My name is Alex Yu and I graduated from Brighton Secondary College (BSC) in 2012. I continued my studies at the University of Melbourne, completing a Bachelor of Commerce with double majors in Economics and Finance, as well as a Diploma in Languages: Japanese (Dean’s special approval Super Advanced Stream). I also studied one year at Kyoto University in Japan as an international exchange student during my university years. Once I graduated from BSC, I volunteered and worked at BSC as an assistant Japanese teacher (when I was in Melbourne), for a period of six years. I travelled around the world throughout the years and visited hundreds of cities in 27 countries. Travel and photography are passions of mine, as well as learning various languages and immersing myself in different cultures.
I then interned at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo as part of the Public Diplomacy section in 2018. I assisted with managing the Embassy’s social media and helped with various official events promoting and enhancing Australia and Japan’s bilateral relationship. I currently work at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo as a Consular Officer. I assist Australians who run into trouble in Japan, as well as legalising documents and issuing passports. I look after all Australians in need, ranging from those who become hospitalised from a ski accident to those who find themselves arrested, or even those who are starting a new family in Japan. I facilitated the first successful international prisoner transfer in 10 years from Japan to Australia and regularly liaise with various Japanese and Australian government departments to support Australians in Japan as best as possible.
I was a core member of the crisis response team that managed the Diamond Princess cruise ship coronavirus crisis in Yokohama Japan earlier this year, assisting with the hospitalisation and repatriation of the distressed Australians. I continue to support and assist Australians in Japan during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I cannot wait until it is safe to travel again and look forward to exploring more parts of the world.
