The following new members have been appointed to the Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) Board of Overseers by the Temple University Board of Trustees in FY2018-19.

Photo of Laurence Bates

Laurence W. Bates

Executive Officer, General Counsel, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Panasonic Corporation (profile)

The first non-Japanese to be a Panasonic’s Board of Director. Has spent over 30 years working in the legal profession in Japan, China and Hong Kong.

Photo of Jason Hyland

Jason Hyland

Representative Officer and President, MGM Resorts Japan LLC (profile)

Formerly served as Charge d’Affaires and as Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy Tokyo, and received numerous awards from the Department of State, including Superior Honor Awards.

Photo of Ernest Higa

Ernest M. Higa

Chairman, President & CEO, Higa Industries Co., Ltd (profile)

Named as “Entrepreneur of the Year” in 1990 by New Business Conference, a Japanese semi-governmental organization. Also, serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees of Showa Women’s University.

Photo of Paul Kuo

Paul Kuo

CEO, Edinburgh Enterprises (profile)

Served as CEO of Credit Suisse Japan, Board Member of Tokyo Stock Exchange, Chairman of International Bankers Association, and is actively involved in supporting entrepreneurs as an angel investor.

Photo of Norishige Morimoto

Norishige Morimoto

Vice President, IBM Research and Development, Japan
IBM Japan, Ltd (profile)

Has more than 20 patents in digital watermarking and copyright protection, and several publications in innovation management with his extensive research experience and engineering background.

Photo of Akiko Yamakawa

Akiko Yamakawa

Partner, Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo (message)

A member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association and the New York Bar. Won Asian Legal Business Japan Law Awards 2016 and ranked in Asia Pacific Chambers and Partners 2017.

The TUJ Board of Overseers, established and authorized by the president and the Temple University Board of Trustees’ Committee on Trustee Affairs in February 2011, serves an advisory function to provide TUJ with informed support on both academic and administrative matters from experts outside TUJ.

With the campus move to Sangenjaya this fall, TUJ plans to continue its educational initiatives in global higher education and improve its presence in Japan with the support of these new and continuing distinguished overseers.