Monthly Meeting

When Emi Takemura graduated, the internet pretty much didn’t exist, and in her first job there was only one computer, and one email address. So how have we gone from there, to the current situation of more and more powerful computers and an explosion in connectivity? That’s the question the Emi gave FEW members and…

Japan has been dealing with an influx of foreigners in the past few years, with overseas residents here reaching 2.38 million in 2016. But how has it been coping with that, and how do foreigners fit into broader government policies for a multicultural Japan? That was the issue debated by the four panelists at FEW’s…

FEW’s 2017-2018 year kicked off with the inspirational leader Kaori Sasaki, founder and CEO of ewoman, Inc. founder and CEO of UNICUL. Inc., and the driving force behind Japan’s International Conference for Women in Business, which is now in its 22nd year. It was an evening full of insights into her past as a journalist,…

By Lisa Matsumoto, Public Relations & Communications Intern The 2016-17 FEW year ended with our monthly meeting on July 13, where we were joined by guests and members to hear about the endeavors of longtime FEW member, Melanie Uematsu. Melanie was born in Germany and studied fashion design in Berlin and London. Fascinated with Japan,…

By Lisa Matsumoto, Public Relations & Communications Intern Members and guests alike joined FEW’s monthly meeting on June 8th to hear the story of Japanese war brides, a story often overlooked and untold. We welcomed Lucy Craft, a filmmaker and former FEW member in the 80s, to reveal their hidden stories. As a daughter of…

By Lisa Matsumoto, Public Relations & Communications Intern On May 11, we welcomed three creative women to our monthly meeting: Henna Veitch, a jewelry designer; Betty Sayn-Wittgenstein, a chocolatier; and Natale Adgnot, a visual artist. They joined us to discuss creativity and share their stories of following their dreams to become creators. Henna Veitch saw her…

By Raena Murakami, Public Relations and Communications Co-Director When you think of traveling in Japan, what destinations come to mind? Most people would say Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and other well-known cities. But what about Togakushi? With Golden Week approaching, Chiara Terzuolo and Rie Miyoshi challenged our notions of travel in Japan by encouraging travelers to…

By Lisa Matsumoto, Public Relations & Communications Intern Harassment is not an easy topic to grasp. It can have so many different faces said, Sachi Nakajima on March 9th, the day following International Women’s Day– a day to celebrate our victories, but also to stand together and support each other. Sachi is the founder of Resilience,…

By Lisa Matsumoto, Public Relations & Communications Intern On February 9th, FEW members and guests leaned in to listen to our guest speaker, Rena Suzuki, co-founder and leader of Lean In Tokyo. Lean In is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women achieve their ambitions. Lean In Tokyo helps women gain confidence and take an active…

By Jodi Harris, Public Relations and Communications Co-Director As 2017 gets underway, we were pleased to welcome health coach Katheryn Gronauer for a new and interesting perspective on the food we eat. A lifelong yo-yo dieter who struggled with weight and body image, Katheryn started by inviting us to connect with her own experience. She…