Japan's public-private diplomatic effort came to town

With Yoko Chivers

The Japan America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth (JASDFW) hosted a unique delegation from Japan last Monday in downtown Dallas.

Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan - We are Tomodachi

Five members of the delegation were a university student, a "female" banker, a retired general, a former businessman, and a former diplomat. All were well spoken, friendly, and even funny!

What's so unique about it? You may ask...

Japanese are famously homogeneous people. And we tend to form ever finer sub-groups of people with more similar characteristics.

In and out of Japan, the kind of diversified groups, such as this delegation, are rare. It appears odd, which is great by the way, and very welcoming.

Maybe, just maybe, Japan is finally starting to realize the value of opening up and mixing up. Japan may be changing. Or at least it realizes it has to change. I am hopeful...