COLLEGE WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN2023 Annual Report
March 2024

1949 - 2024
Celebrating 75 years of CWAJSAVE THE DATECWAJ International Women’s Day
Japanese Women Leading the Way

for the 67th

CWAJ PRINT SHOWOn March 8, CWAJ commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023 with an
event at the International House of Japan to celebrate the remarkableachievements of women and promote gender equality in our community. The
event was a resounding success and a testament to the unwavering commitment
of CWAJ to empower women and foster an inclusive society.

October 16 - 20, 2024
Hillside Forum, Daikanyama

The evening’s gathering brought together three inspiring and accomplishedJapanese women from diverse backgrounds who shared their stories under thetheme of Japanese Women Leading the Way. The audience gained insight fromthese exceptional leaders in business, science, and social responsibility who
opened up about their personal and professional journeys. The excellent
presentations by Mitsuru Claire Chino (Managing Executive Officer, ITOCHU
Corporation), June Miyachi (President & CEO, Cartier Japan), and Dr. Marie Oshima(Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tokyo) were informative,interactive, and raised awareness about the importance of gender equity.

CWAJ Special Exhibition
October 9 - November 5Frederick Harris Gallery, Tokyo American ClubThis event served as a catalyst for change, reflecting CWAJ’s dedication toadvancing women’s rights and opportunities. We are immensely grateful to thespeakers who gave their time generously and all those who contributed to making
the CWAJ IWD event a remarkable and transformative experience. Together, wemarch forward, inspired and energized in our mission to create a world where
every woman’s potential can be fully realized. We look forward to welcoming youat our IWD event in 2024!
CWAJ International Women’s Day 2024 will be held on March 8 at the Foreign
Correspondents’ Club of Japan.

Online Gallery
https://cwaj-gallery.jp

FUND THE FUTURE
The generosity of all of our donors andsponsors makes it possible for CWAJ tocontinue to provide opportunities for students
to pursue their dreams. CWAJ welcomes
donations of any amount throughout theyear. With the support of the JapanFoundation Designated Donations program, atax deduction receipt is available for donors
to CWAJ who file tax return forms in Japan.
For further information about making adonation
toCWAJ,
pleasecontact
donations@cwaj.org

A Journey of Growth and Discovery

My First Four Months as the CWAJ Cartier Scholar at Oxford
ISHIKAWA, Rin
As the inaugural CWAJ Cartier Scholar, I have had the unique privilege of immersing myself in a
vibrant and diverse educational environment. Over half of my cohort of 338 students from 63
countries are women.
My Oxford experience extends beyond the classroom. I have been actively participating in theInterdisciplinary Food Systems Teaching and Learning Program, engaging with students fromdifferent disciplines and universities. These interactions have been instrumental in broadening
my perspective on global food systems. An eagerly awaited element of the upcoming term is
my participation in the Impact Lab. This prestigious program at Oxford is an opportunity forhands- on learning and leadership development.
Reflecting on the past four months, the most significant takeaway has been the unlearningand relearning process. Stepping out of my startup-focused mindset, I have opened my eyes
to a multitude of solutions to global challenges.

ABOUT CWAJ

Being the CWAJ Cartier Scholar has been a transformative experience. It’s more than just an
academic pursuit; it’s a journey of personal growth, cultural exchange, and professional
development. I am grateful for this opportunity and excited about the possibilities that lieahead.
The College Women’s Association of Japan, a 100% volunteer organization is a singular group of women
supporting women through education, arts, community, and friendship. Founded in 1949, our primary
mission is the provision of scholarships that are funded by donations and proceeds from the CWAJ Print
Show, an internationally acclaimed annual exhibition and sale that promotes contemporary Japanese
print art. CWAJ serves the community by providing educational services for children and adults, including
innovative programs for visually impaired individuals. CWAJ offers opportunities to engage in meaningful
volunteer projects, to participate in cross-cultural events, and to make friendships with women fromaround the world. Please join us! Contact: membership@cwaj.org@TheCWAJ@cwaj_japan
cwaj.org

The 66th Print
Show

Special Exhibition

A Look Back at the 66th Print Show
The 66th CWAJ Print Show was held at the Daikanyama
Hillside Forum and online through the CWAJ Print Show
Online Gallery, attracting a diverse audience. Tenoverseas members visited Japan to enjoy the Print
Show, renewing old friendships and demonstrating
CWAJ’scommitment
tocamaraderie
throughvolunteerism. There were several engaging events. Dr.
Kit Brooks, a 2009 CWAJ Scholarship recipient andcurator of Japanese art at the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of Asian Art gave a gallery talk on AY-O andHidehiko Goto demonstrated traditional baren-making.
Scan to view the 2023 guided tour,“Look Closer,” featuring 20 works
that reveal a new world

In September, CWAJ held its firstspecial exhibition in five years at
the Frederick Harris Gallery of theTokyo American Club. Titled Color
Blast, the special exhibition
featured the intense colors andexceptional pop artworks of fourinternationally renowned artists:
AY-O, YAYANAGI Go, IKEDA
Masuo, and TANAKA Hiroshi. The
four artists have participated inthe CWAJ Print Show since the1960s, gaining popularity over theyears.
The theme of the exhibit wasinspired by the 2023 exhibition,
Ay-O’s Happy Rainbow Hell, at
the Sackler Gallery of theSmithsonian Museum curated byDr. Kit Brooks.

Scan to view our beautiful
prints throughout the year
at our online gallery

Hands-on Art
Sighted and visually impaired visitors
participated in a printmaking workshop
conducted by Akane Torii, who is an educator
at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.
Participants used tactile tools to learn how
prints are made and to understand the basic
differences between four main types ofprintmaking.

2023 CWAJ Print Show Committee Award
Winner: OKADA, Ikumi“AM 5:00,” Woodcut

Akari Uehara with Elena Fangazio

Loro Piana Woman Artist Award

2023 CWAJ Young Printmaker Award¥500 000
UEHARA, Akari¥500 000SATO, Tsubasa

Tohoku University of Art & Design, Department of Art & Design

Graduate School of Tama Art University | Woodblock

Loro Piana Japan, a leading Italian fashion brand, collaborated withCWAJ to fund the CWAJ Print Show Loro Piana Woman Artist Award
to promote the career of a female artist and the development ofcontemporary Japanese printmaking.

Tsubasa plans to use the award to study primitivism, toproduce a book of his prints, and to hold an exhibition of theresults of his research.

Uehara Akari, uses her original “resin print” technique. “I hope tobecome an artist who can spark a small light in the hearts of theviewers.”“My woodblock prints are based on primitivism, which visualizes
the complexity of communicating in modern society andemotions that cannot be expressed in words.”

Scholarship Tradition - May General Meeting
Continuing the annual tradition that has become a highlight ofevery year, the Scholarship Committee introduced CWAJ’s new
Scholars to donors, members, and the press at the general
meeting and luncheon at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club ofJapan on May 17.
We are proud of the many CWAJ Scholars who are having positive
impacts across the globe and pray for their safety. CWAJ
passionately believes in the education of women and we hopethat all of our scholars will achieve their highest goals.

The 2023 CWAJ Scholars

CWAJ awarded scholarships in the following categories for the 2023-2024 academic
year:

CWAJ Graduate Scholarship forJapanese Women to Study Abroad(SA)¥3.0 million

MITSUKADO, Maika
Master of Science in European Forestry,
University of Eastern Finland, Finland

CWAJ Cultural Exchange Graduate
Scholarship for Japanese Women toStudy Abroad (SA)CWAJ Graduate Scholarship for NonJapanese Women to Study in Japan (NJG)

Pandemic Response Scholarshipfor Nursing Students (NS)¥2.0 million¥500,000; five recipients

MOHAMED, Ola Mamoun Ahmed (The Republic ofthe Sudan)
Doctoral Course, Civil and Environmental
Engineering Program, Graduate School ofEnvironmental Studies, Nagoya University, Japan

ESHIMA, Tsubasa
Fourth year, St. Luke’s
International University, College ofNursing

Supported by the Japan Foundation, ¥3.0 million

CWAJ Cultural Exchange Graduate
Scholarship for Non-Japanese Women
to Study in Japan (NJG)

KIKUCHI, Akari
Fourth year, Fukushima
Medical University, School ofNursing

NIOUSHA, RoseDoctoral Course, Department of ElectricalEngineering and Computer Science,
University of California, Berkeley, USA

GAMARRA, Elizabeth (United States of America)
PhD, International Relations, Graduate School ofArts and Sciences, ICU, JapanSAWADA, Kotomi
Fourth year, Tokyo Women’s
Medical University, School ofNursing

CWAJ Cartier Scholarship (SA)Funded by Cartier Japan,¥3.0 million
ISHIKAWA, Rin
Master of Business Administration, Universityof Oxford Saïd Business School, UK

Supported by the Japan Foundation, ¥2.0 million

CWAJ Scholarship for the Visually
Impaired to Study in Japan (SVI-SJ)¥1.5 million; two recipients
KANAZAWA, HarutoFourth year, Faculty of Policy Management, KeioUniversity, JapanKIKUCHI, Momoi
Fourth year, Faculty of Law, Tohoku University, JapanSOENO, Ayaka
Fourth year, St. Luke’s
International University, College ofNursing
TANAKA, Hana
Fourth year, St. Luke’s
International University, College ofNursing

OISHI, Kanoko – Keynote Speaker at the May General Meeting“If it was not for the CWAJ Scholarship, I would not have had the courage to step out of the traditional Japanesesociety. Though I desperately wanted to study abroad to change my career, very few people around me thought
it was a good idea. The CWAJ Scholarship not only provided me with financial assistance but also gave me thebig YES, you should do it!”Ms. Oishi started her career at a large Japanese financial institution before the passage of the 1985 Equal Employment
Law, an era when working women were not treated as equals with their male colleagues. Feeling frustrated, she decided
to attend Harvard Business School and was awarded a CWAJ Scholarship. After graduating, she joined McKinsey &Company, a consulting firm, and was made a partner in five years. After ten years at McKinsey, she gave birth to her son
and started thinking about how to improve healthcare for the next generation.
She learned that many Japanese hospitals lack good management, and often neither the patients nor the staff are
happy. In 2000, Ms. Oishi left McKinsey and founded her own company, Mediva and Platanus Medical Corporation,
where innovative and patient-friendly solutions prove that innovation is possible, even in the traditional field ofhealthcare.
Ms. Oishi plans to expand her business globally. Her journey started by becoming a CWAJ Scholar and she plans tocontinue solving important issues in the healthcare field.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Volunteers for the Visually Impaired (VVI)

Foreign Students’ Circle (FSC)The Volunteers for the Visually Impaired (VVI) serve visually impaired children and adults
by providing English-language programs and holding special events. Information about VVI
and CWAJ events is regularly sent to 181 visually impaired friends through electronic andbraille editions of our newsletter.

FSC provides a variety of Japanese cultural
programs for foreign students, former FSC
students and mentors. In 2023, FSC organized
the following events:

Twice a year, in June and October, students at the Special Needs Education School for the
Visually Impaired, University of Tsukuba, prepare for the Eiken Test in Practical EnglishProficiency. In 2023, VVI members used Zoom to conduct mock test interviews for 21students. A one-to-one English conversation program, led by native English-speaking CWAJ
volunteers (English Conversation Partners), was also offered to students upon request.

• Walking tour. In April, we took a guided tourof Enoshima in Kanagawa Prefecture where
we enjoyed the landscape while learning
about the history of the area.

Throughout 2023, VVI volunteers taught English twice a week at the Japan Vocational
Development Center for the Blind and Low Vision. At this center, adults are re-training forjobs, and English ability is a valuable qualification. The classes are fun, practical, and help
students build confidence in speaking English.
VVI also holds social events. In August, volunteers and visually impaired friends gatheredat the specially-equipped Cinema Chupki Theater to watch and discuss the documentary,Young Plato.

English Outreach for Children (EOC)
In 2023, EOC was able to restart the Fun-With-English Lessons with the children at St.
Joseph’s Home in Nishi-Tokyo.
Visiting with the children and helping them learn English words and phrases has been adelight. Each of our lessons is based on a different English language picture book that has
been translated into Japanese by our members. We provide a QR link to a bilingual
recording of our members reading the book in English and Japanese, which allows thechildren to enjoy the books at any time.
During each lesson, we divide the children into small groups so that our members can giveindividual attention to each child. Those groups rotate through various activities, exposing
them to English in a variety of settings.

• Kimono program. In June, we spent the daywith a kimono expert who brought many
casual cotton yukatas, obi belts, and beautiful
silk furisode long-sleeve kimono. Students
had the opportunity to wear the kimono andview antique items for kimono, such as
Kanzashi hair accessories.
• Kabuki theater. In July, we learned aboutkabuki and saw the play, Hikimado (SlidingWindow).
• CWAJ Print Show and Ohta MemorialMuseum program. In October, ten FSC
members enjoyed the beautiful prints as wellas the Hands-on Art exhibition at the CWAJPrint Show.
• Kiyosumi Gardens tour. In November, we
had a guided tour of Kiyosumi Gardens,
complete with a picnic lunch. Afterward, we
visited the Fukagawa Edo Museum.

MONTHLY GENERAL MEETINGS
In 2023, CWAJ hosted both Zoom and hybrid in-person General Meetings. Our dynamic speakers addressed a variety of topics of interest tothe membership.
January: George Olcott, Guest Professor atShizenkan University in Tokyo and foreign boardmemberof
severalleading
Japanesecompanies, discussed how Japanese companies
differ from others and how they should change
to establish global competitiveness.
February: Lance Gatling, a long-time Japan
resident and geopolitical and military analyst,
addressed the near-term threats that Japan
faces to its national security and how it ispreparing to meet those threats.
March: Naoko Abe, a UK-based non-fiction
writer and former journalist for the Mainichi
Newspaper, gave insight into the inspiration forher book, ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who
Saved Japan’s Blossoms.
April: Chris Blackerby, Group Chief Operating
Officer for Astroscale Holdings, described how
his company is developing a business tosupport the increasing number of satellites inouter space.
May: Kanoko Oishi is the Managing Director ofMediva and Platanus Medical Corp, a company
that operates 12 primary care homes andhealthcare clinics in Japan and Vietnam.

June:Rochelle Kopp, Managing Principal of Japan
Intercultural Consulting, presented her perspective on
how women can make a difference when they
communicate effectively in business and communityaffairs.
September: For the 2023 Print Show Kickoff, Ryuta
Endo, Printmaker and Professor at Musashino Art
University, presented, “Creating Hanga Prints, the Rich
Diversity,” a historical review of Japanese printmaking
and an explanation of innovative techniques that areshaping its future.
October: Josh Grisdale, manager of the Marketing
Department for Azalee Group and creator of the website
Accessible Japan, explained the many ways in which
Japan is accessible to people with disabilities and why it isimportant to continue to advocate for furtherimprovements.
November: Manuel Tardits, Professor of Architecture atMeiji University and co-founder of the architect office,Mikan, explained how his interest in Japanesearchitecture changed his life.
December: Hiroki Sato, an award-winning flamenco
dancer, and his company, Arte y Solera, provided an
exciting flamenco performance to celebrate the holiday
season.

Ippan Shadan Hojin CWAJ
2-24-13-601 Kami-Osaki Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0021 | contactus@cwaj.org