Greetings Fellow Former JETS!
It’s that time of year again! My uber-cool yosa-koi dance team is once more looking for new members to audition!
“But Kirsten,” you say, scratching your head. “I don’t dance. Even if I did dance, I still have no idea what yosa-koi is!”
No worries, gentle coz. You are not alone.
Yosa-koi is a festival dance performed widely throughout Japan. If you’ve ever attended a Sports or Culture Festival at any of your schools in Japan, there is a good chance you witnessed the clackety-clack of multiple naruko at work. It’s fun, it’s exciting and it’s a great way to meet other Japanese artists/performers in the city.
For those already familiar with the term:
Do you love nothing more than flailing about with naruko? (wooden instrument, NOT some girl’s name! ^^) Are you an aspiring performer/dancer with an interest in Japanese culture? Are you a non-performer/dancer with an interest in Japanese culture? Do you just really miss Japan and dream of becoming one of the crazy sexy cool people in this flier?
Then fantasize no more!
Hi, I’m Kirsten, a former ALT based in Niigata Prefecture 2005-2008. Read More
New York de Volunteer Happy Hour Fundraiser – Friday 9/25


7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Enjoy Drink Specials, Raffles, and Prizes
http://www.nydevolunteer.org/activities/2009/2009.09.25_e.html
Location:
Slattery’s Pub
8 E 36th St. (btwn. 5th and Madison Ave.)
100% of cash tips will support to
NY de Volunteer’s
“Explore Japanese After School Program”
@ New York City Parks and Recreation Center
For more information regarding the FUNdRaiser please visit:
http://www.nydevolunteer.org/activities/2009/2009.09.25_e.html
Michael Auslin to moderate panel discussion on Japan’s Aug 30 elections


The latest from JET alum Michael Auslin, a professor of Japanese history and politics and currently the Director of Japanese Studies for the American Enterprise Institute in D.C.
Go to http://www.aei.org/event/100118 for full event details. Go here for more posts about Michael Auslin on JetWit.
Japan’s Election: Democratic Breakthrough?
AEI event, Wednesday, September 2, 2009
![]() Photo Courtesy of chinadaily.com |
On September 2, AEI’s Michael Auslin will moderate a panel discussing Japan’s August 30 general elections. If it wins, the Democratic Party of Japan will focus on reversing the country’s sharpest economic downturn since World War II, but it will also face numerous foreign policy challenges. The panel will include Kevin Maher, director of the Japan desk at the State Department, Len Schoppa of the University of Virginia, and Nick Szechenyi of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. [READ MORE]
JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following events being held in various locations through the websites for the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto and the Consulate-General of Japan at Montreal and thought they might be of interest to former JETs in these areas. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
Here are some Japan-related events being held in the Toronto and Montreal areas over the next month and a half.
Toronto Area:
to Aug. 27 – The Japan Foundation, Toronto presents Four Seasons of Gardens in Kyoto, an exhibition of exquisite photographs by Katsuhiko Mizuno.
to Oct. 12 – Renowned Japanese sculptor and artist Ichi Ikeda is presenting one of the Earth Art exhibits at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
to Oct. 12 – Kazuyoshi Ehara is one of the photographers featured in RESPECT a photo exhibit at Harbourfront Centre which takes an innovative and thought-provoking look at Canada’s Boreal Forest.
Aug. 19 – The Japan Foundation, Toronto‘s Summer Movie Screenings features the celebrated work: Oriume.
Aug. 21 to 23 – The Shinsedai Cinema Festival at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre introduces the newest wave of young Japanese filmmakers and offers Canadian and International premieres of many of their films.
Aug. 27 – The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre is proud to announce its August movie is Departures, winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, as well as 10 Japanese Academy Awards.
Aug. 27 (deadline – extended) – The Thunder Bay International Fine Arts Association together with the Lakehead Japanese Canadian Cultural Association takes great pride in presenting The Summer Haiku Contest.
Japan Society (NY) weekly e-Newsletter (Aug 17-23)


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Japan-America Society (Seattle): “Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis”


Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:
Friday, September 25, 2009
“Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis”
Speaker : Masamichi “Mitch” Yasuda
Senior Executive VP/Deputy CFO, Union Bank
The Japan-America Society is pleased to announce Mr. Masamichi “Mitch” Yasuda as our featured speaker for a September 25 lunch program titled “Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis.” Mr. Yasuda will speak about the state of the economy in Japan today compared to its post-bubble years, and the economic challenges facing U.S. bankers. He will also touch on how Union Bank has been able to stay successful during these difficult economic times. Read More
Isshoni London: Top 5 Picks for Summer in Japanese London


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Great article from the Isshoni London website run by JET alum Vanessa Villalobos (who is also the Communications Officer for JETAA UK).
There’s a welcome lull in frenetic London life over August… time to enjoy some of the finer things in life: food, music and the great outdoors.
If you, like I am, are counting down the days to the Japan Matsuri at Spitalfields this September 19th, you should indulge in a little Japanese cultural exploration over the summer!
1. EAT FOR FREE AT TOKYO CITY
I know! I couldn’t believe it either! Simply book your table in advance at Tokyo City Japanese Restaurant near Bank on any Tuesday in August, anytime from 11.30am to 10pm at night. A tasty offer too good to miss, you simply pay a £2.50 service charge and the cost of drinks you order.
City workers can feast for free on everything from handmade sushi and sashimi to bento boxes filled with Japanese classics, plus other traditional Japanese dishes, and help Tokyo City celebrate their 10th birthday and the launch of their new August menu.
Tokyo City is at 46 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7AY
Call 020 7726 0308 and quote the Tokyo City offer when you book.
2. DISCOVER CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE MUSIC
You’ll be pleased to hear Tsuru Sushi plays host to new Japanese music the last Wednesday of every month! Their 100% Genki events showcase Japanese musical and performance talent.
The events have been running for one year on the last Wednesday of each month, and attract a diverse crowd from the Japanese and local communities. Performers are also diverse, ranging from Wataru Kousaka, a sanshin player, to contemporary electronic composer Anchorsong and many others.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of this article
Event: Atlanta-JapanFest 2009 – Sept 19-20


Via JETAA Southeast’s South Carolina Subchapter rep Daniel Stone (Saitama-ken, 2004-07):
Dear JETs and Friends of JET,
Please help us spread the word about JapanFest 2009 by forwarding this information to your friends. Let’s work together to make this year’s JapanFest the most successful ever!
Atlanta- JapanFest 2009 September 19-20

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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, hosted a talk with Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away among other animated films) on July 25 in Berekely, CA. Miyazaki made a rare U.S. appearance to receive the second annual Berkeley Japan Prize for lifetime achievement, presented by the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. (See a Japan Times article on the event here.)
This was familiar territory for Roland, who hosted a talk with novelist Haruki Murakami in October 2008 when Murakami was presented with the first Berekely Japan award.
JETAA Chapter Beat: Author Robert Whiting Coming to Seattle


Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) brings us a special edition of news from the JETAA Pacific Northwest for JETAA Chapter Beat.
The Japan-America Society of Seattle is pleased to announce best-selling author Robert Whiting as the featured speaker for an August 13 evening cocktail reception. Mr. Whiting will speak about his new book You Gotta Have Wa 2009(Vintage Departures). The event is being held on Thursday, August 13th at FOX Sports Grill.
Mr. Whiting first wrote You Gotta Have Wa (Macmillan) in 1989, reflecting on the cultural conflict between Japan and America as seen through the common sport of baseball. It was written at the height of US-Japan trade difficulties and received considerable media attention, including 3 reviews from the NY Times and a feature in Time Magazine. Mr. Whiting has appeared on such TV shows as Larry King and the McNeil-Lehrer News Hour. Along with being required reading at the Japan Desk in the State Department and a frequent feature in American Universities, it was also a best seller in Japan and named one of the best non-fiction books of the year.
The new book is a celebration of Wa‘s 20th anniversary, containing a new introduction and afterward describing the changes in US-Japanese relations and how it can still be seen in the sport of baseball. Special focus is given to the influx of Japanese stars to the MLB, like Daisuke Matsuzaka, as well as the recent unprecedented migration of American managers to Japan, led by Bobby Valentine and Trey Hillman.
In his talk, Mr. Whiting will address the subject of whether Japanese and Americans understand (and like) each other more than they did two decades ago and the how baseball remains an interesting reflection of culture.
Mr. Whiting is the author of several highly acclaimed books, including The Meaning of Ichiro (Warner Books) and Tokyo Underworld (Pantheon), a book about organized crime in Japan currently being made into a film directed by Martin Scorsese.
Doors open at 5:30, with the Presentation and Q&A session held from 6:20 until 7:00, followed by Mariners vs. Yankees, presented on 3 big screen plasma TVs.
Japan Society of NY: Weekly eNewsletter


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Event: NYC Japan Street Fair – Sunday, August 23


For a big, 15-block New York street fair coming up, one stretch will be devoted specifically to things Japanese. Further indication of how much Japanese culture has become part of the New York scene. (Rumor has it that New York-ken might even soon have its own ALTs!) Demo majime ni, read the press release below for more info:
The NYC Japan Street Fair Debuts at the Daytop Madison Avenue Festival!
NEW YORK, New York, (July 22, 2009) – On Sunday, August 23, 2009, the NYC Japan Fair will make its debut at the Daytop Madison Avenue Festival, one of New York’s largest street fairs that spans 15 blocks – from 42nd to 57th Streets – and attracts 10 million visitors annually. Hosting a diverse array of companies specializing in distinctly Japanese products and food, the NYC Japan Fair invites New Yorkers to immerse themselves with the rich culture of Japan for a day, while using the event as a test market to introduce new Japanese products to the U.S.
The Fair’s approximately 40 booths offer everything tangible about Japanese culture: food, merchandise, Read More
Event: “Behavioral Selling – Getting inside your Client’s Brain!” (Tokyo)


JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following career workshop being held by CareerCross, and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
Are you selling at your maximum potential? Do you wonder why you turn some prospects “on” and some “off”? How much more sales could you make if you could better understand your prospects/clients, their strengths & weaknesses and how they react?
People are different, and buy for different reasons. A salesperson that understands Behavioral Selling knows how to recognize behavioral styles, adapts accordingly, and closes more sales!
CareerCross is proud to offer Dr. David Sweet’s popular Half-Day interactive workshop “Behavioral Selling – Getting Inside Your Client’s Brain!” At this workshop, you will learn the styles to which you naturally sell well and which are costing you sales. By improving your understanding of buyer motivation and client needs, you will improve their trust in you leading to increased success.
JETAA Chapter Beat: Tampa Natsu Matsuri a success!


The Tampa Natsumari was held on July 11, organized by JETAA Florida’s Tampa Kumi together with the Consulate General of Japan in Miamiaa (where JET alum Abby McBain is now the JET Liaison). And according to initial reports it was a big success!
Approximately 150 people attended the event, which was not just for JET alumni but a community event. And Tampa Kumi’s John (the event coordinator and chief emailer) says, “A very big thank you to all of our volunteers. You are what makes this festival possible.”
O-tsukare sama deshita, Tampa Kumi! (If you have any photos, send them on to JetWit and we’ll post them.)