August 2022
Dear members,
I am writing this in my role as president now that there has been a slight, and unavoidable, extension to my time in office while the Club chooses my successor.
June 2022
Dear members,
As my term as president comes to an end, I’d like to share some observations so that we can continue to work together to make improvements to our Club.
First, the positives. Committee members and Club staff have worked tirelessly to keep services active throughout the pandemic. I am still amazed and humbled that the Club stayed open during the many periods of restrictions requested by the government. A big thank you, too, to the General Manager, Toru Morishima, whose patient and firm leadership has already won him accolades.
May 2022
Club activities are picking up steadily this month, and I am grateful to the committee heads for their hard work. I am delighted to report that Saturday Night Live events are proving wildly popular, with full houses in April. We have several unique events coming up in May, including a special bunraku performance and a concert by Tokiko Kato exclusively for members. Both events will showcase top Japanese artists who usually appear before much larger audiences. I encourage members to take the opportunity to come along and meet these celebrated performers.
April 2022
Dear members,
The arrival of the cherry blossoms heralds a new financial year and a fresh beginning. In the same spirit, the FCCJ is moving out of Covid-19 restrictions with the energy to start again. I believe we can all play our part in making good on our plans to bring the pre-pandemic days back to our Club.
March 2022
Dear members,
I am sure everyone is looking forward to spring after a particularly harsh winter. I certainly am, not least because it coincides with a busy time for the Club and its Board.
January 2022
Dear members,
First, may I wish you all a very happy and healthy 2022!
As usual, the winter in Tokyo during the holiday season turned out to be gorgeous, even though other parts of Japan experienced record snowfall.
I believe 2022 is going to be a very special time for all of us at the FCCJ, and that the challenges we face in the coming months will be overcome in the spirit of collaboration. As president, I would like to encourage every single member to help us steer through the ongoing and post-pandemic era.
From the President- October 2021
Dear members
After a gap of more than six years, I am again president of our beloved FCCJ. For those of you who don’t know me, a quick introduction: I am a Sri Lankan journalist and have lived in Japan for more than three decades. My writing focuses on Japan-Asia relations and sustainable and development issues, a theme that has gained global attention over the past few years.