RACHEL McCRYSTAL

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Rachel McCrystal has an array experience of working across multiple industries supporting companies with doing business with Japan. Rachel speaks Japanese proficiently and has in depth knowledge of Japanese culture and Japanese business culture and etiquette.

Rachel has first-hand experience of working with the Japanese from her time studying in Okinawa and then working in Nara-Ken for three years on the Japan Exchange and Teaching programme.

During her time living in Japan, Rachel immersed herself in the Japanese language and culture and was a volunteer interpreter during the 2002 Japan and Korea World Cup. Rachel also led a number of international overseas volunteering projects in India, Vietnam and Cambodia, securing funds from Japanese companies.

In 2017, Rachel was invited to join a Trade Mission to Tokyo with a number of key businesses with the Department for International Trade. Rachel used her business development experience and Japanese skills to assist a number of businesses with working more effectively with the Japanese while in Japan and also following the Trade Mission.

Most recently, in April 2017 Rachel co-presented a documentary in Japanese with the national broadcaster, NHK. The one hour documentary called ‘One Road North Wales’ is one in a series of documentaries filmed across Europe and was aired in Japan several times in 2017.

Rachel supports clients across a variety of sectors through working with them to bridge the cultural and communication gap with Japan for improved business outcomes through delivering g a series of engaging and interactive workshops.

Connect with Japan worked with a number of Olympic and Paralympic sports on their Japan based training camps, and plans and preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

TAKAKO IWAKAMI

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Takako started her career working in senior customer services roles at Toyota Finance and then at Expansys before training as a Japanese lecturer and then teaching at Manchester University for 10 years.

In addition to teaching at Manchester University, Takako has delivered a number of training sessions and workshops to Senior Executives and CEO’s at Sony, Pilkington and NSK UK Ltd with the Japan Centre.

Connect with Japan is working with a number of Olympic and Paralympic sports on their Japan based training camps, and plans and preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Games.