This month two high level diplomats at the Japanese Consulate were reassigned to other positions: Masuya Otsuka-san, Director of Culture, the former JIC at the JCCC, and head of the JET Programme in Toronto, as well as Deputy Consul-General Nobuaki Yamamoto-san. In a role reversal from JET, they are the ones who come to our country for a few years before moving on to something else.
The impact that Otsuka-san has had on Japan-Canada relations and JETAA Toronto cannot be overstated. He has always been extremely supportive of the JET Programme and JETAA Toronto. One of my fondest memories was when Otsuka-san, his wife and daughter came and taught some JETAA members how to cook traditional Japanese dishes. Aside from that, he has been working with the JET Coordinator, Marcia Iwasaki for 4 years to ensure that each new round of JETs are selected and prepared to go to Japan. We are so thankful to have people like Otsuka-san at the Consulate and we will miss him dearly.
While it is always sad to see people that you work with move on, but it is also exciting to meet their successors. JETAA Toronto wants to formerly invite the new Director of Culture Yuka Hananoki-san, and Deputy Consul General Testuya Yoshimoto-san to Toronto. We look forward to working with you over these next few years.