Exploring Japan: A Diplomatic Journey with Ambassador Paul Madden

Drinks reception: 7:00pm – 8:00pm

13/14 Cornwall Terrace, Outer Circle (entrance facing Regent's Park), London NW1 4QP

Organised by The Japan Society and The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

Fully booked

We were delighted to welcome Paul Madden CMG FRGS, former Ambassador to Japan, to discuss his favourite experiences in Japan with Stephen Barber, a trustee of The Japan Society and Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation.

In his popular book 三九 Sankyu Japan: Twittering thanks to Japan, Paul Madden documents his travels across Japan during his time as British Ambassador, and the relationship he developed with his 30,000 Japanese twitter followers as he posted about his favourite Japanese things. After sharing his reflections and highlights, Paul was joined by Stephen who has also lived and travelled extensively in Japan for a discussion and Q&A with the audience. The event closed with a short sake reception, kindly supported by Sake Samurai.

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERe

You can read the Japan Society’s review of 三九 Sankyu Japan: Twittering thanks to Japan in The Japan Society Review here.

This event was co-organised with The Japan Society.

A recording of this video can be viewed here:

About the contributors

Paul Madden CMG FRGS

Paul Madden CMG FRGS was British Ambassador to Japan (2017-21) and High Commissioner to Australia and Singapore. He now advises international businesses, is a visiting professor of international relations at Keio University, and a trustee of the UK/Japan 21st Century Group. He was educated at Cambridge, Durham and SOAS, and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He has written books, plays and poetry. His latest book, Sankyu Japan, was published in 2022.

Stephen Barber (moderator)

Stephen Barber lived and worked in Japan from 1987-92 where he launched and built the first foreign investment trust company (one of three). He founded the Prix Pictet, now the world’s leading photographic prize (whose subject is sustainability), of which he remains chairman. He has recently completed a history of the Geneva bank, Pictet, where he worked for 25 years. He is a managing trustee of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, a Visitor of the History of Science Museum in Oxford and a trustee of the International Tree Foundation. He holds an MA in Mathematics and Philosophy from St John’s College, Oxford.