INTERVIEW - JapanUp! magazine

Carine Lantignac, a French artist living in Japan as a foreigner

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I LIVE IN JAPAN / Carine Lantignac / Artist and Cultural consultant

japanup_akane 07/02/2026

Jun 2026 (VOL.224) Carine Lantignac What is it really like to live in Japan as a foreign artist? In this I Live in Japan interview, French artist and cultural consultant Carine Lantignac shares 13 years of life in Tokyo, raising three children and building Mapponica, her art maps made from traditional Japanese paper. What do you do in Japan? I have been going through different phases of adaptations following my family needs, being the prime physical carer of my children I had to constantly find the most suitable solution. I have three children and a Japanese husband, so caring. My…

Julie Mitrovic, a French coach living in Japan as a foreigner

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I LIVE IN JAPAN / Julie Mitrovic / Coach & Facilitator

japanup_akane 06/30/2026

May 2026 (VOL.223) Julie Mitrovic What do you do in Japan? Can you talk about your job in Japan? I’m a coach and facilitator working with women navigating major life or career transitions. I help them reconnect with themselves and move forward with clarity and confidence, using a blend of somatic coaching and Positive Psychology. I support them in those in-between moments where the old version no longer fits, but the new one hasn’t fully emerged yet. After 10 years working in Admin and HR, I wanted to deepen my impact, so I started a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology…

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The Front Line of Anime Music “Yoko Takahashi × Yoko Kanno” Special Interview

miwako3 06/28/2026

Anime Expo 2026 Special Feature The Front Line of Anime Music Yoko Takahashi × Yoko Kanno Special Interview Anime Expo 2026, one of the world’s largest anime events, will take place in Los Angeles from July 2 to 6. Among its most anticipated stages is J-POP SOUND CAPSULE, where acclaimed Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi and celebrated composer Yoko Kanno will appear. Yoko Takahashi continues to captivate fans around the world with “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the iconic theme song from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Yoko Kanno, meanwhile, is the composer behind the music of landmark anime works such as Cowboy Bebop…

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I LIVE IN JAPAN / Mathilde DUBOIIS / Co-founder of tokimeki LLC

japanup_akane 06/25/2026

April 2026 (VOL.222) Mathilde DUBOIIS What do you do in Japan? Can you talk about your job in Japan? I co-founded tokimeki LLC with Alice Agnellet. We support foreign entities’ operations in Japan, mostly events-related. We do language and cultural support, and action our networks to best support our clients’ needs. Some of our main projects include : international competitions pre-camp (Olympics, World Aquatics), product launch on-trade dinners (Baron Philippe de Rothschild), Project Management (Cezars Kitchen for Osaka EXPO)… Before tokimeki, I worked for Kanazawa City as a Coordinator for International Relations for 7 years which forged most of my…

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I LIVE IN JAPAN / Bernard McEntee / Teacher

japanup_akane 06/23/2026

March 2026 (VOL.221) Bernard McEntee What do you do in Japan? Can you talk about your job in Japan? I’m recently became a licensed teacher in Hokkaido, Japan. Before that I was a JET ALT for 4 years and was the prefectural advisor to the 5th largest city (Sapporo) for my last year as a JET. What do you find different about living in Japan over the term compared when you first arrived or come as a tourist? So some really important advice if you come here to actually live is to know how to seek out help. Especially your…

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[Japanese Interviews: Life in LA] Chizuko Higuchi : “Writing Only the Good” Is My Motto

japanup_akane 06/16/2026

Chizuko Higuchi　　 Profession: Real Estate Agent / EssayistBorn: 1949, Hagi, Yamaguchi, JapanEducation: Graduated from a university in Tokyo (earned middle and high school teaching credentials)Career Highlights: oved to the U.S. in 1976 through a work opportunity, traveling across the country. After buying and managing rental properties for a decade, she obtained her license and launched her career as a real estate agent. She has successfully navigated major market shifts, including the subprime mortgage crisis, the Lehman shock, 9/11, and the pandemic. Concurrently, she is an active essayist, contributing pieces to The Rafu Shimpo and US.FrontLine. ■ Chizuko Higuchi, Real Estate…

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[Japanese Interviews: Life in LA] Yuki Mitsufuji : Building Systems Where Artists Can Thrive – The Critical Phase of AI × Entertainment Research

japanup_akane 05/29/2026

“I originally wanted to become an artist. But at some point, I changed direction and decided I wanted to support artists instead. That is who I am today.”
Yuki Mitsufuji is a researcher working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and entertainment, currently serving as a visiting professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School since 2024.
What kind of life journey led him to this point?

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[Japanese Interviews: Life in LA] Yukari Fowler : Travel Trade Representative, Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau

japanup_akane 05/27/2026

“It all started with coming here to chase my dream of forming a band with Americans, touring the world, and becoming a rock star.” Atsushi Nakagawa founded AMAZAKE CO. in Los Angeles in April 2019. He is the creator of the “Amazake Latte,” which has gained popularity at Farmers Markets in Torrance and Hollywood. How did his dream evolve? We took a closer look at his life.