Through the Eyes of the Consul General of Japan in Detroit

To enjoy sports or the arts, one often needs a “point of connection (Yorishiro).” Even when watching a car race that I otherwise had no interest in, having a favorite driver made me feel familiar and engaged thanks to him (see Vol. 7 of this series).
 
I had never had much connection to classical music. I could not even tell the difference between Beethoven and Chopin. Yet after getting to know conductor Keitaro Harada, music began to feel more significant to me. Even so, my relationship with music remains somewhat utilitarian—one in which I both make use of it and am used by it.
 
Last September, conductor Keitaro Harada made his debut with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. He later invited me to attend their performances on January 30–31 of this year, where they performed the music of Yasushi Akutagawa. To be honest, I could not even distinguish him from Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Nevertheless, I accepted the invitation immediately. Of course, I wanted to support Maestro Harada, but more importantly, I felt that the visit would be beneficial in three ways.
 
First, there were business advantages. During the day, the Dayton Development Coalition planned to host a seminar for Japanese companies, followed by a sake reception organized by our Consulate to help build networks.
Second, there were political benefits. By coordinating my visit with a reception hosted by Congressman Mike Turner, I would have the opportunity to meet the Mayor of Dayton, local judges, and other community leaders.
Third, there was an educational benefit. I had the opportunity to attend a leadership seminar co-hosted by Colonel Spalding, commander of a bomber unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, together with Maestro Harada.
 
As it turned out, due to insufficient preparation by the Dayton Development Coalition, the business seminar and the sake reception had to be postponed. However, I still found it valuable to have a chance to exchange views at Congressman Turner’s residence—he was the Mayor of Dayton at the time of the Dayton Accords in 1995—together with Minister Ken Ono, who handles congressional affairs and happened to be visiting from Washington, D.C. I was unable to attend Colonel Spalding’s leadership seminar, but thanks to him, a long-standing goal of mine—to visit Wright-Patterson Air Force Base—would soon be realized.
 
At a time when the war in Ukraine had dragged on for four years, Maestro Harada’s decision to perform music by Shostakovich (a Russian composer,) reflected a profound commitment to peace. His conducting style—engaging each orchestra member with sweeping, almost dance-like gestures on the podium (I am not sure if that is the right way to describe it)—is captivating to watch.
Music has the power to connect people. As the Consul General of Japan responsible for both Michigan and Ohio, I hope to harness the power of music to further promote Japan throughout the American Midwest. Through the power of music, sports, Japanese cuisine, and sake, I hope that local communities will come to better understand and appreciate the fact that Japanese people, Japanese companies, and Japanese ways of thinking have made significant contributions in both Michigan and Ohio.