Update from the Alumni Association Executive Council
Chair, Tadashi Inagaki |
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16 months have passed since the new Alumni Executive Council was organized.
I would like to report on our major activities during that time.
- Monthly face to face “EC plus” meetings are held in the IUJ Tokyo Office. The main topics we have addressed so far include how to develop IUJ, when and how to events, and how to reach out better to class representatives and chapter leaders.
- IUJ Friday, Tokyo was held at Hakkaisan Seminar House on September 7 with about 45 attending
- For 2019, the date is September 13 at HobGoblin in Tokyo. For other gatherings around the world watch the Alumni Events website.
- Bonenkai was held at the International House of Japan いn November with about 80 alumni and faculty/staff attending.
- For 2019, the date is set for November 28, Thursday. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend
- We sponsored 3 alumni to return to campus for Career Support program on with more than 60 students participating in the panel and small group discussions. The event featured tips and advice on how to job hunt in Japan how to handle the language barrier and more.
- We interviewed candidates for the Scholarship provided through Alumni Donations, that ThANKS Fund, and were excited to be able to select 2 very solid students contributing to campus life and community building again this year.
- We organized the first of hopefully many picnics for alumni and their family members in late May (photo above).
We would like to add more activities to develop IUJ and our Alumni Association.
Join us and lend your hand, power and ideas! |
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IUJ World Wide Friday
September 13, 2019
For Tokyo event, please RSVP to alumni@iuj.ac.jp to attend
or fill in this Google Form.
For events in a city near you, watch for updates or contact your Chapter Leader. OR create the social gathering and inform campus. |
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| In the photo above, are alumni gathering in Tokyo at Hobgoblin, Roppongi to welcome some of the newest graduates to the Alumni Association before they headed home. Special thanks to Ali-san (center) for his Kizuna spirit to create this event. |
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Alumni Spotlight: 
GSIR 1990 graduate Hemayet Ullah recently discovered a drug that can cure any viral diseases!
“We were working on a plant protein. We found that many virus in human body feed on the same protein for reproduction. We thought, if we could prevent the operations of the protein, then the virus cannot spread. We were successful in the first phase of the research,” said Hemayet Ullah.
Full article. on Prothom Alo
Dr. Hemayet Ullah is an Associate Professor of the Biology Department at Howard University, USA |
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| Hiroyuki Katsumi (MBA99) launched his own company, J-Branding, not long after graduating from IUJ. These days he is focusing on the automobile and food industries. He started importing rare cars from Britain five years ago, and ventured into the food industry last year. In May he opened a cafe in front of Karuizawa Station. Here is a bit more about his ventures. |
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UK Class Factory
UKCF imports and sells vintage cars from the UK and low-volume cars that have not been introduced in Japan. They support their customers to enjoy a richer and hassle-free car life, such as supporting the importation large parts that are difficult to import individually and parts that are difficult to obtain.https://www.ukclassicfactory.com/ |
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Japan Gastronomy Association
Katsumi-san is a Director of JGA which is dedicated to supporting food lovers to further enrich their lives by promoting a better understanding of Japan and global food scenes through cooking and dining together. JGA has a kitchen in Akasaka that serves as a base for the “food community”, where food lovers can get together, cook by themselves and talk about food. For those who wish to improve their cooking skills, seminars or gatherings by professional chefs can be held to talk about food.https://www.japangastronomy.com/ |
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Hanale Karuizawa
Katsumi-san’s newest endeavor is a restaurant in Karuizawa called Hanale. The concept is to provide busy people with a relaxing and |
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| rejuvenating place to go to enjoy good food, good drink, and nature. Hanale borrows the soul of Karuizawa, the fresh spring waters of “Gozensui”. Hanale is established under his main company, J-Branding, where he is the founding President.
https://www.hanalekaruizawa.com/ |
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Share YOUR story! Send to alumni@iuj.ac.jp
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Career Story
Meet Josh, and many other alumni on the Alumni Website, Career Stories and Alumni Showcases! Knowing who we are, who is in your network, is a valuable thing.
https://www.iuj.ac.jp/alumni/alumni-voices/ |
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Joshua Huck, US Foreign Service
Joshua Huck graduated from IUJ in 1998, receiving a Master’s Degree in International Development. He came to IUJ after receiving his undergraduate degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. As part of his IUJ experience, Josh interned at UNESCAP in Bangkok between his first and second years at IUJ, and after graduating ventured to Laos to work in support of educational development initiatives. |
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| Returning to the US, Josh lent his knowledge to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development in the Foreign Investments division focusing on efforts to encourage more overseas investments into the state.
But the U.S. Foreign Service was calling, and Josh began his diplomatic career in 2001. As a Foreign Service Officer, Josh has served at U.S. embassies and consulates in Tokyo, Shanghai, Sofia, Bulgaria, and Yangon, Myanmar. He has also served at the State Department in Washington, DC as the Unit Chief for South Korean Affairs in the East Asia Bureau and as Special Assistant to Kurt Campbell who was, at that time, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Obama Administration through February 2013. |
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| As of summer 2019, Josh will begin his latest assignment as the Chief of the Economic and Political Affairs Section at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong, China.
IUJ is hoping Josh’s exciting diplomatic career will bring him back to Japan in a future assignment. |
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| Want to Work and Live in Canada?
My name is Denis Desjardins, and I am a proud IUJ alumni now working as a Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). As an RCIC, I am legally authorized to represent applicants to Canada’s department of immigration.
TSC Immigration Services specializes in:
- Permanent Residence Applications
- Work Permits
- Investment/Entrepreneurship/Business Development
- Family Sponsorships and Support
- Study Permits
- Citizenship Applications
I’ve managed hundreds of successful applications. I can ensure a fast and transparent process. Contact us today for a no-fee consultation. |
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Warnings on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness
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| Dr. Ebinezer R. Florano, IR99, gave a lecture on integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in local development on 14 March 2019 at the Sison Auditorium of Lingayen, Province of Pangasinan in Luzon, Philippines. Ebie, as he is fondly called, was the 4th lecturer invited by the Center for Pangasinan Studies since 2015 for a province-wide forum.
Ebie urged local government officials to integrate CCA and DRR in their local development plans which will be the basis for zoning ordinances, comprehensive development plans, and annual budgets. Close to a thousand students, and faculty members from the province filled the auditorium together with local government employees and residents. As a result of the forum, a local online newspaper warned the people of Pangasinan to prepare for the effects of the creeping sea-level rise.
Ebie is now Associate Professor of the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance since 2004, and Director of its Center for Policy and Executive Development since 2013. He has published journal articles and book chapters, and has travelled to 19 countries reading conference papers |
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IUJ to Host a Side Event at the TICAD7, and you are invited.
Symposium of TICAD7 Side Event by IUJAs an official side event of TICAD7 (Tokyo International Conference on African Development), IUJ will organize a panel discussion on human development for the future of Africa. The idea behind this event is to share our thoughts about postgraduate education and our concept of a newly created program: The Japan-Global Development Program.
If you can come to Yokohama on the day, you are welcome to join the event!
We will announce details via IUJ website and Facebook page etc. shortly. Here are the basics
Symposium Title: The potential of Japanese Development Studies
– from the perspective of fostering future leaders in Africa –
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 27, 2019 13:00 – 14:30 (Doors open 12:40)
Admission: Free
Venue: “Annex Hall F 201” Pacific Convention Plaza Yokohama (PACIFICO Yokohama)
1-1-1, Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, 220-0012, JAPAN
Panelists:
Prof. Hiroyuki Itami, President of IUJ
Prof. Noboru Yamaguchi, Vice President of IUJ
Mr. Ryoichi Matsuyama, Executive Director, GLOCOM,IUJ,
Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Botswana
Mr. Omer Awad Elbasha Mohammedahmed, IUJ Graduate from Sudan (MBA class of 2019)
TICAD7 Website:
https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/ticad/ticad7/index.html
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CEO Corner – Update on recent promotions
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Koji Naito, IR 1990
CEO of Ushio Inc. |
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Kazuhisa Kamiyama, IM 2002
Chairman and CEO of Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc, a Subsidiary of Ushio Inc. |
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Congratulations. And good luck in your new positions!
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The Alumni NaKayama Scholarship Fund
“Thanks Fund”
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| With donations from IUJ graduates around the world, Alumni sponsor two students a year with a monthly stipend to help with living expenses. Students are 2nd years who have demonstrated strong leadership and dedication to improving campus life and the community.
Funds are running extremely low, and we may need to suspend this scholarship without your help.
Please make a donation using Flywire, a credit card, bank wire transfer, or contact alumni@iuj.ac.jp for other options.
Here is the online donation page.
https://www.iuj.ac.jp/alumni/donations/
Please support students who are supporting campus to be all that it can be. |
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IUJ’s MBA enters Beta Gamma Sigma society
After successfully qualifying for, and being awarded membership into the AACSB, one of the highest and most respected business school accrediting bodies, IUJ’s business school is again recognized by a world leading organization, the Beta Gamma Sigma, an Honor’s Society that recognizes the top academic achieving students. Proudly, IUJ awarded membership into this elite society to 9 graduates in the class of 2019 representing 7 countries: Morocco, Sudan, Nepal, Vietnam, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Myanmar.
Only the highest-performing students from AACSB-accredited schools are invited to join the society.
In addition to BGS, 3 of these honorees were also awareded the first J. Brian Quinn Scholars award for academic excellence: Mehdi fro Morocco (bottom in red), Omer from Sudan (bottom white) and Yousra from Morocco (bottom far left). Congratulations on becoming our first Brian Quinn Scholars!
Read the story on the IUJ news page about our selection
https://www.iuj.ac.jp/20190516/
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| Jairo Valverde (IR2008) of Costa Rica has been appointed as the Ambassador of Costa Rica to Brazil. |
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| Not longer after, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Colorado College, and Oprah Winfrey was on hand to help him celebrate! |
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Reeya Sinha (MBA2015, India) was recognized as a highly achieving employee of Nippon Signal company for her hard work, dedication, and positive contribution to the successful penetration into new market, and for bringing big sales orders from global markets. Also receiving recognition was Arif Khan (MBA2014) showing IUJers are doing well.
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Vanndy Hem (IDP2002, Cambodia), now Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in Cambodia, representing his government, recently signed a $60 million concessional loan agreement with representatives of the European Investment Bank. The loan will support the project for a water treatment plant bringing fresh water to Cambodia. Vanndy, on behalf of his government, thanked the EIB for their deep support which is effectively helping Cambodia to further develop.
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Watch Dr. Vannarith Chheang (IRP2006, Cambodia), give a full 45 minute interview on KhmerTimes commemorating Cambodia’s 20th anniversary as a member of ASEAN, and the state of ASEAN relations. Vannartih is President of Asian Vision Institute, a think tank in Cambodia that “aims to promote inclusive, adaptive and sustainable societies in Asia.” (https://www.asianvision.org/)
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Kiyo Ogushi (MBA92, Japan), winner of the AACSB “Influential Leaders” award for 2019, was presented with her award at Graduation in June. Ogushi then became the 2nd woman to address a graduating class in the Congratulatory Speech. Congratuatlions all around
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Jorge Acosta (MBA2014, Venezuela) was featured in a promotional video for EY Japan. View it on this link CLICK
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Nyi Nyi Aung (MBA2010, Myanmar) presented the joint statement for Lao and Myanmar at the first Meeting of the Joint Statement on e-Commerce held in June, launching a long journey and negotiations on this important subject.
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Sorrien Scott (IR87,Zimbabwe) retired after 25 years meritorious service with the UN (UNDP and UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS)), having served in Somalia, Tanzania, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Botswana, Nigeria, USA, Sri Lanka , Maldives and Indonesia.
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Sansar Sosorbaram
Mongolia, MBA2012
1970 – 2019
He will be missed. 
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“Omawari-san” “Mr. Konbanwa” “Konbanwa-Jisan”
IUJers had many nick names for our favorite night time guard, Yamada-san. The students honored him well when he retired from IUJ last Spring Term.
Yamada-san, thank you for your patient service to the IUJ community. |
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When is IUJ World Wide Friday?
September 13.
Like our Class of 1989 graduates gathering for their 30th anniversary from their graduation, plan to get together with those in your area for a KAMPAI to IUJ.
IUJ Alumni: Gathering Around the World
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