I have had the pleasure of working with David M. Umeda on numerous occasions over the past 25-plus years, and from this I can testify that he is one of the most consistent and reliable people I know. In addition to his excellent editorial skills, he brings strong planning and communications skills. He is a stickler for the small details that make a good story even better, so when I submit an article or column to him, I do so with the confidence that it will look good on the page (and therefore making me look good), and that I will get paid the amount promised, in a timely manner.

David Umeda epitomizes the word professional, never releasing a project, product or concept until he is personally satisfied that it is of the highest possible standard. In the many collaborations we have worked on over the years (David as editor, myself writer-photographer), I have always been gratified by the sensitive handling and interpretation of the material I have submitted. As editor and designer, David has always been an exemplary person to work with as he maintains close contact during the pre-publication stage, an approach that ensures quality and accuracy. The final published work, the crucial point where writer and photographer meet the reading public, has never failed to satisfy my highest expectations.

I have known David for over 20 years, mainly as a client for whom my firm drafted Japanese copy translation. He has always been a dream to work for: relentlessly reasonable, meticulous and warmly encouraging. More recently, we have had the pleasure of helping David with web design work, and the experience has been similarly positive. I wish more professional relationships could be like this. If they were, they would grow into the kind of friendships David and I enjoy, adding extra motivation that translates into enhanced quality and reliability. David is good people.

Over the 30-plus years I have lived in Japan, my work has been largely centred on media, communications and public affairs. I know the importance of having a reliable editor. A professional editor can make the world of difference to how a writer presents himself and how his message is communicated. David Umeda is just such a reliable professional and I am delighted to have written for him on a number of occasions.

I’ve supplied photographs for stories to David Umeda for almost 10 years now in his role as editor for two of Japan’s English language magazines and I have found him to be helpful, encouraging and professional in all that he does.

I have worked in advertising and corporate communications for more than 20 years. Five years were dedicated to learning the ropes in the New York market, and five were blazed in Tokyo as a creative director at Hakuhodo Inc. Today, I’m focused on building international brands through my own creative services boutique. I met David Umeda in the early days of my Tokyo career. He graciously became my mentor, gingerly stoking my ambition while encouraging me to hone my skills for the idiosyncrasies of the local market. Later, as my editor, David turned my fits of prose into polished magazine features on life in Tokyo. When I was at the precipice of complacency, he challenged me to crawl out of my copywriter cocoon and flex my creative muscles. Moreover, throughout the years, although we are not close friends by any measure, David has, at opportune times, provided me with startlingly prescient life advice. In a nutshell: Always steady, often selfless and...refreshingly surprising.

An excellent editor is worth his or her weight in gold – so working with David Umeda is probably the best investment any writer can make. I have worked on a regular basis with David since mid-2005 and have found his skilled editing invaluable in not only focusing the topic in question, but also smoothing the end product.

My topics often involve complicated artistic and cultural issues that are sometimes difficult to present clearly for the end reader. David’s input is critical in achieving the elusive balance between informed writing and readability.

David Umeda values working as a team to get the maximum results and level of satisfaction for both organizers and participants. We worked together on conceiving, setting up and executing a well-received joint workshop series (Starting Your Own Business) between the Forum for Corporate Communications, of which David was president, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the largest business organization in Tokyo. Not only does David get the job done, but he makes the whole process enjoyable as well.

Trusted advice is like gold in today’s competitive market, which is why I deal with David Umeda. His knowledge of Japan and the U.S. along with his extreme consideration for his client’s needs make him the only choice in the publishing field.

David Umeda is a person I trust without exception. David does what he says he’s going to do and makes you, the client, look good while he’s doing it. Look up the word ‘respect’ in the dictionary, and there’s David’s picture.

During my tenure (over a 4-year period) at the Tokyo American Club I had the pleasure of working very closely with David Umeda for two of those years. This included various projects, promotions, events, graphic designing, editing, PR etc. … for which David’s experience and skills were extremely professional and on target, which in the end helped to improve our department’s and club’s image, increasing our revenue and bottom line profit.