Masaki Watanabe
Born in Tokyo in 1945. Went to a Japanese primary school, English grammar school (journalist father assigned to London), and American high schools in Rome and Tokyo, graduating from International Christian University in Tokyo in 1966 to join Reuters news agency in London. Worked for Reuters in London, Rome, Washington, D.C., and Paris until 1970. After a period of playing guitar music, joined the English-language daily Singapore Monitor in 1981. Worked for the Monitor, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, and the Singapore Economic Development Board, then became the founding editor of the Japanese-language edition of Silver Kris, Singapore Airlines’ inflight magazine. Moved with family to Vancouver in 1997, where he has worked as a translator, language instructor, columnist, and occasional reporter up to now.
Updated February 2015
Stories from This Author
SADA HOSHIOKA: “I Am Like a Cultural Ambassador,” Says Pioneering, Leading-Edge Sushi Chef
Oct. 14, 2016 • Masaki Watanabe
Some of you readers may know him already as Sada-san, the personable owner and chef at the popular sushi restaurant Octopus’ Garden in Vancouver’s Kitsilano area. But when he was only about four years old, growing up in a seaside town in his native Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku, Japan, Mr. Sada Hoshioka, now age 54, used to sit atop a hill behind the town looking out toward the water horizon, wondering what Osaka City out there might look like. For …
Drummer Immersed the World of Jazz – Bernie Arai Is Steadfast in His Pursuit
Aug. 2, 2016 • Masaki Watanabe
Is Japanese Canadian Bernie Arai a pioneering jazz drummer? Answering this question during a recent interview, he was quick to say: “I don’t think of myself as a pioneer…I just want to keep working on making music.” As a longtime fan and a “lowly” part-time guitar player, I definitely consider Bernie, if I may so call him, to be a pioneering artist, as I’m sure many musicians and aficionados both in Canada and overseas would agree. Inasmuch as every first-class …
“Mr K” a Pioneer who brought the First “Cool” Japanese Car to North American markets
May 7, 2015 • Masaki Watanabe
How long has it been since Japanese Canadians and Americans started driving cars to suit their own tastes, not worrying about whether or not they are made in Japan? Nowadays Nikkei folks are, of course, among drivers of all races and nationalities who happen to drive around in a Toyota Lexus, Honda Accord or Nissan Rogue. But back around the 1960s when Japanese cars first appeared on North American markets, no Nikkei family would be “caught dead” in one. Some …
Our Legendary Asahis —The Movie Version Invaluable Publicity vis-à-vis Japanese People of Today
Feb. 11, 2015 • Masaki Watanabe
Travis Takashi Ishikawa of the San Francisco Giants recently made a lot of Japanese North Americans feel proud when he said: “I never give up because my grandfather was interned during the war.” This after he belted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th against the St. Louis Cardinals to take the Giants to the World Series. When I first moved here 17 years ago, I heard from some Yonsei guys they only found out about the …
