The Japan-American Society of Georgia (JASG), electing a new board at its annual meeting June 8, closed out its best year ever in corporate support since its founding seventeen years ago with calls for “understanding” on trade issues, according to its chairman, Troutman Sanders attorney Joseph R. White, Jr.
Growth in membership and an increasing number of programs – the prime focus of the society – highlighted a year that had an unprecedented 36 corporate sponsors attend its March fund-raiser.
Daniel P. Amos, chief executive officer of Columbus-based insurance giant AFLAC, was named chairman-elect, to take over from Mr. White in July 1996. A JASG member for two years, Robert W. Ross, president of Turner International, Inc., was elected to the board as vice chairman for economic review.
With American trade sanctions on luxury Japanese cars scheduled to take effect soon, Japan Chamber of Commerce President Keiichi Kitamura gave a special report to the society, “politely” asking for the American public’s understanding on trade issues, Mr. White said. “Japan is not as closed as newspapers would have you believe,” he added.