David Collins
David Collins, born in Davenport, Iowa, is the youngest of seven children. After majoring in political science and philosophy at Cornell College in Iowa, Collins moved to Japan to teach English in 1986. Speaking almost no Japanese and being the only foreigner in a small northern town on the main island was a
two-year adventure for Collins.
Inspired by the locals who had been so friendly and open, Collins pursued a graduate degree in Japanese studies at the University of Michigan. He graduated in 1989 and was hired by a Japanese tire company to work in Japan. A couple of years into this job, the company asked him to transfer to the U.S. While celebrating yet another change in his career, Collins’ life took an unexpected turn. Out with friends on the night of the offer, Collins met his future wife.
Now he had to decide between his girlfriend, who wanted to stay in Japan, and his job. He chose the girlfriend and stayed in Japan for another 16 years working for a securities company as a translator, editor and writer at the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan’s leading financial daily, before moving into an asset management job in banking.
Collins’ decision to move back to the U.S. this year was multilayered. He and his wife, Hiroko, wanted to expose their children to U.S. culture, and Collins wanted to get back to journalism and learn the latest skills, especially in broadcasting. He expects to receive a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism this spring.
In his future work as a journalist, Collins would like to combine his knowledge of finance and Japanese culture. He has written for several publications in Japan, on topics ranging from finance and economics to popular culture.
In his leisure time, Collins enjoys reading his favorite author, David Halberstam, and other non-fiction books. He also plays basketball and is a passionate runner.