Kansai Next-Generation Leaders Mentorship Forum

The IJCC is delighted to collaborate with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and 9 other Chambers of Commerce in Japan on the Kansai Next-Generation Leaders Mentorship Forum, to be held on 11 September 2026.

For full details see below 👇

📅Date: Friday, September 11, 2026

🕐Time: 18:30–21:00 (Doors open at 18:00)

📍Venue: Waldorf Astoria Osaka

🍗Meal: Light refreshments

💴Fee: ¥5,000 (members) / ¥6,500 (guests)

📝Registration Link: https://accjevent09112026.peatix.com/

Registration/Cancellation Deadline: September 3 (17:00)

*Please note that this event will be conducted in English. However, if you would prefer to receive mentoring in Japanese, please let us know.
*本イベントは英語で開催されますが、日本語でメンタリングをご希望の方はご相談ください。

Event Overview

Join us for an evening of candid conversations, practical career insights, and meaningful connections with senior executives from leading multinational organizations. Designed for emerging professionals and future leaders, this interactive mentorship forum provides a unique opportunity to engage directly with accomplished executives who will share the lessons, challenges, and pivotal moments that have shaped their careers.

The event will begin with a panel discussion featuring personal leadership stories and career reflections, followed by small-group mentorship rotations where participants can engage directly with each mentor in an intimate discussion setting.

Whether you are navigating your next career move, stepping into leadership for the first time, or looking to broaden your perspective on professional growth, this forum offers valuable insights from leaders who have successfully navigated these journeys themselves.

Topics will include:

What I Wish I Knew at 25

Your First Leadership Role: What Nobody Tells You

Moments That Shaped My Leadership Style

Career Decisions That Changed Everything

Building Trust and Credibility

Confidence without Having All the Answers

Balancing Ambition, Well-being, and Long-Term Success

This event is ideal for young professionals, aspiring managers, and future leaders seeking practical advice, mentorship, and professional connections.

Capacity is limited to 60 participants to ensure meaningful interaction with each mentor.

Mentors: Kevin Yamaga-Karns, Associate Vice President, Legal Affairs, Eli Lilly Japan; Tetsuo Kawada, Executive Director and Head of Osaka Office, Morgan Stanley; Ted Takahashi, Vice President of Digital Technology, USJ; Justin L. Romsa, Senior Site Leader, AGI Operations, Amazon Japan; Ewoud Roosjen, Commercial Director, Waldorf Astoria Osaka

Hosting Committee: Kansai Young Professionals Forum

Supporting Organizations: Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Austrian Business Council, British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan, German Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce, Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Japan

About the Mentors

Tetsuo Kawada

Executive director of Morgan Stanley’s operations in Osaka, Tetsuo Kawada is also head of Japan shared services and banking operations. He joined Morgan Stanley in November 2019. Prior to his current role, he served as head of Japan fixed-income operations, partnering with the business on F2B operational support and strategic project delivery related to Alliance 2.0. He represents a number of industry-wide committees and working groups in Japan, working closely with the regulators and the business units. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Kawada started his career at Goldman Sachs Japan and worked on different teams within operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College.

Kevin Yamaga-Karns

With Eli Lilly Japan since 2002, Kevin Yamaga-Karns has led both the legal and the ethics and compliance organizations for more than 20 years. He also served for four years in Lilly’s head office in Indianapolis, supporting government affairs, drug pricing, and a range of strategic initiatives.

Before joining Eli Lilly, he was a senior associate at the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where he worked in their Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo offices. His practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, complex financing, and cross-border transactions.

Yamaga-Karns currently serves as chair of the Legal & Compliance Committee of the Japan-based Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). He also serves as governor for the Kansai region on the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Board of Governors. He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas and is a member of the California Bar Association.

Ted Takahashi

Vice president of global technology and innovation at Universal Studios Japan (USJ), Ted Takahashi leads the delivery of digital products and technology capabilities that transform both the guest and crew experiences. His mission is to enable and accelerate USJ’s digital journey, creating delight for guests through innovative, scalable, and effective digital capabilities.

Takahashi is a technology and operations executive with more than 20 years of experience spanning global enterprise technology and consumer entertainment. His career includes leadership roles at IBM and PlayStation, where he led large-scale service operations and established the CIO Office, partnering closely with CIOs and executive leadership teams. He is known for translating strategy into measurable outcomes, transforming team culture, strengthening operational discipline, and delivering meaningful business value through effective governance and strategic vendor management. Takahashi holds an executive MBA from the University of Cambridge and a bachelor of arts in law from Keio University.

Ewoud Roosjen

A hospitality and commercial leader with international experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Ewoud Roosjen currently serve as commercial director at Waldorf Astoria Osaka, where he leads sales, marketing, revenue, and events strategy for one of Japan’s newest luxury hotels. His career has been shaped by building high-performing teams, opening and repositioning luxury brands, and helping people grow with confidence in complex, fast-changing environments. Worked across different cultures and markets has taught him that successful leadership combines clear expectations, commercial discipline, curiosity and genuine care for people.

Alongside his professional role, Roosjen is completing an executive MBA. He enjoys mentoring young professionals navigating their first leadership roles, considering an international career, or looking to develop stronger communication, commercial, and personal decision-making skills. He aims to offer practical, honest guidance rooted in real experience, while creating a space where mentees can reflect, challenge themselves, and define what success means for them.

Justin L. Romsa

Senior manager of APAC operations and site general manager for Amazon Japan’s Osaka artificial general intelligence assets team, Justin L. Romsa is a seasoned operations professional with more than 15 years of experience in Japan. He has managed large teams of 1,500-plus people in locations spread across dozens of countries, and has spent the majority of his career working in the fast-paced world of machine learning model development for operations products and devices.

Prior to Amazon, he spent years working in the pharmaceutical industry as a regional operations strategy manager, leading multiple international integration projects, process improvement initiatives, and business development activities in Asia, Europe, and Japan. He completed his undergraduate studies in computer science and international business in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, and later continued his education with an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona.

ACCJ-Kansai Young Professionals Forum
Akimasa Kataoka, Ryan Watson, and Jun Mikami, Co-chairs
Emani Okamoto and Mayuko Hoshino, Vice Chairs

NOTE 1: This event is ON THE RECORD. Photos and videos will be taken during the event and displayed on the ACCJ website and social media channels, in The ACCJ Journal, etc.

NOTE 2: Please note that, as with all guest presentations, the content and comments of the speakers reflect their own opinions and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the ACCJ.

NOTE 3: Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and spots may be filled before the registration deadline. We recommend registering early to secure your place.

NOTE 4: If you cancel after the stated deadline, the full meeting fee will be charged to your account. All guests must be accompanied by a member of the ACCJ. No substitutions or walk-ins.