We spoke with Malcolm Foster about Christmas celebrations, Christianity and religion in Japan. 

Malcolm was born and raised in Hokkaido as the son of American missionary parents, he worked as a reporter and editor for 17 years for the Associated Press in Japan (including during the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster), Thailand and the United States. He’s also worked for Reuters and Bloomberg. He also loves to oil paint, and recently started selling his art online (malcolmsart.com). He lives with his wife and son in Mitaka, near Inokashira Park.