Japanese businessman Koichiro Iwasaki, who earned his bachelor¡¯s degree in at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ in the 1970s, has pledged $200,000 to the (CSS) to encourage educational and socio-economic pathways between Â鶹´«Ã½ and Kagoshima, Japan.
Iwasaki¡¯s endowment pledge will support the CSS Japan-Â鶹´«Ã½ Socio-Economic Innovation Initiative (JHSEII), which integrates Nikkei, Hawaiian and U.S. cultural perspectives into a dynamic learning platform based on academic/research discovery and international collaboration.
The initiative focuses on four hallmark programs designed to promote a stronger understanding of global socio-economic issues while embracing a model of corporate social responsibility:
- Socio-economic dialogue: Students, faculty and businesspeople interact with researchers and scholars on socio-economic challenges and their solutions, particularly in the areas of clean-energy transition, climate change adaptation, captive insurance and tourism impacts.
- Mutual student exchange: UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ and Japan-based university students attend virtual and/or in-person classes to promote people-to-people relations and intercultural understanding.
- Sustainable tourism enhancement: Multifaceted sustainable tourism-based training for Japan employees, mid-level managers or top leadership is offered virtually or on the UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ campus. Topics range from development of human resources, to assessing and managing beach overcrowding.
- Disaster risk response and environmental global stewardship: Participants explore the necessity of advance planning to confront natural and man-made hazards threatening life, property and a sense of well-being; and raising sustainability and climate standards in a resource-fragile world.
“As a CSS economics undergraduate, I admired my many stellar professors, especially Seiji Naya, who is considered a pioneer in the study of Asian economic cooperation. My experience in Â鶹´«Ã½ helped to shape my global business perspective and fostered the aloha spirit in my corporate dealings,” said Iwasaki, president and CEO of Shigetomi Shoji Co. Ltd. based in Kagoshima. “I am establishing this endowment to benefit my UH alma mater and my hometown, Kagoshima, through education- and economic-based activities. I hope other CSS alumni in Japan, and Japan-based companies with ties to Â鶹´«Ã½, will do the same.”
Denise Eby Konan, CSS dean and economics professor, added, “Dr. Iwasaki¡¯s lead gift comes at a critical time as we launch JHSEII. We are appreciative of his inspirational leadership to support and promote a better understanding of international socio-economic issues in Japan and Â鶹´«Ã½, while developing shining examples of corporate social responsibility.”
on Iwasaki¡¯s background and remembrances of Â鶹´«Ã½ is available on the CSS website.
Gift donations
To contribute online to JHSEII, go to the , select UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ and input fund ID number 13003204 (College of Social Sciences, Japan-Â鶹´«Ã½ Socio-Economic Innovation Initiative).
To contribute online to JHSEII in Japan, contact Nori Tarui, professor and graduate chair of the Department of Economics, and bilingual senior advisor to the dean on Global College Initiatives, at nori@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-8427.