Achieving Aviation Sustainability: Challenges and Necessary Cooperation

Thursday, October 5, 2023 | 3:00 pm - 6:15pm (EST) | Reception to Follow

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington D.C.

& Held Virtually in English and Japanese

Synopsis

Despite the pandemic drastically changing the circumstances of air transportation, and much uncertainty remaining, the great economic security found in air transport between North America and Asia via Japan has been reconfirmed.  Furthermore, sustainable aviation has taken the helm as the future of air industries and a chance for growth. For this event, JITTI USA has invited experts in the fields of aviation, government, finance, and manufacturing to discuss current measures taken by air transportation industries to respond to climate change, what kind of role public and private stakeholders in both Japan and the United States will play to accurately communicate the significance and challenges of climate change issues, and strategies and measures needed to realize aviation sustainability.

Program

Opening Remarks

• Masafumi Shukuri, Chairman, JTTRI

Greetings by Guest of Honor

• Koji Tomita, Ambassador of Japan to the U.S. 

Keynote Speeches

• Annie Petsonk, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation

• Toshiyuki Onuma, Deputy Director General, JCAB, Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

• Heidi Gomez, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs, U.S. Department of State

• Jeff Marootian, Senior Advisor for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Panel Discussion #1

Airline Initiatives to Reach Carbon Neutral Goals for 2050

• Steve Csonka, Executive Director, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative

• Cherie Wilson, Vice President, Government Affairs- Sustainability, Delta Air Lines

• Tom Michels, Director, Government Affairs, United Airlines

• Tadashi Matsushita, Executive Vice President, ANA Group Corporate Strategy – Airline Management, and Okinawa Region, ANA Holdings, Inc

• Makoto Maezawa, Senior Vice President-The Americas, Japan Airlines

Panel Discussion #2

Expanding and Securing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• Steve Csonka, Executive Director, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative

• Jimmy Samartzis, Chief Executive Officer and Board Director, LanzaJet

• Binyam (Ben) Reja, Ph.D., Global Practice Manager, Transport Practice, Infrastructure Vice Presidency, World Bank

• Saburo Takeuchi, General Manager- Policy Research & Government Relations, Next Generation Energy Business Group, Mitsubishi Corporation

• Annie Petsonk, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation

• Toshiyuki Onuma, Deputy Director General, JCAB, Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

• Heidi Gomez, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs, U.S. Department of State

• Jeff Marootian, Senior Advisor for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Full Event Overview

Due to the pandemic, multi-layered and extensive people-to-people exchanges between Japan and the United States have been severely restricted. During this time, international circumstances changed rapidly, including the military invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the expansion of China's hegemonic movements. In light of this, our research institute held the 1st JTTRI-JITTI USA Global Seminar "A Rapidly Changing Post Pandemic World Order and the New Japan-U.S. Relationship Hereafter" last December, virtually connecting Japan and the U.S., and invited leading figures in Japan-U.S. diplomacy and security to discuss the need for further evolution and development of Japan-U.S. relations in the future.  Furthermore, as a continuation of the Global Seminar, JITTI USA presented the "U.S.-Japan International Exchange and Tourism Symposium 2023" face-to-face in Washington, D.C. in March, and hosted a discussion reconsidering the significance of, and how to rebuild and strengthen, U.S.-Japan people-to-people exchanges.

On the other hand, circumstances have changed drastically from before and after the coronavirus pandemic for air transportation, which can be said to be the bedrock of international exchange. Furthermore, current circumstances of air transportation between Japan and the United States do not allow for discussions purely on the premise of growth, as was done in the past, but rather the greatest matter is how to realize sustainable aviation even in the midst of increasing situational uncertainty in aviation.

Considering the importance of air transport between Japan and the United States, particularly as there is great economic security in the North America and Asia connections via Japan, this symposium will focus on these two nations' responses to climate change, which is the most urgent and important issue to aviation professionals around the globe today. There will also be discussion on the strategies and measures needed to realize aviation sustainability, as well as what kind of role public and private stakeholders in both Japan and the United States will play to accurately communicate the significance and challenges of responding to climate change issues to the world.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that this symposium covers:

For more information:

Mamiko Kim, Director of Communications and Operations, JITTI USA, (202) 833-9763 ext. 19