interview

【Profile】Majored in Russian at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, completed a master's program at the University of Tokyo Graduate School. After working at embassies and JICA in former Soviet regions, currently residing in Georgia. Also engaged in Russian translation and interpretation.――　What led you to establish a connection with Georgia?Takaraga san:I have always loved literature and mainly studied Russian literature at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Through my studies, I often had th.....

【Profile】 Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Georgia from March 2009 to September 2012. Afterward, he also served as an ambassador in Kazakhstan before retiring.What was your impression when you first visited Georgia? Masayoshi Kamohara: Before being appointed as an ambassador, I visited Georgia once each from Tokyo and Moscow. The first time I visited was in 1985, during the Soviet era, and I thought it was a rich country. The markets had a variety of foods, the cli.....

【Profile】 Completed Japanese language education at a professional graduate school. After teaching Japanese at universities in the United States, China, and Japan, she was dispatched to Ilia State University from 2023 to 2025.What brought you to Georgia? And what was your first impression when you arrived? Risa Uchida: Before coming to Georgia, I was already working in Japanese language education. After teaching Japanese in the United States and China, I worked in Japanese language education at a.....

【Profile】Former Attaché at the Embassy of Japan in Georgia. Associate Professor at Waseda University Research Institute. Completed Doctorate at Osaka University Graduate School (Graduate School of International Public Policy)――Why did you choose Georgia (then called "Gruzia") as your mission place as a Attaché at the embassy of Japan?Uchida: I could have chosen up to my second or third preference for the Attaché  position in different countries, but I chose only Georgia. I had never been to Geor.....

【Profile】Japanese Language Instructor / Translator. Graduated from the Tbilisi Institute of Asia and Africa in 2007 with a degree in Oriental Philology. Studied Japanese language and culture, and has been teaching Japanese at Tbilisi State University since 2009. During her student years, she was captivated by Japanese literature, particularly the works of Junichiro Tanizaki and Yasunari Kawabata. The first book she translated was Yukio Mishima's "Confessions of a Mask," which was selected as a f.....

【Profile】After graduating from the Tokyo University of the Arts Music High School and the same university, Mr. Usui further honed his skills at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. He has received numerous awards, including a prize at the Viotti International Music Competition, the Donemus Performance Award at the Netherlands Music Session, the Special Prize for Contemporary Art from the Vienna Contemporary Avant-Garde Art Group TAMAMU, and first place at the Cantu International Music Competiti.....

【Profile】She Lives in Kyoto. Studied at Doshisha University under the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) program. Gained work experience as a (shrine maiden) at Kodai-ji Temple, at a Georgian restaurant in Osaka, and at the Kyoto Economic Center. During this time, she married a Japanese man and had a daughter, Moana.――What motivated you to study Japanese? You studied at Doshisha University through the MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scie.....

【Profile】Organizer of the Georgia Film Festival in Japan. Picture book author. Since 1974, he has been involved in screenings of world classic films at Iwanami Hall in Tokyo for about 45 years. His works include "A Journey to Georgian Cinema," "The Wandering Painter Niko Pirosmani," and "The Wandering Saint Painter Pirosmani."He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit by the Georgian government in 2022.――What first got you interested in Georgian films?Harada Takehide san: From the end of 1974 un.....

【Profile】Yasuhiro Kojima lives in Tbilisi. He graduated from Tokyo University with a degree in Linguistics. He worked as a special researcher of the Society for the Promotion of Science of Japan, as well as a special researcher of the Institute of Asian and African Languages ​​and Cultures of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and a specialist researcher in the Embassy of Japan in Georgia. Currently he works on translation and subtitles for Georgian film festival.――　What was the first thing tha.....