President’s Message

AUTUMN USUALLY COMES WITH THE MESSAGE of change. As nature gets ready to prepare for the approach of the cold winter, trees and plants reflect the changing mood, as if trying to shrug off all the touches of a possible gloomy setting.

The beginning of autumn in Japan saw major changes in the long-held practice of dealing with the press at official levels. The Club, along with the Foreign Press in Japan, had for a long time demanded full access by the foreign media to the press conferences of various ministries and agencies, many of which had previously been under the virtual monopoly of the kisha-club system. The new government is now boldly moving ahead to fulfill the DPJ’s pledge to open the gates of official press events to foreign journalists, as well as other non-club members and freelancers. I would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to the new Hatoyama administration for taking this step soon after assuming office, and would also like to ask our Regular members to avail themselves of this wonderful opportunity, which will significantly facilitate their news-gathering activities.

Meanwhile, the beginning of autumn is giving mixed signals of hope for the Club. Our sales are gradually moving upward, as banquet bookings for the coming months are showing a healthy trend. This will definitely make things easier and allow us to focus more on strategies that will help us strengthen the position of the Club to sustain further difficulties in the near future, should they arise.

Our General Membership Meeting found it difficult to achieve a quorum, and for the first time in Club history, a GMM had to be postponed and rescheduled. As President, I take responsibility for failing to raise the interest of our Regular members concerning the importance of their participation in the decision-making process at a time when we have a number of pressing issues to tackle. Although in the past the quorum issue has often been problematic, the current situation definitely compels us to think seriously how deep this crisis has become. To avoid a repetition of this unhappy incident, we urgently need to find a lasting solution that will effectively tackle the problem.

The September GMM, which was finally held on Oct. 14, made a number of important decisions, of which all our members should be informed. First, the meeting approved a proposal to transfer a ¥10 million fund from the members’ deposit account to our regular operational account on a temporary basis to cushion any possible shortfall in ongoing payments. For a variety of reasons, the Club recently encountered a shortfall in its current-account cash deposit. The large severance allowance paid to the outgoing GM and also the retirement money paid to a former accountant imposed an extra burden on Club finances. Continued sluggish sales further complicated the situation. With the improvement in sales figures and gradual signs of an economic recovery, the Club is now in a position that should allow management to return the amount without much delay. I deeply appreciate your kind understanding of this important factor and I thank you all for your continued support.

The second decision relating to financial matters concerns our employees’ pension fund. A total of ¥7.2 million was shifted from the pension fund without the prior knowledge of the Treasurer or the Board. The unusual step was taken to pay the severance allowances to the outgoing GM. This too was done due to a shortfall in our cash flow, as there was a possibility of a bank check being dishonored. The GMM has approved the transfer of the amount as a stopgap measure and instructed the Board to return the money to the pension fund within a year. Once again I ask for your understanding, and I’m confident that your support and cooperation will help us in addressing this issue.

The September GMM also decided to hire a law firm to represent the Club in legal proceedings that have been filed against the Club by an individual who claims he suffered racial discrimination at the Club. This compels us to make extra payment at a time when our financial situation is not in a good shape. But as the matter had already been moved to the court-mediation stage, we have no other option but to take the step of retaining a lawyer.

A third decision allowed the president to form a three-member panel that will look for possible mistakes or irregularities in the audit reports and financial statements of the Club in the last two fiscal years. The panel will also suggest ways to avoid any future confusion over our financial reports, which has the potential of creating misunderstanding and rifts among members.

Club activities are moving at a faster pace in various areas. PAC has succeeded in inviting a number of high-profile governmental figures to our professional luncheons, and a number of important speakers are also in the list of our upcoming events. The new foreign minister, Katsuya Okada, outlined the foreign policies of the new government and answered a series of questions at a packed event on Oct. 7.

The Food and Beverage Committee is working out details of updating our menus in line with demand. The committee is also working closely with the Entertainment Committee to organize various social events. The Club’s other committees are also busy finding ways to improve the services we offer to our members, and also to bring increased revenue at a time when there is a need to show signs of progress in all sides. So, autumn for the Club should be seen as a time of new hope.

– Monzurul Huq