TOKYO, JAPAN — Makiko Ochi has joined U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Tokyo as program assistant/accountant. She replaces Sadako Ishida, who plans to retire in September after many years of working with USW.

 “We are very pleased Ms. Ochi is now applying her experience as a manager at a large securities organization and as a skilled communicator to our work on behalf of U.S. wheat farmers here in Japan,” said Wataru Utsunomiya, USW’s country director for Japan.  

Ochi most recently worked as a freelance drama and dance critic in Japan, Asia and Europe after eight years in management at Daiwa Institute of Research, one of Japan’s largest securities firm. She received a bachelor’s degree in law at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.

USW and its legacy organizations, with support from state wheat commissions and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service export market development programs, have maintained an office and staff serving Japan’s sophisticated wheat milling and food industry since 1956. In turn, Japan represents a consistently strong market for high-quality U.S. soft white, hard red spring and hard red winter wheat.