When Englishman David Chandler arrived in Japan in 1995 he never imagined he'd publish an award-winning book. Neither did he foresee that one day he would be sitting in the office of Japan's prime minister discussing his JET experience.
"All I knew was that I was bored with my former life in England," Chandler remarked during a recent visit to Tokyo. "I was ready for a change, and coming to Japan seemed like a good, safe choice."
It was not Chandler's first experience living abroad. After graduating from Kent University with a degree in American Studies, he interned in Washington for the Democratic National Committee, where he wrote the education policy report for the '92 Clinton election campaign. Returning to London, he worked in Parliament with a number of Liberal Democrat MPs, but after three years he was ready to move on.