Raku Izawa

While participants are busy preparing for Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration, we are pleased to present the October issue of Japanese Newsletter Asia-no-Tsuchi. The topic is “Climate Change and Climate Justice”. Dr. Yoshiyuki Nagata of the University of the Sacred Heart, a leading expert on climate change and ARI board member, wrote the preface to this issue. In a special feature titled “Farmers Fighting Climate Change,” we interviewed Japanese graduates, former staff members, and lecturers who are working in agriculture in Japan about the current state of climate change and their efforts … Read more

Bishop Rev. Jintaro Ueda, who served as ARI’s director from 1994 to 2000 and board member from 1994 to 2008, passed away on Monday, April 8, 2024. He was 83 years old. Current director Tomoko Arakawa reflects on her memories of Rev. Ueda: “He was my first director when I joined ARI as a staff member. He had a great deal of international experience, spoke fluent English, and was very knowledgeable about the church situation in Asia and Africa. He also loved music and played the piano very well. He … Read more

2024.4.13.

The first group of 2024 rural leaders arrived on campus this week!

Tomoko Arakawa, our Director, has joined the writing team of a local newspaper, Shimotsuke Shimbun Sunday Editorial Board for the six months from this February. The first time she wrote an editorial titled “Toward a Society Where Foreigners and Japanese Can Live Together in Harmony.” The subject of this time’s issue was “Thinking about Japan’s Food Self-Sufficiency. Food is life. Why don’t you first calculate your own food self-sufficiency ratio today? You will discover many things by knowing the security of your own life. – Excerpt from “Considering Japan’s Food … Read more

2024.2.11. (Sun)

ARI Director Tomoko Arakawa starts writing her article on Shimotsuke Shinbun from Sunday, February 11

Today 11/18 (Sat) 23:00-23:30and tomorrow 11/19 (Sun) 19:00-19:30 in Japan

ARI Crowdfunding reached its goal of 3 million yen.