Hosting Committee(s): Independent Business

Japanport LLP's Sonoe Azuma had a career in finance with Sanwa Bank and
Deutsche Securities that included countless business trips to New York,
London, Hong Kong and other money centers. She found, however, that
meetings during these trips lacked any meaningful interactivity beyond
business. That led her to launch Japanport in 2005 to help connect
people from overseas with Japanese people with industries or objectives
in common. Operating out of a beautiful Meiji Era house in Shinagawa,
Japanport focuses on art and business projects as well as hosting
exhibitions and networking events. In addition to describing her various
enterprises - which includes writing a popular blog about onsen - Sonoe
will tell you about an event she is co-hosting at Omotesando Hills on
May 12 called J300 <http://joseishacho.net/j300/> for 300 women CEOs and
entrepreneurs that will include a panel discussion facilitated by Heizo
Takenaka.