How many people have namecards that describe them as "business artists?" American-born William Reed is one. As a 7th-dan black belt aikido practitioner, licensed calligrapher, tap dancer, translator, bilingual trainer and speaker, published author and writer, blogger and entrepreneur, he brands his activities under the name Agili, after agility.

"I searched the thesaurus for words that reflected the ability to move easily and quickly, with both mental and physical awareness."

Weeks into the new year, projects that have one of his feet firmly established in Japan and the other set down in the international community are lining up: serving as a judge at the All-Japan Memory Championships in Yamato-Koriyama on Feb. 5, and speaking to FEW (Foreign Executive Women) three days later, for example.