Commissioner Chris Cummiskey (Georgia Department of Economic Development) was speaker at the Atlanta Consular Corps' monthly luncheon (December 14, 2011).

Pictured: Consul General Beatriz Illescas Putzeys of Guatemala, Commissioner Cummiskey, and Consul General Hanatani.

Consul General Hanatani, Acting Dean of the Atlanta Consular Corps, welcomed Senator Isakson at an International Roundtable at the Metro Atlanta Chamber (December 12, 2011).

Pictured: Senator Johnny Isakson flanked by Sam A. Williams, President of Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Consul General Hanatani.

Consul General Hanatani lectured in Dr. Kim Reimann's class on the Political Economy of Japan (November 30, 2011).

Pictured: Consul General with students and Consul General with Dr. Reimann.

Consul General & Mrs. Hanatani hosted dinner for a large Japanese delegation at their residence (November 20, 2011).

Pictured in the front row (from left to right): Mr. Kenshiro Matsunami, Mr. Toshihiro Nikai (Former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry), Mr. Abebe Kebede (Former Ambassador of Ethiopia to Japan), Consul General Takuji Hanatani, Mr. Motoo Hayashi, Mrs. Keiko Hanatani.

Consul General Hanatani hosted a reception at his residence to celebrate the longstanding relationship between Fukuoka and Atlanta. Pictured with the Consul General is Mr. Kasim Reed, Mayor of Atlanta (November 15, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani attended Honda's 10th anniversary of the start of production in Lincoln, Alabama. Also in attendance were Governor Robert Bentley and U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers. Honda's annual production capacity is expected to increase to 340,000 vehicles and engines with a cumulative investment in its Lincoln facility of more than $2 billion by 2013, employing approximately 4,500 associates (November 14, 2011).

Pictured at podium is Honda's President, Mr. Tom Shoupe.

While in Atlanta, soccer player Takuya Yamada visited Consul General Hanatani. Mr. Yamada, who plays for FC Tampa Bay in the North American Soccer League, joined with Mr. Kohei Matsushita of the Atlanta Silverbacks to teach soccer lessons to children at the Japanese Language School in Atlanta (November 14, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani greeted participants in the Consulate’s Ikebana workshop. Taught by Ms. Elaine Jo of Washi Accents, workshop participants learned the history of Ikebana and its basic principles as they created an arrangement in a bamboo container with several local plants (November 9, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani hosted a reception for JET Program returnees at his residence. Scott McMurray, Senior Project Manager at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, delivered the keynote address. He described the early days of the JET Program and the impact the program has had on his life. JET Alumni Association president Theresa Kanter explained the association’s activities and encouraged attendees to join. Four 2011 returnees gave presentations about their experiences in Japan. Atlanta-based Japanese recruiting companies were also represented (October 28, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani held a reception at his residence to present a Certificate of Commendation from the Foreign Minister of Japan to Ms. Carolyn Crayton, being honored for her friendship and outstanding achievements in furthering mutual understanding between Japan and the nations of the world. Other officials in attendance were Mr. Mike Beaty (Commissioner, GA Dept of Community Affairs), Macon’s Mayor Robert Reichert, and Major General Robert McMahon (October 27, 2011).

Photo credit: Mr. Glenn Grossman, MAILSouth, Inc.

Consul General Hanatani attended the 6th Annual WWAAC Awards event to co-present with Lt. General Peterson the 2011 Community Spirit Award to Astronaut Koichi Wakata (October 21, 2011).

Photo courtesy of Ms. Miyuki Morooka, Axis Atlanta: Lt. General Joseph F. Peterson (RET), US Army; Astronaut Wakata and Consul General Hanatani.

Consul General Hanatani attended events in Huntsville, Alabama to celebrate Toyota’s 10th anniversary and the 1st 4-cylinder engine built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL). Governor Robert Bentley (pictured), and many other elected officials were in attendance, including U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks, Huntsville’s Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison’s Mayor Paul Finley, and Madison’s County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie (September 28 and 29, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani spoke to a large audience at Lander University in Greenwood, SC about the situation in Japan following the Great East Japan Earthquake. He expressed his gratitude for all support to Japan and discussed Japan’s challenges and opportunities facing the nation going forward (September 23, 2011).

Group Picture (left to right): Dr. Sung-Jae Park (Dean of International Program, Lander University), Consul General Hanatani, Mrs. Kataoka, Greenwood Mayor Welborn Adams, Mr. Shinji Kataoka (President, FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc.), Mr. David Tribble (State Representative), Mrs. Leta Tribble.

Consul General Hanatani presented an update about Japan after the March 11th Great East Japan Earthquake and answered questions from the Young Leaders (YL) of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. Other panelists were Mr. David Kirk, President, Murata Electronics N.A., and Mr. Robert Marsh, Vice President of Global Accounts, UPS (September 15, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani attended the 30th anniversary luncheon of the Tomodachi Club, organized at his official residence. The Consul General congratulated the members for 30 years of playing an integral part in growing the strong relationship between Japan and the United States (September 14, 2011).

Pictured with Consul General and Mrs. Hanatani are Club Co-Chairs Ms. Silvana Eakin, Ms. Anne Godsey, Ms. Carol Dew (1981 Co-Chair), and Ms. Yoko Yoshida.

Consul General Hanatani greeted the 21st Annual Atlanta Ekiden Relay team, organized by the Atlanta Track Club. The Consul General gave the flag start for the 8:00 A.M. race, in which 166 five-member teams competed (September 11, 2011).

Pictured here with Consul General Hanatani are Mr. Nagashima (far left) and his Suzuyo America-UPS joint team, 'SAM-U Riders.'

Consul General Hanatani attended a luncheon for Hiroshima Jogakuin University’s President Hiromi Nagao, visiting Wesleyan College to discuss how their two institutions might work together on student exchange and other programs of joint interest (August 30, 2011).

Photo taken at the Olive Swan Porter Building, Burden Parlor.
Seated next to Consul General Hanatani at the luncheon table are President Hiromi Nagao and Wesleyan College President Ruth Knox.

Note: Wesleyan College, est. 1836, is the oldest college in the world for women. Hiroshima Jogakuin University, est. 1886, is the oldest in Hiroshima.

Consul General Hanatani gave remarks and introduced Professor Itoh to the audiences at GA Tech and Kennesaw State University. Professor Itoh gave lectures on "The Japanese Economy After the Earthquake" (August 25 and 26, 2011).

Top Photo: Consul General Hanatani, Professor Itoh, Mr. James Hoadley (Associate Director, CIBER at GA Tech), Dr. John McIntyre (Professor of International Management and Executive Director, Center for International Business Education & Research "CIBER" at GA Tech).

Middle Photo: Professor Itoh lecturing at KSU.

Bottom Photo: Dr. Barry Morris (Vice Provost for Global Engagement & Strategic Initiatives at KSU), Professor Itoh, Dr. Donald Amoroso (Executive Director of the International Center for Innovation in Technologies and Professor of Information Systems at KSU), and Consul General Hanatani.

Consul General Hanatani attended a dinner celebrating the 25th Anniversary and Re-Signing of the sister city relationship between Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture and Tuscaloosa, AL at the North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa (August 25, 2011).

Pictured with the Consul General are Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox and his wife; Mr. Yukio Sakiyama, Chairman of the Narashino International Association; and attending mayors from Germany and Ghana.

Consul General Hanatani conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon to Dr. Kuo-Hsiung Lee, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, for his contributions in the field of medicinal chemistry in Japan. In his career over 80 Japanese scholars worked under Professor Lee’s tutelage (August 16, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani gave greetings at the Opening Ceremony for the All U.S. Kendo Federation's 2011 Championships. More than 500 best kenshi from all over the U.S. participated in the tri-annual event (August 12, 2011).

Group Photo: Pictured next to Consul General Hanatani are Mr. Arthur Ichiro Murakami (AUSKF President) and Mr. Shuji Fukumoto (Executive Managing Director, All Japan Kendo Federation)

Bottom Photo: Exhibition of Kendo Kata

Consul General Hanatani joined the City of Norfolk’s Official Welcome Ceremony for the Japanese Training Squadron: JS Kashima, JS Asagiri, and JS Mineyuki (August 2, 2011).

Top Photo: Seated at center (front row) with Consul General Hanatani are Four-Star Admiral John C. Harvey, Jr. (Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command), Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, and Japanese Ambassador to U.S. Ichiro Fujisaki. Seated at far left (front row) is Commander Otsuka of the Training Squadron.

Bottom Photo: Consul General Hanatani also paid a courtesy call to Norfolk’s Mayor Paul Fraim with Commander Otsuka of the Training Squadron (August 3, 2011).

Several participants and administrators of the Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) program toured the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta and met with Consul General Hanatani. JOI is a grassroots educational program jointly administered by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership and the Laurasian Institute (July 29, 2011).

Mr. Ed Thayer, Area Assistant Superintendent of the Cobb County School District, was the guest of honor at this year’s International Educators to Japan (IEJ) program welcome back reception. At the reception, held at Consul General Hanatani’s residence, Mr. Thayer gave a report on his 10-day stay in Japan. The IEJ Program has been sending foreign educators to Japan since 1987, and is organized in Georgia by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia (July 28, 2011).

Bottom Photo (Left to Right): Mr. Hiromichi Koike, Principal of the Georgia Japanese Language School; Mr. Hideo Takada, Chairman of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia; Mr. Thayer; Consul General Hanatani; Mr. Nobuaki Takeda, from the Georgia Japanese Language School

Nine students and their teacher, Mr. Shinichiro Mizushima came from Narashino City Senior High School in Narashino City, Chiba. Narashino is a sister city to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but due to tornado damage the students stayed in Birmingham. Dr. Tim Cook from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, coordinated the students’ stay, from July 11 to July 28. Ms. Cheyenne Haney from the Birmingham Sister City Commission was also present for the meeting (July 26, 2011).

Consul General Hanatani threw the ceremonial first pitch at an exhibition match between Team Japan and the Forest City Owls, ahead of the 38th annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series. The series was held July 3-8 across Durham, Cary, and Kannapolis, NC, as well as Omaha, NE (July 1, 2011).

Top Photo: Consul General Hanatani throwing the first pitch at McNair Field.
Bottom Photo: Meeting with Team Japan Manager Koji Kanemitsu.

Photo Credit: Hal Aoki