Monday, March 15, 2010

The Kanrin Maru was the first Japanese ship to cross the Pacific Ocean. The ship’s arrival in San Francisco in 1860 was a historic milestone in the 150 year relationship between the United States ship and Japan. This voyage signified Japan’s desire and resolve to break its policy of isolation and develop relations with other countries, as it provided an opportunity for the first official exchange between the peoples of the United States and Japan. Members of the voyage included future leaders of Japan, such as Fukuzawa Yukichi, the founder of the Keio University—the oldest private university in Japan.

Professor Agawa of Keio University will give a lecture entitled “150th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Kanrin Maru to San Francisco: A Historic Milestone in U.S.-Japan Relations” to explore the voyage of Kanrin Maru, focusing on how the voyage impacted this important relationship.

Professor Naoyuki Agawa received a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown Law. Professor Agawa was a practicing attorney for 15 years at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Nishimura & Partners, Tokyo. He then ventured into academia, where he has been a lecturer and a professor at Doshisha University, University of Virginia Law School, and Georgetown Law. He also served at the Director of the Japan Information & Culture Center at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. from 2002 to 2005. Now, Professor Agawa is Vice-President of International Collaboration at the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo.

Location:
Hotel Kabuki
1625 Post Street, San Francisco, CA
Map

Time:
Monday, March 15, 2010
6:00-6:30 pm Registration
6:30-8:00 pm Lecture/Q&A

Cost:
Free and open to the public.

To register, please email prinfo@cgjsf.org or call Rod McLeod at (415)356-2463. For more information on this event, please click here.

This event is presented by the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco and supported by the Kanrin Maru 150th Anniversary Celebration Committee, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, and the Japanese American Association of Northern California.