At the 2018 U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference reception held on November 8, 2018, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. announced a three year extension of its partnership with the TOMODACHI Initiative, operated by nonprofit educational organization The U.S.-Japan Council.

The TOMODACHI Initiative is a public-private partnership established by the U.S.-Japan Council which was inspired by the spirit of disaster relief work carried out by the United States and Japan in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Mitsui & Co. has participated in the initiative since its launch in 2012, and in 2013 began the TOMODACHI-Mitsui & Co. Leadership Program, which over the past six years has supported cultural and economic exchanges between Japan and the U.S., contributing to strengthening relations and developing the next generation of leaders in both countries. The program has an outstanding reputation among participants, the U.S.-Japan Council, the U.S. Embassy, and other relevant parties, and buoyed by this strong support, we concluded a gift agreement with the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) and made a decision to extend the program from 2019 to 2021.

Target participants of the TOMODACHI-Mitsui & Co. Leadership Program (program theme, "Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership,") are rising young leaders aged 40 or below from various sectors who are active in their respective fields. Each year, a group of 10 representatives from each country are selected to visit their counterpart country, where they meet and work closely with experts and leaders, building a network in order to broaden their perspectives to enhance work or initiatives in their professional fields. The approximately 120 individuals who have participated in the program so far continue to foster their relationships as TOMODACHI alumni, reaching further successes in their respective areas. Through its support for next generation leadership development and global exchanges, including those between Japan and the US via this partnership with the TOMODACHI Initiative, Mitsui & Co. is continuing to contribute to shaping a sustainable society for the world.