ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS: The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), Denver, Colo. Takemichi Yamashoji was promoted to Japan director, responsible for managing market development programs for U.S. pork and beef, identifying emerging opportunities for U.S. exporters, monitoring regulatory and public policy proceedings and evaluating economic trends and conditions in the Japanese market. Yamashoji has been with USMEF since 1999, most recently as senior marketing director.