Sue Hudson (Honorary Editors)
Sue Hudson has spent all her adult life, both in her professional and private capacity, working for greater understanding and closer relations between Britain and Japan. In 2018 she was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for her contribution to promoting stronger relations between Japan and the UK.
She moved to Japan after graduating from Sheffield University in History and taught English for almost four years in Mishima High School, Shizuoka Ken, on a Japanese Government programme. This was followed by a year in Miki Travel, London, a period working as a freelance Anglo-Japanese media coordinator before joining the London office of the Japanese media company, Fujisankei, where she currently works as Senior Director for Projects and Business Development.
Over the years at Fujisankei, Sue has worked on many hugely diverse projects; ranging from children’s programming, such as Thomas the Tank Engine, to Formula One, to working with a leading Japanese cookery writer on creating Japanese cookery books in English, to the Praemium Imperiale Arts Awards, to promoting and filming Japanese musical talent in the UK – to mention but a few.
Sue has also been actively involved with the Anglo-Japanese community in a private capacity. On her return from teaching in Japan, she joined the Miura Anjinkai – a society created for the young people returning from Japan having been on the same Government programme and became its chairman. An interest in ‘grass-roots’ events led her, with other members of Anjinkai and the local Japanese community, to instigate the Natsu Matsuri that ran for a number of years from 1985 in London’s Battersea Park. As chairman of Anjinkai, she also sat on the Japan Society council and worked with the Society to try to attract more young members.
More recently, Sue was involved, as a member of the Executive committee for Japan400 – established to mark and celebrate the arrival of the first British ship to Japan in 1613 and worked on the overall production of the major events during the year.
She is passionate about exploring ideas for projects that bring the two countries closer – whether it be through food, music, art, business or sport and greatly enjoys the challenge of finding stimulating ways of bringing people together.