Mental Health Matters: The Corporate Role in Supporting Japanese Expatriates & Their Families

Webinar | Hosted by The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York & Japanese Medical Society of America

Location: New York, NY
Ms. Haruka Kokaze, the 2024 Mitsui USA Foundation-JMSA Scholarship recipient, led a webinar alongside Dr. Kathy Pike and Dr. Robert Yanagisawa. The program combined academic insights, personal narratives, and practical strategies to equip Japanese subsidiaries in the United States with evidence-based tools for creating more supportive and resilient workplaces. The speakers shared personal stories – Dr. Yanagisawa’s experience growing up in an expatriate family decades ago, Dr. Pike’s reflections as an American expatriate in Japan, and Ms. Kokaze’s recent experience as the daughter of Japanese expatriate parents – underscoring that expatriate mental health challenges persist across generations and geographies. The event also featured a recorded message from Ms. Paola Campos, General Manager of Human Resources at Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc., affirming the company’s commitment to workplace mental health. More than 70 participants from the United States, Japan, Brazil, Singapore, and Australia attended, representing multinational corporations, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations, with many noting that the session not only provided evidence-based strategies but also validated their lived experiences.

(Left to Right: Haruka Kokaze, Kathy Pike, Masaaki Maeda, Vice President, The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York, Robert Yanagisawa, Professor of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)



(Pictured above: Paola Campos, General Manager of Human Resources, Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc.)

Read a recap of the event from the Japanese Medical Society of America