Reception: 5:30 p.m-6:30 p.m.
Banquet & Program: 6:30 p.m-9:00 p.m.
Dress Code: Business Attire or Kimono

Mondale Award Recipient: J. Bernard (Ben) van Lierop

Ben first traveled to Japan in June of 1950. He was two years old. The circumstances were harrowing. Ben’s family had moved to Korea in 1949 where his parents were beginning missionary service. A year later the Korean War broke out. The American military arrived on the family’s doorstep, informing Ben’s parents that all the foreign missionaries were to be evacuated immediately to Japan.

So, Ben arrived in Japan where he developed the bulk of his early memories. He attended local kindergarten and absorbed Japanese quickly. Ben often speaks of acting as his mother’s “little interpreter” for shopping and routine daily interactions.

At the end of the Korean War in 1953, the missionary families returned to Korea where Ben lived until he graduated high school. Then he attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

Ben returned to Japan in 1972 where he initially worked in the travel business, honing his language skills and developing familiarity with Japanese cultural and business mores. Ben’s two eldest children were born during early years in Japan. One lives now with her family in Sydney, Australia. The other lives now with his family in Tokyo.

Later, Ben entered other industries, specializing in outside sales. He interacted routinely in Japanese with his counterparts in the marketplace. His language, business and cultural fluency flourished.

In 1990 Ben met his wife, Chris Nelson, in Tokyo. They were married in 1991 in Tokyo. Their first child was born in Tokyo in 1992. Three weeks later they moved to Minnesota, Chris’ home.

Upon arrival, Ben immediately joined the Japan America Society of Minnesota and the St. Paul Nagasaki Sister City Committee. In 2006, Ben became Executive Director of JASM, a position that became the pinnacle of his professional life.

In 2022, Ben was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, by the Government of Japan in recognition of his contributions to strengthening relations and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.

Ben has always considered himself a bridge between cultures. If you have ever spoken with Ben, you understand that he has been a competent and compassionate bridge.

Keynote Speaker: 

Karen Tanaka Lucas is a Sansei, third-generation Japanese American, born in post WWII Occupied Japan where her father was stationed with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service. She considers herself a native Californian and received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. But since attending graduate school, medical school and residency at the University of Minnesota, she’s been a Minnesotan for over 50 years. She retired after over 30 years as a family physician with HealthPartners. She is a board member with the Twin Cities Japanese American Citizens League and volunteers on their education committee.

Most Minnesotans are unaware that Japanese was the first language ever taught by U.S. Military Intelligence and that 6,000 Japanese linguists, mostly second-generation Nisei, were secretly trained here in our state for military language intelligence during WWII. Tanaka’s father was in the first class at Camp Savage in 1942 and she shares his story.

Mondale Scholarship Recipients 2026-2027

It is with great pleasure that JASM presents the 2026-2027 Mondale Scholarships to the following students:

• Lennon Austin​ (University of Minnesota)
• Cayden Granger​ (University of Minnesota)
• Kara Lazar​ (St. Olaf College)
• Kumiko Muro​ (St. Olaf College)

Congratulations!

Registration:

Early Bird (register by Oct. 11)

$160/ Non-member

$110/ JASM member

Regular (register Oct. 12 - Oct. 30)

$190/ Non-member

$130/ JASM member

Post-Deadline (register Oct. 31 - Nov. 6)

$210/Non-Member

$150/Member

JASM invites you to become a member! Please sign up here and then register for the Mondale Gala 2026.