New Year Greetings
Tsunetada Matsudaira, Chairman, ESUJ

Happy New Year. I hope 2010 will be a wonderful year for all of you. ESUJ is entering its 12th year. 2009 was a very fruitful year, in which we were able to achieve our long-desired corporate entity status. Moreover, Chairman Emeritus Hanabusa was elected President of the English-Speaking Union International Council composed of representatives of all 50-plus ESUs around the world. We hope to continue our vigorous activity in the new year.

Whether we like it or not, English is no longer a mere foreign language. It has become the common language of the world’s people for exchanging opinions, transmission of information, and working together. The UN, EU and ASEAN all have many “official” languages, but the actual working language is English (“Bad English”, according to ESUJ Vice Chairman Yasushi Akashi). English exists as the second language in many countries having no relation to Anglo-Saxon civilization. I fear consciousness of this is not yet widespread in Japan.

ESUJ hopes as many Japanese as possible will familiarize themselves with English and rid their resistance to English so that they can communicate naturally with people from many other countries. We are developing various activities to this end, and we will launch a new program from February. We hope many people will share this line of thought.

For this, we need to increase our membership. We are making a request to all our members: please invite anyone among your friends who seems suitable to this end to become an ESUJ member. Our membership currently numbers around 340. We would like to increase this number to 400 as quickly as possible and reach a total of 500 or 1000 members in the future. We request the strong support of everyone in encouraging the spread of English in Japan as the common international language.

From 2010 ESUJ is launching a new members-only study group for reading aloud in English. Currently, reading aloud is popular, even in Japanese. Reading aloud in your own voice in English is very effective for improving English expression and understanding written texts as well as increasing depth of comprehension. For these reasons we have decided to structure Roudoku Club around the theme of reading and familiarizing ourselves with translations of Japanese literature. This is our first lunchtime program. An hour each time, it will be conducted in a casual atmosphere and includes simple tips for improving your skills. The program will take place with the support of Yuko Aotani, NHK World Presenter, who will describe the charm of reading aloud in English at January English Club (sorry but it’s already fully subscribed), and Kaplan Ginza Center. The program will start in February with Reading-Aloud-in-English “pro” Aotani-san present. Why not undertake a new challenge in 2010 and join the group? (Details: Coming soon!)
==Roudoku Club==
The First meeting: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 　12:15-13:15
The Second meeting: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 　　12:15-13:15
Place: Kaplan Ginza Center
Guide: Ms. Yuko Aotani　NHK World Presenter
ESUJ Members Only : Please apply to the ESUJ office in advance

ESUJ’s annual Christmas Party was held on December 16 (Wed.) at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ) in Yurakucho, with around 100 members and guests gathering. ESUJ Chairman Matsudaira welcomed everyone, and called Chairman Emeritus Hanabusa, who had served in 2009 as President of the ESU International Council to present the president’s medal given by the International Council Headquarters in London. ESUJ Honorary President Aftab Seth, former Indian Ambassador to Japan, proposed a toast, and the party began. Amidst a specially-selected program of BGM music, guests chatted happily with foreign students and others while enjoying the delicious buffet. ESUJ Secretary-General Ayako Hanabusa made a surprise announcement of the names of the winners of the 2009 Full Attendance Award for monthly English Club and had a ESU club tie presented by Chairman Matsudaira to Mr. Yoshinobu Kotaka while another winner Mr. Kazuo Yamada was absent. Mr. Rabinder Malik lead us to sing Christmas song at the conclusion of the lively evening.

Japan's Public Diplomacy in Suffering
---WATANABE Yasushi      January 6, 2010
How Afghanistan Wants Japan to Help
---Ahmadyar Akbar      December 25, 2009
Prime Minister Hatoyama should first lay a wreath at Pearl Harbor
---MATSUO Fumio      November 12, 2009

Roudoku Club (new program for ESUJ members)
Wed. February 10 & Wed. March 10
12:15-13:15 at Kaplan Ginza Center

English Club Tuesday, February 16 19:00-20:30 at Marunouchi Cafe
“Socialism is Great!” Speaker: Ms. Liija Zhang

Haiku in English by Ms. Emiko Miyashita
Wed. February 24, 18:30-20:00 at Japan National Press Club

Dutch Ambassador's Lecture (Planned)
Wed. March 31, 18:30-20:00 at Japan National Press Club