Dear members,
Since it is the end of June, I was hoping I would be able to write you with news about the new board that will be taking over the FCCJ leadership. However, we were not able to elect a complete board and therefore we will have a runoff election later in July. More on this below.
Dear members,
It surprises no one more than me that we are already closing in on a year since I become president of the FCCJ. We will hold an election in June and a new board and president will take over soon thereafter. First of all, thanks to each and every one of you for your support over the course of this year.
Dear members,
As spring settles over Tokyo, we are heading toward our annual election at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan and a changing of the guard among our leaders. I'm writing today to ask each and every one of you to consider getting involved this year, either on the board of directors or on a committee. Your club needs you!
Dear members,
I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the extraordinary efforts made by several directors and staff over the last few months. As everyone knows, the FCCJ has been struggling with a number of significant challenges, and these people have worked incredibly hard for the club's success. Their accomplishments will go a long way toward putting the FCCJ on more stable footing as we head into the new fiscal year.
Dear members,
These are busy days for your club.
We hosted the Ukrainian ambassador to Japan at the FCCJ at the end of February to mark a year since Russia invaded the country.
Sergey Korsunsky made an emotional appeal about his country's fight for independence, including a flashback to the beginning of 2022, when Russian officials assured the world they had no intention of starting a war. That included the Russian ambassador to Japan, who came to the FCCJ to make the same argument.
We held a long overdue gathering for the board of directors and regular members on January 18. It was a real pleasure to get together and discuss the state of the FCCJ in person.
Several past presidents and many board members from previous administrations attended, and all contributed insights from their years of experience. I'd like to give a brief overview of the questions raised and answers given.
Dear members,
As many of you have undoubtedly heard by now, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan and two of its members were threatened in a series of phone calls in December. The caller said she was furious because the club had provided a forum for people with “anti-Japanese” views and that the journalists involved had been critical of the country.
Dear members,
We had the U.S. ambassador to Japan visit the FCCJ last month to deliver perhaps the most consequential speech of his tenure so far. Rahm Emanuel came to the club to mark what he argued was an historic moment following elections in the U.S., Brazil, Italy, Israel and France.
Dear members,
I'm happy to report that we had a packed house on October 26 to hear artist and activist Ai Weiwei speak at the FCCJ. He was inspiring - exactly the sort of guest speaker we want to draw to the club. And the timing was perfect, coming just as Xi Jinping was anointed for a precedent-breaking third term in China.
Dear members,
There are quite a few changes going on at the club these days. They are touching personnel, procedures and practices. Before describing the latest moves, it may help to sketch out the guiding principles for our work.
All of our efforts are organized around three central priorities - ensuring financial viability, building the premier destination for global journalism in Japan and creating the best experience possible for our members.
