Reiko Yui, a green and sustainable energy expert with Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, and a participant in the U.S. Department of State's Global Government-to-Government Partnership, has been in the Los Angeles area since June, working with UC Irvine's National Fuel Cell Research Center. Ms. Yui hopes to finish this exchange program with a better understanding of California's cutting-edge efforts in fuel cell vehicle manufacturing as well as share some of the efforts she is working on in Japan. 

 

Q: What brought you to the United States?  

A: Energy in Japan is limited - more than 90% of it comes from imports. Improving this situation is an important goal for the Japanese government. I have worked for the government for nine years now and have realized that we will have to work with other countries and other sectors of the economy to solve this problem. The Global Government-to-Government Partnership offered me a great opportunity to improve my English so I can communicate with people from all over the world in order to solve our problem in Japan. I came to the U.S., and particularly Southern California, to learn about energy and environmental policies, so I can bring ideas back to my colleagues. 

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your research?

A: In my research, I focus on fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations. Fuel cell vehicles are unique because they run on hydrogen, which can be derived from diverse resources, such as fossil fuel, biomass, and electricity from renewable energy sources. Using hydrogen as a fuel source improves the sustainability of energy. When it is created by electricity sourced from renewable energy, the vehicles it powers only emit water, making them great for the environment. One of the main issues with these vehicles is they need hydrogen fueling stations to run, and building these stations is very expensive. I am interested in developing government initiatives to help expedite the commercial mass production of these fueling stations that will reduce harmful vehicles emissions using sustainable energy.

 

Q: What insights are you going to take back to Japan?

A: The fuel cell field is a relatively new field, and in Japan we are struggling with improving regulations that will help put fuel cell vehicles on the mass market. California has been leading research on fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. so learning about government regulations and policies that are in place here has been really helpful. The cap and trade policy has been hugely successful, so I am excited to share this with my colleagues in Japan.

Q: What have been some of the personal challenges that you have experienced during your time in Los Angeles?

A: If I could speak in Japanese, I would be able to express myself 100%, but in English I can only express myself 60-70%. Sometimes, I feel it is difficult to communicate. Native English speakers speak so fast! I also miss my family and friends back home.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about L.A.?

A: There are a lot of things I like about L.A.: the movies (they are cheaper here than in Japan) and the national parks (we don't have such big parks in Japan). Also, here there are a lot of chances to meet people with totally different backgrounds. Sometimes it can be challenging, but it is transformative to get to know each other and communicate with each other. I get to hear many diverse perspectives. 

 

IVCLA Board Member, Stephen Ozoigbo is CEO of the African Technology Foundation, which seeks to globalize African technology by providing access to resources that effectively address and manage the most pressing technological challenges on the continent. In this TEDx talk, Stephen discusses a new Africa, driven by young change makers who are developing innovative technologies and solutions to the continent's toughest challenges. By sharing the story of his birth in Nigeria and his emigration to the U.S., he encourages Africans who have left their countries or grown up elsewhere to remember their connection to Africa and give back to the continent by investing in Afropreneurs. 

2017 was a record-breaking year for L.A. County's travel & tourism sector, travel through LAX and Port cargo. As a global county, we cherish the diversity of our communities and will continue to keep our doors open to the world. Check out L.A. Tourism & Convention Board's video. "Everyone is Welcome", which celebrates the diversity of the L.A. area.