Join us for an engaging discussion about the complexities and practicalities of being a businesswoman in Japan. This special session of our Stanford course on “Japanese Business Culture and Systems” will have our panelists delve into their experiences and strategies for success working in Japan, in Japanese companies, and with Japanese clients.

This program is presented by the US-ATMC in cooperation with JWIBA (Japanese Women's Initiative in the Bay Area)

Registration:

• To attend in-person, please RSVP here.
• To attend by Zoom, please register here.

Panelists:

Dr. Makiko Kawabe, Senior Researcher, Digital Health, Sompo Digital Lab and former US-ATMC Visiting Scholar

Makiko Kawabe, PhD is a Senior Researcher at SOMPO Digital Lab Silicon Valley and a Visiting Professor at Tohoku University’s Advanced Graduate Program for Future Medicine and Health Care. With more than 15 years of experience supporting policy development primarily for Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, she has developed deep expertise in long-term care policy, care management, and AgeTech.

Currently, at SOMPO’s open innovation hub—the largest provider of senior living and care services in Japan—she works to connect innovations in healthcare and well-being to new businesses and social implementation in Japan. In addition, she co-founded the U.S.-based nonprofit Japanese Women’s Initiative in the Bay Area (JWIBA) in 2024, engaging more than 1,000 participants to date to support the careers of Japanese women working in Silicon Valley and foster the next generation of global leaders.

Dr. Yuri Nishikawa, Senior Researcher, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)

Yuri Nishikawa holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from Keio University’s Graduate School of Science and Technology. She spent a decade at Panasonic R&D, working on the research and development of consumer electronics, smart home systems, and cloud services. Since 2021, she has been a Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), where she contributes to the development and demonstration of digital services in smart cities, mobility, and the circular economy domains, as well as related international standardization efforts.

Yuri has visited the Bay Area both as an assignee and as an accompanying partner. Since 2024 has engaged in research activities with the Japanese Women’s Initiative in the Bay Area (JWIBA), including studies on female expatriates and STEM pathway choices among Japanese and U.S. students.

Saki Oshima, Partner, NEXTBLUE

After receiving her MBA from the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego in 2018, Saki Oshima joined Scrum Ventures in San Francisco, where she spearheaded investments in women’s health and facilitated collaborations with major Japanese corporations. Notably, she served as the only Japanese judge at significant industry pitch contests, establishing a community alongside several local VC firms to serve as a bridge between Japan and the US. Saki has also made substantial contributions to startup communities in the U.S. and Europe as a mentor. As a Japanese female investor residing in the U.S., she actively shares insights into the startup ecosystem by speaking at events and contributing to media outlets, leveraging her unique position to foster cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.

Kimberley Williams, Senior Program Manager, US-ATMC (Moderator)

Kimberley completed both her BA in American Studies and MA in Tourism Administration at The George Washington University in Washington DC.  She worked previously at Stanford University for the Graduate School of Business for nine years in a variety of roles, the last of which was Associate Director at the Center for Global Business and the Economy managing the global study trips program where all MBA students must satisfy a Global Experience Requirement prior to graduation.  After the GSB, Kimberley became a Senior Manager in Commercial Operations at Jazz Pharmaceuticals.  Most recently, she was a Program Manager with Cisco Systems working in Corporate Social Responsibility and managing Cisco’s relationship with the World Economic Forum before coming back to Stanford University to join the US-Asia Technology Management Center.