yJET 20th Anniversary Panel Discussionz
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>Speaker Profiles
Panel Coordinator: Mr. Kazuya Matsumoto, NHK Announcer
Born in Hyogo prefecture, Kazuya Matsumoto earned a bachelorfs degree in Economics from the University of Kyoto. In 1991, he entered NHK and was assigned to the Nara Broadcast Station. His first duty was to attract deer towards the camera by feeding them biscuits during a live broadcast from Nara Park. He worked for the Fukui Broadcast Station, and then was transferred to Tokyo, where he was a broadcaster for the show gHirudoki Nihon rettouh. Currently, he is starring in the English talk entertainment show, gEigo de shaberanaitoh (Friday, 11pm`). He is a huge Beatles fan and enjoys playing the guitar in his free time. While in high school, he played on the baseball team and is proud of having faced former major leaguer, Shigetoshi Hasegawa (Toyo-Himeji high school) at the Hyogo Prefectural baseball tournament.
Panellist: Ms. Agnes Chan, Singer - Doctor of Education
Agnes Chan was born to Chinese parents in British ruled Hong Kong and made her singing debut in Japan in 1972. She gained stardom with her debut single gHanageshi-no-Hanah. In addition to her musical activities, she has a deep interest in international exchange and culture from her exposure to Chinese, British and Japanese culture. She studied education at Sophia University and the University of Toronto, and in 1989 earned a masters degree in Education from Stanford University. From 1998, since taking up post as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Japan, she has been a tireless advocate, appearing in charity concerts and visiting children in impoverished war torn regions of Thailand, Cambodia, East Timor, Sudan, Iraq and others in support of education. Her husband is Japanese and she is a mother of three children.
Panellist: Mr. Kishinn Fujii, Deputy Governor of Tottori Prefecture
In 1975, Kishin Fujii graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Law and began working for Tottori Prefecture. He served as the Head of the International Affairs Division, Head of the Finance Division, Head of the Citizensf Affairs Division, and Head of the Prefectural Board of Education before being promoted to his current post in 2005. He was appointed to the post of General Manager and played an active role in prompting the Citizenfs Affairs Office established under Governor Yoshihiro Katayama. He is well respected for his gentle demeanor and expertise on policy matters, and has earned the trust of people from various quarters. In the field of international relations, he has placed a high priority on improving relations with Asia, most notably promoting international understanding activities, as well as strengthening industrial ties with Korea by actively utilising the JET Programme.
Panellist: Mr. Raymond Greene, Chief, Political-Military Affairs Unit, US Embassy
Born in Washington D.C., Raymond Greene participated in a home stay programme as a high school student and spent two months at a public high school in Kanagawa prefecture. He majored in Political Science, specialising in US-Japan relations and studied as an exchange student at International Christian University in Tokyo. In 1992, he participated in the JET Programme as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), in the Kanagawa high school where he had spent his time as an exchange student. He developed a deep understanding of the Japanese education system and society in general. He entered the US Foreign Service at the age of 25. Currently, he is the Chief of the Political-Military Affairs Unit at the US Embassy in Tokyo and is actively involved in promoting interaction between US military personnel and Japanese residents. He has tremendous regard for the JET Programme for having grown from a predominantly grassroots project 20 years ago, to an international programme with a major role of bringing the world closer together in political and economic fields.
Panellist: Ms. Yuko Naoyama, Supervisor in the Kyoto City Board of Education
Yuko Naoyama taught English at the junior high school level and began working for the Board of Education in 1988. She is now the Supervisor of School Education and utilises her wealth of experience team-teaching with ALTs, as she cycles from school to school in Kyoto City and conducts model lessons. Her lessons and advice for teachers in her articulate Kansai dialect is extremely popular. In the field of English activities in elementary schools, she proposes a new concept for English language education that combines theory and practice, more interaction between elementary and junior high schools, as well as coordination amongst neighbouring elementary schools. Riding around Kyoto City with a backpack full of teaching resources, she is a symbol for bringing in fresh ideas to English education.
Panellist: Mr. Takeshi Tanaka, Secretary-General, CLAIR
Born in Gifu prefecture, Takeshi Tanaka earned a bachelorfs degree in Law from the University of Tokyo. In 1980, he entered the Ministry of Home Affairs. He served as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Jordan, Head of the Finance Department in Yamaguchi prefecture, Head of the Teletopia Promotions Office for the Communications Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication, Head of the Planning Bureau of Sendai City, Director-General of the International Affairs Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and in 2004, he was appointed to the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), where he served as the Seoul Office Manager. He is currently the Secretary-General of CLAIR and is committed to improving the JET Programme, which is now in itsf 20th year.
