The Sendai-based Kahoku Shimpo reported that Ambassador Kennedy delivered a speech at a meeting celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Tohoku Economic Federation that was held in Sendai on Wednesday. Referring to U.S.-Japan exchanges through Operation Tomodachi and other programs and President Obama’s recent visit to Hiroshima, the Ambassador reportedly said that the joint response to the 3/11 disaster strengthened the bonds between the U.S. and Japan and that the path toward that poignant moment in Hiroshima was paved in Tohoku. The Ambassador stressed the importance of women’s participation in the economy, including Tohoku’s efforts to host the International Linear Collider project and the promotion of local tourism, and expressed her hope that the federation will play a leading role in implementing reform in the private sector to resolve global issues.