Walk in Canada, Talk on Japan Comes to Toronto
2017/10/7
The Walk in Canada, Talk on Japan panel, from left: Ms. Jun Uchigami of Kyodo News;
Mr. Paul Okura, President of CMIT Solutions; Dr. Tomohiko Taniguchi, Professor at Keio Universit;
and Mr. Koji Uenoyama, a certified Sake Sommelier.
Walk in Canada, Talk on Japan – a unique panel led by a renowned expert on international relations and consisting of a successful entrepreneur, a journalist and a sake sommelier—was in Toronto on Oct. 2 to promote greater understanding on Japan in Canada. Dr. Tomohiko Taniguchi, a Professor at Keio University and Special Advisor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet, held a panel discussion for the Japan Society Canada and later at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs along with: Mr. Paul Okura, President of CMIT Solutions who spoke on achieving business success in Japan; Ms. Jun Uchigami, a Kyodo News journalist, who spoke on women working in the Japanese news media; and Mr. Koji Uenoyama, a certified Sake Sommelier, who spoke on promoting sake among foreign visitors to Japan.
The goal of Walk in Canada, Talk on Japan is to increase awareness about Japan in Canada on a variety of issues and to further develop Japan-Canada relations through people-to-people diplomacy, sharing perspectives and encouraging open discussions with local communities. This year’s visit to Toronto followed a similar visit to Vancouver last year, and was received with great interest from representatives from the business, academic and Japanese communities. as well as the general public.
Ms. Asami Okusawa, Executive Director of the Japan Society, emceed the luncheon event in the office of McMillan LLP.
Mr. Ben Ciprietti, President of the Japan Society Canada, gave welcoming remarks.
Dr. Taniguchi introduces the group.
Ms. Uchigami gives her presentation on women in Japanese media.
Mr. Okura speaks on succeeding in Japan by thinking differently.
Mr. Uenoyama talks about sake.
The event was well attended and the audience listened to the presentations with great interest.
An audience member asks a question.
Later in the day, Dr. Taniguchi introduced the panel at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.
Ms. Uchigami gives her presentation.
Mr. Okura gives his presentation.
Mr. Uenoyama gives his presentation.
The audience at the U of T, which included Dr. Randall Hansen, Interim Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs,
listened to the presentations intently.
The panel listens to questions from the audience.
Dr. Hassan and Dr. Taniguchi with a Walk in Canada, Talk on Japan commemorative medal.
Dr. Hassan and Dr. Taniguchi with a Walk in Canada, Talk on Japan commemorative medal.