************By Makoto Shirai, secretary, Japan-Insights Research Institute (Non-profit organization in Tokyo)

Dear Friends,

Have you stayed in Japanese traditional houses?

Let me introduce an essay from Japan-Insights archives.

The thirtieth one is Rustic house and rice fields in Yamaguchi by Dr. Chiori Kitagawa.

https://doc.japan-insights.jp/pdf/JIN_REF_20200529132538.pdf

Please share this expert’s experience!

Japan-Insights is a nonprofit open database compiled by leading experts in Japanese studies. The posts present a broad range of historical and contemporary topics that encourage visitors to engage with the real Japan through immersive experiences. Follow the Facebook page and website to learn about and share these insights from around the country!”

#japan #japanesesword #yamaguchi

**In Episode 15 of the JETAA-sphere podcast, we interview Professor Takaaki Hiratsuka, author of the new book Narrative inquiry into language teacher identity: ALTs in the JET program.

Click this link http://bit.ly/VBL-Register to register for the May 28 book launch event!

**Co-hosts: Steven Horowitz (Aichi, 1992-94) & Mark Frey (Kumamoto, 2002-2006)

**About Prof. Takaaki Hiratsuka:

List of Prof. Hiratsuka’s writings and presentations

Bio: Takaaki Hiratsuka is an associate professor in the Department of Global Studies at Ryukoku University, in Kyoto where he teaches a range of applied linguistics courses and supervises master’s and PhD students in related fields of language teacher education and narrative inquiry. He has a PhD in Language Teaching and Learning from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. And an avid futsal player.

**Other JET Alumni or Friends of JET mentioned in this episode:

• Bruce Feiler (Tochigi-ken, 1988-89), author of numerous best-sellers including Learning to Bow
• David L. McConnell, author of Importing Diversity: Inside Japan’s JET Program
• Earth Bennett (Aomori-ken, 2000-03), author of the JET cartoon strip series Every Situation Is Different
• David Namisato (Aomori-ken-2002-04), author of the cartoon book Life After the B.O.E.
• Khalid Birdsong (Osaka-fu, Shimamoto-cho, 2003-05), author of the cartoon series Fried Chicken & Sushi

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Special thanks to USJETAA and CLAIR for their support for the JETAA-sphere!

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Part-time Assistant Correspondent
Posted by: The Hokkaido Shimbun Press London Bureau
Location: London, UK
Contract: Part-time

Below is a job passed along to us directly from the newspaper.

Salary: £1,500～ (monthly), transportation expenses

Start date: 1st August 2022 ※Available for consultation

The Hokkaido Shimbun Press is looking for an Assistant Correspondent for their London Bureau, which is located on Fleet Street, central London. The successful applicant will assist the Bureau Chief with the preparation of articles to be published in Japan, and handle Bureau administration. The Bureau covers political, economic, and cultural news from the UK and other European countries.

Although you will work mainly during office hours for 3-4 days a week at office or from home, you will occasionally be required to work overtime due to the nature of the job. You should also be willing to travel within the UK or Europe to cover stories.

Candidates should note that this is NOT a writing position. In addition, although the ability to work in Japanese is a requirement.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Political/Executive Assistant for the Consul General
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan in Boston
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Contract: Full-time

Here are a couple of jobs received directly from the Consulate General of Japan in Boston:

Political Assistant Position: The Consulate General of Japan in Boston is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of Political Assistant. This individual is primarily responsible for conducting research analysis on U.S. political affairs. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in U.S.-Japan relations and International Affairs. Please see below for a detailed listing of responsibilities.

Political Assistant Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here. The deadline is May 21, 2022.

Executive Assistant Position: The position serves as a link between the Consulate and local governments, universities, and other organizations in New England. The ideal candidate will be someone flexible enough to work on multiple projects at the same time, have an understanding of and interest in Japanese culture and US-Japan relations, and have the ability to make connections with a wide variety of local businesses, government agencies, universities, and other organizations.

Executive Assistant Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here. The deadline is May 13th, 2022.

Posted by Tom Baker

JET alum Tom Baker, a “Jeopardy!” champion and regular participant in the Tokyo pub quiz scene, gave a talk at the most recent Japan Writers Conference about “How to Write Pub Quiz.”
You can watch his presentation below, and find more JWC presentations — including several by former JETs — at the Japan Writers Conference YouTube Channel.
Also, if you would like to give your own presentation at the 2022 Japan Writers Conference this October, you can submit a proposal here. The deadline is June 1.

Posted by Tom Baker

Longtime Japan resident Karen Hill Anton talked about how to turn an interesting life into a readable book in ” It’s all in the writing – you get no credit for living,” a presentation that she gave at the most recent Japan Writers Conference.
If you have a Japan memoir inside you, watch her presentation below for inspiration and ideas. You can find more JWC presentations at the Japan Writers Conference YouTube Channel.
Also, if you would like to give your own presentation at the 2022 Japan Writers Conference this October, you can submit a proposal here. The deadline is June 1.

Posted by Tom Baker

International award-winning author Melinda Taliancich Falgoust gave a presentation titled “Self-Publishing on a Shoestring: Quality Independent Publishing on a Zero or Low Budget” at the most recent Japan Writers Conference.
You can watch her presentation below, and find more JWC presentations at the Japan Writers Conference YouTube Channel.
Also, if you would like to give your own presentation at the 2022 Japan Writers Conference this October, you can submit a proposal here. The deadline is June 1.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Online Tutor Needed for After School Tutoring and Business/Survival English for Adult Learners
Posted by: Two Birds One Stone Learning
Location: San Francisco, California
Contract: Full-time

From JET alum Daniel Stone, founder and owner of Two Birds One Stone Learning:

Online Tutors needed for After School Tutoring and Business/Survival English for Adult Learners. If you have a passion for seeing people from different cultures learn and grow with English, there are tutoring opportunities at Two Birds One Stone Learning.

Proficient English speakers with teaching and tutoring experience are a plus. The use of laptop devices, reliable and robust internet connection, and experience teaching online synchronously is required.

Read More

Posted by Tom Baker

Gifu-based Scottish author Iain Maloney says, “My latest book, a novella, was written in two days, but was the result of nearly ten years of thinking and planning.” He describes how he did it in a presentation titled “The Writing Process, Autocomposting and Writer’s Block,” which he gave at the Japan Writers Conference.
You can watch his presentation below, and find more JWC presentations — including several by former JETs — at the Japan Writers Conference YouTube Channel.
Also, if you would like to give your own presentation at the 2022 Japan Writers Conference this October, you can submit a proposal here. The deadline is June 1.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Assistant Manager
Posted by: DMC aizu 
Location: Fukushima, Japan
Contract: Full-time

Here’s a job passed along to us:

DMC aizu is a resort operation company having multiple ski resort places in Fukushima Prefecture.

Before, the company had enjoyed receiving many foreign visitors mostly from the Oceania region, but the pandemic kept them from visiting Japan for the past two years.

Now that the waves of new cases seem to be under control and Japanese border control is being eased, the company expects a full recovery of skiing visitors from Australia and New Zealand in a not-too-distant future.

Now, the company would like to hire one person from the region as an assistant manager to not only take care of non-Japanese skiing instructors but also to promote the resort company to Australia and New Zealand.

Read More

Posted by Tom Baker

JET alum Joyce Jarman Walsh, who runs a livestream talkshow called #SeekingSustainability, gave a presentation titled “Live + Engaging Networking via Interviews with Japan Insiders” at the most recent Japan Writers Conference.
You can watch a video of her talk below, and find more JWC presentations — including several by former JETs — at the Japan Writers Conference YouTube Channel.
Also, if you would like to give your own presentation at the 2022 Japan Writers Conference this October, you can submit a proposal here. The deadline is June 1.

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Reporter/Researcher
Posted by: Yomiuri Shimbun
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-time

Reporter / Researcher for Yomiuri Shimbun New York Bureau

Position: Reporter/Researcher covering the United Nations for the New York Bureau of The Yomiuri Shimbun

The Yomiuri Shimbun is Japan’s largest daily newspaper. We are headquartered in Tokyo and have 26 international bureaus, three of which are in the United States: New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.

Websites:

• Japanese-language Site: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/  
• English-language Site: https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/

Qualifications: Applicants must have a strong interest in current affairs, especially international relations. An interest in journalism, attention to accuracy and the ability to multitask effectively under deadline is required. Applicants should already be based in New York region.

Description: Main duties involve assisting the Yomiuri’s Japanese United Nations correspondent by covering the Security Council and other UN bodies. This includes covering press briefings, tracking relevant stories, arranging and conducting interviews, doing research, coming up with story ideas, etc. The war in Ukraine, North Korea, and the NPT Review Conference will be a heavy focus. The person hired will also do reporting covering other news areas (including U.S. politics, social issues, and cultural coverage) as the situation warrants.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: JET Program Coordinator
Posted by: Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Contract: Full-time

Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the Director of the Japan Information Center

• JET Coordinator tasks:
  • Coordinating all aspects of the Japan Exchange & Teaching Program, including recruitment, candidate processing, JET Alumni volunteer management, travel planning, networking, orientation planning and presenting, and any other JET-related activities
  • Handle inquiries for JET program.
  • Coordinating JET program interviews.
  • Creating forms and documents for JET program/JETAA
  • Taking contact with JETAA chapters in Midwest.
• Speech writing and editing
• Updating the Consulate Homepage through use of our content management system
• General office responsibilities including attending events organized by the JIC and other related organizations and helping other staff members’ tasks as needed.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

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Position: Office Manager/Book Keeper
Posted by: Densho
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Contract: Full-time

Densho seeks a full-time office manager and bookkeeper to support staff in day-to-day operations and build strong financial systems and reporting structures for the organization.

The Office Manager/Bookkeeper handles the daily posting of financial transactions in Quickbooks, prepares financial reports, reconciles bank statements and bookkeeping ledgers, and ensures records are accurate and taxes and bills are paid. They are also responsible for payroll and benefits, building related tasks such as maintenance and supplies, and general administrative support. Currently Densho’s staff is operating under a hybrid work plan and some flexibility and work-from-home options
are possible.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here.

Professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as film, food and language. Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she offers some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

Happy Golden Week 2022! Things kicked off yesterday with 昭和の日 (Showa no Hi, commemorating Showa Era emperor Hirohito’s birthday) and continue all the way through next week with 憲法記念日 (Kenpou Kinenbi or Constitution Memorial Day), みどりの日 (Midori no Hi or Greenery Day), and こどもの日 (Kodomo no Hi or Children’s Day, which actually celebrates boys with the flying carp streamers pictured below. Girls have their own holiday on March 3 for 雛祭り, or Hinamatsuri). I have many clients in town for Golden Week, so it’s nice to see that business travel from Japan has resumed.

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