A member of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s administration is in Japan from March 2-10 as part of the 2018 Japanese American Leadership Delegation (JALD) program, a week-long trip dedicated to building people-to-people connections with Japanese leaders. Director of Management & Budget Laurie Van Pelt is one of 10 Japanese-American leaders who will engage in strengthening U.S.-Japan relations across all sectors of society.
“Laurie is a natural leader who has strong ties to our local Japanese-American community,” Patterson said. “Oakland County will benefit greatly from the relationships she’ll build in Japan.”
The delegates will visit Tokyo, where past delegations have typically met with the prime minister, foreign minister and top business executives, among others. The delegates will then visit various cities in Yamaguchi prefecture, and in Yamaguchi City they will participate in a panel discussion sponsored by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership and the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC).
“I was pleased to hear that Ms. Van Pelt was selected for this opportunity to represent Japanese-Americans in my jurisdiction,” said Mitsuhiro Wada, the consul general of Japan in Detroit. “I feel that she can contribute much to this program and help grow the role of the JALD alumni network upon her return.”
Van Pelt echoed the importance of networking with Japanese leaders and other Japanese-Americans during the delegation’s visit to Japan.
“This is an historic opportunity to make Oakland County’s connection with Japan even stronger,” Van Pelt said. “Japanese companies and families have quite a presence in Oakland County.”
There are 270 Japanese companies with locations in Oakland County. Also, a partnership among Michigan State University, the Japanese Consulate, the Japanese Business Society, the city of Novi, and the Oakland County Department of Economic Development & Community Affairs is leading to the opening of a Japanese garden in Novi this summer.
The Sakura Garden will feature 17 flowering cherry trees and a pavilion at MSU’s Tollgate Farm and Education Center. The first cherry blossoms will bloom in the spring of 2019.
Van Pelt was born in Sasebo in the Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan. Her mother was born in Kumamoto in the Kumamoto Prefecture. Her father is retired from the U.S. Navy.
The delegates come from across the country and are active in their communities, engaged in U.S.-Japan relations and committed to deepening ties between Japanese Americans and Japan. USJC President Irene Hirano Inouye will accompany the delegation. The program is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and organized by USJC. The JALD is in its 18th year.
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