Education: I'm a graduate of California State University, where I studied economics, politics, Japanese and Chinese. I was accepted on the Cal State University International Program (CSUIP) in Japan and attended Waseda University from 1976. During this time I lived in the home of an elderly Japanese couple in central Tokyo. My Japanese home-stay father was a former captain in the Japanese Imperial Navy. My home-stay mother was a koto and shamisen teacher. After returning to California, I received my degree in Social Science (Economics). I continued graduate studies mainly in economics, political theory and Japanese studies before deciding to return to Japan in 1984. While in college I served as peer counselor and tutor of economics and politics at the Learning Center operated by the university Equal Opportunity Program. After scoring in the highest 2 percent on the university Writing Proficiency Examination, I served in the Learning Skills Center as instructor of English composition for international students. All of my students ultimately succeeded in passing the examination, which was required in order to graduate. Upon returning to Japan, I spent a year as a research student in international and Japanese law at the Sophia University Graduate Division of Law before turning my full attention to building my translation experience.

Professional Experience: I began translating professionally in 1985 at a Japanese law firm in Shimbashi, later moving to a larger law firm in the Kasumigaseki Building, where I worked for the remainder of the 1980s. During this time, my responsibilities included Japanese-English and sometimes English-Japanese translation of a wide variety of legal and financial documents. I also frequently engaged in research and speechwriting work for my boss, who served as Chairman of the International Relations Committee of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. This work focused on such issues as human rights, international understanding and the cultural background of Japanese law and business. Around 1992, I decided to move to the financial industry. After working briefly for the The Japan Economic Journal on a freelance basis, I became in-house translator in the equity research department of a small Japanese brokerage firm in Shimbashi. Two years later my supervisor transferred to a large European investment bank and asked me to accompany him, which I did. I translated reports and articles by sell-side analysts, the sales team and the economist, who doubled as investment strategist. Some years later I accepted an offer from a leading German bank to work directly under the economist, strategist and banking analyst. In addition to translation of routine equity research reports in all sectors, my work covered macroeconomic analysis, international economics, equity market analysis, central banking, currency markets, investment strategy and the legal aspects of the ongoing reorganization of Japan's financial and regulatory systems during Japan's "Financial Big Bang." In 2001, I transferred to the securities division of one of Japan's largest banking groups. I have worked directly under some of Japan's most respected economists, analysts and attorneys during several of the most tumultuous phases of this country's recent financial history. In addition to my work in economics and law, I have since the late 1990s translated for a leading Japanese magazine closely associated with the government of Japan, translating articles on economics, Japanese industry, culture and government policy, particularly ODA, disaster recovery, energy and demographics.

Teaching Experience: In the late 1990s, I taught night classes in legal and financial translation twice a week at a leading translation and interpreting school in Tokyo. My duties included not just teaching but curriculum development and preparation of teaching materials, and the teaching method I developed was well-received by students.

Work in Recent Years: Seeking to balance my work in economics, law, and government affairs, I accepted a part-time in-house position in the early 2000s at a leading American law firm, where I worked until going fully independent in 2007.