Catherine’s Monthly Wrap Up - June 2026

☂️June was a month of umbrellas.Outside my office window, rainy season settled over Tokyo. The rain arrived at exactly the right time, replenishing dam reservoirs that had been sitting at worryingly low levels. Hydrangeas appeared on street corners, commuters perfected the art of carrying umbrellas without poking each other in the eye, and the city slowed down just a little.

My own June felt much the same. After the intensity of spring, June became a month of creating space rather than filling it. Board meetings, committee meetings, shareholder meetings, and preparation for all of the above tend to dominate my calendar at this time of year. It is not a season of rushing. It is a season of focus. And truthfully, I will admit I quite enjoy that! There is something comforting about hunkering down while the rain falls outside. Still, there were a few moments when the umbrella came out, the sun occasionally appeared, and adventures were had.

Here is what I got up to in June ⬇️

🇳🇿 New Zealand Wine Fair Tokyo 2026

More than 260 New Zealand wine enthusiasts gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo for this year's New Zealand Wine Fair, and judging by the smiles in the room, nobody was disappointed. The event brought together producers seeking distribution opportunities in Japan alongside many of New Zealand's best-known wine brands. It was wonderful to reconnect with familiar faces, including the team from Coal Pit, whose wines have become firm favourites of mine.

One product that particularly caught my eye was Bluff Gin, proudly displayed in its turquoise buoy-shaped bottle. It is exactly the sort of thing that makes New Zealand products memorable. I am now fully invested in seeing it appear on cocktail bar shelves throughout Tokyo.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making the event happen, and especially to Shin Saito and Air New Zealand for their continued support of New Zealand's food and beverage community in Japan.

🎙️ Lawyer on Air Podcast

Season 12 continued in June with two fascinating conversations featuring lawyers who have built careers that cross borders, industries, and disciplines.

First, we released Part 2 of my conversation with Natsue Ishida, whose career journey has taken her through private practice, in-house leadership roles, and most recently into the world of Responsible AI. Natsue's episode became our first two-part episode of the season because there was simply too much insight to fit into a single conversation.

🎧 Listen to Part 2: here

We also released my conversation with Chie Hashimoto, a lawyer whose career demonstrates the power of embracing opportunities, navigating change, and building influence across different environments. As always, I came away from the discussion with a fresh appreciation for the many different ways a legal career can evolve.

🎧 Listen to Chie's episode: here

One of the joys of hosting Lawyer on Air is that no two career journeys are ever the same. Every guest reminds me that there is no single blueprint for success, and that is exactly what makes these conversations so interesting.

🍎Listen here on Apple Podcasts

🍷 A Little Piece of Gibbston in Tokyo

When Coal Pit winemaker Anika Willner and Sales Director Kate Hunter invited me to dinner, there was really only one possible answer.

The first evening was a relaxed gathering at Rangitoto, where the conversation flowed as easily as the wine.

The second was a beautiful wine-paired dinner at Wakanui, showcasing just how well Central Otago Pinot Noir can hold its own on the other side of the world.

One of the things I love most about events like these is the reminder that every bottle carries a story. Sitting in Tokyo, sharing wines grown in Gibbston Valley with people who may never have visited Central Otago, was a lovely example of how food and wine quietly connect countries, communities, and people.

For a few hours, a small corner of Tokyo felt very close to home.

🇯🇵🇳🇿 JNZBC AGM in Tokyo

The Japan Committee of the Japan New Zealand Business Council (JNZBC) held its AGM in June, marking both a moment of reflection and a changing of the guard.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Akira Ichikawa for his leadership as Chair of the Japan Committee and warmly welcome Hiroyuki Isono as his successor. It is fitting that both come from organisations with long-standing investments and deep engagement in New Zealand, reflecting the enduring strength of the business relationship between our two countries.

Having been involved in the New Zealand–Japan business community for many years, I have seen first-hand the important role JNZBC plays. While business councils are often judged by the conferences they host and the events they organise, I believe their real value lies elsewhere. The most important outcomes are often the relationships, trust, and understanding built quietly over many years between people on both sides of the relationship.

As New Zealand and Japan approach 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, it feels like a timely reminder that international relationships are not built solely through formal diplomacy. They are strengthened year after year through the efforts of businesses, communities, volunteers, and individuals who continue showing up and investing in the relationship. I am looking forward to working with the committee as preparations continue for the 42nd JNZBC Conference in Sendai later this year.

The Japan–New Zealand relationship continues to grow and evolve, creating new opportunities for collaboration in areas ranging from trade and investment to technology, sustainability and innovation. Organisations such as JNZBC play an important role in bringing together the people and organisations who help make those opportunities a reality.

Thank you, Ichikawa-san, for your leadership and contribution, and congratulations, Isono-san, on your appointment. I wish you every success in the role.

Having been involved in the New Zealand–Japan business community for many years, I have seen first-hand the role JNZBC plays in fostering connections between people, organisations and industries across both countries.

Business councils are often judged by the conferences they host and the events they organise. Yet, to me, their real value lies in the relationships, trust and understanding built over many years between people on both sides of the relationship, often through conversations and connections that take place well beyond the conference room.

As New Zealand and Japan approach the milestone of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, organisations such as JNZBC remind us that strong international relationships are built not only through formal diplomacy, but also through the sustained efforts of businesses, communities and individuals who strengthen the ties between our two countries, year after year.

🌏 A Whanganui Lesson in Tokyo

One of the more amusing moments of June came during a dinner hosted for the Mayor of Whanganui and members of a delegation visiting Japan.

At the beginning of the evening, guests were asked to raise their hand if they had visited Whanganui. I looked around the room and then realised, somewhat sheepishly, that I could not raise mine.

There I was - a New Zealander who has spent more than two decades helping Japanese people understand New Zealand - admitting that I had never actually visited Whanganui myself.

It immediately reminded me of an old New Zealand tourism campaign with the slogan: "Don't leave town until you've seen the country." At that moment, I felt slightly exposed.

The dinner itself was fascinating. Whanganui has a compelling story to tell. Beyond being home to New Zealand's longest navigable river - one of the first rivers in the world to be granted legal personhood - it is also a UNESCO City of Design, has strong educational links with Japan, and is actively looking to deepen relationships in areas ranging from renewable energy and food processing to digital infrastructure.

What impressed me most was the long-term thinking behind the delegation's visit. Relationships with Japan are being built through sister-city ties, student exchanges, educational partnerships, and people-to-people connections. As is so often the case with Japan, trust is built one conversation at a time.

I left the evening with two conclusions: first, Whanganui has a stronger international story than many New Zealanders probably realise; and second, I clearly need to add a visit to Whanganui to my own New Zealand travel list.

🌲Heartview: A Journey Through Wood, Truth and Connection

One of the unexpected highlights at the end of June was attending the opening of Heartview: Material, Perception & Wood, an exhibition by New Zealand artist Alejandro Goldberg.

At first, I was drawn by the New Zealand connection. Alejandro works with Japanese timber that is exported to New Zealand, transformed through his artistic process, and then returned to Japan as artwork. There is something wonderfully circular about that journey. It almost feels like a “coals to Newcastle” story—except that the timber comes home carrying an entirely new story.

The exhibition itself was unlike anything I had expected. Listening to Alejandro speak felt rather like following Alice down the rabbit hole. He explored the idea of the “heart of the wood” as something that reveals truth, memory, and what it means to be alive. It was deep, philosophical, and wonderfully thought-provoking.

Adding another layer to the evening was the interpretation by Dr Alex Bennett. Already well known as a kendo master and scholar of Japanese culture, he was equally impressive as an interpreter. He did far more than translate words because he mirrored Alejandro’s gestures, expressions and energy so naturally that it felt as though two people were sharing the same story in different languages.

One final detail caught my eye.

In Japan, it is customary to send magnificent flower arrangements to celebrate the opening of a business, gallery or exhibition. The flowers are displayed on elegant stands at the entrance, becoming part of the celebration itself. They are both a gesture of congratulations and a public expression of support. It is one of those Japanese customs that I never tire of seeing.

Looking around the gallery that evening, surrounded by Japanese wood, New Zealand creativity, bilingual storytelling and generous hospitality, I realised it was another example of something that quietly threaded through my June.

The relationship between New Zealand and Japan continues to reveal itself in the most unexpected places.

To wrap up …

Looking back on June, the theme that quietly emerges is patience. Not inactivity. Not waiting. But the kind of patience that allows things to develop in their own time.

Many of the conversations, introductions, and projects that occupied June will likely reveal their significance much later. Some may lead nowhere. Others may eventually come full circle in ways that are impossible to predict today.

Another thing I only noticed while writing this blog is how many of June's highlights involved the New Zealand–Japan relationship in one form or another. From wine makers and business councils to mayors, exporters, educators and community leaders, there seemed to be a recurring reminder that after more than two decades in Japan, helping connect these two countries remains one of the threads that runs most consistently through my life.

I suppose some interests become careers, and some careers become communities.

Next up is a little travel to cooler places before Japan reminds us once again that summer is not for the faint-hearted.

Until then, I will be enjoying the hydrangeas while they last.

See you next month!

— Catherine 🌿