A DUNDEE woman’s services to Japan’s reconstruction following the country’s devastating earthquake have earned her an MBE.
Lori Henderson (33) was only six weeks into her role as the youngest ever executive director at the British Chamber of Commerce Japan (BCCJ) when the country was rocked by the catastrophe in March 2011.
Now, the former Lawside RC Academy pupil, who lives in the Tokyo district of Minato, has been awarded the honour for her efforts in the weeks that followed.
Lori said the award had come as a “bolt out of the blue”.
She said: “At the beginning of December, my PA said I was getting a call from the new ambassador. He introduced himself and asked if I would be prepared to accept an honour from the Queen.
“I obviously said yes and then I had to make the decision whether to accept the honour in Japan or fly to the UK and accept it from the Queen or Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.”
Lori chose the latter and is now looking forward to a big day out in June, accompanied by her parents, Wilma and Jim.
She moved to Japan 10 years ago to teach English, before working for a media agency in the country and eventually landing her current role, the first woman to hold the position.
Lori said: “I took on the executive director job at the start of February 2011 and I was six weeks into my handover with my predecessor and the office began shaking, which was terrifying.
“I thought it was the end and we had no idea at the time what the weeks and months would bring to Japan. The BCCJ became a bit of a hub for information.
“In June 2011, to mark the end of the emergency relief phase, we established the Back to Business initiative.
“Our mission was to support projects with the potential to demonstrate measurable results and generate economic returns with long-term benefits for businesses, communities and families.
“Looking back, I can say that we truly made a difference. Standing as a complement to larger relief and recovery programmes, we ensured real and efficient outcomes by working closely with the people of Tohoku to build an ever-expanding network of supporters that continues to boost the rejuvenation of the region.”
Lori’s day-to-day role is to support British businesses based in Japan and to provide a network and home base for ex-pats to get together and exchange ideas.
She said: “It is a fascinating place to work and I wouldn’t have traded the last nine years for anything. It teaches you a lot of patience and resilience.
“I have managed to pick the language up along the way and I always come back to Dundee to spend Christmas and New Year.
“I have been offered some dates between February and June to accept the award and am pretty focused on June because it will be sunnier.”
gogston@thecourier.co.uk