Ambassador and Mrs. Sasae Visit Colorado (October 15-17, 2015)

　His Excellency Kenichiro Sasae, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his wife, Mrs. Sasae visited Colorado on October 15-17, 2015. They met with many local government officials and attended several events held in their honor.

　On Thursday, the 15th, Ambassador Sasae and his wife met with Governor Matt Mead of Wyoming and discussed the economic relations between Japan and the State of Wyoming. They also exchanged opinions on how to strengthen the Japan-Wyoming relationship through sister city relations.

　Later the same day,  the Ambassador Sasae and his wife attended the Japanese Society of Colorado (JASC) Annual Banquet. The banquet was a warm welcome to the Ambassador and his wife, and among the guests were U.S. Senator Cory Gardner, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Congressman Mike Coffman, and Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver. In return, Ambassador Sasae gave a commemorative lecture on the present state of U.S.-Japan relations in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

　On Friday, the 16th, the Ambassador and his wife visited the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs. After meeting with Superintendent Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson, Ambassador Sasae gave a lecture to cadets studying Japanese on U.S.-Japan relations with an emphasis on cooperation between the US Military and Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

　Following, the Ambassador and his wife attended a luncheon meeting hosted by World Denver and participated in an opinion exchange with Congresswoman DeGette and other local employees on U.S.-Japan economic relations. Later, the Ambassador and his wife took a tour of Sakura Square in downtown Denver, which displays bronze statues the famous Governor Ralph Carr who advocated for Japanese American rights during the war and other prominent Colorado Japanese-Americans.

　Lastly, as a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)-related event, Ambassador Sasae visited Denver Beer Co. and software company Pivotal IO. At Pivotal, the Ambassador participated in a roundtable and discussed with company representatives on how America can strengthen economic relations with Japan.