Catherine O'Connell attends the Matariki celebration in Kansai

Returning to Kansai for the first time in years, Catherine joined the NZ Embassy and NZTE to celebrate Matariki—the Māori New Year.

Held in the region where she once lived, the event was a heartfelt reminder of the enduring NZ-Japan connection. Leaders from business, tourism, and education came together to reflect on the past year, give thanks, and look to the future. The celebration highlighted the shared values of community, respect for heritage, and building relationships for the long term.

Catherine was part of the NZ representatives in the Japan Business communty for reflections from prominent business leader Tak Tada from NEC and the Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies who provided an insightful presentation on how to manage risk in turbulent times. Catherine said it was great to be able to connect with my fellow friends in the business community in Japan and share views on the current economic situation in Japan and globally including discussions on US tariffs impacting business in Japan.