Held on Saturday 1st of February 2025 at 11am
The 38th AGM of The Japan Society of Scotland
Society members and guests gathered on Saturday 1st Feb., for our 38th AGM and we were delighted to welcome the Deputy Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh, Ms Minori Ishii. Attendance was encouraging with 30 attending In-person, including some of our 2024 grant awardees and 26 joining us via Zoom. It was a super opportunity to meet with new and longstanding friends as well as hearing the reports of the past year’s activities: a busy year resulting in increased events and membership.
A brisk run through the essential business culminating in the election of JSoS Council, who were all re-elected for a further year. Ian Gow thanked everyone for coming and gave a heartfelt vote of thanks to all Council members and those who had helped to provide support to the Society throughout the year. It was especially rewarding that our membership had risen substantially, and he further requested members to think about how they might be able to offer assistance and for ideas to develop for the future.
In a special Closing Address, the Deputy Consul General, spoke about the events she had attended which JSoS had helped to support and thanked the Chair and Council members for their work in helping to promote Japan-Scotland relations. The Foreign Minister’s Commendation which had been awarded to JSoS in November 2024, was a well-deserved tribute for all their efforts.
The 2024 Annual Report is submitted to the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR) and available to view on their website and on the JSoS website – click here to access the archive of our Annual Reports.
Neil Gordon Munro: Connecting Scotland and the Ainu
Following the AGM our Guest Speaker and JSoS member, Daniel Goldie-Furlong joined us from Japan via Zoom, to deliver his talk about his interest in Ainu culture and language. This was a most fascinating and stimulating account of his research trips to Hokkaido meeting with Ainu people and outlining the life of fellow Scot, Neil Gordon Munro (Physician and Anthropologist) who went to Japan in the late 19th Century visiting Biratori and Nibutani and finally living there. Many of the 2000 artefacts he sent back to Scotland are now in the National Museum of Scotland. Thank you so much to Daniel for his most engaging presentation. Daniel was selected to be our 2020 Thomas Glover Scholarship student and should have travelled to Japan that summer, but the pandemic delayed his trip. Now living and working in Japan, he has managed to travel within Japan to undertake this project thanks to the generous sponsorship of Aberdeen Asset Management.
Click here for the original talk notice…
Post-AGM Reception
Sushi and refreshments were then served, and members and guests had a chance to meet and chat. It was especially good to have our four Hon Life Members join us. Mrs Christine Roy, whose late husband Jim Roy, was one of the founders of the Society in 1985. Mrs Irene Harkness, whose late husband Ian Harkness, was Chair for many years, and Charles & Annie Edmond, having served as Secretary and hosted many events during that time.
Council Chair – Professor Ian Gow, Vice Chair – Dr Helen Parker, Treasurer – Callum Farquhar, Secretary – Katy Gow, Website – Alex Donald, Member – Caroline Marshall.
JSoS Membership is open to all who have an interest in Japan/Scotland relations.
Click here for the original AGM notice…
We hope to have a successful 2024 for the society.
Stay posted for new events and updates!
