On Monday, January 26, the Japanese Restaurant Association of America (JRA) held its New Year’s Reception and General Meeting at the Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance.

Last year, due to the large-scale wildfires that occurred in California, the New Year’s Reception was canceled and instead held as a charity event. As a result, this year’s gathering marked the first traditional New Year’s Reception in two years.

Approximately 100 JRA members and industry partners came together to celebrate the beginning of the new year, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the event.

At the opening of the program, we were honored to receive congratulatory remarks from Mr. Yukiyasu Murota, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles and Honorary Chairman of JRA.
In his address, he spoke about how the Japanese food industry in Los Angeles is a minority and emphasized that, for this very reason, unity is essential. Even as competitors, cooperation among industry peers is vital, and through such collaboration, new opportunities for Japanese food businesses can be created.
He shared a powerful and heartfelt message, reminding us that the promotion and growth of Japanese cuisine depend not only on the efforts of individual businesses, but on the industry coming together as a whole.

This was followed by remarks from JRA President Shinji Kugita, who is now entering his third year as president.
As JRA marks its 27th year since its founding, President Kugita expressed his sincere gratitude to the members who have supported the association over the years and provided an overview of recent activities.
He also reflected on the outcomes of various events and social contribution efforts, including wildfire relief, and reaffirmed his commitment to serving another year as president—continuing to work as a bridge between the Japanese food industry and Japan–U.S. relations.

As a highlight of the program, a traditional Kagami-biraki (sake barrel opening) ceremony was held.
Happy New Year!

The toast was led by Mr. Jeff Yamazaki, Chair of the Southern California Japanese Chamber of Commerce for 2026, instantly filling the venue with a celebratory spirit.

During the awards ceremony, JRA expressed its sincere appreciation to the following companies for their continued support and contributions to the association:
JFC International, Mutual Trading, and Wismettac Asian Foods.

In addition, a surprise award was presented to Ms. Kyoko Sugimoto, who has long supported JRA as part of the secretariat and has played an essential role in maintaining and operating the association. The presentation was met with heartfelt applause and deep appreciation from the audience.

To conclude the evening, Mr. Yoshihiro Araki of KANEFUKU USA, INC., serving as Acting Chair of the Hichimikai, led the traditional sanbon-jime hand-clapping ceremony, bringing the event to a successful close.

2025 Nisei Week Court members ♪

Miss JRA members ♪

We are truly grateful to have been able to gather once again in this New Year’s Reception format.

This year, JRA will continue striving for the further promotion of Japanese cuisine and the growth of the industry, working hand in hand with our members and partners toward even greater progress.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support throughout the year.