JANM Announces the 2025 Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship Recipients

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) announces the recipients of the 2025 Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship. This fellowship is a yearlong professional development program designed for emerging leaders from Japan across sectors. It advances global democracy and strengthens ties between the United States and Japan by promoting democratic values. It also fosters understanding and cooperation between the two nations. The 2025 recipients are Takashi Ishimori, Misako Kono, Sato Sekimoto, Risa Shibata, Daisuke Shirakawa, Hiromi Shirakura, Ayumi Wajima, and Chihiro Yago.

“We congratulate the 2025 Watanabe Democracy Fellows. Our hope is that they will gain a deeper understanding of the US through the lens of the Japanese American experience and the importance of deepening the ties between the US and Japan. JANM is committed to amplifying the history and voices of Japanese Americans and to providing a space where all people can explore and preserve the richness of their cultural heritage. This fellowship, which emphasizes the importance of dialogue, is now more essential than ever. We are deeply grateful to Toshizo “Tom” Watanabe for his belief in our mission and his generous support. The first cohort of fellows has already applied what they learned from this fellowship to their work and communities. We are excited to welcome the second cohort to the JANM community, and look forward to learning together to build a brighter future,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.

The Watanabe Democracy Fellowship includes a two-week United States visit. In July, fellows travel to Los Angeles and Washington, DC, where they engage in a series of meetings, seminars, and workshops focused on Japanese American history and democracy. During this time, they have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with leaders from various community organizations, elected officials, and private sector leaders who are working on solutions to various social issues. They will also visit the Manzanar National Historic Site, the original site of a Japanese American concentration camp during World War II. Through this experience, fellows deepen their understanding of the history and current state of politics, society, and democracy in the United States, while also sharing their own initiatives. The outcomes of their learning will be presented at a public program held in Tokyo at a later date.

Read more about the recipients below and visit janm.org/democracy to learn more about the fellowship program.

2025 Watanabe Democracy Fellowship recipients

Takashi Ishimori is a manager of the Asia and Oceania Section of Global Strategic Planning & Marketing Group at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. He oversees operations for sales subsidiaries in the Asian region. He began his career at a trading company specializing in steel, where he handled international sales across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. In 2014, he joined Mitsubishi Electric and was responsible for overseas sales of electrical equipment for metro systems in India, contributing to the successful order of the Pune Metro Project through close collaboration with local partners. He was seconded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and from 2021 to 2023 he helped strengthen Japan-Europe economic relations through frameworks such as the Japan-EU EPA and the Japan-UK EPA.

Misako Kono is a senior officer in the Global Partnerships Department of The Japan Foundation. She works on multiple grant and fellowship programs related to US-Japan, ASEAN-Japan, and Indo Pacific regions. From 2021 to 2024 she was an assistant director in the Japanese Studies, Global Partnerships, Japanese Language Training for EPA Nurses and Caregivers, and Communication divisions.at Japan Foundation, Jakarta. She also worked with community-based initiatives on waste management and disaster mitigation. Her experience growing up in Hong Kong and conducting interview-based research in Indonesia fueled her passion for issues such as democracy, multicultural society, and interreligious dialogue.

Sato Sekimoto is the manager for the General Affairs Division of the International Affairs Bureau of the City of Yokohama. After completing a master’s degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science, she worked as a consultant on disaster management projects in Southeast Asia and research on overseas environmental regulations and schemes. In 2011, she joined the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), where she worked on  development projects in the Pacific region and wrote  an analytical  paper on the region. After joining the City of Yokohama in 2013, she worked in a department promoting public-private partnerships, and is currently in charge of international exchange with the Americas region.

Risa Shibata is a representative at the JICA Laos Office, where she oversees the education, sports, and tourism sectors. Her responsibilities include projects in both basic and higher education, as well as projects promoting inclusive sports operations. Previously, Ms. Shibata also worked at JICA Headquarters in Tokyo. She was responsible for basic education projects such as developing mathematics textbooks and engaging in community development initiatives in the African Region. As part of her assignment, she also has experience working in Ethiopia. Ms. Shibata holds a MA in International Affairs from Columbia University, a MA in Public Policy from the University of Tokyo, and a BA in Human Sciences from Osaka University.  

Daisuke Shirakawa is a producer for the evening news program News Zero at Nippon Television Network Corporation. Since coming out as gay in 2018, he has done extensive reporting on issues affecting the Japanese LGBTQ community. In 2021, he led the revision of his company’s personnel system, ensuring that employees with same-sex partners are treated equally to those with opposite-sex spouses—a first in Japan’s commercial broadcasting industry. In 2024, he played a leading role in the launch of Colorful Weekend, the first station-wide campaign focusing on DEI in Japanese commercial broadcasting. Having studied under Chizuko Ueno, one of Japan’s most prominent feminist sociologists, he has supervised several TV drama series featuring LGBTQ characters, combining both gender studies and his lived experience as a queer individual. He continues to work toward expanding diversity across the industry as vice-chair of the labor union in the broadcasting sector.

Hiromi Shirakura has fifteen years of experience at Nippon Yusen Kaisha, where as of April 2025 she is in charge of secretarial duties to the president. Over the years, she has worked in Tokyo and Bangkok, gaining various experience across multiple roles, including sales, legal affairs, and human resources. In the Human Resources group, she was responsible for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, particularly promoting DEI from a gender perspective. Her responsibilities included designing and implementing HR policies and DEI-related training programs that aligned with the company’s management plan.

Ayumi Wajima leads the Planning Department at Banco MUFG Brasil S.A., where she oversees corporate strategy, governance, and critical projects. She also contributes to the Japanese community in São Paulo through her roles in Japanese School and Japanese chamber of commerce. She began her career at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., where she gained comprehensive training in various banking operations. She served as a banking officer in multiple branches, managing transactions for small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2015, Ayumi transitioned to the IT Solutions Department, leading a significant system implementation project for a branch in Southeast Asia. Following the bank’s rebranding to MUFG Bank, Ltd., she took on managerial roles in New York, focusing on strategic planning and platform management for offices across the Americas.

Chihiro Yago is a high school English teacher at Takaoka High School in Toyama Prefecture. She also promotes project-based learning as a member of the curriculum innovation team. After beginning her career in education, she served as a JICA volunteer in Honduras, where her experience in local schools shaped her understanding of education and global perspectives. Upon returning to Japan, she worked with the Yamada Town Board of Education in Iwate Prefecture, contributing to the educational recovery following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2019, she was appointed International Commissioner and Board Member of the Girl Scouts of Japan, where she advocates for gender equality and helps build an environment that supports the full potential of young girls. She holds a master’s degree in Development Studies with a focus on gender issues.

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About the Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center)

The Democracy Center is a place where visitors can examine the Asian American experience, past and present, and talk about race, identity, social justice, and the shaping of democracy. It convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement; educates and informs the public and public officials about important issues; creates strength within and among communities to advocate for positive change; and explores the values that shape American democracy. The Democracy Center looks for solutions that engage communities in self-advocacy, explore the evolving idea of what it means to be an American, and result in actions that bring everyone together. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; Democracy Center programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @democracyjanm.

About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a center for civil rights, ensuring that the hard-fought lessons of the World War II incarceration are not forgotten. A Smithsonian Affiliate and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories. JANM is a center for the arts as well as history. It provides a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over one hundred exhibitions onsite while traveling forty exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @jamuseum.