SHREVE, TOKUDA JOIN CONGRESSIONAL STUDY GROUP ON JAPAN AS NEW HOUSE CO-CHAIR

Washington DC – Today, the Former Members of Congress Association (FMC) announced that Congressman Jefferson Shreve (R-IN) and Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-HI) will join FMC’s Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) Leadership as the new House Co-Chair. Shreve and Tokuda will be taking over the Co-Chair positions from Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO), and will lead the group alongside its Senate Co-Chair Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

“I’m honored to serve as the House Republican Co-Chair of CSGJ and look forward to strengthening one of America’s most important alliances,” said Rep. Shreve. “Japan is a critical partner in keeping the Indo-Pacific free, secure, and prosperous, and that partnership matters right here in Indiana. Japan is a major economic partner for our state, supporting Hoosier jobs and investment. I look forward to working with Rep. Tokuda to build on this strong relationship.”

“I am proud to serve as House Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Study Group on Japan," said Rep. Tokuda. "From trade to defense, Japan is America’s closest ally in the Indo-Pacific, and in Hawaiʻi, that partnership is personal. Our islands share deep economic, cultural, and historical ties, including generations of families like mine whose ancestors came from Japan and helped build Hawaiʻi. At a time of growing challenges across the Indo-Pacific, we need strong, reliable alliances more than ever. I look forward to working with Congressman Shreve and CSGJ leadership to deepen our partnership with Japan and advance the shared interests of our two nations.”

“On behalf of FMC and the Congressional Study Groups, I’m pleased to welcome these two dedicated and passionate House Members as Co-Chair of CSGJ,” said the Hon. Donna F. Edwards, FMC President. “As the Indo-Pacific region becomes increasingly important in our global conversations, we need strong leaders to build and support America’s relationship with our allies in the Pacific. Congressman Shreve and Congresswoman Tokuda are natural leaders in this conversation, and I’m eager to see their work and contributions to the CSGJ Co-Chair role.”

Shreve was first elected to Indiana’s 6th Congressional District in 2024. Prior to joining Congress, he had a successful career as a businessman, founding and growing both a real estate and software company. He also served two terms in his hometown of Indianapolis’ City Council. Shreve is an alumnus of Indiana University and holds a master’s in international studies and diplomacy from the University of London and an MBA in agribusiness from Purdue University. He was a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee until his appointment to the House Appropriations Committee in April 2026.

Indiana hosts over 300 Japanese business establishments across the state, which employ over 70,000 Hoosiers. Japan is also Indiana’s top source of FDI.

Tokuda has represented the second Congressional District of Hawai’i since 2022. She serves on the House Committee on Armed Services, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and as Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology on the Committee on Agriculture. Prior to joining Congress, she served in the Hawai’i State Senate from 2006 to 2018. Tokuda was the first of her family to go to college, and she graduated from the George Washington University with a BA in international relations and a minor in Japanese studies.

Japan and the state of Hawai’i are closely connected through heritage and trade. Over 20% of Hawai’i’s population is of Japanese descent, the highest of any U.S. state. Furthermore, over 50% of Hawai’i’s workforce employed by foreign-owned businesses work for a Japanese company, and Japan is the top import supplier for the state.

CSGJ was established in 1993 and is FMC’s second longest running Study Group. It was created after recognizing the need for American legislators to better understand our economic and political alliance with Japan. Working with institutional partners, including the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and Japan-US Friendship Commission, CSGJ convenes yearlong bilateral engagement through Capitol Hill programming and study tours to Japan for Members of Congress and senior staff, and facilitates dialogue on shared critical issues, including security, trade, and energy.

“FMC offers our sincere gratitude to Congresswoman DeGette and Congressman Barr for their years of service to CSGJ,” continued Edwards. “Congresswoman DeGette has led the Study Group for over a decade, and her leadership and commitment to bipartisanship has been deeply impactful to its success. Similarly, Congressman Barr has demonstrated a strong dedication to the U.S.-Japan alliance and to FMC as an organization, and we’re grateful for his time and support. We wish nothing but the best to the two of them in their future endeavors!”

FMC is a non-advocacy, nonpartisan group founded in 1970 and chartered by Congress in 1983. It is a voluntary alliance of Former U.S. Senators and Representatives, working to strengthen Congress in the conduct of its Constitutional responsibility through promoting a collaborative approach to policy making; and to deepening the understanding of our democratic system.

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