The JBA 63rd Annual Reception took place at the official residence of the Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles on Friday, February 9, 2024, to celebrate our continued success since its establishment in 1960. In addition to networking, seven Japanese companies delivered presentations on Japanese Green Tech under the theme “Sustainable Future with Hydrogen Technology.” This event was a joint public-private initiative involving the Japanese Consulate, California public officials, and JBA.
A shochu booth was set up by Mutual Trading and iichiko to honor the passage of AB 416: Sales of Shochu, a bill authored by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi. Previously, restaurants in the state with beer and wine licenses could only sell Japanese shochu labeled as “Soju” (a similar Korean alcoholic beverage). Now, they are permitted to sell it under the label “Shochu.”
We were honored to host many public officials and business leaders, including California State Senator Steven Bradford, California State Senator Bob Archuleta, California State Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian, Alhambra City Councilman Jeffrey Maloney, former California State Senator Robert Hertzberg, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce CEO Maria Salinas, and LAEDC/WTCLA CEO/President Stephen Cheung.
Participants of the Japan Hydrogen Forum (JH2F) included Toyota Tsusho America, Inc., PACECO CORP., Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd., Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, Toyota Motor North America, Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc., and Choshu Industry Corporation of America, Inc
