Name: Jan Adams
Title: Ambassador of Australia
URL:
Hometown: Wodonga, Australia
Years in Japan: less than a year
What was your first encounter with Japan?
I have two answers. One is from a personal point of view. When I was in primary school, my grandmother went on a cruise to Yokohama. It must have been quite early on in the industry of cruise ships. I don¡¯t remember exactly how old I was. But I was in primary school, and it was a very exotic thing for a lady to go on her own on a cruise ship to Japan, to Yokohama. She brought me back two beautiful Japanese porcelain dolls that were wearing silk kimono. I still have those dolls. Professionally, I first came to Japan in 1994. I worked in (Australia¡¯s) Parliament House, I worked with a trade minister at the time. In those days Australia and Japan had (a working partnership) called the Australia Japan Ministerial Council, or AJMC. It¡¯s evolved into different formulas now. But at that time, five (Australian) Cabinet ministers came on one trip to meet with their Japanese counterparts. I was lucky enough to come with my trade minister to Japan; that was my first professional contact.
Over your career, what achievement are you the proudest of?
Predictably, I would have to say being involved in the conclusion of the three North Asian free trade agreements with Japan, China and South Korea. I was extremely privileged to be working on those big economic agreements for many years; to be able to see them through to conclusion was a real highlight. And of course, that¡¯s the reason why I earned my Order of Australia.
Please state your motto in life and why you have chosen it.
I don¡¯t have a motto, as such. (But for this year, ¡°Stay calm and carry on for 2021.¡±)
What has surprised you the most after arriving in Japan?
I¡¯m really taken by how strongly the seasonal aspects come into play, how important the seasons are in everything from the food to the flowers to, of course, the gardens. I knew that Japan¡¯s quite famous for its seasons. But nevertheless, it¡¯s so ever-present, even down to a weekly basis: Which citrus is it this week? Which flower this week? And, and how foods reflect that. So I think that¡¯s even more than I expected, in a very nice way. Just how much of it permeates the whole culture, the seasonal aspects.
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