I have arranged to meet Shingo Ishida, a program coordinator in the Guidance and Counseling Division of the JET Program Management Department in the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. (Gulp, what a mouthful!) But after colleague Nicola Chilton -- working in a similar capacity under CLAIR's umbrella -- helps come to my rescue, he suggests I talk to her too.
It seems I need a brolly as strong as CLAIR provides the day I visit the organization on the 19th floor of Shin-Kasumigaseki Building, central Tokyo. My own -- blown inside-out and disintegrating fast -- was last seen flying up Sakurada-dori, torn from my hands in a violent storm that hit without warning.
Luckily, Shingo and Nicola have open minds. Some officials might not be too tolerant of a reporter tottering into their office 20 minutes late, soaked to the skin. But these two are marvelous, producing towels, tea and enough sympathy for me to regain my composure and dry my socks.