Greetings from New Executive Director of the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership

Akio Nomura

On April 1, 2011, I assumed the post of Executive Director of the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).

As a long-time journalist working for a Japanese newspaper, I have covered such issues as Japanese politics, US-Japan relations, and US foreign policy. At the same time, I also have experience being the object of a reporter’s inquiry; being interviewed as a spokesman while serving as the Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Tokyo for almost three years. I have also been involved in educating the next generation of journalists, both by teaching journalism at the Okuma School of Public Management, Waseda University and as a president of the “Asahi Institute of Journalism” which trains young, less-experienced journalists to acquire the necessary basic journalism skills.

My relationship with CGP began several years ago; I have served as an advisor and selection committee member for several CGP journalism-related programs such as the “Abe Fellowship Program for Journalist” and the “US-Japan Journalism Program.”

Soon after I decided to join CGP, the Great East Japan Earthquake of 3/11 hit the Tohoku area of Japan. Japan is now facing an unprecedented crisis as a result of not only the earthquake itself, but also the tsunami and the nuclear plant incidents in its aftermath. Even though the devastation is tragic and the recovery process challenging, we are truly heartened by the encouragement, support, and even admiration for disaster victims’ attitudes from the United States and the international community, which only reinforces the notion that we Japanese are not alone.

I believe that in this globalized world and under this difficult situation, it is critical for CGP to play an even more active role through its mission, “building and strengthening ‘global partnerships’ through collaboration between Japan and the United States.” I and my colleagues at CGP will do our best to achieve these goals, and I look forward to your continued support and cooperation in these endeavors.