LIFE IN JAPAN
Robert Jefferson
 Occupation:
News anchor for Bloomberg TV
Time in Japan:
18 year
Where are you from?
A small town outside Philadelphia called Penllyn.
What brought you to Japan?
I was in the Azure Islands in Portugal as a TV news announcer for the Armed Forces Radio
Television Services. While there I received an assignment to come to Japan to work for the
Far East Network, which is now called AFN - Armed or American Forces Network. My first two
years here I was a news anchor for FEN.
What made you decide to stay?
It just seemed so comfortable and Japan was going through a lot of changes - it was an
exciting time to be here in the early eighties. Japan was in the midst of opening up and I
think the Japanese were finding their modern or late twentieth century identity, so it was
really interesting.
What do you do now?
Pretty much the same thing fI was doing 18 years ago but just with a different company.
Ifm anchoring financial news, business news, world news and even a little bit of
sports for Bloomberg Television which can be seen on SkyPerfect TV and DirecTV in Japan.
Not only do I anchor but I research, gather the news, write it, produce, search for video
and graphics and so on. All the anchors write for each other and help each other out.
A few years back you were working for Soul Star Cafe. What was that about?
I never actually left broadcasting but a friend of mine was working on this restaurant
project and I asked if I could be part of the team because it was a wonderful idea. So for
four months I became their marketing manager and tried to spread the word about the place.
At the same time I was working at TBS. I was an English language announcer for 13 years to
be exact. I was the English voice you heard for News no Mori at 5:55pm. I was doing that
back in the days when the program was called JNN Newscope.
You have had many different jobs over the past 18 years. Do you have a favorite?
Ifve had so many they all become favorites. I worked for nearly ten years for
American ABC news as a radio correspondent; for seven years I worked for Japan Cable
Television as a weekend TV anchor; two radio programs, one on KISS FM in Kobe and another
with FM Yokohama; freelance narration work and TV commercial voice-overs like gYes
Ricohh and gAsahi Super Dryh and a few others. During the bubble years I
had seven different jobs, all simultaneously; if I was working ten hours during the week I
was busy. Now I work ten hours a day and I only have one job!
Are you planning on staying in broadcasting?
I tried something different with Soul Star and that was fun. It was nice to be in a
working environment where I could see the people I was dealing with. In broadcasting I
donft see my audience, so it was interesting getting another perspective. But news
is the love of my life and Ifll be staying in broadcasting till my last breath,
which should be a long time since Ifve quit smoking.
Whatfs your favorite thing about Japan?
Probably the fact that I never feel threatened.
Whatfs your recipe for a happy and successful life in Japan?
To keep an open mind, an open heart and open arms.
Robert Jefferson spoke to Maki Nibayashi.
Do you know an
interesting person in Tokyo? If so, email us at maki@tokyoclassified.com
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