CAPA21 co-founder Glen S. Fukushima, Vice Chairman of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, on May 22 met with President Joe Biden and announced the establishment of the Fulbright-Glen S. Fukushima Fund through a $1 million donation.

Photo: President Joseph R. Biden thanks Glen S. Fukushima for his donation of $1,000,000.00 to the Fulbright Program. The photo was taken at the Tokyo residence of U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel (looking on) on Sunday, May 22 around 6:00 p.m., soon after the President’s arrival in Japan from South Korea. Ambassador Emanuel arranged the meeting with the President to recognize Fukushima for his contribution, the largest ever by a U.S. citizen in the 70-year history of the Fulbright Program in Japan.

Mr. Fukushima’s donation will expand study and research opportunities for Japanese and Americans. This is the largest single donation ever made by a U.S. citizen to the U.S.-Japan Fulbright exchange program.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel welcomed Mr. Fukushima’s generous commitment to promote education exchange: “The timing of the announcement during President Biden’s historic visit to Japan demonstrates the important role that individuals such as Mr. Fukushima play in strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance. Opportunities like this one serve as a down payment on the future of our peoples by enabling them to realize their academic aspirations.”

In announcing his commitment to President Biden, Mr. Fukushima commented, “I am pleased to have this opportunity give back to the Fulbright Program, from which I benefited greatly when I was a Fulbright Fellow from Harvard University at the University of Tokyo in 1982-1983. President Biden’s visit to Japan is the perfect occasion to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Fulbright Japan, and I hope my modest donation will contribute to promoting U.S.-Japan intellectual, educational, and cultural exchange.”

Mr. Fukushima is an alum of the U.S.-Japan Fulbright exchange program, and his donation is one of the largest ever made by an individual to the Fulbright program globally. The new Fund represents a major step forward for educational opportunities between the United States and Japan by supporting higher education. Educational exchange is a cornerstone of the rich people-to-people ties that underpin the U.S.-Japan friendship and Alliance.

Currently in its 70th year, the Fulbright program in Japan has produced six Nobel Prize winners and boasts of close to 10,000 alumni who have made important and lasting contributions in their respective fields. Fulbright enables recipients to pursue academic study and research, while also developing leaders who can contribute to promoting mutual understanding between the United States and Japan.

Like all Fulbright grants, those awarded through the Fulbright-Glen S. Fukushima Fund will be through an open and merit-based selection process.

We are heartbroken and angry at the senseless murders of at least 19 children and two adults yesterday in Uvalde, Texas, a primarily Latino community. Tuesday’s shooting was the eighth mass shooting in 13 years in Texas, where the Republican-dominated leadership has repeatedly loosened gun laws. “Top state officials again quickly signaled that the deaths in Uvalde would not likely lead to stricter gun control in the state and instead pushed for arming more teachers and adding police to school campuses,” reports the Texas Tribune.

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Today is the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. We condemn the systemic oppression of African Americans that contributed to his killing, embrace Black Lives Matter, and stand in full solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters. Speak out and add your voice by submitting a video by this evening to the June 25 Unity March, a historic Asian American-led, intersectional BIPOC mobilization bringing together 25,000+ Asian Americans, immigrants, and allies to Washington, DC. Learn more at unitymarch.com.

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The election of AG Rob Bonta could be the most important in California this year

CAPA21 is proud to endorse Rob Bonta and is contributing $5,000 in total for the primary. We expect to donate more to his campaign in the general. As an article in The Los Angeles Times points out, this could be the most important state-level race in California this year.

In Washington, Democrats hold the Senate with a tenuous 50-50 tie. In state legislatures and capitols across the country, right-wing politicians are pushing a regressive, backwards agenda that threatens our rights to privacy, to freedom from discrimination, to safe and legal abortion, and so much more. 

But thanks to AG Rob Bonta and his team, California leads the nation to defend against these hateful policies. As California’s chief law enforcement officer, Rob is the People’s Attorney — someone who ensures that justice is fairly served, regardless of a person’s race or economic status. 

The GOP would love nothing more than to STOP California’s progress and install a far-right Republican Attorney General this year. They’ve raked in millions to defeat Rob, but we can’t let them win.

CAPA21 is supporting a fundraiser for AG Bonta organized by the Filipino community on Wednesday, June 22, at Noon in Vallejo. See this flyer for more details or contact rsvp@sgrconsultants.com.

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Coming soon: More CAPA21 endorsements and contributions to organizations on the ground in key states

CAPA21 expects to announce the next wave of donations to more candidates and organizations following key primaries this month. Stay tuned!