U.S.-Japan Initiative Program III: Art, Entertainment, and Sports

Join Asia Society Southern California (ASSC) on Monday, January 19, for U.S.-Japan Initiative (USJI) Program III, conversations exploring the intersections of art, entertainment, and sports through a U.S.-Japan lens.

The program will feature an entertainment panel examining cross-border storytelling and IP development; a sports panel focused on the globalization of leagues, talent, and fandom; and a hybrid* fireside chat with internationally renowned artist Takashi Murakami, followed by a panel of curators considering the evolving dialogue between Japanese contemporary art and global culture.

These conversations will highlight how creative practice, cultural expression, and athletics continue to push boundaries and shape exchange and collaboration between Japan and the United States.

USJI Program III will include:

Entertainment Panel

• Geneva Wasserman, Global EVP of Film/TV Development & Financing, Dentsu Entertainment USA
• Hikari, Director, Producer & Co-Writer, Rental Family, Searchlight Pictures
• Tohru Iokibe, SVP, IP Acceleration, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sports Panel

• Masanori Kawana, EVP & Managing Director, Fanatics Asia
• Takumi Jeannin, Partner, A&V Sports Group
• Amy Siegel, Partner, O'Melveny & Myers, LLP (moderator)

Fireside Chat with Takashi Murakami (hybrid)

• Takashi Murakami, Artist & Founder, Kai Kai Kiki (virtual)
• Ed Schad, Curator & Publications Manager, The Broad (moderator)

Art Panel

• Jeffrey Deitch, Artist, Writer, Curator, Dealer & Advisor
• Rika Hiro, Associate Curator, Japanese Art, LACMA
• Mika Yoshitake, Curator (moderator)

*Takashi Murakami will join the fireside chat virtually. Moderator Ed Schad will participate in person.

Attendees to the U.S.-Japan Initiative Inaugural Program may be photographed, videotaped, or otherwise recorded. Attendees grant Asia Society permission to use photographs and/or audiovisual recordings in which attendees appear for archival, documentary, publicity, advertising, or other purposes.