Ep. 10: "Towards Perfect Effort" - with interpreter & analyst Lefteris Kafatos

In Episode 10, we welcome Lefteris Kafatos, an interpreter and analyst specializing in U.S.-Japan relations. Lefteris went on the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program in Okinawa and served as a diplomatic interpreter at the U.S. Department of State, interpreting for Presidents Obama and Trump on several occasions. He now writes (in both English and Japanese!) for The Japan Lens, where his focus is the U.S.-Japan alliance, Japanese politics and foreign policy, and regional dynamics in the Asia-Pacific. Lefteris has master's degrees in Japanese-English Conference Interpreting from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS), as well as in International Affairs from UC San Diego. We discuss his upbringing and identity as a Greek American; how his interest in Japan evolved over time as a student, interpreter, and an analyst of U.S.-Japan relations; how he stays calm when interpreting for heads of state and other high-powered individuals; and how we can continue to maintain and strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship despite recent uncertainties like tariffs.For more information on Lefteris, please see photos (and the episode transcript) here: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/episode10-lefteris/.

Om Podcasten

CrossWorld Puzzles is a podcast that interviews people who grew up in or are currently in multicultural environments. It focuses on how they consider life’s big questions, like where to be based, how to build their careers, and who to spend their lives with. It is hosted and managed by Shiori Okazaki, who grew up going back and forth between the United States and Japan. She is an interpreter based in Washington, DC. Website: https://crossworld-puzzles.com/