Mar 21

How bloggers can help Japan through the tough times

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It’s amazing to see how everybody in America is thinking of unique ways to help Japan in this time of crisis. People are taking to the streets asking for donations (myself included), there are communities doing translations for towns and villages across the region, and now wibiya, an app for bloggers, has developed a tool that can be placed on the bottom of your blog/website.

Bloggers can download this free application and have a bar underneath their site that informs people about how to donate to the red cross and help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. This is what innovation is all about. Using technology to help people in need. It is in times like this that I am proud to say that I’m an American. Thank you again to everybody helping Japan.

Click Here to download the application

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 (http://unratednyc.com) and works as a Project Manager at Arrow Root Media (http://arrowrootmedia.com).

Mar 21

Man Up For Japan: Innovative fundraising effort by JET David Chalmers

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You may have seen “Man Up For Japan” all over Facebook or elsewhere.  Here’s an article about JET David Chalmers (originally from Scotland) and his efforts to help fundraise for earthquake relief in Japan.

Scot does his bit to aid Japan

Published Date: 20 March 2011

By Nick Mitchell

A CAMPAIGN launched by a Scot based in Japan to raise cash for the current disaster relief effort has received support from almost 5,000 people and could generate hundreds of thousands of pounds in aid.

Taking its name from “ichi man yen”, the Japanese for 10,000 yen, the Facebook-driven campaign is called “Man up for Japan” and is asking people to pledge the sum (around £75) to a relief charity of their choice.

The concept was devised by David Chalmers, 24, an Edinburgh native who is currently tutoring Japanese students in English through the popular Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme.

CLICK HERE to read the full article

Mar 21

Volunteer: Provide housing to earthquake evacuees

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I saw this link on the Nagasaki JET email group.  I don’t know anything about it other than what’s on the website:

Calling for “Homestay for Earthquake Evacuees”

Please offer your “home” to ease hardships of the earthquake evacuees.

This calling is basically to people living in Japan currently only.

More info here:  http://earthdaymoney.org/topics_dt.php?id=391

Mar 18

Ways JET Alums Can Help: Wear a button that says, “Ask Me About Japan”

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AS a JET alum, you know far more about Japan than most people in your country (unless you live in Japan of course).  One of the really helpful thing you can do in the coming weeks and months is to help keep up awareness and understanding of Japan.  Help people continue to feel connected to and empathetic toward Japan, even after the story falls from the headlines.  Because support is going to be needed for a long while.  This is not a short term effort.

Here’s one more way you can help:

• Wear a button (or a t-shirt or other wearable item) that simply says:  “Ask me about Japan”.
• Do this not just now but in the coming weeks and months as well.

This will:

a) Keep Japan in everyone’s consciousness

b) Turn JET alums (and others who have lived in Japan) into a resource for people who want to know more about Japan, to connect with Japan, to support Japan.

This is something all JET alums can do to help.

Mar 18

Ways JET Alums Can Help: Make yourself available to talk to schools, churches, companies, other organizations

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AS a JET alum, you know far more about Japan than most people in your country (unless you live in Japan of course).  One of the really helpful thing you can do in the coming weeks and months is to help keep up awareness and understanding of Japan.  Help people continue to feel connected to and empathetic toward Japan, even after the story falls from the headlines.  Because support is going to be needed for a long while.  This is not a short term effort.

Here’s one more way you can help:

• Make yourself available to talk to schools, churches, companies or other organizations in your community.  People do not know a lot about Japan, but many will want to know more.  Put yourself out there and offer to be a link.  To answer questions for students.  To share some personal experiences about what it was like to live in Japan.
• Better yet, work with your local JET Alumni Association chapter and/or Japanese Consulate to make it a more organized effort.

This is something all JET alums can do to help.

Mar 18

Ways JET alums can help: Engage your grad school or college alumni offices

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JET alumni are helping in so many ways–fundraising, volunteering, translating, communicating, etc–that it’s hard to keep track of.  (Which makes me feel prouder than ever to have served as a JET.)

If you’re looking for ways to help, here’s one more:

1. Get in touch with your grad school or college alumni office.
2. Let them know you’re a JET alum (you might have to explain what that is).
3. Offer to be a resource for helping them to support Japan in some way.  Or encourage them to do so.

Your school most likely has some form of connection with Japan.  But they may not be focused on the details of what’s going on.  Or how to engage their alumni in an appropriate way.

Be a resource for your school’s alumni organization.  Offer to write something, to share helpful links or information, to explain things, to translate, to be a point person for reaching out to other alumni.  Figure out whatever their needs (or obstacles) are in connection with supporting Japan and figure out a way to be helpful to them.

Many people who don’t have a connection to Japan want to help but may not know how.  Be the person that enables them to help.  And to do that, make sure you’re up to date and educated.  Reading JetWit is a good start.  Also check the websites of your nearest JET Alumni Association chapter as well as any other Japan-related organizations in your area.

This is a role all JET alumni can play.

Mar 18

Consulate General of Japan in New York Accepting Donations

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Dear all,

●The Consulate General’s account to receive financial donation: please go to the link below;

http://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/en/t/2011/110315_02.html

●The Consulate General of Japan in New York wishes to inform you that a book of condolences for the victims of the recent Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake will be open for people to express their sympathies on the following dates:

・        March 17-18 (Today-Friday): 9:30am-4:00pm
・        March 21-23 (Monday-Wednesday): 9:30am-4:00pm

The condolences book will be on the 18th floor of our offices at 299 Park Avenue.

The Consulate General of Japan wishes to extend its sincere appreciation for your kind support.

Consulate General of Japan
212-371-8222

This post was written 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 (http://unratednyc.com) and works as a Project Manager at Arrow Root Media (http://arrowrootmedia.com).

Mar 17

New Orleans to help Japan In a Time of Crisis

Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, JetWit Diary, Volunteer Add Comment (2)

After his hometown of New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina the Japanese government offered material and monetary assistance that surpassed $1 million and that included tents, blankets, power generators and portable water tanks. Japan also provided $200,000 to the American Red Cross to aid hurricane victims. Now former Fukushima Prefecture, Iwaki City JET from 2007-2010 Doug Tassin is on a mission to help his former home in Japan.

The New Orleans Japan Quake Fund is currently in the process of being established. It is being formed by a coalition of New Orleans-based, Japan-related groups: Japan Club of New Orleans, Japan Society of New Orleans, jetaaNOLA (JET Program Alumni Association, New Orleans Chapter), and Japanese Garden Society. With the full support of Honorary Consul General of Japan Donna Fraiche and hopefully the endorsement of the govenor of Louisiana and mayor of New Orleans, we are creating this fund as a means for all of New Orleans to repay the generosity and care that Japan showed us in our time of need. This donor administered fund will be created through the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), and we plan to raise money in the fund and give it directly to an organization in Japan. GNOF has a long history of successfully administering funds, and we will still be able to direct where the money goes.

Click below to read the full story by Doug and see how you can make a difference. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150159551445306

This post was written 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 (http://unratednyc.com) and works as a Project Manager at Arrow Root Media (http://arrowrootmedia.com).

Mar 17

Volunteers needed for “Multilingual Medical Terms Translation List” created by Okinawa JET

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Multilingual Medical Terms Translation List

This is a project that Stephanie Toriumi (CIR Okinawa-ken, Ishigaki-shi) is just getting off the ground.  She is  looking for volunteers to help check, add terms & other languages so that the list will keep growing.

https://spreadsheets0.google.com/ccc?pli=1&key=tOXlkY2K3JSEhLa5TCJEC0w#gid=0

Mar 17

Earthquake: Write for Tohoku – Call for Submissions

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Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
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There is an open call for submissions to an ebook anthology to raise funds for Tohoku.

Please go to the following website for more details: http://writefortohoku.wordpress.com/

Mar 16

Japan volunteers: Resource site for people who want to support earthquake/tsunami relief efforts in Japan

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Japan volunteers: Resource site for people who want to support earthquake/tsunami relief efforts in Japan

http://japanvolunteers.wordpress.com/action/

Mar 16

Translators Needed For Earthquake Relief

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Volunteer translators are needed to go to Japan to help with the aftermath of Japan’s earthquakes & tsunami, as international rescue teams have communication difficulties.

Here is a message from the Tokyo Translation Academy:
If you’d like to translate this piece yourself click here and drop the text in:

東日本大震災救援、「通訳ボランティア」募集！！！
（この募集は、ご友人・知人にも、なるべく多くご転送下さ い。） Read More

Mar 16

Earthquake: Hope Letters for Children in Japan

Earthquake Tsunami, Translating/Interpreting, Volunteer Add Comment (1)

Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
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About Hope Letters:

David Chan of Ottawa, Canada has started a voluntary initiative to share letters of hope written for students in Japan by people around the globe. Letters will be collected, translated into Japanese, posted on the following site: http://hopeletters.wordpress.com, and distributed via Japanese media and local schools/organizations. Currently there are 6 volunteer translators across Canada. Read More

Mar 15

Earthquake: Volunteer Information for People in Japan

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Via AJET Website.  Thanks to JET Mike Maher-King (Fukui) of Smile Kids Japan for all his efforts with this:

http://ajet.net/lang/en/2011/03/16/volunteer-information-for-people-in-japan

Mar 15

Earthquake: Perspective From Japan

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Written by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
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“How can we help?” is the most frequently asked question I have been hearing over the last few days. For my neighbours in the small coastal town of Hodatsushimizu in Ishikawa prefecture, situated on the Sea of Japan, the horror of last week’s tsunami which effortlessly wiped out whole towns is only too poignant. Friends in my local JET and foreign communities are struggling to understand the truth of the situation due to the disparity between the seemingly down-played reports in the Japanese media and sensationalist approach to reports by certain western press. However, everyone is ready and willing to help in whatever way they can. Also eager to help are family and friends around the globe, who are constantly being bombarded with shocking headlines and devastating images of the disaster, causing tensions to run high as my presence in Japan makes them all the more connected.

When the earthquake struck shortly after 2:45pm Friday March 11th, I was sitting at my desk at work, when I started to feel a strange dizziness. It wasn’t until a minute later when other colleagues mentioned the same that we realized we were experiencing a tremor. Registering at only magnitude 3 here in Ishikawa prefecture, the earthquake was largely unfelt, with most people only noting a slight swaying and a seasick-like feeling. However, the length and number of aftershocks indicated the seriousness of the situation at the epicenter, as confirmed by the news reports that started to come in.

Like everyone else around the country (and world) we followed the news in disbelief and shock, uncertainty and a feeling of helplessness taking over. As the extent of the disaster began to unfold over the following days, these feelings have only intensified. While things remain calm and ‘normal’ here in Ishikawa (we are all going to work and have no shortages of food/water/electricity/gas), the nerves of the Japanese, foreign community, and family & friends back home are being tested daily. Although we are not directly affected here, we are all suffering from mixed feelings of fear, confusion, heartache and love for a country that is our home. For all of us now, remaining positive in the face of so much sadness and uncertainty is key.

How Can We Help?

[Donate Money]

This is the most effective and encouraged way to help. Various different funds and suggestions of organisation accepting donations have been doing the rounds. For direct donations to specifically address JET needs in affected areas, AJET has set up the AJET Relief Fund. (There are other recommended relief efforts supported by AJET also listed on the site).  Also, the JET Alumni Association (JETAA) is organizing a large fund raising effort as well.  Details to come.

Other suggested ways to donate:

Be careful to donate through official channels as reports of criminals using this tragedy for monetary gain are already being reported.

[Volunteer]

Planning is underway to assign volunteers once official groups can be coordinated. People are urged to stay where they are until official groups are in place. (The strain on limited supplies and infrastructure in the affected areas is already too great and unorganized volunteers would unfortunately cause more of a hindrance rather than a help).

Volunteer information once available will be posted on JetWit as well as on http://ajet.net/. Various groups that you can join have been set up on facebook, such as this one: I am/will be in Japan and want to volunteer in Tohoku

[Give Blood]

Check where you can donate locally. Here’s one resource listing blood donation rooms: Blood donation rooms etc. Do make sure to check if you can actually donate as there are strict rules. Here’s a good source of info on this: Who can and can not donate blood in japan

[Save Electricity and Don’t Over-Stock Supplies]

As scheduled blackouts are in place for most areas in the North-East, the whole country is being encouraged to save as much electricity as possible. Over stocking of supplies is being discouraged as panic has lead to stores selling out in the Tokyo area, raising concern that this will cause further strain on supplies needed in the worst stricken areas.

[Offer Your Couch]

A group has been setup on CouchSurfing where people in Japan can offer their homes as temporary accommodation for those affected by the earthquake. Check here: http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=39703