SMBC becomes strategic partner of TOMODACHI Initiative leadership program

The next program will involve 20 university undergraduate students in Japan.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is now a strategic partner of the TOMODACHI Initiative, which aims to develop the next generation of Japanese and American leaders.

TOMODACHI hosts educational and cultural exchanges, as well as leadership programmes, for young Americans and Japanese university students.

The initiative is a public-private partnership between the US-Japan Council and the US Embassy in Japan, with support from the Japanese government.

For the TOMODACHI SMBC Shaka-kachi Leadership Program, 20 university undergraduates residing in Japan will undergo training programs for “leadership and creation of social value” between October 2025 to March 2026.

This also involves a one-week US training in New York and Washington DC sometime from February to March 2026.