Schedule

Wednesday, February 5, 2025
6 p.m. Discussion
7 p.m. Reception

Join Asia Society Texas for a free program to gain insight into the collaborative efforts across sectors such as energy, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing between Japan and Texas. 

Japan and Texas share a long history of cooperation through trade, investment, and cultural exchange. In 2023, trade between Japan and Texas totaled $31.2 billion making the state Japan’s fifth-largest trading partner. The city of Houston — a global energy capital — plays a pivotal role in connecting Japan’s technological prowess and innovation with the vast economic landscape of Texas.

This event provides a unique opportunity for students, investors, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to learn, network, and explore how Japan and Texas can continue to thrive together in the ever-evolving global landscape of technology and innovation. Dr. Patricia Maclachlan, Professor of Government and Asian Studies at the University of Texas, Betty Russo, Gulf Coast/East Texas Regional Representative, Office of Governor Greg Abbott, Takajiro Ishikawa, Takajiro Ishikawa, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc., Donna Cole, CEO & President, Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc., and moderator Satu Limaye, Vice President of the East-West Center will discuss the importance of Texas-Japan relations. 

The program will conclude with a networking reception, where attendees can enjoy light bites. 

About the Speakers

Donna Fujimoto Cole founded Cole Chemical in 1980, at the age of 27 with $5,000. As the former Vice President of sales and 26 percent owner of delRey Chemical, and 1 percent owner of GoldKing Chemicals, she was encouraged to start her own business by her customers at Exxon, Dupont, Monsanto, and Shell. The company she founded, Cole Chemical, is a distributor of process chemicals and finished goods to the automotive, aerospace, chemical, energy, refining, and personal care industries. Throughout her career, Donna has served in both leadership and advisory capacities for numerous industry, academic and nonprofit organizations. 

Ms. Cole is the daughter of a Japanese American World War II veteran who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. She worked to have the United States Congress recognize the heroic efforts of the “Nisei” Veterans recognized with Congressional Gold Medal of Honor and subsequently advised Filipino and Chinese veterans groups how to obtain their own respective congressional recognition. She is also a producer of movies, plays, and musicals that depict strong women and supportive men to inspire women to take care of themselves, their families, and uplift their communities.

Takajiro Ishikawa is the President and CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (MHIA), leading the company’s North American team to deliver innovative and integrated solutions that help realize carbon neutrality, improve quality of life, and ensure a safer world. Prior to MHIA, Ishikawa ran the Asset Management division at Mitsubishi Corporation, a 450-person organization with assets under management of $24 billion plus assets under advisements of $40 billion. In 2017, he moved to Houston to begin the next phase of his career at MHIA, responsible for the company’s business development and investments. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Waseda University, Tokyo. Ishikawa is a natural born storyteller with expertise in both industrial & mining assets, and investment in startup technology companies. Most importantly, he is passionate about advancing the energy transition and achieving MHI’s goal to achieve net zero emissions through the company’s entire value chain by 2040.

Patricia L. Maclachlan serves as Professor of Government and Asian Studies and the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Professor of Japanese Studies. She received her Ph.D in political science and Japan Studies in 1996 from Columbia University and spent one year as a research associate in the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at Harvard University. Her research and teaching interests include comparative political institutions and the politics and political economy of East Asia, with a focus on Japan.

Dr. Maclachlan is the author of Consumer Politics in Postwar Japan: The Institutional Boundaries of Citizen Activism (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002) and The People's Post Office: The History and Politics of the Japanese Postal System: 1871-2010 (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center, 2011), and co-author (with Kay Shimizu) of Betting on the Farm: Institutional Change in Japanese Agriculture (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2022). She also co-edited (with Sheldon Garon) and contributed to The Ambivalent Consumer: Questioning Consumption in East Asia and the West (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2006), and has written several articles and book chapters on consumer-related issues in Japan and the West, Japanese civil society, Japanese postal politics and agricultural reform, and the institutional foundations of the Japanese political economy

Betty Russo is the Community Relations Specialist for the 49-county Gulf Coast/East Texas Region within the Economic Development and Tourism Office of the Governor’s Office. In her role she works to market Texas and the region as one of the best places to do business and works to support local economic development allies with projects and opportunities. Betty’s career has been greatly enriched by being a part of this dynamic group and she thoroughly enjoys working with everyone in the region and the Governor’s Office.

About the Moderator

Dr. Satu Limaye is Vice President of the East-West Center and the Director of the East-West Center in Washington and Research Program. He created and directs the Asia Matters for America initiative and is the founding editor of the Asia Pacific Bulletin. He is also a Senior Advisor at CNA Corp (Center for Naval Analyses). 

He is a graduate of Georgetown University and received his doctorate from Oxford University (Magdalen College) where he was a George C. Marshall Scholar. He has also been a Henry R. Luce Scholar and Abe Fellow (Japan Foundation, Social Science Research Council, & American Council of Learned Societies). He publishes and speaks widely on Indo-Pacific regional issues and supports various US government, foundation, fellowship, and professional organizations. 

He recently served on the Center for New American Security (CNAS) Task Force on the US-Philippines Alliance, United States Institute of Peace (USIP) Senior Study Group on the North Pacific, Project 2049 Study Group on the US-Australia Alliance, and Global Taiwan Institute-Taiwan Asia Exchange Foundation project on Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy. He serves on the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) Advisory Council and editorial board of East Asian Policy (East Asia Institute, National University of Singapore) and regional editor of Global Asia (East Asia Foundation, ROK).

Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

Asia Society Texas Business & Policy Programs are endowed by the Huffington Foundation.

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, and ExxonMobil. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, The Brown Foundation, Inc., and Houston Endowment Inc. Generous funding provided by bp America, Inc, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Regions Bank, and Stephanie and Frank Tsuru. Additional support is provided by the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.

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