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Video of last sighting of Monty Dickson in Rikuzentakata

jetwit — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:50:04 +0000

Here are links to two videos on YouTube that Monty Dickson’s sister Shelley let us know about. The first video shows Monty briefly walking in front of the Rikuzentakata City Hall building shortly before the tsunami struck (1:15-1:32). The second video was taken two days after Shelley left Japan (which she visited after the tsunami) and shows footage of Monty’s building.

Thank you to Shelley for sharing the videos as well as her words and thoughts about Monty and the video, used with her permission from two separate emails:

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November 21, 2011 (originally sent to family and friends on an earlier date)

I do not know who may want to watch this video, some of you I know have already seen this. I have viewed it many times and always find myself talking to the image on the screen, begging him to run or turn around and go to the roof. It is a video of Monty’s last moments. I only watch from 1:15 to 1:32. That is all I need or want to see. I think of the times we all scoured through videos hoping to catch a glimpse of him or find him in a picture. Now this is the only 15 seconds of video from that time that I can watch. It is as if stopping it at 1:32, I have some power to freeze time and stop what is to come.”

Here is the video. Monty walks out of his office building at 1:15 in the video. He is wearing his yellow coat, grey hat, glasses and as always carrying his green, bike messenger bag. This was normal attire for him so to me he is easily recognizable. He walks across the street to the city hall building and hesitates, then turns back and walks up the street (evacuation route) passing the cameraman again at 1:30. Monty looks directly at the cameraman at 1:32. The tsunami comes within seconds so I know he did not get far. I will forever wish he had not hesitated and instead gone into the city hall building. He would have gone to the roof with the others. The cameraman most likely did not survive either. The video then resumes with a different cameraman on top of the building (City Hall) that Monty almost entered. When the cameraman walks across the roof to view the other side, Monty’s office building is under water and no longer visible.

When we were in Japan we stood at this very spot viewing this video on his friend Kumagai’s iphone. It was haunting. I placed flowers at this building where his office was located.

The second video was taken only two days after we left Japan. It is exactly how we saw it, even the bundle of papers tied in a yellow cloth still sit near what used to be the door of Monty’s building. The cameraman just misses the spot I placed the flowers when he pans in the beginning of the video.

Oh the powers I wish I had.

Shelley

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November 28, 2011

We first viewed this video in April while we were in Japan. At the time it was poor quality given the bright sun and viewing via iphone, but we were certain we were seeing Monty. I just recently decided to find it again since I wasn’t sure myself if I wanted to see it again. The video provided some answers for us as to where he was (exactly) at the time the tsunami hit. I think it would do the same for any of his friends or colleagues and have forwarded it to as many as I can. Still it is hard to watch. It had always been my fear that he was scared and I was not able to help him in any way or remove that fear from him. He is so calmly walking, simply evacuating as the announcements plead.

I still wonder why walk or run from an approaching tsunami when a vertical evacuation would be more immediate? I think the video could offer some thought as to what not to do perhaps, in an emergency such as this and it should be shown to future JETs.

I notice, in the second video taken after the fact, the tile on the exterior of the building seems undamaged and in fact, still shiny. The concrete has visible damage, scrapes and gouges while the tile seems unscathed. A future building material to be used more predominately I hope. Designated evacuation buildings measuring at least four stories with the exterior designed in tile. Just a thought.

Monty never wanted me to worry about him and he always made every effort to ease my mind when something happened there. He always called to tell me he was alright, that I will hear about it in the news tomorrow, and not to worry. I was certain I would get that call from him, “Hey Shell, it’s Monty” as always. Sometimes he called at 1:00 a.m. because he would forget the time difference. We would talk anyway. I miss my brother. I know a lot of people miss him, he touched so many. I am encouraged to see so much interest in his work and so many still inspired by him.

Shelley

Video: “Arigatou” from the People of Tohoku

jetwit — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:26:09 +0000

A very heartfelt video thank you from the people of Tohoku that includes a number of Taylor Anderson’s students. According to Taylor’s father Andy, “the video was shown at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York’s annual dinner on November 15 where Taylor received their Luminary Award. Executive Director Karino had the video made for the event. The students who were being taught by Taylor at the time of the earthquake on 3/11 are in the video. Taylor’s students are in front of The Taylor Anderson Reading Corner. It’s very moving and reminds us all of how much is yet to be done for the area to recover.”

Ghibli’s 借りぐらしのアリエッティ (aka “The Secret World of Arrietty”) being released in US Feb 2012!

madsilence — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:42:59 +0000

Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.

I was so excited when I saw a friend post on Facebook this morning that the most recent Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli film, “The Secret World of Arrietty” will be in theaters in the US in February of 2012! I was lucky enough to see it in theaters in July of 2010, and I was blown away. You can watch the Japanese trailer here.

The story is based off the classic children’s novel “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton. Essentially, the Borrowers are kobito, literally “tiny people,” who live by borrowing the things they need from humans. They live under the floorboards or close to human’s houses so they can sneak in when no-one’s around to borrow what they need. The main characters are Arrietty and her family, the last remaining Borrower family in their area. One day, while borrowing sugar from the house, Arrietty is seen by the sick boy who’s come to visit the house for the summer. What will happen now that a human has seen her? The adventure begins!

Studio Ghibli films are always beautifully produced, but I thought that Arrietty was even a step above their normal production. The scenery from the garden around the house was exquisite… every leaf, flower and dew drop was so fresh and colorful that when you watch it on the big screen you truly feel you are the size of a Borrower, walking though the jungle of an overgrown garden. The soundtrack was equally amazing – ethereal and quirky, performed by the immensely talented French singer and harpist Cecile Corbel. I’m not one for buying movie soundtracks, but after I saw the movie I immediately went to the closest Tower Records and bought the “Kari-gurashi SONGBOOK” soundtrack, which has all of the best themes and songs from the movie on it. Check out the main theme here.

Disney will be releasing Arrietty in February. Although I’m a die-hard subtitle fan, I’ve been really impressed by Disney’s translation and dubbing for the other Ghibli movies. They bring in top-notch actors and really smooth out the dialogue while keeping close to the original meaning and feeling of the Japanese. Translation of movies has got to be one of the hardest jobs ever – it’s not just language but a whole different set of cultural cues that you’re translating for another audience. Arrietty will be voiced by Bridget Mendler and supported by a great cast including Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, and Will Arnet.

I know that most of us have seen or heard of Miyazaki’s movies before – perhaps Studio Ghibli’s movies are part of what drew us to Japan. Movies, anime, and traditional artwork were the things that got me interested in Japan in the first place! What are some of your favorite Ghibli movies? Mine include:

Porco Rosso (紅の豚 Kurenai no Buta), the Casablanca-esque story of a mysteriously enchanted pig-cum-bounty hunter who swoops around the Adriatic saving school children and the hearts of beautiful cafe owners…

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ Tonari no Totoro), a story of two little girls who move to a new house in the country with their father. Strangely enough, the house is inhabited by an amazing array or spirits that can only be seen by children, including the large, fuzzy, and toothy monster called Totoro and his friend the Cat Bus.

Howl’s Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城 Hauru no Ugoku Shiro), based on the Diana Wynne Jones YA book of the same name, is a light tale of love and magic with a twist of Miyazaki’s anti-war messages…

JET alum collaborates on documentary about photographers of Tohoku Disaster

jetwit — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:42:30 +0000

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Here’s a unique and compelling short documentary–an academic non-profit venture–by JET alum Janak Bhimani (who has been studying at the Keio Graduate School of Media Design after hosting an online Japanese TV show in New York a few years ago) made with some of his Keio classmates. The film is about Tohoku post 3.11 from the point of view of the people who took photographs and was shown at a special session of the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival. It was originally shown in 4K (which was part of Janak’s research).

Here’s the link: http://vimeo.com/31093347

lenses + landscapes from KMD 4KNarrative on Vimeo.

Janak says feel free to share with others as they’d like to get it shown in more places in Japan and elsewhere.

Video: NHK covers JETAA International Conference in Tokyo and JETAA fundraising efforts

jetwit — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:17:41 +0000

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Here’s a link to a 1.5 minute NHK news story (video) about the JETAA International Conference just held in Tokyo. The story also references the approximately $500,000 raised for earthquake relief by JET Alumni Association chapters around the world.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20111021/t10013420671000.html

The video includes a brief interview with Akita JET Paul Yoo, founder of volunteerAKITA and The Fruitree Project, who attended the conference. Also visible in some of the shots are JETAA International Chair Shree Kurlekar (Shiga-ken) and JETAA USA Country Reps Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken) and Jessyca Wilcox (Hokkaido). (Those are the people I recognized. If you recognize others, please post in the comments section.)

The JETAA International Conference attendees are also scheduled to participate in a JET-led volunteer trip to Rikuzentakata this weekend.

Here’s the NHK article that accompanies the video:

外国語指導助手ら被災地支援強化

10月21日 15時37分

日本国内で英語などの外国語の指導助手として働いた経験を持つ外国人たちが連携して、東日本大震災の被災地の支援を強めていくことになりました。

日本政府が、昭和６２年から続けている中学校や高校などで英語の指導助手として働く「ＪＥＴプログラム」と呼ばれる事業の参加者は、２１日、都内で会議を開き、被災地への支援について話し合いました。会議には、アメリカやイギリスなど世界１０か国から２０人が参加し、英語の指導助手を務めた経験を持つアメリカ人の女性は、被災地の中学生の補習授業や高校生の大学受験に充てるために、友人や知人などから集めたおよそ６００万円を寄付することを報告しました。また秋田県の小中学校で英語の指導助手を務め、避難所でボランティア活動を続けているアメリカ人のポール・ユーさんは「ボランティア活動を始めた際、１人では何もできなかったが、仲間のネットワークが役立った」と述べ、日本をよく知る外国人が連携して被災地の支援を強めていくことを確認しました。東日本大震災では、宮城県石巻市と岩手県陸前高田市で英語の指導助手をしていたアメリカ人２人が津波の犠牲になっています。

Secretary of State Clinton speech lauds JET Program and JET Alumni, talks about Monty Dickson and Taylor Anderson

jetwit — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:29:06 +0000

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In a speech on October 7 at the U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauded the JET Programme for its vital grassroots relationship building, cited the JET alumni community’s role in raising money for earthquake/tsunami relief and cited Monty Dickson and Taylor Anderson as models of the kind of cross-cultural exchange that is so important to successful relationships between countries and cultures.

Here is a link to Secretary of State Clinton’s speech on the State Department’s website along with a video. http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/10/175151.htm

Below are a few excerpts followed by the full text of the speech.

“More than 35,000 people have participated in exchange programs sponsored by our two governments, programs like the Fulbright and the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, known as JET.”

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“[A]lthough these ties have already benefited both of our nations, they are not self-sustaining. We have to continue to invest in them.”

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“The American people are proud to count Japan among our closest friends. I recently heard the story of an Alaskan named Monty Dickson who taught English at Yonesaki Elementary School as part of the JET program. While in Japan, Monty came to love Japanese poetry, and on the morning of March 11th, he had translated a poem by Shiba Ryotaro into English, and it read: “There’s nothing as beautiful as dedicating one’s life for a cause.” And just a few hours after writing those words, Monty Dickson was swept away in the tsunami. In fact, both of the Americans who died that day, Monty and Taylor Anderson, were teachers in the JET program. Their lives and their cause are part of the fabric of the friendship that we now share. The Dicksons, the Andersons, and the entire extended family of JET alumni have been working to help the communities that both Monty and Taylor lived in and grew to love.”

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“The U.S.-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of a system in the Asia Pacific that has underwritten peace, stability, and prosperity for decades. And the close connections built by the Monty Dicksons and the Taylor Andersons and the U.S.-Japan Councils, those are the foundations that not only keep the cornerstones strong but keep building higher and higher.”

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Remarks at the U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Marriott Wardman Park

Washington, DC

October 7, 2011

Good morning. Good morning, everyone, and I am very pleased to be with you this morning, and I confess to being somewhat overwhelmed and deeply honored by the introduction that my friend and a truly great American, Dan Inouye, just provided. He is someone whom I do not need to tell this audience has served his state, our country, and the world with such great distinction, and he is always looking toward the future, what will make a difference in the lives of the men and women and the boys and girls that he serves, how to build stronger relationships between countries, how to keep your eye on what will matter tomorrow, not just what the argument of today might be. So it has been just the honor of a lifetime to know him, to serve with him, and to continue to have the great opportunity of working with him in my new capacity.

And of course, as good as he is, he was made even better by his wonderful wife. (Laughter.) And as someone who has been the spouse of a very famous man, I know that Irene brings more than half of what this dynamic duo represents – (applause) – because she comes to the work she does every day with such extraordinary intelligence and grace. Irene is the kind of person who you might as well just say yes to right away – (laughter) – because you eventually will. And so to both of these great Americans, thank you for your friendship and your leadership.

Also, thank you to Mr. Iino for his leadership as well. I wish to welcome Japan’s national policy minister, whom I believe you will hear from later. And of course, our friend – friend to all of us, Ambassador Fujisaki, thank you so much for what you do to really help our relationship grow even stronger. And we celebrate this extraordinary friendship, which, as Dan said, for many decades now has been such a significant strategic relationship, but more than that, a cornerstone of America’s involvement in the Pacific, a partner in so many common endeavors to try to increase prosperity, pursue peace, and provide a better future.

And so we’re celebrating this at a moment when America is in the midst of a strategic pivot. The wars of the last decade are winding down and transitioning; the world’s economic and strategic center of gravity is shifting east; and the United States is committed to an even deeper network of relationships across the Asia-Pacific region. But when you set out to build something, you begin with the cornerstone, which is why, as Secretary of State, I made my very first overseas visit and several since then to Japan. And President Obama, Vice President Biden, and many other American officials have made that same journey in the last two and a half years.

But we know that governments alone cannot sustain the close ties that we have and continue to seek. Our strongest relationships have not lived only in the halls of power; they live in the hearts and minds of the American and Japanese people, not just in some cold assessment of our common interests, but in the warmth of common experiences, family ties, friendships, and the common values that bind us together. This relationship has been tested by time and tragedy, by rivalry, and by the natural push and pull between two proud nations like ours. And each time, it comes back even stronger. Each time, when it counts the most, our two countries stand in solidarity with each other.

Ten years ago, as a senator from New York, I saw firsthand what our friendship meant. When Japan sent firefighters from 7,000 miles away to help with the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, I was moved, but I wasn’t surprised. That’s just the kind of friend that Japan is to America and to many countries around the world. Wherever there is famine, disease, poverty, wherever there is a young democracy struggling to take root, from the frontlines to the forgotten corners, Japan is there, working hand in hand with America to build a safer, more prosperous world.

The generosity that moved us after 9/11 we sought to repay after 3/11. After Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, our governments launched the largest joint military operation in our history. More than 20,000 Americans from our military and other agencies took part in what we called Operation Tomodachi. Now, this was more than just a search and recovery mission; this was a demonstration of our deep ties, because as you know so well, tomodachi means friend, and that’s what we want it to be.

Americans who remembered the red and white flags on the jackets of Japanese volunteers at ground zero flew to Japan to return the favor. Across our country, in small towns and large cities, people raised money. Springfield, Illinois, for example, raised $32,000 selling blue jeans for their sister city in Japan. Nebraska corn growers donated nearly 9,000 bushels of grain. Japan-America societies across this country raised over $20 million for relief efforts in Japan. And the ambassador is passing out these white wristbands, which I’m very proud to wear. And as you might guess, he’s very persistent. So again, just say yes when he approaches you. (Laughter.)

The joint public-private partnership for reconstruction, which our governments launched in July during my visit with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Keidanren is bringing together policy makers and business leaders to galvanize Japan’s economic recovery. And just last month, when Vice President Biden visited Japan, he made a very clear message to the world that Japan is open for business. And I want particularly to thank Irene and the U.S.-Japan Council for the work you’ve been doing with our Embassy in Tokyo to create the Tomodachi initiative, which is an outgrowth of both the operation and the partnership for reconstruction. Tomodachi initiative will be focused on partnerships and programs to empower Japan’s young leaders and entrepreneurs. Together, we want to create a Tomodachi generation that is deeply committed to the future of our relationship.

Now, relationships like ours and so many others in our lives show their true colors in tragedy, but they are built over decades. And while economic and security ties are vital to our alliance, ties between our people give our friendship its full meaning. The wonder a Japanese college student exudes when she first sets foot in L.A. or Chicago or Boston, the warmth an American high schooler feels for his Japanese host family, the technological marvels that Japanese and American corporate partnerships unleash into our markets, the mind-bending discoveries of our researchers cooperating at the cutting edge of science, these are the experiences that underpin our shared success.

For all the fundamentals that are already in place, however, we cannot rest. We have to keep building and looking for new opportunities. And we do that issue by issue and person by person. And I must say that for us in the State Department, few opportunities deliver the lifelong impressions and friendships as sending our young people to each other’s country to learn languages and cultures. And we are committed to ensuring that even more young people have that opportunity. More than 35,000 people have participated in exchange programs sponsored by our two governments, programs like the Fulbright and the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, known as JET. More than 750 officials have taken part in government exchanges, and nearly 4,000 Japanese professionals have taken part in the International Visitor Leadership Program, including four prime ministers, a Nobel laureate, a best-selling author, and many thousands more.

The simple truth is that these exchanges attract remarkable people and give them a global perspective. Japan’s first-ever female defense minister – you knew I’d have to get that in – is an alumnae of the U.S. International Visitor Leadership Program, and no less than four Nobel laureates from Japan are also Fulbright alums, and the CEO of Rakuten, whom I just met, who will be speaking from this very podium today, is a Harvard graduate.

So although these ties have already benefited both of our nations, they are not self-sustaining. We have to continue to invest in them. And I’m a little concerned, which is why I wanted to raise this with all of you. As recently as 1997, Japan sent more students than any other country in the world to study in America. Today, Japan ranks sixth. In the last 14 years, the number of Japanese students studying in America has dropped by almost 50 percent. And we are committed to doing whatever it takes to try to reverse this trend. So we are redoubling our efforts to connect Japanese youth with American universities. We’re establishing new Educational USA Advising Centers throughout Japan to explain to Japanese students how to win admission and financial assistance. We are working to remind a new generation of Japanese business leaders how valuable it is to have employees who know both of our cultures. And we are mobilizing Americans in the JET network to convince more students to study in America. And in a tough budget environment, we are fighting to maintain the funding for our flagship programs, including the Fulbright program, which will send 100 talented Japanese and Americans to learn each other’s cultures in 2012. We are providing scholarships to the American Field Service and other organizations so that students from the prefectures hardest hit by the tsunami can spend part of next summer in America. And we are encouraging more Americans to study abroad in Japan, and we’re pleased that this number rose to more than 5,700 this past year.

Now, we have seen how generations who study and live together give life to our alliance. We have seen how foreign visitors and overseas travel with all of its challenges in today’s world builds character and perspective. And it is inspiring to see what happens when our cultures do mix. Just last month, I met a group of Japanese little league baseball and softball players at the State Department. They were here through the U.S.-Japan Sport Visitor Exchange Program. It will not surprise you to hear that our sports exchange programs are our most popular exchange programs. And you should have seen the kids’ eyes light up as they met Cal Ripken, Jr., who was four times the size of anyone else in the room. (Laughter.) He hosted them in America and he will be giving youth baseball clinics across Japan next month. All of the kids who were there that day came from the areas hardest hit by the tsunami, and it was just a pure emotional high to see them in our country, some of whom who had lost family members, whose schools no longer existed, but who were just resilient and resourceful and determined to move with confidence into the future.

The American people are proud to count Japan among our closest friends. I recently heard the story of an Alaskan named Monty Dickson who taught English at Yonesaki Elementary School as part of the JET program. While in Japan, Monty came to love Japanese poetry, and on the morning of March 11^th, he had translated a poem by Shiba Ryotaro into English, and it read: “There’s nothing as beautiful as dedicating one’s life for a cause.” And just a few hours after writing those words, Monty Dickson was swept away in the tsunami. In fact, both of the Americans who died that day, Monty and Taylor Anderson, were teachers in the JET program. Their lives and their cause are part of the fabric of the friendship that we now share. The Dicksons, the Andersons, and the entire extended family of JET alumni have been working to help the communities that both Monty and Taylor lived in and grew to love.

So we believe that building this relationship is not only strategic, not only economic, not only political; we believe it is a noble cause, and it’s one that we are absolutely committed to. The U.S.-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of a system in the Asia Pacific that has underwritten peace, stability, and prosperity for decades. And the close connections built by the Monty Dicksons and the Taylor Andersons and the U.S.-Japan Councils, those are the foundations that not only keep the cornerstones strong but keep building higher and higher.

I’m here to ask you for your help, Japanese and Americans alike. Let’s keep this alliance and what it represents strong for as far as we can see into the future. Let it be said about us as it can be said of prior generations of American and Japanese leaders in business, government, academia, civil society, that we understood why this relationship was so vital, not only to each of us but to the world. And let us teach our young people what our countries have meant, can mean, and will mean to each other in the years ahead. And then we can give a new generation the skills, the opportunities, and the dream to help America and Japan thrive together in the century ahead.

Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

Return to Tohoku: Video by Michael Blodgett

jetwit — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:46:30 +0000

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Update 9/11/11: Michael has also shared a link to photos from his trip along with commentary.

Michael Blodgett (Miyagi-ken, Iwadeyama, Osaki-shi, 2005-07) is one of the 20 Tohoku region JET alumni selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to return to their town to both engage in volunteer efforts and also help document and share what’s going on there. Michael is originally from Chicago and currently lives in Osaka.

Thanks to Michael for getting in touch and sharing the below video he made about his visit:

JETwit will continue to post updates from other participating alums.

Click here to read other “Return to Tohoku” posts.

If you are returning to Tohoku and would like to share your updates, please feel free to e-mail jetwit [at] jetwit.com.

NY Miyagi-kenjinkai requests help from U.S. citizens who have lived or worked in Miyagi, Fukushima or Iwate

jetwit — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:16:53 +0000

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Thanks to Takahiro Ito of the Japan Local Government Center (aka CLAIR NY) for sharing this information about a request from the NY Miyagi-kenjinkai for help from U.S. citizens who have lived or worked in Miyagi, Fukushima or Iwate:

Dear Friends in the Japanese Production Industry — WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We are putting together a video to send our best wishes to people who were devastated by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11th, 2011.

It’s for a branding commercial sponsored by a Japanese Semiconductor maker, scheduled to air during the JAPAN CORPORATE TEAM WOMEN’S MARATHON RELAY RACE this December.

The marathon runs through the cities in Miyagi prefecture that were most affected by the disaster.

We want to make contact with any U.S. Citizens you know who may have lived, worked, or visited FUKUSHIMA, IWATE, MIYAGI — the area recently devastated by the events of March 11th — and record their message in the NY or LA metro areas.

Ideal candidates are men and women between the ages of 20-40. It will be a chance for them to be interviewed for a TV message that will cheer on a recovering Japan, and help lift the spirits of the whole country!

If you know someone in the west coast please get in touch with office in California:

TAKA KAGUMA
tk@downtownreel.com
DOWNTOWN REEL LA
3122 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
TEL (310) 828-9200

Please fill out the below application and send it, along with a photo, to Taka or me. Interviews will be conducted this October or November.

Our client will go through the applicants and select the interviewees, each of whom will receive $1,000 for their participation.

Thanks for your help and support!

Best regards,

Miho Uchida

mu@downtownreel.com
Downtown Reel Productions
560 Broadwaym Suite 605
New York, NY 10012
Tel: 212.925.6977 Fax: 212.925.0463

Name:

Age:

Male or Female:

Occupation:

What is your connection to Tohoku Area – Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate?

Have you lived there? Studied? Worked? Visited? You have friends there…etc

Your message to Japan and Tohoku area where devastated by the earthquake and tsunami.

Where would you be willing to shoot the video?

1. Home

2. Workplace

3. In your neighborhood

Would you like to go back to Tohoku Area or Japan again?

Video: JETAA Ottawa Prez promotes “JETAA dogs” and Japan Festival on morning tv show

jetwit — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:15:29 +0000

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JETAA Ottawa President Lisa Mallin (Chiba-ken, 2006-08) does a great job on Ottawa’s Channel A morning show of promoting “JETAA dogs” (Japan-inspired hotdogs) along with the entire Ottawa Japanese Summer Festival. Make sure to watch to the end where Lisa also helpfully informs the host that Sendai-based band Monkey Majik was started by JET alum Maynard Plant (Aomori-ken, 1997-2000) and his brother.

Call out to JET alums for submissions to the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

jetwit — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:47:43 +0000

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James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of the acclaimed young adult novel The Order of Odd-Fish, will be curating the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival with the New York Public Library around November 5 and with the Harold Washington Library in Chicago around November 16. And he has a special request for JET alumni who are into film making:

There are some Newberry award winners that are about Japan and the Japanese, and nobody has done a 90-Second Newbery film of them yet!

Off the top of my head, I can think of:

(1) Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus, which is about John Manjiro (2011 Honor Winner)

(2) Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, which is about WWII Japanese-American experience (2005 Medal Winner).

(3) Commodore Perry In the Land of the Shogun by Rhoda Blumberg. (1986 Honor Winner)

So, as for JET alumni:

(1) I’d love to put the call out to the JET alumni community, which surely must include filmmakers, to make 90-second films based on those books for the film festival. (It would be even better if they were totally in Japanese, with subtitles!)

(2) The film festival at the NYPL on November 5 will be not only films, but also live acts between the films — a kind of cabaret atmosphere — live 90-second Newbery reenactments, or songs, etc. So this is also a call out to any arts groups / comedy teams / bands / etc. who would be interested in doing something as a between-film live segment for the 90-Second Newbery film festival?

Here’s a little more info from James about the 90-Second Newbery Festival:

I’m doing this film festival in conjunction with the New York Public Library and the Chicago Public Library. Participants (of any age) are challenged to make a video that compresses the entire story of a Newbery award winning book into 90 seconds or less (no book trailers!) To check out the pretty funny inaugural entry — a 90-second Wrinkle in Time — and read the contest rules, click here:

http://90secondnewbery.com/

On November 5, with children’s author Jon Scieszka, I’m co-hosting the “90-Second Newbery Film Festival” at the New York Public Library main branch, screening the best entries.

On November 16, I’m hosting the same film festival at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago.

This is a great opportunity to get kids reading, thinking and discussing Newbery award-winning books. Figuring out how to communicate important plot and character points in 90 seconds is a real challenge, as well as learning how to shoot, edit, do sound design, engineer special effects, and wrap up a video project. An eye-opening experience for budding young directors!

Even though the deadline is October 17, I’ve already received some smashing entries:

+ A 90-second version of Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by home-schooled kids in Michigan — made entirely with shadow puppets!

+ Or how about a full-scale musical of The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene Dubois?

+ Let’s not forget this silent-movie version of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book!

Uncanny Terrain: US and Japanese filmmaker team up for documentary about organic farming amidst Japan’s nuclear crisis

jetwit — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 10:46:50 +0000

Thanks to James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of the acclaimed young adult novel The Order of Odd-Fish, for sharing this info:

There’s a really terrific and unique film project called UNCANNY TERRAIN, a documentary about organic farmers facing Japan’s nuclear crisis, by Junko Kajino and Ed Koziarski.

Junko and Ed are in Japan right now shooting it, and here’s their blog: http://uncannyterrain.com/blog/

Video: Panel discussion with JET alums Anthony Bianchi, Laurel Lukaszewski and Jim Gannon

jetwit — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:39:23 +0000

Thanks to JET alum and Inuyama City Council Member Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi, 1988-89) for sharing the video below (in four parts) taken by his son Matthew of a panel discussion from the JETAA USA National Conference held in Washington, D.C. July 14-17.

The panel featured Bianchi along with fellow JET alums Laurel Lukaszewski (Kagoshima-ken, 1990-92) (sculptor artist and former Executive Director of the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C. as well as former President of Pacific Northwest JETAA) and Jim Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94), Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA), and was moderated by JETwit publisher Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94).

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

JET Memorial Invitation Program for High School Students ready to head to Japan

jetwit — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:20:26 +0000

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Thanks to Andy Anderson, father of Taylor Anderson, for sharing information and the video link below. FYI, JETAA USA had the honor of Mr. Anderson attending the National Conference this past weekend in Washington, D.C. and speaking to the conference attendees (2 representatives from each JETAA chapter in the U.S.)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an exchange program on June 24, 2011 (press release here) to send 32 American students to Japan as a way of commemorating the work of Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson. Those students, who come from all over the U.S., have been selected and are now in San Francisco getting ready to depart for Japan.

The majority of the 10 day program takes place in Japan and includes a pre-departure orientation and a wrap-up meeting and farewell dinner in San Francisco. During their stay in Japan, the participants will have an option of participating in a day trip to visit the Tohoku area.

KTVU (San Francisco) did a story on the student group as they gathered in San Francisco for a pre-departure orientation before heading to Japan. Here’s the link to the video: http://www.ktvu.com/video/28580191/index.html

Minasan ganbatte kudasai!

Note: If anyone can figure out how to get the embed code for the video, e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com so we can post it here.

Update 7/21/2011: Here’s a Japanese article about the event, forwarded by Andy Anderson:

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/110718/amr11071818190005-n1.htm

2011年07月18日
日米の懸け橋へ努力
日本研修に向け米高校生

【サンフランシスコ共同】東日本大震災で犠牲になった米国人の英語教師２人の業績をたたえ、創設された日本研修事業に参加する米国の高校生３２人の壮行会が１７日、サンフランシスコの日本総領事館で行われた。代表のトーマス・クドさんは「帰ったら、この体験と日本語を生かしたい」と話し、日米の懸け橋となるために努力することを誓った。猪俣弘司（いのまた・ひろし）総領事は、大震災で亡くなった外国青年招致事業（ＪＥＴプログラム）の英語教師テーラー・アンダーソンさんとモンゴメリー・ディクソンさんの死を悼み、「研修を成功させるかどうかは皆さん次第」と激励した。米側のデボラ・ダニエルズさんは「同じ高校生がどんな風に（大震災で）被災し、どんなことを考えて毎日暮らしているのか知りたい」と話した。一行は今月１９～２８日、大阪の地元高校生との交流や、ホームステイを体験。京都訪問のほか、希望者による岩手視察も予定されている。

Video: “Tonoharu” explained in unique video by creator Lars Martinson

jetwit — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:43:34 +0000

****************

Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two and Tonoharu: Part 1, has put together a rather unique video that “explains” the Tonoharu series in a marvelously tongue-in-cheek way. (BTW, does anyone know if there’s a Japanese term for “tongue-in-cheek”?)

Anyway, have a look at the video. I think it’s fair to say that no one has captured the JET/living in Japan experience in as intricate a way as Lars has:

MSNBC story and article feature volunteerAKITA and other JET volunteers

jetwit — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:20:15 +0000

********************

Just saw this MSNBC video and article by NBC News correspondent Ian Williams that mentions JET and volunteerAKITA founder Paul Yoo as well as several other volunteers who seem to be JETs along with the good work being done by All Hands Volunteers. The article was posted to the Pacific Northwest JETAA Facebook group today.

“Young Americans take center stage in Japan tsunami cleanup”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43637669/

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: Anti-nuclear protest march in Tokyo – by JET alum Tom Baker

tokyotombaker — Sat, 28 May 2011 15:04:46 +0000

The meltdown crisis at the tsunami-hit nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture has inspired a number of antinuclear protests in Japan. Journalist and JET alum Tom Baker (Chiba, 1989-1991), who blogs at Tokyo Tom Baker made this video of one that took place in Ginza, Tokyo, last night (May 27):

Japan Relief: “It Won’t Be Long Now” song and video by JET alum Shun Endo and The Liquid Now

jetwit — Sat, 28 May 2011 11:58:48 +0000

***************

JET alum Shun Endo (Ibaraki Prefecture, 1998-2001) (Treasurer and Webmaster for JETAA Pacific Northwest and creator instantnoodlescomics.com) and his band The Liquid Now have released a music video titled “It Won’t Be Long Now“ intended to draw attention to and help fundraise for Japan relief efforts.

From Shun Endo and The Liquid Now:

IT WON’T BE LONG is about overcoming the tsunami and earthquake in Northern Japan. It was a chance for us to really reflect on their struggle, and beyond. To us, the Japanese festivals encompass the beauty of the culture. We’ve experienced nothing like it. It is a time of strong community, tradition, abandon, and joy. We hope the areas affected will heal enough to enjoy themselves once again soon.

All band sales will be donated, so just donate directly to the Seattlejapanrelief.org who work with Red Cross and Peacewinds.

For a digital copy of the song, visit www.theliquidnow.com and/or email theliquidnow@gmail.com

Thank you for listening. 日本の皆さん、頑張りましょう。

The Liquid Now are a band from Seattle that is influenced by British music and Japanese culture. www.theliquidnow.com

(we hope people don’t mind us using their online photos as this is for a good cause, and we will donate anything that comes our way.)

Smile Kids Japan’s Mike Maher-King speaks at TEDxTokyo

jetwit — Wed, 25 May 2011 20:29:33 +0000

Mike Maher-King (Fukui), founder of Smile Kids Japan, recently spoke at TEDxTokyo: Entering the Unknown on Saturday, May 21 at Miraikan Tokyo.

Here are the English and Japanese videos of Mike’s talk which is titled “Against All Odds” in which he talks about Smile Kids Japan, how he came to start it, how the JET experience and community factored in and SKJ’s involvement in earthquake relief efforts.

Better than Skype: Japan invents new kissing device that lets you make out over the Internet

jetwit — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:20:31 +0000

Researchers in Japan have invented a way to kiss over the Internet. I worked hard to think of a JET angle to make this story JETwit-worthy. And it finally hit me that it might be extremely helpful to JETs and JET alums involved in long-distance relationships! (Not bad, deshou?)

Here’s the article.

Here’s the video:

Japan Society Presents Hikashu & Tomoe Shinohara in Concert

sfrank115 — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:58:23 +0000

The Japan Society will be hosting an upcoming concert featuring J-techno pop band Hikashu & Tomoe Shinohara on May 13. 50% of all ticket sales from this event will go to Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.

Click Here to find out more information about the show.

Posted by Sam Frank, an ALT who taught English in Hiraizumi-Cho, Iwate Prefecture from 2002-2004 and worked in Shirahama-cho, Wakayama Prefecture as a JET from 2004-2006. He currently manages the New York Division of UnRated Magazine and works as a Project Manager/Web Producer at Arrow Root Media.

JETwit.com » Video

Video of last sighting of Monty Dickson in Rikuzentakata

Video: “Arigatou” from the People of Tohoku

Ghibli’s 借りぐらしのアリエッティ (aka “The Secret World of Arrietty”) being released in US Feb 2012!

JET alum collaborates on documentary about photographers of Tohoku Disaster

Video: NHK covers JETAA International Conference in Tokyo and JETAA fundraising efforts

外国語指導助手ら 被災地支援強化

Secretary of State Clinton speech lauds JET Program and JET Alumni, talks about Monty Dickson and Taylor Anderson

Remarks at the U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference

Return to Tohoku: Video by Michael Blodgett

NY Miyagi-kenjinkai requests help from U.S. citizens who have lived or worked in Miyagi, Fukushima or Iwate

Video: JETAA Ottawa Prez promotes “JETAA dogs” and Japan Festival on morning tv show

Call out to JET alums for submissions to the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

Uncanny Terrain: US and Japanese filmmaker team up for documentary about organic farming amidst Japan’s nuclear crisis

Video: Panel discussion with JET alums Anthony Bianchi, Laurel Lukaszewski and Jim Gannon

JET Memorial Invitation Program for High School Students ready to head to Japan

Video: “Tonoharu” explained in unique video by creator Lars Martinson

MSNBC story and article feature volunteerAKITA and other JET volunteers

Video: Anti-nuclear protest march in Tokyo – by JET alum Tom Baker

Japan Relief: “It Won’t Be Long Now” song and video by JET alum Shun Endo and The Liquid Now

Smile Kids Japan’s Mike Maher-King speaks at TEDxTokyo

Better than Skype: Japan invents new kissing device that lets you make out over the Internet

Japan Society Presents Hikashu & Tomoe Shinohara in Concert

外国語指導助手ら被災地支援強化