From the Editor
Justin McCurry
The World Expo in Osaka has got off to an inauspicious start: malfunctioning toilets and flying cars, mobile app glitches, overcrowding, and complaints about the quality and price of the food. The story was very different 55 years ago, when the city hosted its first, and hugely successful, exposition. In this month’s cover story, Mark Schreiber reflects on the “accidental” part he played in opening Japan to the world, and vice versa. Elsewhere, we pay tribute to Gwen Robinson, an influential and much-loved part of the Asia-Pacific journalism family, who died last month. As Donald Trump marks 100 days in office, Eiichiro Tokumoto looks back on his speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in 1993 and finds clues as to how he would behave as U.S. president. In their regular columns, Philip Brasor explains the flaws in the assisted reproductive bill currently being debated in the Upper House, while Eric Johnston reports on growing concern over the environmental impact of mega solar projects in Hokkaido. All that, plus Club events, the latest in our series of interviews with associate members, and another installment of Lens On Japan.
Cover artwork by Julio Shiiki
The Number 1 Shimbun
May 2025
Publisher FCCJ
Editor Justin McCurry, no.1shimbun@fccj.or.jp
Designer Julio Kohji Shiiki, www.sedo.co.jp
Website Paul Braganza
Editorial Assistant Naomichi Iwamura
Photo coordination Hiroko Moriwaki
Publications Committee
Justin McCurry (Chair), Suvendrini Kakuchi, David McNeill, Andy Sharp
FCCJ Board of Directors
President Dan Sloan
1st Vice President Khaldon Azhari
2nd Vice President Randy Schmidt
Treasurer Anthony Rowley
Secretary David M. Umeda
Directors-at-Large
Shuri Fukunaga, Suvendrini Kakuchi, Dave McCombs, Taeko Nagayama
Kanji Martin Fackler, Knopf Doubleday Publishing & Simon Farrell, Custom Media K.K.
FCCJ Committee & Ad-hoc Committee Chairs
Publications Justin McCurry
Associate Members’ Liaison Simon Farrell & David Umeda
Entertainment Jake Adelstein & Simon Farrell
Exhibitions Peter Lyon
Film Karen Severns
Finance Anthony Rowley
Food & Beverage Shuri Fukunaga & Michiyo Nakamoto
Freedom of Press David McNeill
House & Property Khaldon Azhari
Human Resources Randy Schmidt
Information Technology Hinza Asif & Yusuke Wada
Library, Archives & Workroom Suvendrini Kakuchi & Robert Whiting
Membership Randy Schmidt
Professional Activities Tetsuo Jimbo & Martin Koelling
DeRoy Memorial Scholarship Martin Fackler
Compliance Kunio Hamada & Yoshisuke Iinuma
Election Yoshisuke Iinuma
Deep Dive Anthony Rowley
Membership Marketing Gary Bremermann
Sports Akihiko Tanabe
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
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Tel: (03) 3211-3161・fccj.or.jp
Published by the FCCJ All opinions contained within the Number 1 Shimbun are those of the authors. As such, these opinions do not constitute an official position of Number 1 Shimbun, the editor or the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.