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Ambassador Julia Longbottom CMG and the President of Hato Bus, Kiyohito Shiomi, at The British Embassy Tokyo celebrating the sightseeing firm’s partnership with Northern Irish bus maker Wrightbus. Hatobus has purchased five buses from Wrightbus to use in Tokyo.
To celebrate the BBA2021, held on 5 November, a taiko drum performance took place on the lawn of the Ambassador's Residence at the British Embassy Tokyo.
St David's Society of Japan President Ursula Bartlett-Imadegawa and her husband Yukihiro, co-founder of the former Tokyo British Club, celebrated his birthday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on 20 November.
September saw the return of outdoor trips for the Secondary School at BST. Students from Years Seven to 13 enjoyed canyoning, river and lake packrafting at Lake Okutama.
British Ambassador Julia Longbottom CMG welcomed Japanese Defence Minister Kishi and military officers who visited HMS Queen Elizabeth on 6 September at Yokosuka to help promote relations and discuss defence matters. © Crown copyright 2013
Commander Chris Ansell (left) gave a tour of HMS Queen Elizabeth to Intralink Japan Managing Director Will Jasprizza on 10 September.
Commodore Steve Moorhouse presented Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi with the White Ensign that flew as HMS Queen Elizabeth entered Japan.
The British School in Tokyo’s primary students were invited to watch the Paralympic Weightlifting events, including Louis Sugden winning bronze in the Women's 86kg Powerlifting.
The British School in Tokyo’s teachers and parents got involved over the summer volunteering for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, supporting Team GB and Team Paralympics GB athletes and making sure everything ran smoothly.
Harrow Appi—set to open in August 2022—welcomed families to the new campus. They toured the facilities and attended virtual one-on-one sessions with the school’s founding Head, Mick Farley.
From second left: Head of School Claire Fletcher, Ambassador Julia Longbottom CMG and Co-founder of Clarence Education Asia Fei-Fei Hu at the opening ceremony for the newly established primary school, Phoenix House
The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) moved to a new location on 1 July. After five years at the Ark Hills Front Tower, the BCCJ is now sharing office space with long-term Platinum member and British multinational luxury automotive company, Jaguar Land Rover Japan.
Some of the first pupils at Phoenix House International School enjoyed the natural surroundings at the North Peak enrichment campus in Hokkaido Prefecture.
Year Six students from The British School in Tokyo (BST) graduated from Primary School and are looking forward to their Secondary School lives. All the eager pupils attended their farewell assembly that showcased videos of the highlights of their final year of primary education.
Year 13 students had their graduation ceremony at BST and are now looking toward the next chapter in their lives. Best of luck to them all.
The William Adams annual memorial event was held in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture. Due to Covid-19 the event was restricted to guests from Nagasaki. Messages from the William Adams Club (WAC) were read out in front of Adams’ grave to a group of Hirado citizens. Copies of the official portrait of Adams by Nicky Farrell that was commissioned by WAC were presented to Hirado Mayor Naruhiko Kuroda and Aki Oseki of the Hirado Relations Association.
The William Adams Club portrait of the first Briton in Japan, William Adams (1564–1620)—known as Miura Anjin by the Japanese—by Nicola Farrell, was displayed for the first time at the annual memorial event held at the William Adams Memorial Park on Sakigata Hill, at Hirado in Nagasaki Prefecture. The recently discovered final resting place of Adams is near the long-established memorial depicted.
On 22 April the British Chamber of Commerce (BCCJ) held a virtual event titled The Nikkei Asia Story. Nikkei Asia staff writer Francesca Regalado and Executive Editor Chris Grimes spoke and the event was moderated by Senior Adviser to the BCCJ, Graham Davis.
The Mori Art Museum unveiled an exhibition titled Another Energy: Power to Continue Challenging. It focuses on 16 female artists aged 71–105 from 14 countries. Pictured is work from Briton Phyllida Barlow. Artwork: untitled: canvasracks; 2018-2019, Phyllida Barlow PHOTO: Damian Griffiths, Courtesy of Cross Steele Collection
British School in Tokyo nursery children invited all pupils to join "Going Green" for Earth Day. The non-uniform day had them bring a donation for the Ocean Family NPO and wear something green.
From left: BCCJ ACUMEN Publisher Simon Farrell; outgoing British Ambassador Paul Madden CMG; Sarah Madden; British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) Associate Director Sarah Backley; President David Bickle OBE, and Executive Director Lori Henderson MBE, on 8 February at the British Embassy Tokyo. Ambassador Madden held a lunch to thank the BCCJ, ACUMEN and its publisher Custom Media for their support during his four-year term.
Knights in White Lycra (KIWL) cyclists met on 27 February for training in preparation for the June 500km charity ride that will support the YouMeWe NPO. Starting at Ebisu Station, they set off on an 80km round trip to Kanagawa Prefecture, which required them to climb a few tough hills. From left: Custom Media Video Producer Miho Sainoki, KIWL Chair and co-founder Rob Williams, YouMeWe founder Michael Clemmons, and cyclist Emi Tzuneizumi.
Ambassador Madden met Minister of the Environment Shinjiro Koizumi on 15 February to discuss climate change. He presented the Minister with a book of poems titled Fried Octopus, Instead of Sticks of Rock that he wrote reflecting on his time in Japan.
Cardiff-native Morgan Paul Williams performed Welsh and Irish classics at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Chiyoda-ku on 19 March for the weekly Saturday Night Live event.
On 13 February, British School in Tokyo (BST) students and parents joined the first of three university webinars in which BST alumni studying at a range of institutions were interviewed. With that month focusing on UK universities, the evening gave students and parents an opportunity to ask questions about entering university. It was most useful for those interested in going to study in the UK.
The St David’s Society of Japan combined their 40th anniversary celebrations and their annual St David’s Day event on 28 February. What had been planned as an exhibition and reception was turned into a creative Zoom event, featuring video messages from expats in the Welsh community.
As part of the “Express Yourself” week at the BST, primary pupils came on 12 February wearing clothes that expressed their personalities and made them feel comfortable, happy and confident.
The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) and PechaKucha teamed up on 20 February at the Core Kitchen/Space in Shinbashi, Minato Ward, to mark International PechaKucha Day with the interactive event Techs in the City. PechaKucha is a 400-second visual format in which 20 slides are presented for 20 seconds each.
BCCJ Associate Director Sarah Backley welcomes members and guests to the Techs in the City event on 20 February. Presenters used the PechaKucha 20x20 method to present their efforts in tackling some of the 21st century’s greatest challenges.
Sean Ellison, senior economist for Asia-Pacific at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), spoke at the BCCJ event Global Commercial Property Monitor with RICS: Where Should You Be Doing Your Next Deal? on 27 February at Roppongi Hills Club.