I was honored to be a guest on Washington Weekly, a podcast produced by the DC bureau of the Japanese broadcasting company TBS!
Washington Weekly discusses political and economic news in the DC region. The DC bureau chief, Wakui-san, explains the latest developments (especially information that may not be getting a lot of coverage in Japan) in bite-size, digestible pieces, often welcoming guests who are experts in certain areas. I’ve enjoyed listening to many of their episodes, and it was really cool to be able to play a small part in their episode this week!
Going forward, I’ll be a recurring guest discussing various English phrases/words that were in the news that week, so if you listen to Japanese podcasts, please take a look at the links above!
I was incredibly honored to welcome the wonderful John Onoda, who I respect immensely as a top communications expert–and one of the wisest people I’ve ever known. I met him through the U.S.-Japan Council, where, as a board member, he provides valuable advice about the strategic direction of the organization. He is a principal at iQ 360, a strategic consulting firm with clients in the United States and Japan, and serves on the board of The Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication. He has led communications at companies including General Motors, Levi Strauss, Visa USA and Charles Schwab, and has decades of experience providing counsel to other major global corporations, universities, NGOs and government agencies.
We discuss how John’s upbringing in Gary, IN (where the only other Asians were his family members) affected his identity; how he taught himself to succeed in communications as an introvert; the importance of cultivating our humanity to thrive as individuals and workers even while technology increasingly takes over our jobs; how reading trains us to empathize with others and helps us fight forces that divide us; and how we can “find our tribe” by exploring different lifestyles.
Many thanks to John for kindly taking the time to share his fascinating life journey (as a fellow introvert, I especially loved the story of “Robot John”!) and great insight into strategic communications. He’s always been decades ahead of others, and I learned so much from his advice that no matter what happens with technology in the future, the best way to succeed long-term is to cherish and continue to foster human qualities like integrity and empathy.
今回は、私が尊敬してやまない広報専門家であるジョン・オノダ氏をお迎えしました。ジョンさんは私の前の職場、米日カウンシルの評議員で、広報活動のみならず、組織全体の戦略的方向性についていつも貴重なアドバイスをくださっていました。日米を拠点とする戦略コンサルティング会社、iQ 360のプリンシパルであり、広報活動のインテグリティ（誠実性）を促進する組織、Page Center for Integrity in Public Communicationの理事も務めています。ゼネラルモーターズ、リーバイス、ビザ、チャールズ・シュワブなど、数多くの大手企業でコミュニケーション部門を率いてきたほか、大学、NGO、政府機関に対しても、数十年にわたってコンサルティングを行ってきた方です。
I was so happy to welcome the wonderful Kazuyo Kato, who I respect immensely as the Executive Director of Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) USA, and who I’m proud to call a friend. Born in Australia and raised in Egypt until she was three years old, Kazuyo moved between the U.S. (Washington, DC and San Francisco) and Japan throughout her elementary to high school years. She has built her career at organizations focused on U.S.-Japan relations and international affairs, including the Japan Society in New York, the U.S. and Japan entities of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, CSIS, and Armitage International.
We discuss Kazuyo’s upbringing in multiple countries; how she overcame the challenge of learning languages and societal expectations; why she decided to work in the nonprofit sector and the importance of people-to-people exchange; and how she developed her own leadership style and what she learned from great leaders like Richard Armitage.
Many thanks to Kazuyo for kindly answering my very personal questions! I appreciate her being open about the struggles of navigating friendships while learning languages. Her advice on leadership is particularly touching when considering how she built her career and confidence over time, and I’m sure many people will find her words encouraging and inspiring.
I was so happy to welcome interpreter and analyst Lefteris Kafatos, who I’ve long looked up to. Lefteris went on the JET (Japanese Exchange & Teaching) Program in Okinawa and served as a diplomatic interpreter at the U.S. Department of State, interpreting for Presidents Obama and Trump on several occasions. He now writes (in both English and Japanese!) for The Japan Lens, where his focus is the U.S.-Japan alliance, Japanese politics and foreign policy, and regional dynamics in the Asia-Pacific. Lefteris has master’s degrees in Japanese-English Conference Interpreting from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), as well as in International Affairs from UC San Diego.
We discuss his upbringing and identity as a Greek American; how his interest in Japan evolved over time as a student, interpreter, and analyst of U.S.-Japan relations; how he stays calm when interpreting for heads of state and other high-powered individuals; and how we can continue to maintain and strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship despite recent uncertainties like tariffs. I’m amazed by not only his linguistic talent and hard work that brought him to where he is, but also his willingness to continue to study and grow.
ポッドキャスト「CrossWorld Puzzles」の最新エピソードです。今回は、通訳の先輩であるレフテリス・カファトさんの話を伺いました。大学で日本語を勉強し始めた後、JETプログラムや日本での勉強・勤務を経て通訳となり、国務省の日本語通訳者となってオバマ・トランプ両大統領の通訳も務めたレフテリスさん。今は「The Japan Lens」と呼ばれるウェブサイトを運営し、日米同盟や日米関係を様々な観点から分析して、両方の言語で記事を書いています。
I was super excited to welcome my longtime friend Mari Yobp, who I’ve known since middle school! Mari is an artist and poet raised in Japan. After graduating from Musashino Art University, she worked as an art teacher at a school in Osaka (where she met her future husband) and immigrated to the U.S. She is currently based in Pittsburgh, PA, and has also lived in Idaho. Mari draws and paints mostly flowers in watercolor. She also writes Tanka poetry and publishes her work in a poetry magazine.
We discuss her philosophy in creating art; how she met her husband and built her own community in the U.S.; how she keeps in touch with the Japanese language and writes poetry; how she has contended with her child’s medical challenges; and how she stays positive no matter what challenges come her way.
Many thanks to Mari for sharing her wisdom. She’s always been an inspiration and source of strength for me, and I’m sure many will find her words and kind demeanor comforting.
The video podcast with Mari is below, but for more information, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode9-mari/. This webpage includes a lot of Mari’s art, and should not be missed!
The eighth episode of the podcast CrossWorld Puzzles is now out!
I was excited to welcome storyteller Natalia Quintana-Feliciano, who I met through a writer’s group in DC (The Awesome Writers Accountability Club). Natalia is a Puerto-Rican & Colombian storyteller, poet, artist, and student reporter. She currently works as a communications and event coordinator at a health policy think tank. She has also worked at PBS KIDS, and has written for several award-winning publications.
We discuss the complicated relationship between Puerto Rico and the Continental United States, as well as the many layers of what it means to be American; her creative writing process and her muses, including the “vengeful woman”; how local journalism can build empathy; and the importance of feeling seen in children’s media as we grow up.
Many thanks to Natalia for sharing her fascinating thoughts on creativity, great outlook on life, and so much more!
The seventh episode of the podcast CrossWorld Puzzles is now out!
I was excited to welcome multimedia journalist David Caprara, who I met through the U.S.-Japan Council. His documentary work has ranged from covering Nepali honey hunters in Himalayan foothills, to reconstruction efforts after the 2011 Tohoku disaster, to uncovering the mysteries of a WWII B-29 crash on a Buddhist holy mountain. He lives in a kominka (traditional Japanese house) that he bought in the Yoshino region of Nara. We discuss how he jumped into international journalism by reporting recovery efforts after a major earthquake in Nepal; how he builds rapport with people around the world, especially during interviews; how he’s succeeded as a freelance journalist living abroad; and why he appreciates life in rural Japan.
The video podcast with David is below, but please also check out the website, which has a full transcript as well as some very cool photos: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode7-david/.
Many thanks to David for sharing his fascinating journey! His talent and passion for photography (which kickstarted his journalism career) are evident in the photos he kindly shared. His work with Japan started with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program(me), and after spending some time in the U.S., he’s since returned to Nara, the prefecture JET originally assigned him to. His deep knowledge of Japanese culture, history, and religion inspired me to travel and learn more about different regions throughout Japan.
The sixth episode of the podcast CrossWorld Puzzles is now out!
I was thrilled to welcome my close friend Yuri Akahira, who’s worked in multiple locations around the world, and is now a Tokyo-based director at a global IT company. A strong advocate for women, she has a background in social work and leads the women’s employee resource group in her company. She’s even taken part in the Mrs. Universe Japan competition and placed first in the 40s category! We discuss how she became interested in different cultures, how she built her confidence after overcoming challenges like bullying, and how she befriends people from all different backgrounds.
The video podcast with Yuko is below, but more information, including photos and a full transcript, can be found here.
The fifth episode of the podcast “CrossWorld Puzzles” is now out! I was so happy to welcome strategy and operations consultant Yuko Watanabe, who’s also a good friend via the U.S.-Japan Council.
Yuko, who’s based in Seattle, has worked all over the world supporting everything from big companies to nonprofits. There are so many things I admire about her, including her strength, resilience, and ability to find humor even in challenging circumstances. I also love how she’s built various communities that allow participants to connect in unique ways, including “Tapestory” (大人の等身大作文集 Tapestory + All our tomorrows). We discuss how she first came to the United States, what led her to create those communities, and how it’s best to stop planning and instead find joy in whatever comes our way.
The video podcast with Yuko is below, but more information, including photos and a full transcript, can be found here.
The fourth episode of “CrossWorld Puzzles” is now out!
I was honored to welcome Korean interpreter and community builder Robert Holloway. Robert did not grow up speaking Korean, but studied it because of his interest in his family’s history: his mother was adopted from South Korea. Not only has he become fluent enough to serve as a conference interpreter, he also supports other Korean adoptees by building a community and teaching them the Korean language. We discuss his family history and the challenges many Korean adoptees face, as well as how identity is deeply intertwined with our own culture.
The video podcast with Robert is below, but more information, including photos and a full transcript, can be found here.
