In March, to start a new cycle of 2 years (2018 - 2019), a new steering team was in place. Sao Paulo Alumni Society elected Eiki Shimabukuro to lead the Association.

In June, the Associacao Mineira de Cultura Nipo-Brasileira (AMCNB), founded in 1958 and based in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, delivered a custom Hoshin Kanri training to over 40 people, aiming at preserving and expanding the Japanese culture as well as the Sao Paulo AOTS Alumni Society run by the directors, Shibata, Affonso and Ishikawa. The diverse group of  participants from the AMCNB, local companies, and large companies such as CEMIG had a two-day training with practical workshops to learn and apply some of the concepts for the Strategic Planning and Deployment. The key concept was "Catch Ball"!                      

In August, the celebration of the 110 Years of Japanese Immigration to Brazil "Comenda Kasato Maru"" was held. An important ceremony “Comenda Kasato Maru” was a part of the events to celebrate the 110 Years of Japanese Immigration to Brazil in 2018. We are proud to say Mr. Paulo Hirai and the Sao Paulo Alumni Society received the commendation from the Comissao para Comemoracao dos 110 Anos da Imigracao Japonesa no Brasil, as an entity that has contributed to the development of the Japanese-Brazilian community as well as to the growth of Brazil-Japan relations.


                                      Mr. Paulo Hirai                                        Mr. Eiki Shimabukuro