Comments from Hirata-san as follows,

Reaching the semifinals of the Maureen Mansfield Women’s Trilateral Youth Empowerment Program, I had the rare and coveted opportunity to meet and have lunch with a US Congressional Delegation to Japan. At the meeting, we discussed several global issues, such as gender equality and US-China relations, from the perspectives of four US congressmen/congresswomen and a number of undergraduate and graduate students in Japan. These politicians took the time to listen to the future generation and to share their own experience. Given this opportunity as a first-year, still fresh into college, I am incredibly grateful for this experience.