The Japan Society Year in Review 2015
Heidi Potter
The Japan Society’s membership is diverse, both in age and background.
Anyone is welcome who supports the Society’s aims and who wishes to join
a community of people with an active interest in UK-Japan relations and inlearning more about each other’s life and culture. Our educational mission
informs all areas of the programme, which strikes a balance between those
activities tailored to particular interests and those designed to provide newopportunities for participation by the general public. We try to ensure that
our activities are widely accessible, and events during the year included
those open to both members and non-members, as well as a significant
number which were free or low cost.
In 2015, the Society organised over ninety different events across thedifferent areas of its outreach, including Arts & Culture, Lifestyle, Lectures,
Education and Business Events, as well as special annual fixtures. The general
events programme included: the Annual Dinner, Christmas party; fourteen
business related events; thirteen conversation group events; twenty-one
events aimed at younger members or families; four chairman’s events;
thirteen lectures and ten arts and culture events.
The business network
During the year, the programme of business events addressed issuesof mutual concern to Japanese and non-Japanese members, providing
briefings by senior experts and opportunities to engage in discussion. The
chairman held a series of small lunches, generously hosted by member
companies, in which key figures based in both the UK and Japan wereinvited to meet senior members of the Society. Subjects in 2015 included
finance and economics (Peter Tasker, Japan-based financial expert, andcommentator, Sir Jon Cunliffe, Deputy Governor, Bank of England), andsecurity and defence (Sir Kim Darroch, National Security Advisor, and the Rt
Hon Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence).
Larger business lectures and seminars looked in more depth at awide-range of subjects. Early in the year Glen Fukushima, in conversation
with David Warren, gave his analysis of the political and economic situation
facing the Abe Government following election victory in December 2014.
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The Japan Society Year in Review 2015

This was followed by a seminar on Cybersecurity at BT; an assessment of
global threats by Richard Fenning, CEO of Control Risks; a view on Energy
and Climate Change pre COP21 by Hattori Takashi, Head of the Environment& Climate Change Unit, International Energy Agency; a discussion on the
UK’s relationship with the European Union, with author and journalist,
Bill Emmott and Mizutori Mami; an overview of the world grains market
by Kitahara Etsuo, Executive Director of the International Grains Council;
corporate governance by Michael Woodford, former President & CEO of
Olympus; and a vision for Tokyo’s future development by Masuzoe Yōichi,
Governor of Tokyo.
The Society continued to arrange joint lunches in conjunction with
the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the UK, which
provided opportunities for Japanese and non Japanese to meet and to hearfrom guest speakers, who were during the year: Philip Stephens, Associate
Editor, Financial Times and Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House. A
special lunch organised with members of the UK-Japan 21st Century Groupon the occasion of its 32nd Annual Meeting, led to animated discussion on
topics on the Group’s agenda, including climate change and energy policy;
geopolitics and security challenges; the future of the EU; collaboration inscience & technology innovation; and approaches to social security issues.
The Japan Society values its partnerships with other organisations
with similar aims and interests in developing a programme which isof interest and benefit to the membership. During 2015, the Society
cooperated with UKTI, JETRO, Chatham House, and the Japan Security
Dealers’ Association to provide opportunities for members to build
networks and hear from experts.
A wide-ranging programme
As always, the Society’s general programme in 2015 included events
designed to reflect the diverse interests and enthusiasms of its members.
An annual highlight is the address given by the serving British Ambassador
to Japan, which was given in March by Tim Hitchens, reflecting on a year of
economic and political ups and downs. This was heavily over-subscribed,
with a capacity audience filling the auditorium at Nomura International forthe talk and stimulating question and answer session. (The transcript of thislecture was printed in Proceedings 151).
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The lifestyle calendar in 2015 was as busy as ever, with a range of regular
events such as the Japanese Conversation Group’s monthly meetings
for those wishing to maintain and improve their language skills, and thebook club, where regular and occasional participants came together every
second Monday of the month for lively discussions on a wide range of books
including literary classics, anthologies and contemporary fiction. What was
to have been a book launch for Dorothy Britton’s Memoir became a moving
tribute to the life of a remarkable woman by those who had known her.
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The Japan Society Year in Review 2015

Those looking for more active engagement participated in various sporting
events. The annual golf fixtures saw the Japan Society team defeated forthe second year in succession by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in
the Collar Cup, while Wakiwaka Eiji won the Japan Society golf tournament.
Members visited Twickenham as spectators for World Rugby 7s Finals Day,
while others participated in a five-a-side football tournament at the Samurai
Football Academy.
The Society participated in events surrounding the Satsuma 150
anniversary described in Andrew Cobbing’s lecture reprinted in thisvolume. Members provided homestays for some of the nineteen 21st
century students in July and joined the Kagoshima visitors for a challenging
Satsuma-themed pub quiz. Our education team took Izaku Taiko Odori and
Satsuma Kenshi Hayato performers to visit primary schools in London andOxford for special performances and workshops.
During 2015, we organised a number of family-friendly events,
ranging from a choral workshop to a Christmas craft day. A Tanabata Festival
was held in August, this time in collaboration with Kew Gardens and theEmbassy of Japan. Over two days, some thirty volunteers and members ofJapan Society staff helped visitors make origami decorations at a popular
event which also involved a treasure trail based on the tanabata story, toursof the bamboo garden and a kamishibai story-telling with Kuroda Haruka of
A Thousand Cranes.
Members of the Society also visited Kew for a private view, led by theartist, of an exhibition of Yamanaka Masumi’s botanical drawings of trees
in the famous Gardens. Private views were also arranged to Miura Isao’s
Sketches from the Poem Road and Shimotani Ichijoh’s exhibition of bokusai
paintings Life and Hopes for the Future, where they also participated in apractical workshop. There were a number of musical events during the year:
a choral workshop was led by Jonathan Gregory of the UK-Japan Choir, after
which a number of participants joined the choir which always welcomesnew members. In July, we were joined by virtuoso gidayu, Nozawa Matsuya,
for an introduction to jōruri, a form of traditional storytelling which usuallyaccompanies kabuki and bunraku (puppet theatre). In this event, Nozawa
demonstrated the jōruri techniques with a telling of the famous folk tale,
Momotarō. Prior to the premier of his new work Mme Butterfly, performer
Ignacio Jarquin captivated us with a discussion of his collaboration withJapan Society Proceedings

11composer Michael Finnissy and how together they have combined nihon
buyo, noh and a contemporary operatic score in imagining what happened
to the son of Puccini’s heroine.
The Japan Society again partnered the Japan Association, JapaneseChamber of Commerce and Industry and Nippon Club to stage Japan
Matsuri on 19 September in Trafalgar Square. Coinciding with Japan’s
opening match of the Rugby World Cup, this proved to be a memorable
day with victory over the mighty Springboks. There was plenty to enjoy
on the Square too, this year with a Satsuma 150 theme. The splendid
costumes of the Izaku Taiko Odori performers rose above the crowds as
they performed between the iconic fountains, while on stage the popular
television character Satsuma Kenshi Hayato was pursued to London by hisfoe, Yassembo. Participating yurukyara mascot characters this year also had
a Satsuma theme, as we were joined by Guribu and Kagobu, to the delightof children and adults alike. There was still room for old favourites, including
the quirky Frank Chickens and Hirota Joji’s London Taiko Drummers. Rooted
in the UK’s Japan-related community, Matsuri also showcases performances
by local schools and community groups, including the Japanese School,
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The Japan Society Year in Review 2015

Satsuma mascots, Guribu and Kagobu on stage at Japan Matsuri. Photo Moribayashi Masaaki.

London Bunka Yochien, Teikyo School and the British Suzuki Institute.
The event would not be complete without Japanese festival food, stalls
introducing a range of products and services, and activities for all the family.
London Lectures
The lectures programme in 2015 as usual covered a wide range ofsubject matter. The monthly academic lecture, held every third Monday
at Swedenborg Hall, formed the core of this aspect of our public
programming. In addition to those featured in this volume, lectures in2014 included a discussion of the issues facing low-skilled foreign workers
in Japan, by Kristin Surak, Senior Lecturer in Japanese Politics at SOAS; alook at the lives of Japanese Prime Ministers after leaving office by Hugo
Dobson, Head of the School of East Asian Studies at the University of
Sheffield; Bakumatsu Kabuki Heroes by Alan Cummings, Senior Teaching
Fellow at SOAS; a study of Japan’s demography and the implications forsocial policy by Roger Goodman, Head of the Social Sciences Division at
Oxford University; and an analysis of Japan’s lifetime employment system
by Peter Matanle, Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the School of
East Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield. The sixth annual lecture
in memory of Dr Carmen Blacker, organised jointly with the Sainsbury

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Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, was given by John
Breen and is reprinted in this volume.
A special debate was organized with the International Friendship andReconciliation Trust to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the
Asia Pacific War, and brought together experts Barak Kushner, Rana Mitterand Francis Pike for a wide-ranging discussion under the chairmanship of
Alessio Patalano. Other ad-hoc lectures covered topics such as the traditionof ekiden races in Japan, by Adharanand Finn; Tattoo art by Okazaki Manami;
and Kyoto’s International Links by Pauline Chakmakjian (in association withJapan Room).
Japan Society Small Grants
An annual sum of up to £30,000 is set aside for grants in support of small-scale
projects and events related to Japan. These grants provide opportunities forpeople throughout the UK to participate in education and exchange relating
to Japan and thus contribute to raising awareness and understandingof the country and its culture in places where the Japan Society has no
regular contact. Priority is given to applications for grassroots projects andfor activities involving schools and other educational establishments. In
2015, 42 grants were made averaging £575 with funding totalling £24,150
being awarded. In line with the objectives of the grants scheme, most of
the activities supported had an educational element, fostered exchange
between the UK and Japan, or provided opportunities to bring Japaneseculture to a wide group of people.
12 primary schools and 10 secondary schools and youth groups wereinvolved in extended projects, ranging from whole school Japan days
to interdisciplinary learning days and enrichment weeks. Japan Society
support for these events allows schools to bring in experts to run specialist
workshops to complement and enrich curriculum-based studies. These
included Japan days at Marner Primary School, Tower Hamlets and St Albans
CE Primary School, Rotherham, while pupils at Westdene Primary School,
Brighton, enjoyed a series of workshops to celebrate the selection of theirchoir to perform at a welcome ceremony for Japan’s rugby team. A visit by
students from a Japanese partner school gave one secondary school theopportunity to run language learning activities with neighbouring primaryschools, while a group of teachers spent time preparing together in advance14

The Japan Society Year in Review 2015

of a series of global education workshops with Japanese counterparts inFukushima, Tokyo and Kyoto.
Other arts related projects include community and adult education
workshops with visiting Bizen potter, Ishida Kazuya, including a workshop,
demonstration and lecture about the Bizen tradition and the potter’s
experience. Master woodblock carver Asaka Motoharu spent 10 days in theUK, conducting workshops and giving demonstrations and lectures at eightlocations including university art departments, printmaking studios and an
art and design sixth form college.
Distinct Impressions: Prism 5 brought together 32 emerging
printmakers for a shared exhibition including 14 from Japan and 10 fromthe UK. This was the fifth in a series of events which provide a forum forartistic exchange and education. Muscicity’s Reflections of Sumida along
London’s Southbank presented a new way to experience Japan, allowing
people to listen to recordings of Bashō poems in English and Japanese set
against a soundscape of Tokyo’s Sumida river.
Koto workshops and lectures by musicians from Tokyo University of
the Arts, provided inspiration for students of performance and compositionat the Royal Academy of Music, while Stirling University’s Japan Week
included language classes, lectures, receptions as well as cultural events andperformances. Japan Society small grants also supported Japan festivals in
Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Kent.
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Woodblock carver Motoharu Asaka at Central St Martins.

Schools Education
The schools education programme has been developed out of a belief inthe value to young people in the UK of growing up with an awareness andunderstanding of Japan and its culture. In addition to historical and businessreasons for learning about a key international partner, there are moregeneral benefits of broadening horizons and raising aspirations. Through its
activities for schools, the Society supports teachers, who may have limited
experience of Japan themselves, in providing these opportunities for theirstudents.
Throughout the year, the Society’s education team provides advice
and resources to schools engaged in teaching and learning activities
relating to Japan. As well as working in partnership with local authorities, itoffers materials directly to schools throughout the country, including loan
resources supplied to approximately seventy schools each year.
The Japan Conference for Schools organised with the JapanFoundation at the Embassy of Japan involved over 50 teachers taking partin a series of practical workshops alongside discussion groups on topics
including school linking; introducing Japanese to the curriculum; sharing
teaching resources; and teaching Japanese to dyslexic students. In this year’s
key note speech Lorraine Cooper, Deputy Head of Maryland Primary School
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The Japan Society Year in Review 2015

in Newham, reported on her trip to Osaka in 2014 to research methods ofteaching critical thinking skills.
150 sixth form students of Japanese and their teachers attended a oneday conference on 5 November which aimed to provide insights into life inJapan and less familiar aspects of Japanese culture. The event included a
keynote speech by Takiyama Susumu, Managing Director and Editor-inChief of Nikkei Europe. A talk by a former British student, who had spent timeat university in Japan, provided information on opportunities to continue
the study of Japan and Japanese after leaving school. Representatives ofBritish and Japanese universities attended and gave participants advice andinformation on future courses of study.
During the year visits were made by volunteers in Greater London,
Brighton, Derby, Manchester and South Wales to over 50 schools. For most
students a Japan in Your Classroom visit is their first opportunity to meeta Japanese person and to hear about Japan first-hand; the visits have alasting impact. A special visit was arranged for Izaku Taiko Odori performers
from Kagoshima, who visited schools in London and Oxford to give a
performance and run workshops as part of the Satsuma 150 celebrations.
Volunteers also ran a range of workshops and activities as part of SouthWest London Scouts summer camp, coinciding with the Scout Jamboree
being held in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and giving a taste of Japan to Scouts
within the UK.
Support for school links has continued to be an important element
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of the Society’s work. During 2015, new partnerships were establishedand existing links strengthened through exchange trips. Kobe University
Fuzoku Junior High School again visited the UK, this time taking students
to participate in exchanges with three partner schools, Cirencester Deer
Park School, Alleyn’s School in London and Thomas Hardye School in
Dorchester. Cropwell Primary School in Nottingham had another successful
visit from their partner, Komaki Elementary School in Nagano, this year withthe support of Heymann Primary School who are starting to develop theirown exchange with Wakatsuki Elementary School. In the virtual world,
some 60 school partnerships are now using Japan UK LIVE! and related
services to develop their links. Takamatsu Daiichi Senior High School again
visited County Upper School in Bury St Edmunds, for an exchange focusedon science activities.
From June 2015, Kuroda Saki has been working in Japan to provide
additional support to schools engaged in linking activities. Over the next
five years, we have the opportunity to build on increased interest ininternational activities leading up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020
Olympic and Paralympic Games, in order to recruit additional schools toparticipate in school linking activities. Having a staff member in Japan, tosupport this activity by running workshops and visiting schools will facilitate
this process. In the long term, we intend to rent desk space in a small office.
Japan Society Publications
At the end of 2014, the board re-established a publications committee witha brief to review the Society’s work in publishing and identify material for
future consideration. A general invitation for proposals was issued in early2015 and fifteen received, which were then reviewed by the committee.
Work is currently underway on an illustrated book for children and several
other proposals were taken forward for further consideration. Work began
on two other publications, due to be issued in 2016: Britain and Japan:
Biographical Portraits Vol X and a history of Japanese Studies in the UK.
During 2015 an e-library portal was created and work began behindthe scenes to add content. This will be launched in 2016 to commemorate
the Society’s 125th anniversary. Comprising in the first instance, books in
the Biographical Portraits series, this will be further developed to provide
greater access to important material in the Japan Society archives.
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The Japan Society Year in Review 2015