What is the "Benkyoukai?"

The Japan Bowl® of California “Benkyoukai” is a virtual study and cultural exchange program hosted by the Japan America Society of Southern California for high school students participating in the National Japan Bowl® (April 17–18, 2026).

For 2026, the Japan America Society of Southern California offered the "Benkyoukai" sessions to student of ALL LEVELS (Level 2, 3, and 4) free of charge!

Session Schedule

Session 1: Friday, February 6 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
Session 2: Friday, February 13 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
Session 3: Friday, February 20 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
Cultural Day: Friday, February 27 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)

*Schedule subject to change
*Students are welcome to join even if they cannot attend all sessions

Session Details

Each session will feature original lectures by Japanese university students on a wide range of topics related to Japanese society, culture, and current trends.

After each presentation, participants will be divided into small breakout rooms by language proficiency level to enjoy Japanese conversation with the university students and other attendees.

Who Can Participate in the "Benkyoukai?"

Benkyoukai is open to high school students across North America who are studying Japanese.
Due to limited capacity, registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please Note:
Benkyoukai is mainly intended for students studying for the National Japan Bowl. While parts of the presentation may feel challenging for beginners, conversation practice will be organized by proficiency level.

What is "Cultural Day?"

Cultural Day is the final session of Benkyoukai, designed for participants to enjoy a fun and engaging cultural lecture as a reward for all their hard work. We invite a special guest speaker from either Japan or the U.S. to present on a fascinating topic related to Japanese culture.

Supported by

Learn more about Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ)

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Special Thanks: Stacy & Ruth Cromidas

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 

3:30 PM  Registration Begins
4:00 - 6:00 PM Seminar
6:00 -7:00 PM Networking Reception 

In-person attendance is strongly encouraged for local participants.
Virtual participation via Zoom is available for non-local participants during the Seminar only.

Time Zones for Virtual Attendees:
• Eastern Time (ET): 7:00–9:00 PM
• Japan Standard Time (JST): Wednesday, March 18, 8:00–10:00 AM

Location 
Loyola Marymount University – University Hall
1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Admission
Free

Parking: Paid parking is available on campus ($15 per vehicle, payable onsite). 

Speakers

Anthony Vetro

President & CEO, Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs (MERL)
Deputy Head of Corporate R&D, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Anthony Vetro joined Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (MERL) in 1996 and has been part of its executive leadership team since 2014. He became President & CEO of MERL in 2023 and was appointed Deputy Head of Corporate Research and Development at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in April 2025.

Over his nearly 30-year career with the company, Dr. Vetro has shaped strategic R&D directions, led teams in emerging technology areas, and contributed to transferring several innovations into commercial products. His technical background is in multimedia signal processing, particularly video compression. He has been active in both academic and standardization communities, with contributions to digital TV, surveillance, automotive, and satellite imaging systems.

Dr. Vetro is an IEEE Fellow and has received several awards for his work on video transcoding. He has published over 200 papers and has served on various IEEE conference committees, technical boards, and editorial panels. He currently chairs the IEEE Signal Processing Society’s Industry Board and serves on its Board of Governors.

He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from New York University.

Kazuhiro Gomi

President and CEO, NTT Research, Inc.

Kazuhiro Gomi serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NTT Research Inc., the global research and development arm of NTT Inc. NTT Research, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, conducts fundamental research in the fields of Optical Computing, Advanced Cryptography, Cardio-Vascular Bio-Digital Twin, and Physics of Artificial Intelligence.

Mr. Gomi has been with NTT for over 35 years and has been involved in its United States operation since 2004. He held the position of CEO of NTT America Inc. from 2010 to 2019 before assuming his current role. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors at NTT Communications from 2012 to 2019. In September 2009, Mr. Gomi was recognized as one of the 100 most influential individuals in the telecommunications industry, as part of the Global Telecoms Business Power100 list.

Mr. Gomi holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSIE) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) from Keio University in Tokyo. Furthermore, he is the President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California, a member of the board of directors at the Japan Society of Northern California, and a member of the President’s Advisory Board at the US Japan Council.

Moderator

Suzanne Basalla
Partner, Geodesic Capital

Suzanne Basalla is a Partner at Geodesic Capital, where she works on the Geodesic Alliance Fund, an early-stage venture fund focused on backing transformative technology companies and strengthening innovation collaboration among the United States and its allies, particularly Japan. Her work sits at the intersection of venture capital, geopolitics, and emerging technology, drawing on decades of leadership across government, industry, and nonprofit sectors.

Previously, Suzanne served as President & CEO of the U.S.-Japan Council, where she advanced flagship initiatives including the TOMODACHI Initiative and the Silicon Valley Japan Platform, deepening people-to-people and technology ties between the two countries. Earlier in her career, she was Chief of Staff at Toyota Research Institute and a Naval officer, with assignments in Japan, the Pentagon, and Diego Garcia. Following her naval service, she was Director for Japan in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, DC, and later served as Senior Advisor to John Roos, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, from 2010 to 2012.

Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from George Washington University. She also studied at the Naval War College and at Keio University as an Olmsted Scholar.

This program is supported by a grant from the National Association of Japan-America Societies, Inc. with the support of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C.