Could you describe your duties at JICC?

My job title is Coordinator for Public Relations, which actually gives me quite a large umbrella to sit under.  I look after the Embassy’s website and keep it up to date by adding news on Japan’s foreign policy, events we hold at the Embassy as well as features and news.   I also edit this Webmagazine, which involves sourcing interesting articles, liaising with event organisers, editing articles, interviewing people as well as actually assembling the magazine and sending it out.   I also look after the Embassy’s educational programme – Club Taishikan – where we invite British schoolchildren to the Embassy to take part in Japan-related workshops involving such activities as origami and calligraphy.  Finally, I help with the Embassy’s busy events programme.

What have you found most fulfilling?

The most rewarding part of my job is probably Club Taishikan – despite having to clear up afterwards!   It’s always a real pleasure to see students enjoying themselves and learning something new.

Also, I’m really pleased with how far the Webmagazine has come in the last two years.  Now we have a problem with having more interesting articles than we can include each month – a good problem to have. And last month we interviewed our first ever Oscar winner!   I think it really has something for everyone now.

Teaching Origami at Club Taishikan

What have some of the major challenges been?

Right when I first started, I got involved with Japan Matsuri 2009, which was a pretty steep learning curve for me.   I was involved on the day, too, as a stage manager on the family stage, which was quite frantic.  It was exhausting keeping track of time, the performers and all of their equipment. 

Also that year, we held the Japan-UK 150 closing reception at the British Museum.  This was attended by around 400 people, including Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.   I had never really worked on such a big reception before and had to quickly get my head around things that I’d never had any experience with  – such as lighting rigs!

I also have to mention March this year.   After the terrible earthquake, the Embassy went into overdrive trying to get as much information out to the public as it could.  Particularly with the website, there was a constant stream of information that needed to be uploaded as quickly as possible and it was a very difficult time for all of us here, seeing such distressing pictures on television.   We were all heartened, though, by the huge outpouring of support that Japan received from the British public.

Interviewing Mr Seiji Iwami

What have some of your favourite articles from the Webmagazine been?

Recently, we had our first ever Oscar-winner in the Webmagazine, Emi Wada, which was quite exciting!   You don’t realise quite how crucial costume design can be to a film or play, and she really is an inspirational woman.   Also, as a Masterchef fan, it was great to meet this year’s winner, Tim Anderson, to talk about how Japan has influenced his career.

As for this edition of the Webmagazine, I was really interested in the story about the Japanese FA Cup!   I had no idea that The FA provided the original ‘Silver Cup’ 90 years ago – yet another fascinating link that binds us!

I think the outright winner, though, has to be talking to Pete Stevenson, Operational Leader for the British Search and Rescue Team that the British government dispatched to Japan after the earthquake.   Hearing his stories of the work they did in Tohoku was truly humbling.

How has your work at the JICC influenced your choice of career?

I’m leaving the JICC to start a PGCE (teacher training) course in primary education.   I think, rather than my time here at JICC, it was my time on the JET Programme that made me want to go into teaching.   It was always so rewarding to watch the students get better at English little by little.   Running the Club Taishikan programme here has helped cement my decision.

How will Japan feature in your life from now on?

Hopefully I’ll get to enjoy some of the Embassy’s fantastic events as a guest, rather than fretting backstage that everything is going to plan! I’ll also try to bring Japan into my classroom as much as possible.   I’d love to have a class full of children greeting me with a cheery ‘Ohayou gozaimasu’ every morning and be called ‘sensei’ again!  I also hope to bring a group here to Club Taishikan one day.