Dr. Yorikatsu Hohokabe Has Been Elected as a Director for LES 2026-2027

Oblon is pleased to announce that Dr. Yorikatsu Hohokabe has been elected again as one of the Directors of LES Japan for 2026-2027. His term for Director will be until February 17, 2027, which is his 19^th term as Director from 2006 (including 7-year Vice Presidency), with two years' interruption during his stay in the Alexandria office.

He will also continue to serve as Group Leader of U.S. Issues Working Group of LES Japan (now for 16 consecutive years), and also as Group Leader of U.S. Issues (Kansai) Working Group (now for 8 consecutive years).

In addition, Dr. Hohokabe has been a tanka poet for nearly five decades and the Director of SAITO Mokichi Memorial Museum under the pen name of NAMI Katsuhiko since October 2024, which was established in 1968 and is dedicated to the life and work of SAITO Mokichi (1882–1953) who was one of the most prominent tanka poets in the 20th century and psychiatrist, and who made significant contributions to modern Japanese literature and psychiatry. Dr. Hohokabe (Dr. Nami) is the Chief Editor of the monthly tanka journal “HODOU”, is a judge of NAGATSUKA Takashi Literature (Tanka) Award, and will also be a commentator of National Tanka Competition commemorating MASAOKA Shiki who was the most prominent haiku and tanka poet, advocating “Shasei tanka” in the 19th century.  [Note] Tanka or Waka is the most traditional form of Japanese literature lasting for 1,400 years.