On April 13, Japan-America Society of Houston joined the City of Houston in a ceremony bestowing honorary citizenship on Yuzuru Nagawa.
The presentation was made by Chief Development Officer Andy Icken on behalf of Mayor Sylvester Turner.
Nagawa-san was recognized for his many valuable contributions to the community and was selected to serve as a Good Will Ambassador of the City.
After eight (8) years of serving as Vice President and General Manager of the Houston Office of All Nippon Airways (ANA), Nagawa-san will be returning to Japan to take on the role of Senior Director, Government & Industrial Affairs (渉外調査部 国際渉外担当）for ANA HOLDINGS INC.
Nagawa-san arrived in Houston in 2015 with the mission to connect Tokyo and Houston with nonstop air service on Japan’s leading airline. The arrival of the ANA flight served as a testament to the growth of economic and cultural ties between Houston and Japan, and ever since, Nagawa-san has been at the forefront of showcasing Texas-Japan relations in a truly productive and visible light.
In addition to serving as Vice President of Japan-America Society of Houston and Co-President of Japanese Festival of Houston, Inc., Nagawa-san sat on the Hermann Park Conservancy Board of Directors and chaired the Hermann Park Conservancy Japanese Garden Advisory Committee. Moreover, as Community Liaison for the Japan Business Association of Houston, Nagawa-san established strong collaborative relationships with a variety of community organizations.
The manner in which Nagawa-san tirelessly gave of his time has strengthened U.S.-Japan ties in our region.
We join the City of Houston in admiration of Nagawa-san’s contributions to our community, and congratulate Nagawa-san on a most deserving honor.