Job: Translator/interpreter for Saitama Prefecture International Division (Japan)
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This job listing is courtesy of Denise Schlickbernd, a JET currently working as a CIR in the Saitama Prefecture International Division.
The Saitama Prefecture International Division currently has a job opening for a translator/interpreter and is hoping to find a native English speaker to fill it. The details are as follows:
The Saitama Prefecture International Division in Saitama City is currently searching for a part-time English-to-Japanese translator and interpreter.
Responsibilities include:
· Editing and translation of English publications
· Creation and editing of English web pages
· Assist with projects to support foreign residents
· Native English checks of translated materials
Job: Assistant News Producer – Tokyo Broadcasting System International (D.C.)
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UPDATE 9/10/09: This position has been filled. Please do not send resumes.
Assistant News Producer
Location: Washington, DC
Start Date: September 2009
Payment: Full Paid
Company: Tokyo Broadcasting System International
The Washington, D.C. Bureau of Tokyo Broadcasting System International (TBS) is seeking a professional individual to fill an Assistant News Producer position. Read More
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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.
WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
There is talk in Japan of changing the legal adult age of 20 down to 18, as a government advisory panel introduced thi
s idea on Wednesday. This was put forth by the Democratic Party, who is expected to take power from the long-reigning Liberal Democratic Party in the upcoming general election. The proposal will be submitted to Japan’s justice minister if the Legislative Council approves it at its general meeting in September. This could go through sas early as May of next year, and it would allow people to vote in elections and get married without permission from their parents two years earlier than is currently permitted (the current marriage age is 18 for men and 16 for men, but they suggest making it 18 for both).
It has been said that this idea is being floated for the purpose of “young people’s self-sustainability,” but the word on the street from those interviewed on the news was that Read More
JET alums in the art world?
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Botodesigns by Chen Reichert
If you’re a JET alum and you’re an artist or connected to the art world, e-mail us at jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com and let us know about yourself. And if you know of any JET alums in this category, feel free to get in touch as well.
Here’s the most up-to-date list of JET alum artists and JET alums connected to the art world (which will continue to be updated): http://jetwit.com/wordpress/library/art/
Summer by Dawn Mostow (Gifu-ken, 2003-06)
p.s. Make sure to let us know prefecture and years on JET, current location and any links to your work.
J-News Mini-Roundup: Record High Suicide Rates Suspected in Japan
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
The latest victim of economic recession in Japan is people’s lives
Background: During an economic recession news is usually filled with how corporations are posting losses, or how smaller businesses are filing for bankruptcy. On a more personal level news stories are filled with how the unemployed are finding new means of income, and how families might deal with parents having to work night jobs. The social impact as a whole during a recession is rarely commented on, probably mainly because there are no easily interpreted indicators that measure social well being. Deaths could possibly increase, but usually in America this is due to murder rates.
Take a society like Japan, and unfortunately one of the easiest indicators to measure happiness in the country as a whole is the suicide rate. Today the newspapers each reported differently on the news that Japan this year has had record suicide rates.
Nikkei “Suicides break 17,000 in the first half of 2009”
(CLICK HERE for the rest of the article, that includes Japanese News Summaries)
James Scanlon-Canegata returned from JET last year and, in addition to pursuing research on religious studies, he’s also started working as a professional translator. Recently, after taking a freelance job from a large translation company, he learned that he was expected to use translation software to aid his work. This led him to the honyaku Google group to seek advice and perspective on the software issue.
JetWit thought it would be interesting to hear what James has learned so far and share it for the benefit of the JET and JET alum community. Read on for his experience so far:
I was also completely unaware that translators used any kind of translation software when I first started thinking about doing it. I have a friend who does English-Portuguese translation and I first found out from her that this is something most professional translators use. When I did my first paid translation I just worked on Word and excel and it was very slow-going and tedious at some points. That’s when I started to wonder if translation software could help move things along.
I have a Mac and so I tried a couple of free translation programs that I saw recommended on online forums. I ended up feeling mostly confused about, well, everything. But specifically, I had the most trouble with the actual interface of the applications. The program would isolate a small area to be translated automatically and the idea is that you would go along and translate the parts until you’re through. But, with Japanese of course you have to start from the tail-end of the sentence and translate backwards a lot of times and it seemed like the application just wasn’t programmed for that type of translation. The same would go with sets of sentences where the meaning just won’t come out right if it is translated into English word-for-word in its original order. The program also seemed to break sentences up into seemingly random segments without any regard for periods or commas or common sense (on terms of a Japanese-English translation type of common sense).
This may just be because I’m an inexperienced translator, but my theory was that the software was geared Read More
Event: NYC Japan Street Fair – Sunday, August 23
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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
The Japanese Doctor: Learning Language Effectively – Choose Your Own Goal
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The Japanese Doctor is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). 
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one language lessons in the NYC area.
The easiest way to measure how effective education is is test scores. When students score high on tests it not only makes teachers look good, but schools overall will be more likely to get government funding with higher test scores. Traditionally tests are the easiest way to measure the abilities of a student, but are they effective when learning a language?
Take the case of Japanese, and for simplicity’s sake we’ll refer to the main test administered by the Japanese government, the JLPT or Japanese Language Proficiency Test. It’s actually a great and simple goal to work towards, passing the JLPT. The benefits are numerous…
(CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article)
Job: Shiseido – Manager, Business Planning (NYC)
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Thanks to JET alum Kendall Murano (who works for Shiseido) for passing along this job listing (which, fyi, does not require Japanese language ability). If you’re a JET alum, feel free to contact Kendall as a reference or if you have any questions (though bear in mind that she’s not involved in the hiring process):
Shiseido – Manager, Business Planning
Division: BPI / Dept.: Sales Admin / Reports to: Abraham Faddoul – Executive Director, Finance & Sales Operations
Apply to: resumes@sac.shiseido.com
Job Responsibilities include, but not limited to:
- Shipment reporting which includes weekly and monthly shipments. Responsible for understanding the distortions between this year’s results against this year plan and last year’s performance.
- Responsible for orchestrating Field Sales and Retail Sales planning fiscal bonus. Includes the calculation as well as the maintenance of the program.
- Creates and Maintains Account P&L’s.
- Assist the VP in maintaining the Corporate Financial Statements. ( Returns monitoring, Demonstration Reporting, POSM Spending)
- Create and maintain all necessary reports to help Marketing in their strategic planning.
- Responsible for creating co-op and freelance budgets on a seasonal basis and ensure proper field spending.
- Liaise between BPI New York office, BPI Paris office and Shiseido Oakland and Customer Service departments when necessary.
Qualifications:
- PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Word, Internet Capabilities.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interface with clients and customers and international staff.
- Ability to work under pressure and fluctuating deadlines.
- Strong knowledge and experience with the fragrance luxury environment and the retail world as a whole.
- Good controlling background.
- Attention to detail and good sense of humor a plus.
JET alums and Triathalons
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Ganbatte to JET alum Carolyn Okabe who will be partaking in the New York City Triathlon (swim, bike and run) this Sunday, July 26th.
Course Map:
http://www.nyctri.com/Assets/Course+Map+$!2706.pdf Course Written Description: http://www.nyctri.com/Event_Information/Course/Course_Description.htmAny other JET alums out there doing triathalons or did a triathalon in the last 6 months? Let us know by posting in the comments section, or by emailing jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com.
J-News Mini-Roundup: Japanese Sumo – Asashoryu Continues to Fall
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Asashoryu from the Yomiuri Shinbun
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons. They’ve also recently expanded to include the Korean and Chinese languages.
Background: Maybe fame is finally catching up with Asashoryu. After seeming to be undefeatable in 2007, he became the first Yokozuna ever to be suspended by the Sumo Association of Japan. Asashoryu claimed he was injured and had to return home, later to find out he had participated in a local soccer game in Mongolia. It took quite a while for Asashoryu to return to competition, and so far he’s lost his aura of being undefeatable. Earlier this year he ended the tournament with 2 losses, while his main competitor Hakuhou was undefeated. The newspapers each reported on the recent Sumo Tournament in Nagoya, and how Asashoryu fairs compared with his competition.
Asahi “Asashoryu Continues to Lose, Hakuhou and Shikona Are Able to Protect their Undefeated Titles”
(CLICK HERE for the rest of the article, that includes Japanese News Summaries)
Japanese Language Instructor (Arlington, VA)
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Via Global Language Translation, Inc.
* Position: Japanese Language Instructor
* Location: Arlington, VA
* Job Description: Provide basic, intermediate and advanced language instruction to U.S. government and other personnel. Assist with the evaluation of students and academic counseling. The position is full time (40 hours/week). August 17, 2009 through August 20, 2010.
* Required Experience:
- Native speaker of the target language.
- Educated in target language through secondary school.
- Fully knowledgeable of the target culture and current usage of the language.
- The ideal candidate will have at least three years experience teaching adults coupled with solid experience inlanguage education and methodology and adult education.
- Extensive experience preparing and presenting language platform instruction within a learning center environment is a definite plus.
* Education Experience: Degree in the language, teaching methodology or a related field; or comparable directly-related work experience.
U.S. Citizenship, Green Card or authorization to work in the U.S. required.
To Apply: Please submit your resume identifying language teaching skills and experience along with information regarding earliest availability to dmitchell[at]globalltinc[dot]com
Career Advisor at Temple University, Japan Campus
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Via Human Resources at Temple University:
Temple University, Japan Campus is now hiring a bilingual, innovative, and student-oriented Career Advisor.
Position: Career Advisor
Department: Career Development
Position type: Full-time staff
Report to: Manager, Career Development
Work hours: 9 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday
Salary/Benefits:
Commensurate with experience.
Eleven days paid vacation in the first year, increasing to 20 days after 6 years of employment, plus 5 paid “personal days” each year. In addition, approximately 2 weeks university-wide break over Christmas/New Year. Japanese social insurance and pension, commuting allowance, and tuition benefits for Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) programs. Read More
Personal Assistant in the Home – Japanese-speaker preferred (Midtown, NYC)
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Via GLOCAP:
Successful finance executive seeks motivated and diligent person to work as a full-time Personal Assistant in the home for him and his wife. The candidate should be able to adapt to a constantly changing environment and love a challenge. The Executive and his wife are extremely busy and are looking for a Personal Assistant to help manage their time more efficiently. The ideal candidate will have experience as a Personal Assistant, be resourceful, thoughtful, and have a strong work ethic.
This is the couple’s first time having a dedicated Personal Assistant so they are not accustomed to having a senior level professional Personal Assistant in this role. They are embarking on the next phase of their lives and they are looking for someone who possesses a solid foundation of assistant skills to support them and the role will evolve as their lives do. Read More
