Inspire Tokyo

Kikokushijo Academy
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Inspire Tokyo is a series of interviews with leading figures in science, the arts, education, business, and politics. Our mission is to provide young, multilingual students with the opportunity to engage with the English-speaking world.

Episodes

  1. 12/27/2025

    Junko Mogi - Alumni Spotlight Series

    Hello, and welcome to Inspire Tokyo, a podcast brought to you by Kikokushijo Academy in Tokyo, Japan. On this episode we are joined by Junko Mogi. Junko's story traces a remarkable global journey, from Montessori preschool and local public schools in the U.S., to a returnee program in Japan, to the International Baccalaureate program in India, and finally to Waseda University's School of International Liberal Studies (also known as SILS). Along the way, she found her footing at Kikokushijo Academy, first as a student, then later as an intern, and today she's a project manager at Global KA.  In our conversation, Junko shares what it felt like to move between languages and cultures, the challenge of learning in Japanese classrooms, and the strength she found in those transitions. We also talk about her experiences navigating  IB and AO systems. Her journey is a reminder that growing up between worlds can be both demanding and deeply enriching. Junko's reflections will resonate with anyone who's ever had to bridge two worlds or find where they truly belong.

    37 min

  2. 11/24/2020

    The World of MOZZ - Chris Mosdell

    Chris Mosdell is a poet, lyricist, author, and illustrator, who has collaborated with an extensive array of well-known musicians and composers. He has written lyrics for Eric Clapton, Sarah Brightman, Boy George, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and YMO, to name a few. He also wrote lyrics together with Michael Jackson. He has also produced music for feature films, opera, and anime soundtracks, including Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Texhnolyze, and Wolf's Rain. He has been awarded the The Yuki Hayashi-Newkirk Poetry Prize, Gold Prize for Lyrics (Tokyo Music Festival), and the Grand Prize for Poetry (Colorado Festival of Literature). Topics of Discussion with Chris Mosdell How microbiology influenced Chris's art A serendipitous book finding in rural England Why he began writing books for children How Chris learned to draw Chris's path to becoming famous Advice for students on how to become more creative A reading of his poem Little Blue Ridinghood and the Big Good Wolf Writing lyrics inside of McDonald's How his lyrics were used on a Michael Jackson song The origin of the name MOZZ His experimental avant-garde techniques

    55 min

  3. 01/22/2019

    Breaking Down Philosophy - Zárdai István Zoltán

    Zárdai István Zoltán is a philosopher with a keen interest in AI. He is investigating moral psychology, action and agency, and the links between responsibility, intention and voluntariness. He is a JSPS postdoc research fellow at Keio University. For more about action theory see www.philosophyofaction.com and Philpapers, and check out István's research on his academia.edu profile. Topics of Discussion with István Zárdai Book: Sophie's World Book: Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts Book: The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer Book: Logicomix: An epic search for truth Book: The If Machine: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom Book: The Philosophy Gym Podcast: Hi-Phi Nation Why "The Simpsons" Is Now a Legit College-Level Philosophy Course The Simpsons' secret formula: it's written by maths geeks Philosophy4Children The Philosophy Foundation Kavka's Toxin Puzzle—His original paper Philosophy grads are good on the skills needed to enter law school and MBAs

    1h 4m

  4. 12/06/2018

    Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning - Azamat Beknazarov

    Azamat Beknazarov is a solutions engineer at Google. He has been in the IT industry for the past 7 years working on web development, advertisement technology, and most recently machine learning (or predictive modeling), which is one of the many subfields within AI. Topics of Discussion with Azamat Beknazarov The difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence The software, hardware, and programming languages of machine learning The Google Translate app Amazon Mechanical Turk Captcha and visual computing technology How machine learning is being used today The importance of good and ethical data sets The future of machine learning The dangers of machine learning and AI Links from the Discussion Youtube Video: What is machine learning? Youtube Video: But what *is* a Neural Network? Youtube Channel: 3Blue1Brown Book: Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom Book: The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World  TED Talk: The Quest for the Master Algorithm fast.ai - Making neural nets cool again Coursera - Online learning from the world's best universities and companies Khan Academy - Online learning

    1h 8m

  5. 09/05/2018

    Cryptocurrency - Dave Gutteridge

    Dave Gutteridge is a writer and performer who has worked in IT in the past and has recently been caught up in the exciting world of cryptocurrency. He currently works full time writing about cryptocurrency, covering all aspects of the market, including technology and market analysis. Topics of Discussion with Dave Gutteridge The difference between digital currency and cryptocurrency The clear benefits of cryptocurrency Earning a salary in cryptocurrency instead of Japanese Yen Currency crisis in Venezuela and Zimbabwe Using cryptocurrency in stores in Japan What causes the value of Bitcoin to rise and fall Cryptocurrency as an investment versus a money for everyday use What digital camera technology can tell us about the future of cryptocurrency Finally, Dave offers excellent advice for those who want to learn more about cryptocurrency but are uncertain where to begin. ** Watch his presentation by clicking here! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3AeoOEOGYY

    44 min

  6. 08/10/2018

    Cirque du Soleil - Chad Fraser

    Chad Fraser began his career with Cirque du Soleil as part of the Performance Medicine Department at their headquarters in Montreal. Over the past 7 years, Chad has worked with 2 touring shows and is now currently the Head Therapist for Kurios. Questions for Chad Fraser What is a physiotherapist's job during during a show? What makes a Cirque du Soleil show special? How do you keep the artists mentally engaged? What keeps you balanced mentally and physically? What is the most rewarding part of your job? What do most people not know about the job of the artists? How do you prepare for emergency situations? What are the similarities and differences between circus artists and sports athletes? The show has artists from 16 countries. What language does everyone speak? What advice do you have for someone in JH or HS who might be thinking about a career in physiotherapy?   ** Watch his presentation by clicking here! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG8FpcUBXCc

    28 min

  7. 07/20/2018

    Ireland: Culture & Diplomacy - Chris Green

    Chris Green is the Second Secretary and Consul at the Embassy of Ireland in Japan. He has served in Japan for two years, and works on general consular matters as well as issues concerning agriculture & food, energy and environment, and sports. Questions for Chris Green What is a typical work day for a diplomat? How does it feel to represent your country? Have you ever felt nervous or afraid because of the pressure of representing Ireland? Is being a diplomat all about attending fancy parties and meeting important people? What has surprised you about how Japanese people see Ireland? Ireland will play Japan in the Rugby World Cup 2019. Who do you want to win? What point in Irish history would be the most exciting to be a diplomat? What advice do you have for someone in JH or HS who might be thinking about a career in diplomacy?   ** Watch his presentation by clicking here! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDcnYk432s4

    23 min

  8. 07/20/2018

    The Story of Physics - Milad Delfan Azari

    Milad Delfan Azari is a PhD candidate and a Research Assistant at Waseda University. He is involved with the High Energy Astrophysics Group within the Department of Physics. Questions for Milad Delfan Azari How did you fall in love with physics? What topic have you chosen for your PhD? How does it feel working and being surrounded by Nobel Prize winners? How has knowing many languages helped your career in science? (He speaks 6 languages!) What can someone in JH or HS do to prepare for a career in science? What is the most fulfilling part of your work as a scientist?   ** Watch his presentations by clicking here and here! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9TeB3zmW7M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN2FeLmS-wc

    17 min

  9. 07/20/2018

    A Career in International Affairs - Benoit Hardy-Chartrand

    Benoit Hardy-Chartrand is a Senior Research Associate in the Global Security and Politics Program at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Canada's premier international affairs think tank. Questions for Benoit Hardy-Chartrand What is a typical day of work like for a global politics researcher? What websites do you use to get your information? How do you choose the topics for the articles you write? Are you paid money to have a certain opinion about the news? What impact do researchers have on the world? What was your most embarrassing moment on live television? What advice would you give to those who are unsure what they want to do in the future? What can someone in JH or HS do to prepare for a career in international affairs?   ** Watch his presentation by clicking here! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijoavy_NvTU

    25 min

  10. 07/03/2018

    The Planet Factory - Dr. Elizabeth Tasker

    Dr. Elizabeth Tasker is an associate professor at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Her research uses computer models to explore the formation of planets and galaxies. In September of 2017 her popular science book was published, titled, The Planet Factory: Exoplanets and the Search for a Second Earth. Questions for Dr. Tasker  When will we find intelligent life? When did your love space begin? Why did you decide to choose it as a career? How did you decide to write The Planet Factory. What is the biggest misunderstanding people have when they talk about space? What is it like doing a science like astrophysics where the objects you are studying cannot be touched or directly seen? What kind of technology do you use for work? Where in space would you like to travel to see with your own eyes? Finally, Dr. Tasker offers her advice for anyone interested in studying science. Her answer will forever change the way you think about learning!   ** Watch her presentation by clicking here! ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOknzQtX4wI&t

    21 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Inspire Tokyo is a series of interviews with leading figures in science, the arts, education, business, and politics. Our mission is to provide young, multilingual students with the opportunity to engage with the English-speaking world.

Information

  • Creator
    Kikokushijo Academy
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Inspire Tokyo 2025 | Kikokushijo Academy
  • Show Website
    Inspire Tokyo