Issue:
July 2025 | Obituary
Dr Imad Ajami, Lebanese journalist and former FCCJ board member, lived life to the fullest
Imad Ajami, who has died aged 78, was not a member of the FCCJ for long, but his stay in Japan was relatively longer, and his involvement in our profession lasted much longer than many of us realise. And despite his short time as a regular member of the club, Imad had a lasting impact that is impossible to ignore.
Imad, who served as second vice-president of the FCCJ in 2015-2016, died on May 27 in Lebanon. He usually visited the club with his Japanese wife to meet friends and acquaintances, and exchange opinions with other members about the prospects for the club’s survival amid declining membership and mounting financial pressures.
A lingering problem for the club was a series of court cases for which it had had to pay hefty fees to hire legal advisors. Imad was annoyed about the situation and hoped to help members find a solution. Discussions he held with fellow members at times led to heated exchanges, prompting Imad to raise his voice.
Some of us advised him to run in the election for a board of directors’ position, thinking it would give him a better way to address the club’s issues. He reluctantly agreed and was duly elected as a vice president in charge of staff management. He quickly took action and resolved a long-standing dispute with an out-of-court settlement. This, though, increased the club’s financial burden, leading to more criticism of Imad’s approach.
Imad, however, believed the agreement would benefit the club in the long term. He wanted to create an atmosphere in which members of staff could be assured of a secure and comfortable working atmosphere. Looking back to those uncertain days, it is possible to conclude that Imad had a point.
But we did not get the chance to find out more about Imad the journalist. As a reporter from country outside of the mainstream, he was perhaps never going to be a media personality. But the handful of club members who shared his background did not think that was a bad thing: journalists from less well-known countries can still become prominent in their smaller worlds.
Imad was no exception. People close to him knew precisely who he was. His career in journalism spanned more than half a century. As a correspondent, he covered almost all major news events in the Middle East and the wider region. This brief brought him into close contact with key players in regional politics. After settling in Japan, however, Imad found contentment in the more peaceful environment of his adopted home. It also gave him the opportunity to publish a news magazine aimed at the Arab world.
A condolence message the club received from the ambassador of Lebanon in Japan gives us a better understand of some of Imad’s professional achievements. Many were significant, although he was never one for self-publicity.
He travelled widely in Japan, taking part in press tours organized by the Foreign Press Center Japan, and published accounts of many of those assignments in his magazine in the form of illustrated articles. And he continued to help the club make connections with personalities and newsmakers from the Arab world, including the former Nissan chief executive and fellow Lebanese citizen Carlos Ghosn.
The death of such a versatile and interesting personality is a great loss for his family and friends, and for journalism. Given how frantic his life had been, perhaps we can take solace in knowing that he has finally found time to rest.
Rest in peace, our beloved friend.
Monzurul Huq is a correspondent for Prothom Alo, a leading daily newspaper in Bangladesh.
