On Friday, 16 January 2009, the United Nations University Office of Communications held the fifth in its ongoing series of Media/NGO Gatherings. This informal event, which started at 5:00 PM in the 12th-floor Reception Room at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo, was attended by more than 60 journalists, non-governmental organization representatives, and communications staff members from other UN agencies in Japan.

The UNU Media/NGO Gatherings, which are held three or four times per year, give attendees an opportunity to share information and thoughts on global issues, international relations and the activities of the United Nations. They also offer UNU and other UN agency communications staff a chance to meet face-to-face the journalists with whom they usually are in contact only by phone or e-mail.

This New Year Media/NGO Gathering also served as an occasion for the UNU to bid a public farewell to Mr. Hatsuhisa Takashima, who has served as Special Advisor to the Rector for Public Information & Media Relations since June 2006. Mr. Takashima, who previously had served as a foreign correspondent, newscaster, and executive at NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), as Director of the UN Information Center Tokyo office, and as spokesperson/press secretary for the Foreign Ministry of Japan, recently was appointed president and CEO of NHK-affiliate Japan International Broadcasting, Inc.

During his tenure with the UNU, Mr. Takashima assisted the UNU Office of Communications to raise the profile of the University and to promote its work and its local presence to the Japanese public. In a brief speech at the Media/NGO Gathering, UNU Rector Konrad Osterwalder thanked Mr. Takashima for his many contributions to the UNU.

Mr. Takashima chats with attendees at the UNU Media/NGO Gathering