In Episode 18, we welcome Glen S. Fukushima, a bilingual and bicultural Sansei (third-generation American of Japanese ancestry) raised in the United States and Japan. He is a Visiting Fellow at Stanford University, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, and Vice Chair of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. His previous roles include serving as Director for Japanese Affairs and Deputy Assistant USTR for Japan and China at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, a senior business executive for five multinational corporations, and President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Long active in the Japanese American Citizens League, Japanese American National Museum, and the U.S.-Japan Council, he is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and of the Global Council of the Asia Society as well as co-founder of the Asia Society Japan Center. He is a philanthropist to music, art, film, and education, especially programs promoting U.S.-Japan ties.

We discuss Glen's upbringing as a Japanese American growing up in postwar Japan and California; the many different types of Japanese Americans; how he has supported U.S.-Japan relations through his many roles in government, business, and think tanks; and his philanthropy and support for education and the arts. The anecdotes of his friendship with other well known leaders will likely delight those who've followed the trajectory of U.S.-Japan relations. His advice on building an expertise and the way he embraces his unique identity will surely inspire many.

For more information on Glen, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode18-glen/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.

In Episode 17, we welcome Sam Ushio, Founder of Ikigai Lab, where he leads the social enterprise’s commitment to human sustainability and societal impact. Sam designs purpose-driven ecosystems for individuals and organizations around the world. Prior to founding Ikigai Lab, Sam was Director, Practice Management at Russell Investments, where he led the team that coached approximately 1,000 financial advisors per year. He has an MBA from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska in marketing and finance with an emphasis in psychology. 

We discuss Sam's upbringing in Nebraska, including the close-knit community he grew up in; his family history, including his dynamic great-grandparents who came from Japan, and a recent reunion where 36 family members visited Fukuoka; his career in finance and how he decided to found his own business; the meaning of ikigai and qualities of a good leader; and the importance of leaving our comfort zone. Many will likely find Sam's 18-month journey of self-exploration prior to founding Ikigai Lab--including many lessons learned--very inspiring.

For more information on Sam, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode17-sam/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.

In Episode 16, we welcome Niharika Chibber Joe, a public diplomat with experience across government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. She currently serves as Deputy Agency Head of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, an independent federal agency strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance through educational and cultural exchange. Previously, she was General Manager at Tata Sons, where she managed corporate sustainability, monitored U.S.-India trade policy, oversaw partnerships, and coordinated public-private initiatives. Earlier, she held leadership roles at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation. A published poet and writer, she communicates in seven languages and multiple dialects.

We discuss Niharika's upbringing in India, including the prejudice she's had to overcome and how she came to command so many languages; how her interest in the Japanese language developed, to the extent that she worked as an interpreter; her move to the United States; increasing diversity in the U.S.-Japan space; and the importance of connecting people. Many will likely find Niharika's comprehensive view of identities--how we all have multiple identities that are continuously shifting--and kind words for anyone who's struggling to fit in incredibly powerful.

For more information on Niharika, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode16-niharika/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.

In Episode 15, we welcome Mizumi Dutcher, a policy researcher and former journalist specializing in Chinese politics, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian strategic affairs. She most recently served as a Foreign Policy Fellow at the U.S. House of Representatives. Her journalism career spanned more than two decades at Fuji Television, including service as the Washington Bureau Chief and an earlier posting in Beijing. Mizumi is currently a Doctor of International Affairs (DIA) candidate at Johns Hopkins SAIS. Her dissertation examines China-North Korea relations under Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un.

We discuss Mizumi's upbringing in Japan and the U.S., including cultural adjustments she's had to make; how her interest in China and journalism developed; some of the stories she covered in Beijing, including the heartbreaking Szechuan Earthquake; her fascinating friendship with Kim Jong-nam, the late brother of Kim Jong-un; and her career transition into academia. Viewers are sure to be particularly inspired by her courage to embark on a new journey after decades of work as an accomplished journalist--and the idea that when things are changing so quickly, it's a risk to just stay the way we are.

For more information on Mizumi, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode15-mizumi/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.

In Episode 14, we welcome Gigi Modrich, an Indian law practitioner, roller derby skater, and stand-up comedian. She was brought up in a multiethnic household: her mother is Jicarilla Apache and her father is Croatian American. While she is multiracial, her upbringing focused on her Native American culture. After attending Dartmouth College, she earned her Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School and then joined a law firm to serve Tribal clients. She now lives in Los Angeles, where she teaches beading at a Native non-profit.

We discuss Gigi's upbringing and her Jicarilla Apache identity; the historic and ongoing challenges that Native Americans grapple with; her fight against stereotypes in her childhood and the friendships she found in college; her legal accomplishments in protecting the rights of other Natives; and her ongoing transition into comedy and how she is building a community through humor. The story of her identity is heart-wrenching in so many ways--but her strength and courage are incredibly inspiring, and her awesome sense of humor is sure to make you laugh!

For more information on Gigi, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode14-gigi/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.

Episode 13 is a special edition, commemorating one year since the start of the podcast in two ways.

First, the host and producer of CrossWorld Puzzles, Shiori Okazaki, discusses her own journey, attempting to address questions she has been asking her guests about identity and various life choices she's made so far. She also discusses why she started this podcast.

Second, she discusses what she learned from the past 12 episodes, providing some recommendations on which episodes specific listeners might find especially helpful.

Shiori Okazaki grew up in Honolulu and Tokyo, and is currently based in Washington, DC. She is the President of Shiori Communications, LLC, where she connects her two home countries through interpretation and writing services. She previously worked with the communications team of various organizations, including the Embassy of Japan in the U.S.A., the Embassy of Japan in the UK, and the U.S.-Japan Council. As an interpreter, she has supported dozens of high-level meetings and people-to-people exchange programs throughout the U.S. and Japan.

For more information on Shiori, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode13-shiori/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.

In Episode 12, we welcome John Onoda, a principal at iQ 360, a strategic consulting firm with current clients in the United States and Japan. He has led communications at companies including General Motors, Levi Strauss, Visa USA and Charles Schwab. He also has decades of experience providing counsel to major global corporations, universities, NGOs and government agencies. He is a member of the U.S.-Japan Council, and currently serves on the board of the Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication.

We discuss how John's upbringing in Gary, IN (where the only other Asians were his family members) affected his identity; how he taught himself to succeed in communications as an introvert; the importance of cultivating our humanity to thrive as individuals and workers even while technology increasingly takes over our jobs; how reading trains us to empathize with others and helps us fight forces that divide us; and how we can "find our tribe" by exploring different lifestyles.

For more information on John, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode12-john/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.  

In Episode 11, we welcome Kazuyo Kato, the Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) USA. The daughter of a diplomat, Kazuyo was born in Australia, spent her early years in Egypt, and grew up going back and forth between the U.S. and Japan. Kazuyo has nearly two decades of experience at nonprofit organizations dedicated to U.S.-Japan relations and international affairs, including the Japan Society in New York, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA in Washington DC, Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She has also worked in consulting businesses, including Armitage International and Arthur Andersen (later KPMG) in Tokyo.

We discuss Kazuyo's upbringing in multiple countries; how she overcame the challenge of learning languages and societal expectations; why she decided to work in the nonprofit sector and the importance of people-to-people exchange; and how she developed her own leadership style and what she learned from great leaders like Richard Armitage.

For more information on Kazuyo, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode11-kazuyo/.

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that explores how multicultural individuals consider life’s big questions, such as where to be based, how to build their career, who to spend their life with, etc.  

In Episode 10, we welcome Lefteris Kafatos, an interpreter and analyst specializing in U.S.-Japan relations. Lefteris went on the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program in Okinawa and served as a diplomatic interpreter at the U.S. Department of State, interpreting for Presidents Obama and Trump on several occasions. He now writes (in both English and Japanese!) for The Japan Lens, where his focus is the U.S.-Japan alliance, Japanese politics and foreign policy, and regional dynamics in the Asia-Pacific. Lefteris has master's degrees in Japanese-English Conference Interpreting from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS), as well as in International Affairs from UC San Diego. 

We discuss his upbringing and identity as a Greek American; how his interest in Japan evolved over time as a student, interpreter, and an analyst of U.S.-Japan relations; how he stays calm when interpreting for heads of state and other high-powered individuals; and how we can continue to maintain and strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship despite recent uncertainties like tariffs.

For more information on Lefteris, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode10-lefteris/.

In our ninth episode, we welcome Mari Yobp, an artist and poet raised in Japan. After graduating from Musashino Art University, she worked as an art teacher at a school in Osaka (where she met her future husband) and immigrated to the U.S. She is currently based in Pittsburgh, PA, and has also lived in Idaho. Mari draws and paints mostly flowers in watercolor. She also writes Tanka poetry and publishes her work in a poetry magazine. 

We discuss her philosophy in creating art; how she met her husband and built her own community in the U.S.; how she keeps in touch with the Japanese language and writes poetry; how she has contended with her child's medical challenges; and how she stays positive no matter what challenges come her way.

For more information on Mari, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode9-mari/. This webpage includes a lot of Mari's art, and should not be missed!