http://www.amchamokinawa.org chamber@amchamokinawa.

org TEL: (098) 898-5401 FAX: (098) 898-5411

Presidents First Word

Mr. Tony Sakuda, President Golden Week is now behind us, and our ACCO plate is full for the remainder of the month. We continue to be excited about how our Chamber is interfacing with the Okinawan and military base communities. I thank each of you for your commitment and involvement. The Chamber Connection April 20th at the Seamens Club Naha was a huge success, and we are already planning the next one. For those whove missed the explanations, the Chamber Connection is our ACCO membership recruiting and recognition tool, inviting prospective members, new members, ACCO officers, governors and committee chairpersons, and YOU, the members, to meet in an informal, social setting to get to know each other better. Networking is the key to expanding our reach into the community. CanNa Resort Villa celebrated its sixth anniversary in April, and both ACCO Secretary Mickey Weissert and I represented our organization. Okinawas Governor, Hirokazu Nakaima, officiated at ceremonies and a reception with the launch of Mandarin Airlines Taiwan to Okinawa service at the Loisir Hotel. Past President Walt Christiansen and I represented ACCO at this event, and had discussions on how ACCO can increase its support for tourism-related activities. Our Chamber leadership was much in evidence at the Ryukyu Taiwan Womens Association 15th year anniversary party at the Pacific Hotel in Naha. Hostess and organization president Alice Kawaki, a strong ACCO supporter, had more than 400 people present at the eve-

May 2012

ning gala, during which five remarkable mothers were honored. And last but not least, ACCO Vice President Lemont Whiteside represented us at an awards dinner by the Marine Corps Aviation Associations 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Todays General Membership Meeting welcomes Dr. John Wocher. Dr. Wocher is the author of numerous articles on Japans healthcare system, and has been with the Kameda Medical Center since 1991. Dr. Wochers presentation will highlight the challenges of Medical Tourism in Japan. Looking ahead to later in the month, our members will be invited to participate in an Off-site Business Event. Our Special Events Committee is working out details, and well be widely distributing the information so you can make plans to attend. Our goal is to combine membership activities, educational events, social functions and business-oriented programs as value-added incentives to our members. Were an active, vibrant Chamber, but were far from as great as we can be. The key, of course, is YOU. We want you to get more involved, joining and participating in committees and as many ACCO events and activities as you can. Our officers, governors, committees and past presidents are all listed in the Colleague. Feel free to contact any of us, anytime. See you all soon and thank you for your support. ACCO ACCO ACCO 420 ACCO 413 6 5 Continued on Page 5

AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012

May 2012 Guest Speaker

The American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa

DR. JOHN C. WOCHER, M.H.A., FACHE

Executive Vice President The Kameda Medical Center Director International Affairs/International Patient Services

2012 Officers
President
Tony Sakuda Okinawa Tourist Service The American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa

Vice President

Lemont Whiteside American Engineering Corp.

Committees
Protocol Committee
Committee Chair: Prof. Bien Panganiban

Vice President

Justin Wentworth IV Lloyd & Heinz, Ltd.

Secretary

Mickey Weissert KDDI Okinawa Co., Ltd.

Membership Committee
Committee Chair: Justin Wentworth IV

Medical Tourism Challenges For Japan

Treasurer

Richard Boudreault American Engineering Corp.

Trade & Labor Committee / OJACC

Committee Chair: Vice Committee Chair: Joseph C. Thompson Munenori Gushiken

2012 Board of Governors

James Pogue, Immediate Past President Fareast Service Company Walt Christiansen United Seamens Service Hawari Habrawi Phoenix Corporation Nobukatsu Miyaguni NoBu Jarrett Ota Individual Member Bien Panganiban Ryukyu Classical Academy Ray Payne Eastern Star Corporation Joseph C. Thompson J.C. Thompson Corporation Sayaka Toyokawa Interlink Okinawa Ltd.

Financial & Tax Committee

Committee Chair: Richard Boudreault

Special Events Committee

Committee Chair: Walt Christiansen Vice Committee Chair: Rose Liggayu-Raymundo

Programs Committee
Committee Chair: Advisor: Sayaka Toyokaya James Pogue

APCAC Liaison
Committee Chair: Ray Payne

Military Liaison Committee

Committee Chair: Vice Committee Chair: Lemont Whiteside Art Arao

Past Presidents
Justin Wentworth III - 85, 88, 89 Lloyd & Heinz, Ltd. Gilbert Hoffman - 88, 94, 95 Sunabe Corporation Joseph Thompson - 96, 97, 05, 06, 07 J.C. Thompson Corporation Michael Oshiro - 98, 99 Ameku Enterprise, Ltd. Michael Kelly - 01, 02 Aladdin Trading Co. Walt Christiansen - 03, 04 United Seamens Service William Kelly - 08, 09 Trans World Assurance Company Colleague Editorial Staff Editor Mickey Weissert Layout Mickey Weissert Translations Megumi Shinjo The AmCham Colleague is published by the American Chamber of Commerce Okinawa (ACCO Okinawa), a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. ACCOkinawa, P.O. Box 235, Okinawa City, Okinawa, Japan 904-8591 Phone (098) 898-5401 Fax (098) 898-5411 Office Hours 9am 5pm Mon-Fri
http://www.amchamokinawa.org

Constitution By-Laws
Committee Chair: Jusin Wentworth IV

Dr. John Wocher is the author of numerous articles on Japans healthcare system, and has been with the Kameda Medical Center since 1991, and currently is the Executive Vice President for Administration as well as the Director, International Affairs and International Patient Services. The Kameda Medical Center is an 802 bed private teaching hospital, with a freestanding ambulatory care center which averages more than 3000 outpatient visits per day. Kameda achieved full ISO9001 certification in March of 2001, was ranked 4/100 by Nikkei Publications in 2001, and 5/100 by Weekly Asahi in October of 2002. In 2006 Trendy Magazine ranked Kameda #1. Kameda is additionally accredited by the British Standards Institute, The United Kingdom Accrediting Services, the Japan Accrediting Board, and the Japan Information Processing Development Corporation (Privacy Mark Certified). In 2007 Kameda won a Best Wired hospital award for Information technology, and a Best Practice hospital award from the Bertelsmann Foundation. In August 2009, Kameda became the first hospital in Japan to achieve Joint Commission International Accreditation. John has a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from Baylor University and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has undergraduate degrees from the University of Maryland in Japanese Studies and Asian Studies. As a Preceptor for the University of Iowas Graduate Program in Hospital and Health Services Administration, John has mentored 18 graduate students from that program who completed three-month summer internships at Kameda. He wrote a book, translated into Japanese, intended as a patients guide to hospitalization in Japan, published by Nikkei Book Publishing Company, in October of 2000 Nippon no Byoin In February of 2003, his second book Patient Safety Guide to Hospitalization was published in Korea (in Hangul). On 1 September 2010, John became a Consultant, Joint Commission International.

Public Relations / Community Relations Committee

Committee Chair: Vice Committee Chair: Jarrett Ota Dr. Scott Goldberg

Local Liaison Committee

Committee Chair: Vice Committee Chair: Sayaka Toyokawa Nobukatsu Miyaguni

Information Technology Committee

Committee Chair: Advisor: Mickey Weissert

American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa

Nominating Committee
Committee Chair: Hawari Habrawi

Tourism & Hospitality Committee

Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

Committee Co-Chair: Committee Co-Chair: Committee Vice-Chair:

Dennis Tortona Carl Bastian Cindy Kawaguchi

chamber@amchamokinawa.org www.amchamokinawa.org To advertise in the Colleague Contact the American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa at (098) 898-5401 or chamber@amchamokinawa.org

Education Committee
Committee Chair: Mike Holland

AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012

AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012

General Membership Meeting

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April 6, 2012 For our April program, Marc M. Wall, Minister-Counselor of Economic and Science Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America, Tokyo, Japan presented Advancing the U.S.-Japan Economic Partnership. The American Chamber of Commerce on Okinawa thanks MinisterCounselor Wall for his informative and interesting presentation.

Recent Events
ACCO President Tony Sakuda and Governor Walt Christiansen attended the Mandarin Airlines Welcome Reception on Saturday, April 14th at the Loisir Hotel in Naha. Mandarin Airlines started service between Taichung and Okinawa on April 4th. The American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa welcomes Mandarin Airlines to Okinawa.

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From left: Mr. Marc M. Wall, Minister-Counselor of Economic and Science Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America, Tokyo, Japan and ACCO President Tony Sakuda ACCO

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From left: Ms. Annie Huang, General Manager, China Airlines Okinawa Office, ACCO President Tony Sakuda, Jeff Ho, President, Mandarin Airlines, ACCO Governor Walt Christiansen ACCO ACCO

New Members

the changes. You should contact your local city office for details if your confirmation request does not arrive. More information on the new system is available at the Immigration Bureau of Japan website: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/index.html 1 Continued from Page 1 ACCOACCO 414 ACCOACCO ACCO 428ACCO ACCO 4005 426 7 ACCOACCO C 1991 ACCO ACCO ACCO ACCO AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012 5

Important Information for The registration system for foreign residents in Japan will be changing in July 2012. The Japanese government will be sending Foreigners Living in Japan requests for identity confirmation to registered foreigners prior to

FFrom left: Mr. Takeshi Higaonna, Naha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Young Entrepreneurs Group Representative to the ACCO, Assistant Director, Information and Communications Department, Ryuseki Trading Inc. and ACCO President Tony Sakuda ACCO

From left: Mr. Hidenori Shinzato, Executive Director, Kyohara-Gumi Co., Ltd. and ACCO President Tony Sakuda ACCO

Recent Events
ACCO Secretary Mickey Weissert represented the American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa at the Naha Chamber of Commerce & Industry Womens Association & YEG Joint GetTogether Wednesday, April 18th at the Kariyushi Urban Resort.

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From left: Ms. Keiko Suzuki, President, Naha Chamber of Commerce & Industry Womens Association and ACCO Secretary, Mickey Weissert ACCO

From left: Mr. Yukinobu Soeishi, President, Naha Chamber of Commerce & Industry Young Entrepreneurs Group and ACCO Secretary, Mickey Weissert ACCO

AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012

Recent Events

Cyber Information Sharing & Protection Act (CISPA)

Mickey Weissert, ACCO Secretary & IT Committee Advisor

The Cyber Information Sharing & Protection Act (CISPA) was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on 26 April, 2012. The Act is not without controversy. Please see the below articles for more information. The U.S. Senate will be considering the Act in the near future. Links to more information: Summary and Citations: (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber_Intelligence_Sharing_and_Protection_Act House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Act Text: http://intelligence.house.gov/bill/cyber-intelligence-sharing-and-protection-act-2011 Press Materials: http://intelligence.house.gov/press-materials

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Press Release:

Rogers-Ruppersberger Cyber Bill Passes House Cyber Information Sharing & Protection Act (CISPA) Passes with Vote of 248 to 168
From left: ACCO Tourism & Hospitaliy Committee Chair Mr. Carl Bastian (KPG Group), Mr. Ryoichi Yamato (AMMS HOTELS, CanNa Resort Villa), ACCO President Tony Sakuda, ACCO Member Ms. Robin Miller (Director USO Okinawa), Mr. Eisuke Tokuhara (CEO AMMS International Co., Ltd., CanNa Resort Villa), ACCO Secretary Mr. Mickey Weissert ACCO ACCOUSOACCO ACCO

ACCO members were invited to participate in CanNa Resort Villas 6th Anniversary celebration on Friday, 13 April. The American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa thanks the CanNa Resort Villa for their hospitality and the opportunity to experience their new and unique cuisine.

4136ACCO

WASHINGTON, D.C. Economic cyber spies will have a harder time stealing American business plans and research and development as the House took the first step today by passing a cybersecurity bill that will help US companies better protect themselves from dangerous economic predators. In a show of bipartisanship, the House of Representatives passed the Cyber Information Sharing & Protection Act by a vote of 248 to 168. The bill gives the federal government new authority to share classified cyber threat information with approved American companies and knocks down barriers to cyber threat information sharing. With strong provisions built in to keep individual Americans private information private, the bill allows U.S. businesses to better protect their own networks and their corporate customers from hackers looking to steal intellectual property.

for your personal information 300,000 times a day, one company, Chairman Rogers said during the open floor debate of the bill. One company in particular estimated they lost 20,000 good paying manufacturing jobs for Americans because countries like China stole their intellectual property and illegally competed against them in the market place, Rogers said. This is not just a victory on the House floor. This is victory for America. Our nation is one step closer to making a real difference protecting our country from a catastrophic cyber attack. This shows what can happen when Democrats and Republicans work together for the good of our country. This robust, open, bipartisan process made a good bill even better. I look forward to seeing it taken up in the Senate, said Ranking Member C.A. Ruppersberger.

From left: Aya Haemori, American Consulate General, Naha, Mr. Shin Koyamada, Heather Eaton, American Consulate General, Naha, ACCO Education Committee Chair Mr. Mike Holland, ACCO Member Mr. Cesar Hernandez and ACCO Member Mr. Michael Martin (front,center) ACCOACCO ACCO

ACCO Education Committee members supported the U.S. Consulate General Naha during the Okinawa International Movie Festival at the Convention Center in Ginowan City by assisting at their The Okinawa Contents Land booth by helping to distribute literature and information from March 25th to the 31st.

ACCO Education Committee members supported the 32431 U.S. Consulate General Naha during their event In Pursuit 4 of the American Dream on March 29th at the Urasoe ACCO Library promoting English study in the U.S. which featured an appearance by Shin Koyamada who starred in the movie The Last Samurai.

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6 AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012

Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger worked collaboratively for over a year with hundreds of U.S. companies, industry associations, and privacy and civil liberties groups, including the ACLU and the CDT, as the bill was drafted, and through the process of bringing the bill to the House Floor. Their transparency in the process and open We cant stand by and do nothing as U.S. companies engagement with all interested parties, produced a bill are hemorrhaging from the cyber looting coming from that provides the protections American businesses need, nation states like China and Russia, Chairman Rogers while simultaneously protecting the privacy rights of said. America will be a little safer and our economy individuals. By permitting the private sector to expand its own better protected from foreign cyber predators with this legislation. I commend the bipartisan effort on this bill. cyber defense efforts and to use classified information to And I thank Ranking Member Ruppersberger for his protect its systems and networks, this bill will help create leadership in getting 42 Democrats to join this important a more robust cybersecurity marketplace with expanded legislation. I encourage the Senate to take up the bill service offerings and jobs. More importantly, this bill does not contain any new federal spending or impose soon so we can move it to the Presidents desk. One credit card company said that they get attacked additional federal regulation or unfunded mandates on the private sector. US companies and trade associations anxious to better protect their networks and their customers lined up in droves in a show of strong support for this bill, including Facebook, the US Chamber of Commerce, Boeing, financial trade associations, AT&T, utilities groups, Intel, tech associations, and many others.
AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012 7

ACCO Education Committee

Mission Statement: The American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa (ACCO) Education Committee (EC) is a business organization comprised of professionals working in the English and IT sectors that aims to support programs that will raise the English level, technical and professional skills, as well as provide the best possible opportunities for all the people in Okinawa. Proficiency in English and technology will help professional growth and enable the people & businesses in Okinawa to be more competitive in todays global world. We will aid all who want to learn for a variety of social, professional, academic, or personal reasons. Lastly, we will partner with all available resources to help make Okinawa the center for education and international business in Asia & raise the level of English to the highest in all of Japan. Here are some of the ways we hope to accomplish our mission: Offer English courses in everything from conversation to business, resume & IT seminars, internships for young Okinawans to gain experience working in American environments and other viable channels of opportunity. Support IT & English language contests and promote English-related events and resources for non-native speakers on Okinawa. Offers motivational/inspirational speakers Support language and culture programs Through the collaboration of the American and Okinawan communities, develop educational events/programs and projects that will help both personal growth and advance educational opportunities Current members of the ACCO Education Committee 1. Aya Haemori from the US Consulate http://www.http/naha.usconsulate.gov/ 2. Cesar Hernandez from MCCS http://www.mccsokinawa.com/ 3. Dr. Melvin Hagan from the University of Phoenix 4. Dr. Scott Goldberg from the University of Phoenix http://www.phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/military-overseas/asia-pacific/japan/kadena-afb-education-center.html 5. Gordon Bolton from Spearpoint http://www.spearpt.com/index.php 6. Hazuki Oshiro from Ruble Preschool 7. Heather Eaton from the US Consulate http://naha.usconsulate.gov/ 8. Kae Chinen from Bloominghills Okinawa/Duo International Language School http://www.bloominghillsokinawa.com/ http://www.duo-de-eigo.com/specifictradelaw.html 9. Masato Chinen from Okinawa International School http://www.ois-edu.com/ 10. Mike Holland from English Teachers in Okinawa http://www.studyandinternjapan.com/ 11. Mike Martin from Busy Bee International School http://www.busybee-school.jp/ Every month the ACCO Education Committee will recommend a few websites. Here are this months websites so please take a look: Consulate Twitter link https://twitter.com/#!/USConsulateNaha US US Consulate website http://naha.usconsulate.gov/ Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau http://www.ocvb.or.jp/en/ Okinawa Prefecture http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/english/index.html The ACCO Education Committee is supporting the following upcoming event: Lester Middle School FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2012 Local and Military Support Organizations Sponsor LMS Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Events Camp Lester, Okinawa, May 2, 2012 The American Chamber of Commerce Okinawa (ACCO) and the Personal Service Center on Camp Foster were quick to answer the call to support Lester Middle Schools Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAH) celebratory events. The ACCO is sponsoring essay, poetry, video and art contests for LMS students. Businesses who are members of the ACCO Education Committee will provide judges and awards to the winners of each contest. Additionally, the ACCO has coordinated with the American Consulate in Naha to invite Japanese students from Okinawa Shogaku Junior High School and Busy Bee International Elementary School to submit entries as well. The LMS after school Craft Club brought in guest artist Atsuko Kinjo of the Personal Service Center on Camp Foster. Ms. Kinjo taught students how to make origami paper clip necklaces and gift boxes for Mothers Day. She will return with another after school cultural workshop on May 16. The director of Busy Bee International Elementary School, Ms. Sachiko Arakaki and Educational Director, Mr. Michael Martin, will bring 22 of their Eisa dance performers to LMS on May 7, 2012. These students will also perform during the LMS Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration Assembly on May 31, 2012. Tony Sakuda, the President of the ACCO, and/or Mike Holland, the Education Committee (EC) Chairman of the ACCO, will attend the LMS Asian Pacific American Heritage Month assembly to present awards to the contest winners. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May to commemorate the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans, the first Japanese immigrants to the U.S. and the completion of the transcontinental railroad which was constructed by Chinese immigrants. May is also important to Okinawa and Japan as it is anniversary of the Okinawa Reversion of 1972 and the gift of 3,020 cherry trees from Japan to the U.S. Contact Information: Lisa Tunstall Lester Middle School

AmCham Okinawa Colleague May 2012