OJA became a SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) in May 2026, a little over 7 years after coming together as a formal group. This step was taken to build further on the good relations and strong connections that Orkney has had with Japan for a long time, and to have fun in doing so.

It started with Japanese secondary school students coming to Orkney to learn about renewable energy following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster – such was the success of that visit that they returned twice more! 

And so it began – over that period much has changed, and much has happened – in Orkney, in the world and in our little group.  Throughout it all, we have stayed focused on building connections and relationships between Orkney and Japan, hopefully to the benefit of all, with a small but positive contribution to Orkney’s vibrant and varied community. 

We are still a very small group – very conscious of the support and encouragement of many individuals, community groups, partners, funders and family without whose support we would not have gotten this far.  You have our heartfelt gratitude, and we look forward to the future with your support.

We would particularly like to thank some people who were there at the very start:

Yuka Johnston – her work with Aquatera took her to Japan and to Kamaishi Super Science High School, and to their students getting a warm welcome in Orkney.  She believed we could take our early efforts to the next level by forming a non-profit organisation, which seemed like a big step and a big commitment at the time, but her dedication was infectious.

Julie Ferguson – science teacher at KGS whose MANGA club for the students had been underway well before the Kamaishi students arrived. Julie was also the first coordinator and teacher of introductory Japanese language at KGS after travelling to Japan and collecting teaching materials. Her students were also enthusiastic volunteers at our first Children’s Day event, held at the Orkney Library and Archive.

Fiona Lawtie – language teacher at KGS and former JET teacher (Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme), Fiona later represented KGS on the OJA Board. She was also the origami expert for our very first Children’s Day.  One of few fully accredited teachers of Japanese in Scotland, Fiona offers introductory Japanese alongside Spanish when the school timetable allows, and promotes and supports Japanese cultural activities at the school, including the Taiko drumming.  

Carol Dunbar – when we took that next step and formed an NPO we were venturing into unknown territory, so Carol’s experience and advice were invaluable in so many ways.  With her help we were able to set up OJA in a way that reflected a SCIO structure, with it in mind that should we ever get to the point of taking the next step and applying to OSCR for charity status, we would already have the building blocks and governance in place.

Ruta Noreika – studied Japanese at university and had a strong connection to Japan and to the Kondo family before she moved to Scotland. Promoting better understanding between people from different cultures, especially through the arts, is the thread that connects the many different things she has done professionally. She was fortunate to find her way to Orkney, where she met Yuka Johnston, and they worked together to establish OJA.

RN July 2026