MGM appoints ex-diplomat as head of Japan

MGM Resorts International reinforced its commitment to the Japanese market today as it announced the appointment of former Charge d’Affaires, United States Embassy Tokyo, Jason P. Hyland as the representative officer and president of MGM Resorts Japan.

In addition, MGM will allocate development specialists from the U.S. to Japan as it increases its total development staffing in the U.S. and Japan combined to more than a dozen, reinforcing MGM Resorts Japan’s organizational structure as it works to realize a Japanese resort.

To accommodate its expanding team, MGM Resorts Japan will relocate its office from Akasaka to Otemachi, Tokyo and open a brand-new office in the central business district on September 1, 2017.

Since establishing Japanese subsidiaries in Tokyo and Osaka in 2014, MGM Resorts Japan has been providing information on integrated resorts (IR) to government, industry, and private entities, and will continue to build relationships and gather information on the domestic market. The company also plans to open a new office in Osaka in the future.

Jim Murren, chairman and chief executive officer of MGM Resorts International, commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Jason to the team, and look forward to his contributions and insights. Jason’s substantial experience as senior diplomat, his deep understanding of the Japanese culture, as well as his proven leadership, negotiation skills, extensive network and strong command of the Japanese language will be a tremendous asset as we promote activities in Japan.”

Ed Bowers, MGM Resorts Japan Representative Officer and CEO, also commented: “Opening a new office in the heart of Tokyo’s business district and expanding our MGM Japan team reflect our strong commitment and determination. The new office will become our core hub as our team advances toward the realization of a resort that is uniquely Japanese.”

Jason has worked and studied in Asia for more than 17 years, including 14 in Japan. He has lived in Tokyo, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Osaka and travelled throughout the country.

As Charge d’Affaires and as deputy chief of Mission at U.S. Mission Japan, he supervised more than 700 employees, five consulates and a language school, engaging daily with the most senior officials in government, business and academia. In his tenure at the U.S. Mission, he oversaw American participation in the G7 Summit, President Obama’s historic visit to Hiroshima, and the revision of the US-Japan Defense Guidelines. He is a strong advocate for US-Japan business partnerships, having worked closely with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), the US-Japan Business Council, Japan Tourism Agency, and other organizations. Jason believes in the enormous benefits of international tourism and has been a proponent of tourism across several assignments. He opened the U.S. pavilion at the JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2016.  He has spoken frequently on cyber security, innovation, and trade policy.

Jason is grounded in foreign affairs from study at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, The National War College, University of California, Berkeley, the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies and as Visiting Foreign Scholar at the University of Tokyo. He has received numerous awards from the Department of State, including Superior Honor Awards, Meritorious Honor Awards, the Expeditionary Service Award and the Sinclaire Language Award.