Dear members

We have just concluded the first round of our elections for FCCJ directors and kanji, and I would like to thank everyone who ran for office, the election committee who oversaw the ballot and “speak out” night, as well as to those leaving the board. We were able to fill all of the regular positions, but did not reach the voting threshold to fill the associate member positions, and thus must hold a new election solely for that purpose, and then that board will elect new officers. Until then, a caretaker board will remain, and a new e-ballot will be sent shortly with the names of the associate candidates and date of the Extraordinary General Membership Meeting.

It might seem ironic in an organization of over 1,400 members, but it is no small task to find candidates and election volunteers to carry out such a vote. That’s why I greatly appreciate all who stepped up to offer their time and energy. As part of the election process, we brought to the membership two initiatives that were passed with overwhelming majorities: a capital campaign intended to shore up our finances, and an initiation fee waiver for regular members intended to boost the number of journalists in our organization. These were raised before the club to ensure that such actions would not be perceived as unilateral measures, and to encourage feedback on whether and how to proceed. The FCCJ has experienced moments in our history when actions were taken that did not offer full transparency or the necessary dialogue to ensure due process. Things indeed move slowly at the club, but sometimes for good reason.

To clearly share the financial and operational conditions of the club with the membership and prospective participants in a fundraising campaign, the FCCJ has undergone its first audit in years, and we will share the results in the coming days. This was also taken to ensure transparency in our dealings and accountability for developments at the club. Despite sustained membership decline and deficits over the last seven years of operations, even individuals who held leadership roles in our organization feign shock when such details come to light, perhaps because it is easier to decry problems than fix them. This board did not solve all the challenges the club faces, but it has taken steps to identify next steps and a path to a better FCCJ, and we need and welcome you to be part of the solution.

This year general membership meetings were open to all members, which was reflective of the importance of our associates and professional journalist associates to the present and future of the FCCJ. We held the Hacks & Flacks New Year’s party in January and recently hosted the Page Society, events that have yielded new members, including those using the corporate membership initiative in which an organization can have multiple staff registered. We will continue to develop and employ such innovative membership methods as we try to reverse the demographic tide and see more new interest in our venerable organization.

And speaking of age, as this is our 80th year, we not only want to reflect but also celebrate. We are in the process of working with the A+E Networks Japan (History Channel) on a documentary highlighting the FCCJ’s history, as well as their creation of regular programs and short clips using club archival footage that will be posted on A+E and FCCJ social media. If demand for this content proves robust, then we will further partner in the digitization of our archives and the creation of a revenue-sharing platform. We see this as a crucial development in raising our brand awareness and the cachet of membership. We will also hold a gala this fall to fete our anniversary. More information on date and location will be forthcoming.

I thank you for your continued support of our organization and look forward to meeting you in person in the year ahead.

Dan Sloan