The Japan Times Cube Co., Ltd. (representative director: Minako Suematsu) launched Roundtable by The Japan Times, a series of talk events that will be broadcasted in Japan.

The English-language events will invite readers of The Japan Times to be guest speakers. Ross Rowbury (former representative of Edelman Japan), who has a deep knowledge of Japan and boasts a wide network both here and abroad, will sit down in the role of host with Japanese and non-Japanese to discuss their lives in Japan. Held once a month, the format of the roundtable will include time for panel discussions with the participation of the audience.

For our special speaker, Rowbury will welcome Chris Blackerby, Group Chief Operating Officer for Astroscale Holdings, the global leader in securing the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations.

Date and time:

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Talk session

*Monday, October 18, 17:30-18:30 (Pacific Standard Time)

Registration at: https://peatix.com/event/3037940

Participants: You will receive a notification when the recording is posted online.

Registration fee: Free

The contents of Roundtable by The Japan Times will be published as an archive at a later date and will be introduced in the main paper of The Japan Times and the website of Sustainable Japan by The Japan Times.

Chris Blackerby

Chris Blackerby is Group Chief Operating Officer for Astroscale Holdings, the global leader in securing the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations and the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits. Chris oversees the operations and expansion of the growing international company, including strategic planning and internal management.

Prior to joining Astroscale, Chris was the NASA Attaché in Asia and the senior space policy official at the U.S. Embassy Tokyo from 2012-2017. In that capacity he identified opportunities for cooperation, served as strategic space advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and negotiated agreements and resolved disputes with partners. Chris began working for NASA in 2003.

Chris received a B.A. in History and Education from the University of Richmond (Va.) in 1995 and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Rhode Island in 2002. In 2009 he earned an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

Ross Rowbury

Ross Rowbury has observed Japan while living and working here for four decades. Commencing his career in finance in Tokyo in the early 1980s, he later moved into public relations and communications, holding senior positions at Gavin Anderson & Co. (now Kreab) and PRAP Japan. Most recently, he headed the Edelman business in Japan for 10 years until July 2020. Ross is studying to become a kataribe (traditional storyteller) of Japanese legends while doing freelance consulting for a number of firms on their Japan business strategy. He is also a visiting professor of Asian marketing at Doshisha University in Kyoto.

◾︎The Japan Times

Established in 1897, The Japan Times is Japan’s largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper, providing English-language news on Japan and the world. The Japan Times is “Japan’s Window to the World,” covering politics, economics, culture, society and sports to keep the world informed about Japan and its current situation. As the largest English-language news site in Japan, we offer a variety of unique content.

Website: www.japantimes.co.jp/

【Inquiries】

The Japan Times Cube Co., Ltd.

<Press release inquiries>

Public Relations: Ms. Kumano

E-mail: [email protected]


The press release may be downloaded in PDF format