About Republicans Abroad Japan
by Joan Shepherd*

While Republicans Abroad Japan was actually founded sometime around 1976, it was little more than a small social group meeting at the Tokyo American Club for many years. By the time I joined in 1986, the hard work of several very dedicated members, including Holli Ferretti, whose efforts first got me involved, and former Chairmen Clyde McAvoy and Robert White among others, had succeeded in creating a viable chapter.

Although meetings were held, I feel that the history of RAJ as an active chapter really began in August, 1995, with the well-attended reception I hosted for then-RNC Chairman Haley Barbour, Finance Chairman Fred Bush and RA Executive Director Michael Jones. Since that event, RAJ has turned into one of the most successful chapters in the world.

Of course, being successful makes it easier for us to get Washington’s attention, but we do more than just raise money. In 1992, a delegation of five RAJ members attended the Republican National Convention in Houston and the ten-member delegation attending the San Diego Convention in 1996 was the largest ever from a single RA chapter.

Our Voter Registration Committee, chaired by former RAJ Vice Chairman Paul Alpern, helped over 2,000 people register to cast absentee ballots in the last Presidential election and our letter-writing campaign was instrumental in securing House and Senate approval of the revisions to Section 911 which is gradually raising the foreign earned income exclusion.

But being an RAJ member is not all work. We like to have fun, too. In the past, our spring barbecues, jazz nights, smokers and Young RAJ (YRAJ) Q & A meetings were extremely popular. Our meetings provide a chance to socialize, to network, to exchange information, and just plain have fun. We’ve several more events being planned for the future and are sure that these events will be as well-attended as our previous events have been.

Thanks to the support of all our members, RAJ has become the leading chapter in the world. I’m very proud to be able to point to RAJ as THE model Chapter—one of the best and strongest anywhere.

*Joan Shepherd is a former Vice Chairman of Republicans Abroad Japan and former Global Chairman of Repblicans Abroad International.