PER BODNER - Nominated and seconded by:
Roger Schreffler; Martin Koelling
No statement received.

FRED VARCOE
Nominated and seconded by:
Haruko Watanabe; Joel Koizumi-Legendre

I am a freelance journalist with 22 years’ experience in Japan and I’m hoping to be your secretary once again. I was happy to serve as secretary in 2007-08 and like to think I offered a balanced perspective on Club affairs at the time.

Both then and now, a good perspective on the issues facing us is vital. And, as most people know, there are plenty of issues facing us. But of the major issues we have faced over the past couple of years, I believe all can be (or could have been) resolved. But resolution has been impeded by factionalism, divisiveness and personality clashes.

Disagreement is fine, but the Regular members run the club and have an obligation to understand the issues and vote in the interests of the Club. As before, I will stick to my guns when I know I’m right and challenge those I know are wrong. But I take neither a dogmatic nor ideological approach and am open to persuasion on all issues. Time and again, candidates for office have talked about promoting inclusiveness within the Club, particularly involving the Associate members and the help they can provide. This must become a reality. As Board members, we are entrusted with the overall management of the Club. Most journalists are not used to managing – they write, they edit, they talk into a microphone. They are not used to dealing with problems such as personnel, which is obviously one of the issues the Club is facing at the moment. I have managed in a number of jobs; I have hired, fired and been fired. I have used the Tokyo Labor Office, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government mediation service and the services of a labor union. I have used a lawyer and the courts, successfully, to right wrongs. That said, I believe confrontations of all kinds will only produce a winner and a loser. If resolutions are found, everybody wins and everybody can move forward. More importantly, the Club wins and the Club can move forward.

And that’s the key. As a director of the Club, I believe there is only one criterion that matters: to do what is best for the Club. That’s what I intend to do if elected, so I hope I can serve both you and the Club as Secretary this year and make the Club a better place.