited toward your membership if you join.


    This event is brought to you by JASM, the bridge-building organization between Minnesota and Japan. We look forward to seeing you there!


    Please note that although networking is encouraged, soliciting and commercial activities including direct sales are not permitted at JASM events without prior permission from the organizers.

     


    Parking and Transportation
    Public parking is available at the Hennepin Ramp, about a 3-minute walk from the venue. The ramp offers a $12 flat fee after 4:00 p.m.

    Guests may also take the METRO LRT to Nicollet Mall Station, which is about a 7-minute walk away. In addition, several bus routes stop right in front of the venue for easy access.

    • 2025-11-15
    • 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Oak Ridge Country Club, 700 Oak Ridge Rd, Hopkins, MN 55305

    We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Mondale Award and Scholarship Gala will be held in person on Saturday, November 15th at the Oak Ridge Country Club in Hopkins.






    Both the Mondale Award and Mondale Scholarship will be presented at this event. The Mondale Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the building of understanding, cooperation, and respect between the people of Japan and Minnesota. The Mondale Scholarship is presented to students enrolled in Minnesota colleges and universities who want to broaden their knowledge of Japan through a combination of study and travel.


    Join us in celebrating the Mondale Award recipients and supporting Mondale Scholarship at the 28th Mondale Gala!


    Reception: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
    Banquet & Program: 6:30-9:00 p.m.
    Dress Code: Business Attire or Kimono

    Do you need Kimono dressing assistance?  Registration will be open soon. 



    Mondale Award Recipient: Joann Blatchley

    My first visit to Japan changed my life. In 2004, I received a Fulbright Memorial Fund for Teachers fellowship to spend three weeks in Japan, visiting schools, being exposed to Japanese culture, and traveling by bullet train to Hiroshima. I returned from that experience and wondered what else could I do continue my association with Japan and found the Saint Paul – Nagasaki Sister City Committee which promotes friendship between citizens of both countries. It was a perfect fit.


    One of my first ‘duties’ as an SPNSCC board member was to make arrangements for Sachiko Yasui, a hibakusha, to speak. Highlights of my tenure as board member and president of SPNSCC include the Gift of (Cherry) Trees from the government of Japan to St. Paul in 2012 and the Return of the Sword in 2013. Our 60th anniversary in 2015 included kite flyers Seikoo and Akiko Nakamura, visits by Mayor Tomihisa Taue, the Junshin singers, city officials and ten members of the Nagasaki Bridge Club. One highlight was the Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Exhibition at the Landmark Center, which also brought groups of school children to the exhibit and “Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard.” The pandemic cancelled our 65th anniversary celebration, but exchanges resumed in 2023.


    To celebrate our 70th anniversary in 2025, the Saint Paul Civic Symphony performed with their sister orchestra, the Nagasaki Symphony Orchestra. Saint Paul hosted our annual Cherry Tree Celebration, drawing some 1,000 visitors in early May. American children and youth finished the KIDS GUERNICA mural. Mayor Suzuki of Nagasaki brought a delegation of city council members, Rotarians and 16 junior high students in late August. Some twenty five Minnesotans will travel to Nagasaki for Okunchi in October.


    It has been a privilege to be part of the Sister City legacy. We are an all-volunteer organization, proving Margaret Mead’s quotation: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has". Thank you.



    Keynote Speaker: Kimmy Tanaka

    Kimmy Tanaka grew up in Tamba-Sasayama, Japan where she gained an appreciation for history, architecture and food. She has a BA and a Master of Architecture from the University of Minnesota. She is the Senior Director of Inclusion, Outreach and Community Engagement for the Minnesota Historical Society, and previously worked as a program manager at Historic Fort Snelling where she developed programming around the history of the WWII Military Intelligence Service (Japanese) Language School. She also serves as the chair of the Twin Cities Japanese American Citizens League Education Committee.

    Her co-authored articles include: Fuji-Ya, Second to None: Reiko Weston's Role in Reconnecting Minneapolis and the Mississippi River (2018) and Righting a Wrong: Eighty Years Since the Order That Put Japanese Americans Behind Barbed Wire (2022) for Minnesota History Magazine.


    Mondale Scholarship Recipients 2025-2026


    It is with great pleasure that JASM presents the 2025 Mondale Scholarships to the folloing students:


    • Minh Thu Duong (Augsburg University)
    • Mari Friel (St. Olaf College)
    • Emil Johansson (Winona State University)
    • Kai Satriano (Macalester College)




    Master of Ceremonies: Gaosong V. Heu


    Gaosong V. Heu is a Hmong American artist, vocalist, writer, educator, and entrepreneur based in Saint Paul, MN. With over 15 years of training in Western classical voice and traditional Hmong folk music, she bridges ancestral memory with contemporary expression. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota–T.C. and a M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University. A passionate advocate for cultural equity, Gaosong works at the intersection of art, identity, and access. She currently stars in The Late Homecomer, a national one- woman show based on Kao Kalia Yang’s acclaimed memoir, produced by New York’s Literature to Life. Offstage, Gaosong is a content creator and the Co-Owner and Creative Director of Marc Heu Pâtisserie Paris, Saint Paul’s premier French dessert destination.


    Please click here to register for the Gala!


    Early Bird (register by Oct. 17)

    $160/ Non-member

    $110/ JASM member


    Regular (register Oct. 18 - Oct. 31)

    $190/ Non-member

    $130/ JASM member


    Post-Deadline (register Nov. 1 - Nov. 9)

    $210/Non-Member

    $150/Member


    JASM invites you to become a member! Please sign up here and then register for the Mondale Gala 2025.

    Sponsors

    Matsu/ Pine Tree Sponsors




    Ume/ Sponsors


    • 2025-11-15
    • 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Oak Ridge Country Club, 700 Oak Ridge Rd, Hopkins, MN 55305

    The Mondale Award Selection Committee is thrilled to present the 2025 Mondale Award to JoAnn Blatchley. JoAnn exemplifies the values and characteristics that the Mondales prescribed for recipients of this award. JoAnn's curiosity and compassion for people from different cultures was proven during her 30-year career as an ESL, special education, and fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in the Edina Public Schools. Not stopping there, her achievements with the St. Paul-Nagasaki Sister City Committee and the effects of her accomplishments are many and deep.

    Since 1997, the Mondale Award for Japan-Minnesota Partnership is presented annually by JASM to recognize outstanding contributions to the building of understanding, cooperation and respect between the people of Japan and Minnesota, just as its namesakes, Joan and Walter Mondale, intended.

    Kat Dalager, JASM President and Mondale Award Selection Committee Chair


    JoAnn Blatchley, Recipient of the Mondale Citation – In Her Own Words

    My first visit to Japan changed my life. In 2004, I received a Fulbright Memorial Fund for Teachers fellowship to spend three weeks in Japan, visiting schools, being exposed to Japanese culture, and traveling by bullet train to Hiroshima. I returned from that experience and wondered what else could I do continue my association with Japan and found the Saint Paul – Nagasaki Sister City Committee which promotes friendship between citizens of both countries. It was a perfect fit.


    One of my first ‘duties’ as an SPNSCC board member was to make arrangements for Sachiko Yasui, a hibakusha, to speak. Highlights of my tenure as board member and president of SPNSCC include the Gift of (Cherry) Trees from the government of Japan to St. Paul in 2012 and the Return of the Sword in 2013. Our 60th anniversary in 2015 included kite flyers Seikoo and Akiko Nakamura, visits by Mayor Tomihisa Taue, the Junshin singers, city officials and ten members of the Nagasaki Bridge Club. One highlight was the Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Exhibition at the Landmark Center, which also brought groups of school children to the exhibit and “Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard.” The pandemic cancelled our 65th anniversary celebration, but exchanges resumed in 2023.


    To celebrate our 70th anniversary in 2025, the Saint Paul Civic Symphony performed with their sister orchestra, the Nagasaki Symphony Orchestra. Saint Paul hosted our annual Cherry Tree Celebration, drawing some 1,000 visitors in early May. American children and youth finished the KIDS GUERNICA mural. Mayor Suzuki of Nagasaki brought a delegation of city council members, Rotarians and 16 junior high students in late August. Some twenty five Minnesotans will travel to Nagasaki for Okunchi in October.


    It has been a privilege to be part of the Sister City legacy. We are an all-volunteer organization, proving Margaret Mead’s quotation: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has". Thank you.


    —————————————————————————

    Register Today for the Mondale Gala

    Please join us for the Mondale Gala 2025 to celebrate the Mondale Award recipient and take part in this special evening on Saturday, November 15th at the Oak Ridge Country Club in Hopkins.





    Reception: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
    Banquet & Program: 6:30-9:00 p.m.
    Dress Code: Business Attire or Kimono

    Do you need Kimono dressing assistance?  Registration will be open soon. 



    Early Bird (register by Oct. 17)

    $160/ Non-member

    $110/ JASM member


    Regular (register Oct. 18 - Oct. 31)

    $190/ Non-member

    $130/ JASM member


    Post-Deadline (register Nov. 1 - Nov. 9)

    $210/Non-Member

    $150/Member


    JASM invites you to become a member! Please sign up here and then register for the Mondale Gala 2025.

    • 2025-12-11
    • 6:30 PM

    The 2025 Annual Meeting is scheduled on December 11th at 6:30 pm. The place is TBD.

    At the meeting, we will be reflecting on the year as a whole and looking forward to next year. We’ll discuss additional ways we can further JASM’s mission and will hold elections for board members.

    Please mark your calendar!


    • 2025-12-20
    • 10:00 AM
    • 2025-12-31
    • 11:59 PM
    • Various locations



    JASM’s Community Engagement: Connecting Minnesota with Japan

    Explore the events and organizations JASM visited in 2025 to share Japanese culture and strengthen ties between Minnesota and Japan.


    February

    • Emperor's Birthday Celebration at The Consulate General of Japan in Chicago
    • Chinese New Year Celebration at The Century College



    March

    • Talking to the History of Comic Class at The Century College
    • Cultural demonstration at The St. Thomas Academy
    • Japanese language consultant at The History Theater
    • Cultural Demonstration at Anime Detour



    April

    • Attendee at the Cha-ami Library Opening Event
    • Cultural Demonstration at Cooper High School Culture Fest
    • Cultural Outreach at the University of Minnesota Japanese Class

    May

    • Cultural Support at the SPNSC Cherry Blossom Celebration
    • Company Visit with Hoya Vision
    • Exhibitor at the Twin Cities West Metro Asian Fair

    June

    • Conference at the Midwest Forum - Consulate General of Japan in Chicago

    July

    • Presentation at Anoka County Library
    • Cultural Demonstrations at Mia Family Day



    • 2026-02-28
    • 11:30 PM
    • 2026-03-01
    • 11:30 PM
    • TBD

    JASM will award the Takuzo Ishida Memorial Scholarship to a student enrolled in a Minnesota high school who wants to broaden their knowledge of Japan through a combination of study and travel.  The application deadline is now extended.

    Please click here to read the application details.

    2025 Timeline:

    • Start accepting applications: December 1, 2025
    • Deadline for applications: February 28, 2026
    • Finalists' interviews with scholarship committee members:  During March 2026
    • Winner of the Scholarship will be notified: Early April 2026


    Past winner:

    2025: Abdulla Abdulaziz and Pajtshiab Yang

    2024: Bennie Tornoe (Click here to read her report on Tsushin Nov. 2024 issue on page 4)

    2023: Walter Barlow (Click here to read his report on Tsushin Nov. 2023 issue on page 3)

    If you would like to make a contribution to the Takuzo Ishida Memorial Scholarship's endowment, please click here.

    Takuzo Ishida was a researcher, carpenter, chef, and bonsai enthusiast who served as President of JASM and Founder/Principal of the Minneapolis Japanese School. The Takuzo Ishida Memorial Scholarship was established in 2019 by Mr. Ishida’s family and friends to recognize his contributions to the Japanese community in Minnesota and to support his passion for youth education. (To read a special edition of the Tsushin dedicated to Mr. Ishida, please click here. )



THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS

JASM is supported by hundreds of individuals and over 40 Companies and Non-Profit Organizations. Special thanks to the following sponsors:

Corporate Benefactors


Daikin Applied 

Delta Air Lines, Inc.  

Taiyo International, Inc.

Corporate Patron


Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Miller Milling Company

MGK INC


Corporate Sustaining Members

 

HSML P.C.  

Japan Lifeline Co.Ltd

Mall of America

Metropolitan Airports Commission

Naigai Industries U.S.A. Inc. 

Satellite Industries, Inc.

Surdyk's Liquor & Cheese Shop

The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.


Corporate Contributors


Satellite Industries, Inc. UMEI    


Partners in Service


JK's Table     Kiku Enterprises, Inc.     

Metoree   Minnesota Trade Office

Origami Restaurant     Sakura Restaurant

Saint Paul Saints Baseball Club     Saji-Ya Restaurant

Suishin Restaurant

TOMODACHI     Voyager Group Inc.



Nonprofit Members


Concordia Language Villages     Economic Club of Minnesota     Global Minnesota

JETAA Minnesota     JETRO Chicago     JP Network, St. Cloud State University

KCC-Japan Education Exchange     Macalester College Asian Language & Culture Department

Minneapolis Japanese School     Minneapolis Institute of Art

Minnesota Council of Teachers of Japanese     Minnesota Orchestra     

NDSU-Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection     Twin Cities Aikido Center

UMN Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

University of North Dakota-Grand Forks     Winona State University Global Studies Dept.


Contact Us

 jasm@mn-japan.org


P.O. Box 26639

Minneapolis, MN 55426

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