Womble Bond Dickinson’s Nashville office sponsored and hosted the Tennessee-Japan Business Forum and Annual Meeting of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee (JAST) on March 30.

The general theme of the meeting was “The implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on geostrategic challenges the U.S. and Japan face in Asia.” Dr. Zack Cooper, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Masashi Murano, Japan Chair Fellow at the Hudson Institute, led the discussion. The Honorable Yoichi Matsumoto, Consul-General of Japan in Nashville, provided additional remarks.

WBD Partner Masami Tyson also spoke at the event. She serves as Chair of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee’s Board of Directors.

U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee was a special guest at the event and spoke on the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship and Japan’s contribution to the U.S. economy, as well as the role of JAST in building the Tennessee-Japan relationship.

From left to right stand John Scannapieco, Josh Funderburke, Masami Tyson, U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, Joy Holloway, Lori Patton, and Toni French in Womble Bond Dickinson's Nashville office.
Masami Tyson speaks at a podium.
Masami Tyson, Dr. Zack Cooper, U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, Masashi Murano, and the Honorable Yoichi Matsumoto
Senator Bill Hagerty speaks with event attendees.
Senator Bill Hagerty speaks with Masami Tyson and Toni French.
Senator Bill Hagerty speaks to the audience from a podium.