WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Kudos to 22-year old tennis pro Kei Nishikori for being the first Japanese man in 80 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open!  Unfortunately, once there he was vanquished in straight sets by Scot Andy Murray, but his impressive showing in his previous five-set win over France’s Jo-Wilfred Tsonga bumps his world ranking up to 20 from 26.

Nishikori, who currently lives and trains in Florida, is known as “Air Kei” for his leaping groundstrokes.  I can attest to the fact that watching his play is thrilling.  A few years ago I caught a match of his at the US Open that turned into a nail-biting five-setter, and was hooked.

Here’s hoping he can build on this impressive showing in Australia and have further success in 2012!

I recently received an email newsletter from acclaimed Japanese food writer Elizabeth Andoh regarding her newest book project, 希望 (Kibo or “Brimming With Hope”).  It will be released on February 28th and features recipes and stories from the Tohoku area, where last year’s earthquake and tsunami hit.  Andoh wanted to do her part to help the region recover, and the creation of this book is what she came up with (click on the link below for purchase information).  This March, she also plans to launch a new website called Kibo cooking which will be dedicated to Tohoku cookery.  See below for a description of Andoh’s project in her own words.

It is HOPE… fused with, and fueled by, resolve.

Dogged determination.

It is a BOOK… a culinary tribute to Japan’s Tohoku.

Recipes and stories: to comfort, to share.

On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, triple disaster – earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident – assaulted Japan’s northeastern corridor, the Tohoku region, and to a lesser extent the Kanto Plains area that includes Tokyo and its environs. In the hours, days, and weeks that followed, the enormity of the toll became painfully clear. There was unprecedented loss of life, personal injury and property damage, entire communities and industries had been wiped out. Surreal.

Like many Tokyo residents who had been personally spared serious loss, I wondered what I could do. In the post-disaster barrage of media coverage, I found the plight of evacuees particularly poignant. Uprooted and transplanted to shelters far removed from their home, I wondered how traditional Tohoku culture could be preserved in the Diaspora.

I wanted to soothe survivors with comfort foods, help Tohoku residents prepare familiar dishes in unfamiliar places. By writing a book that celebrated the Tohoku’s culinary culture I thought to help preserve the region’s rich heritage while nourish the morale of displaced residents. By writing in English I could reach a wide, global readership enabling them to share in the pleasures of the Tohoku table while supporting recovery efforts through the purchase of KIBŌ. My publisher, Ten Speed Press, has pledged with me, to donate a portion of proceeds to Japan’s rebuilding and renewal efforts.

希望を持って、頑張ります

KIBŌ wo motte, gambarimasu

Brimming with hope, pushing forward…

ちょっと遅くなりましたが、明けましておめでとうございます！ I hope that your 2012 has gotten off to a good start, and that the year of the dragon is a fortuitous one for everyone.

I’m down in DC with a new group of International Visitors invited by the State Department to study U.S. energy policy.  In light of the Fukushima accident nuclear is obviously a big focus, but we are also looking at renewable energy options like solar and wind (as well as geothermal which will take us to a plant on the Big Island of Hawaii!).  As part of our cultural activities outside of the professional program, the other night we attended Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center where a Japanese artist was featured.

Her name is Yoko K. and she hails from Nagano, and she is an electronic musician, producer, engineer and vocalist.  I was not very familiar with that genre of music, but her performance kept me entertained throughout.  She incorporates various tools in her sound creation, and you can see the basis of her classical training in piano from the age of 3.  I particularly liked her bilingual and often humorous lyrics, especially from the song “Laptop on Top of Your Lap” (“I want to be a laptop on top of your lap”).

This song was from her 2nd album “Heaven’s Library”, which is available on iTunes and worth a listen if you are a fan of electronic music or looking to be introduced to it.  We got to chat with Yoko after the concert, and she was super personable and eager to discuss her music.  I look forward to following her continued success!

This week I attended the Japan Society’s member screening of Norwegian Wood, the film version of this Haruki Murakami novel.  I haven’t read the book, but the movie was quite moving.  It takes place in the late 1960′s with student riots as a backdrop.  It is a love story centering on the university student Toru Watanabe, who is torn between his first love from his hometown, Naoko, and a new women he meets at school, Midori.  His relationship with Naoko is complicated as their mutual best friend (and Naoko’s boyfriend) committed suicide when they were in high school.  They share this bond, but it is also the source of Naoko’s mental instability.  Midori is a bit of a brighter character, though her life has been overshadowed by family members’ untimely deaths.  The film is quite tender in its exploration of these relationships and the direction Toru’s future will take.

The movie was made in 2010 by the French-Vietnamese director Anh Hung Tran, who was on hand at the screening along with Rinko Kikuchi who plays Naoko (pictured above with Kenichi Matsuyama who plays Toru).  They offered some behind the scenes stories, such as how Tran didn’t see Kikuchi as being right for the role but was overcome by her persuasion and powerful audition.  One poignant anecdote he shared was of a night when Kikuchi asked him, “Why is it that when I cry during a scene, it feels more real than when I cry in real life?” to which he answered, “Because you are an artist.  And to an artist, expression is more real than experience.”  This exchange captures Kikuchi’s artistic process and offers insight into her poetic performance.  I had the opportunity to interview her the following day, and found her to be both down to earth and impressive in her approach to the craft.

Norwegian Wood will be coming to the IFC Center on January 6, and my Kikuchi article will be in the February issue of Chopsticks magazine so keep your eyes peeled!

At Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Temple, 今年の漢字 (kotoshi no kanji), or the kanji of the year was just announced to be 絆 (kizuna) or bonds between people.  According to the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society, the rationale behind its selection by the based on ideas from the public was that in a disaster-ridden year that brought a nation closer together, kizuna best reflects the events of 2011.  These bonds include those among family members, friends and neighbors, as well as refers to support from abroad.  It was chosen with the hope that the world will continue to coalesce to help restore Japan.

As for how this year’s お正月 (oshougatsu) nine months after the disaster will be spent, it seems as if most people are being low-key and staying close to home due to 3-11.  Many are still in mourning for the lives that were lost, and this probably will continue until the one-year anniversary next year.  People aren’t even sure what to write on their new year’s cards, as the typical 新年おめでとう (shinnen omedetou) or “Happy New Year!” may not be appropriate.  Below are some suggestions (in Japanese) for what to write on 年賀状 (nengajou) to those in the disaster area.

祝いの語を使わない例

WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Time truly flies, as I can’t believe it has been so long since I’ve been here.  At any rate, tadaima!

Although almost nine months have passed since the earthquake/tsunami in Fukushima, and I am glad to say that the recoverｙ effort is still on people’s minds.  Last night I went to the Artist Showcase and Fundraiser for Japan held at Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki’s Residence. The event featured a reception honoring a visiting Fukushima prefectural government delegation to New York, along with artwork (some from JET alumni!) available for silent auction purchase.

Ambassador Hiroki offered his comments, and a representative of the Fukushima prefectural governor read a letter from him on his behalf.  On display were Fukushima goods, and guests partook of Fukushima sake as well as local culinary offerings such as delicious rice and peaches.  The filled to capacity crowd seemed to enjoy themselves and were glad to be able to contribute, even in a small way, to the ongoing struggle to restore normalcy in Fukushima.

For those who weren’t able to attend last night but feel like they want to do something to help the cause, there is an event tonight in Union Square being held by the Blue Sky Project, a group of young Fukushima enterpreneurs, with backing from the New York Fukushima Prefectural Association.  For details, please see the press release below and hope to see you all there!

New York, NY – November 25, 2011 – Members of Young Entrepreneurs Group in various regions of Fukushima, Japan formed and established a group called “Blue Sky Project” and will be in New York to raise their spirit of rebuilding their hometown after experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami followed by ill-fated Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear disaster. New York is the aspiration for Fukushima that the city also has experienced September 11th, and has been recovering financially and mentally from the tragedy. Fukushima has been suffering from financial damages and harmful reputation from radiation scare even after 8 ½ months later. In order to overcome the negative images and views towards Fukushima, the members of “Blue Sky Project” and its supporters of New Yorkers will conduct the event: Support Fukushima Candle Night.

WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

This weekend’s NYT featured two interesting Japan articles in the magazine and Sunday Styles section.  The former features the country’s living cultural treasure novelist Haruki Murakami, whom the article’s author spends time with in Tokyo to dissect his newest book 1Q84 as well as his older works.

The latter article discusses the popularity of 八重歯 (yaeba), or double teeth that look that fangs (aka “snaggleteeth”).  Apparently this fashion calls not for perfect smiles, but unstraight teeth.  Women are asking dentists to affix plastic fronts to their real teeth to create artificial yaeba, as shown here in the picture.

Upon asking two young Japanese women who were visiting the city about yaeba, they said it was the first they had heard of it.  I’ll see what further informal surveys reveal about whether this is a real trend, or just something being sensationalized by the media.

WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Last night I had the chance to attend an event at the Modern sponsored by the Japanese beverage company Suntory, for the unveiling of their newest whiskey here in the States, Hakushu.  We first enjoyed a tasting of this offering, along with samples of favorites Yamazki and Hibiki.  Chef Gabriel Kreuther prepared an amazing menu to pair with these whiskeys, featuring such treats as foie gras and caviar.

However, for me the best part of the meal was the amazing dessert pictured here.  It may look like a bonsai creation, but down to the roots every part of it was edible.  The leaves were white chocolate, the branches a dark chocolate, and the soil a bitter chocolate.  The brown sweets on the side were gold-flecked macaroons flavored with pistachio and whiskey.  Talk about artisanship!

If this image has you missing Japanese craftsmanship, the London branch of the Japan National Tourist Organization might have the solution for you.  As this press release indicates, the Japan Tourism Agency has proposed giving away 10,000 free flights to Japan next year.  This is part of efforts to revive the domestic  tourism industry, which has taken a huge hit in the wake of March’s earthquake and tsunami.  This initiative is still subject to Japanese government approval, but if it passes hopeful travelers can apply by submitting an essay about why they deserve the free trip.  Start thinking about your pitch today!

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

My latest International Visitor Leadership Program travels bring me to Riverside, California for the first time, host of the recent Sister Cities International conference highlighted here in JetWit.  My group and I are staying in the lovely Mission Inn (referenced in the Sister City write-up), a national historical landmark established in 1876.  Today we took part in a tour of the facility, and I was surprised to find out about its Japan connection!

Founder Frank Miller wanted to create a resort hotel for Riverside, which by the 1890s was the richest city per capita in the country due to its profitable citrus culture (the streets surrounding the inn bear names such as orange, lime and lemon, and can cause confusion if you are not clear about your citrus types!).  Miller was devoted to world peace, and assembled an annual meeting at his property in pursuit of this lofty goal.

He also traveled the world as part of this endeavor, and collected treasures from his various destinations including Japan.  The Buddha pictured here is seated in the Ho-O-kan Room, located inside the Court of the Orient which has an Eastern flair.  Story has it that Miller acquired it after the temple in Japan in which it was housed burned down.  As part of a seven-month world tour in 1934, the Japanese Prince and Princess Kaya paid a visit to this Buddha.  Photographs of this event and others commemorating the inn’s rich history adorn the walls, creating a tangible connection with the past.

On a sillier note, check out this hilarious Onion article from last month about Obama plugging Pretz.

For those want to help out with Japan’s recovery effort and have Japanese language skills, here’s a great way.  Please see below message regarding details of a 6-week volunteer interpreting opportunity in the disaster area, and contact Laura/Jiella directly if you are interested.  For those who want to help but aren’t able to make it over, think about picking up the new Travel Guide to Aid Japan.  It features some fabulous sites in Japan, some of which you might not be aware, written up by an interesting mix of celebrity contributors.  All proceeds from its sales (minus expenses) will be donated to the Japan Red Cross for use toward disaster recovery efforts.

———-

Dear all,

Many of you have heard of the group All Hands Volunteers, an American
NGO that has been working in Ofunato and Rikusentakata in Iwate
Prefecture doing tsunami relief since right after the March 11
disaster.  This is an amazing organization that harnesses the power of
volunteers in disaster response.  For those of you who were on the
USJLP Japan trip this year, you heard about them in my presentation.

Spencer and I were up in Ofunato again last weekend volunteering with
All Hands and we continue to be very impressed – there were over 90
Japanese and international volunteers working together to clear
highway ditches and rice field drainage systems, to clean and retouch
damaged photographs, and to remove damaged materials from homes
devastated by the tsunami.  This organization has made a huge
difference to the people of Ofunato and Rikusentakata, and there were
posters all over town thanking All Hands for their efforts.

All Hands is continuing their project in Tohoku until November 12 and
they are in urgent need of an interpreter for these next 6 weeks of
the project.

Food, lodging and a (small) salary will be provided, and this
interpreter will be heavily involved in the day to day management of
the project, alongside an American Project Director.  The interpreter
needs to speak very good English and Japanese, and will need to
relocate to Ofunato right away for the next 6 weeks.

This is a great opportunity to make a big difference and contribute to
the recovery of Japan.  Please see this link for more information
about the project: http://hands.org/projects/project-tohoku/

Please let me and Jiella Esmat (jiella@hands.org) if you or anyone you
know is interested.  Feel free to pass this around.

Thanks so much for your help,
Laura (USJLP ’11, ’12, and Board Member of All Hands Volunteers)

From: Laura Winthrop Abbot
Date: September 30, 2011 20:43:01 CDT
To: usjlp@listserve.com
Subject: [Usjlp] Interpreter needed urgently: All Hands Volunteers Project Tohoku

Hisashiburi and following the celebration of 秋分の日 (shubun no hi, or Autumnal Equinox Day) this past weekend, welcome to fall!  Commemorating the passing of the season is an editorial from this morning’s NYT, which discusses the 節電 (setsuden, or energy saving) measures the Japanese undertook this summer and their success.

Also, make sure to check out this series of setsuden posters mentioned in the article.  They were created by a community of graphic designers in response to a call to arms on Twitter.  The one pictured here is a spoof on the ubiquitous construction poster and reads, “Please save energy,” and in smaller lettering on the side, “For all of the disaster areas.”

Yesterday’s NYT featured two articles relating to Japan’s financial and political situations.  The first discusses how Moody’s lowered Japan’s credit rating by one step to Aa3, the fourth-highest grade (Standard & Poor’s had brought them down to AA back in January, putting them on par with the U.S.).  The second recounts Vice President Biden’s recent trip to Japan, including a stop-off in of Tohoku.  He served as a source of encouragement to some of the survivors he met in the disaster area.

Biden’s visit came at a time of great political turmoil, as it is forecast that Prime Minister Kan will be stepping down next week.  A partywide ballot to decide a new party leader is expected on Monday, with the new leader being appointed prime minister on Tuesday.  Kan indicated his desire to remain in power until two major bills were approved by Parliament, one related to increasing government bond issuance and the other promoting renewable energy (His other condition was passing a bill on supplemental spending, which happened last month).  It is unclear how this shift in power, the 6th Japanese PM in five years, will affect the country and its recovery, but in a recent poll 75 percent of respondents said they want the next administration to stick to Mr. Kan’s policy of phasing out nuclear power.

Interesting article from today’s NYT about the government’s (mis)handling of the post-Fukushima disaster, specifically not providing information when it was available regarding potential radiation levels.  The public is now not only fearful but outraged, claiming that the government cared more about covering up than about its own citizens.  One notable aspect of the article appeared on the last page, discussing a group lawsuit being carried out by parents in a city called Koriyama by the nuclear plant.  They decided to stop listening to the government and are appealing to force Koriyama to relocate their children to a safer area.

Another highlight of the article that especially hit home for me was comparison of the government’s reaction to the current crisis to its response to a case in Minamata, Kumamoto in the 1950′s.  Because this was my prefecture on JET, I had heard about “Minamata-byo” upon arrival.  This disease is a neurological syndrome that afflicted thousands of people living in the region, caused by mercury poisoning from a nearby chemical factory’s runoff over the course of more than 30 years.  A national scandal emerged when it was revealed that bureaucrats and industry officials had colluded to protect economic growth, and decades later the company finally provided financial compensation to the victims.  Let’s hope this is not a case of history repeating itself.

The official trailer for Naoko Ogigami’s Toilet, screened at Japan Society July 2011.

By Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) for JQ magazine. Stacy is a professional writer/interpreter/translator. She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observation in the periodic series WITLife.

I was able to catch Naoko Ogigami’s Megane (Glasses) when it was shown in March 2009 as part of the ContemporAsian film exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, so I was glad to see her newest film Toilet was being screened at Japan Society’s recent JAPAN CUTS film festival. I appreciated the simplicity and quirkiness of this first feature, but I liked the second one even better for its humor.

Both star Ogigami staple Masako Motai, an actress whose presence always greatly enhances whatever work she is in. Because Toilet is almost entirely in English, it is palatable for those who want to see a foreign movie without dealing with those pesky subtitles. It is supposedly set in the U.S., but it was actually produced in Toronto (Ogigami studied film at USC and in Canada).

Toilet opens with the death of the matriarch of a family of three adult siblings, Ray, Maury and Lisa. The movie’s center is Ray, an emotionless engineer with a fondness for plastic models. A fire in his apartment forces him (toy collection in tow) to move home with Maury and Lisa, who live in the house they grew up in. The audience finds out that shortly before she passed away, their mother went to Japan to bring her mother back with her. Their grandmother Baa-chan doesn’t speak any English and leads a silent existence, despite them all living together. Initially the family member with whom she seems to get along best is the household cat, Sensei.

Ray becomes increasingly concerned with the fact that Baa-chan lets out a huge sigh every time she comes out of the one bathroom the family shares. After learning about Japan’s high-tech toilets from his charismatic co-worker, Ray is convinced that Baa-chan’s sadness stems from the fact that they don’t have a Toto toilet and sets out to remedy this. In one of the movie’s creative comedic touches, the toilet would cost $3000, which is the cost of the toy model that Ray is coveting, as well as how much he has to pay in damages for his co-worker’s car that he crashed. This also happens to be the exact amount of the monetary settlement Ray gets from his apartment fire, so he is left to decide how to spend his windfall.

In addition to witnessing the evolution of Ray’s character, the audience also gets to enjoy the emotional development of his siblings. Pianist Maury has been a hikikomori (recluse) for the past few years since a disastrous recital, but he slowly starts to come out of his shell thanks to his interactions with Baa-chan, as well as the discovery of his mother’s sewing machine when going through her belongings. Lisa starts out with a holier than-thou-attitude toward everyone around her, but rocking out with Baa-chan Guitar Hero-style brings some softness to her character.

The end of the movie brings an unanticipated revelation, causing Ray to rethink the importance of blood ties. You will find yourself rooting for all of these wacky characters, as they strengthen their respective bonds to form their version of what “family” really is.

For upcoming events at Japan Society, visit www.japansociety.org.

It’s been a bit of hisashiburi since I’ve written here, but it’s nice to be back.  Recently our government has seen its share of wrangling regarding the debt ceiling issue, and there has been similar discord among Japan’s political parties regarding the 子ども手当 （こどもてあて, kodomo teate）or child allowance.  Originally one of the DPJ’s key campaign pledges and put into law in April 2010, it granted a uniform 13,000 yen per month to parents with children up to the age of fifteen.  However, it has just been announced that in order to prioritize financial resources for the country’s recovery, it will be eliminated in October when it expires.

Next April, this allowance will be replaced by a version of its predecessor plan under the LDP administration, the 児童手当 （じどうてあて, jidou teate）or student allowance.  For all children from zero up to 3 years of age as well as a 3rd child from ages 3 to 12, a monthly allowance of 15,000 will be received.  For 1st and 2nd children from ages 3 to 12 and for middle school students, an allowance of 10,000 per month will be provided.

The kodomo version had no income cap, but this will be reinstated with the reintroduction of the student allowance next year.  In accordance with LDP desire, it will be distributed to families making up to 9.6 million yen ($121,700).  The largest problem with the revised plan is households that will have an increased financial burden due to the decreased monetary amounts.  Because tax breaks for families with children under the age of 16 are being eliminated in October along with the child allowance, relief measures are being considered.  An Act on Special Measures will determine how coverage during the transition period from October to April will be handled.

First off a huge OMEDETOU to the Japanese women’s soccer team for winning the World Cup over the weekend!  I watched the game with the Japanese delegation I have just begun interpreting for, and needless to say it made our night.  The victory has been a nice boost of encouragement for the country, and is something all of its citizens can take pride in.

The Japan Cuts film festival at Japan Society is going strong in its second and final week, and in my next few entries I hope to discuss some of the great movies I’ve been seeing.  But today I’d like to talk about another interesting film that made its New York premiere when it was screened last week as part of the Nippon Eiga series sponsored by ANA.  It was 悪人 (Akunin) or Villain, and featured the two amazing actors Satoshi Tsumabuki (as the villain) and Eri Fukatsu (as the woman who falls in love with him).  It was directed by Sang-il Lee who also made Hula Girls, another movie that was screened as part of ANA’s series a few years back.

Fukatsu received the Best Actress award at the Montreal World Film Festival last year for playing this role, a worthy performance.  She and Tsumabuki always have great chemistry (I loved them in the 2005 summer drama Slow Dance as a couple you know belong together, but take a while to get there).  Both of their characters in this film are loners who meet via an online dating site, and finally find the love that is missing in their lives.  However, there is a cloud of darkness hanging over their relationship, that being that he has recently killed a young woman.  When he confesses to her what he has done, the lovers go on the lam but we know that they can’t outrun reality forever.

Via flashbacks, we learn what happened the night of the murder.  The perpetrator of this horrific crime is the ostensible villain, but when we learn of his motivation and related characters are introduced, it causes the audience to question who the real villain(s) is/are.  This dark film offers commentary on many issues plaguing contemporary Japanese society, such as isolated youth disconnected from others and only out for themselves.  The movie runs longer than two hours so could stand to be cut a bit, but overall it is worth sticking with until the end as the climax will throw you for a loop.

My friend and I had different interpretations of what this conclusion meant, so the film will definitely leave you with something to think about.  During my last trip to Japan I picked up the book that the movie was based on, and I am eager to start reading to hopefully find answers to these remaining questions.

The 2011 Japan Cuts Film Festival at Japan Society is back and better than ever, with a lineup of 32 films and 33 screenings in total.  Like last year, I decided to volunteer in various roles such as ushering and ticket taking, as that allows you to stick around and enjoy the movies.  The first movie I worked at was Love & Loathing & Lulu & Ayano (名前のない女たち) which was screened this past Friday night.

Director Hisayasu Sato, known as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings of Pink” for his work in ピンク映画 (pinku eiga) or soft-core porn films, incorporated his background into this movie released in Japan last year.  It tells the story of a meek OL who is scouted in Shibuya to work in adult films.  She develops into an alter ego otaku porn star called Lulu, but the deeper she gets the more confusing it becomes for her to keep her two identities separate.  The other name in the title belongs to her co-worker Ayano, a veteran of the industry who becomes an unlikely friend to Lulu and takes her under her wing.

However, the movie of the night that blew me away was the 11 year-old Battle Royale.  This classic features many household names before they became big, such as Tatsuya Fujiwara who is pictured here, star of Parade which was my favorite movie from last year’s festival.  In addition, you can also see young versions of female sensations Chiaki Kuriyama of Kill Bill fame and Kou Shibasaki who has gone onto a thriving television and film career.

The story depicts a 9th grade class that is chosen to participate in a battle to the death on an uninhabited island, orchestrated by their former 7th grader teacher masterfully played by Beat Takeshi.  Each student is given a backpack with supplies and a weapon, and it is kill or be killed.  This mortal game has a three-day time limit, and there can only be one survivor left by this deadline or all students will be blown up by the GPS trackers that have been attached to their necks.

I was worried about whether I could handle the violence of this movie, but I didn’t find it gratuitous at all and they did a great job developing the back stories of the characters.  In addition, the amount of humor lightening the intense mood was a nice surprise.  It was a much more deep and thought-provoking movie than I expected, and it stayed with me for most of the weekend.  The fact that this legendary film has not lost its relevance in over a decade is an indication of its true greatness.

Yesterday’s NYT had an interesting article about Japan’s nuclear policy going forward.  Increasingly local governments are being depended on to determine this, though they believe these are decisions the central government should be making.  Currently the debate is taking place in the rural prefecture of Saga located in Kyushu, where battle lines are drawn between nuclear power plant operators who insist their facilities are safe and wary citizens.  In the middle is Saga governor Yasushi Furukawa who is being looked to for approval or rejection of restarting two of the four reactors at the plant.  After being shut down for routine maintenance, the question is whether they should be turned back on or not.

Out of Japan’s total of 54 reactors 35 are now offline, whether due to earthquake/tsunami damage or maintenance (there is a legal requirement that reactors must be shut down every 13 months for this purpose).  The mayor of the city where the plant is located has already given his approval for restart, and Furukawa is seen to be setting the trend for governors throughout the country.  Many of these leaders face the same decision of whether to restart reactors in their prefectures, so close attention will be paid to the outcome in Saga.

ome of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Almost four months have passed since the earthquake/tsunami hit Japan, and one might think that after this amount of time things have gotten back to some semblance of normal.  That seems to be the case for the most part in Tokyo, where except for limited electricity usage and the omnipresent uncertainty regarding radation levels, it is back to business as usual.  However, for those who lived in the disaster area, it is a different story.  I recently spoke to a close friend over Skype, who told me about her brother who had lived with his family in Tohoku.       

They, like many others from the disaster zone, cannot be cleared to return home due to restrictions on entering areas that exceed a certain level of radiation.  Instead, they have spent the last few months living a transient lifestyle and supporting themselves with aid provided by the government.  They were allowed to stay for three months in in Tokyo’s lovely Asakusa Prince Hotel (though during Golden Week the hotel couldn’t sacrifice the rooms and alternative arrangements were made).  While there, they were able to attend different forms of entertainment such as the circus, music concerts and movies, as well as receive free meals.  They also had unlimited visits to local hospitals for health checks and monitoring of the influence from radiation. 

According to my friend, a good thing that came out of this tragedy is the opportunity to see her brother and his family more.  Normally she would only see them once or twice a year for Obon or Oshougatsu, but now they had the chance to spend much time together.  Also, despite the circumstances, the ability to take in a variety of cultural experiences at no cost was also something to be thankful for.  His family’s next destination is Hokkaido, where a ski lodge has offered to take them in during the off season.  This will again be a three month stay, after which who knows where they will be next sent.

I would like to learn more about how this temporary housing/lifestyle support system is funded.  My friend seemed to think it is carried out in collaboration with local governments, though it is unclear what sort of compensation these facilities are receiving for offering their services.  Are some purely volunteer or are they all getting reimbursed to a certain degree?  I’d be interested in finding out such details, as well as what the long-term plan is, as these services are certainly not sustainable forever.  For now, I’m glad they are providing a safety net for Tohoku citizens who have become involuntary refugees.

ome of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Last week New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman profiled the Harvard University political philosopher Michael J. Sandel.  This professor’s classes were picked up by PBS and made into a television program that has attracted worldwide attention.  Last year, Japan’s NHK TV broadcast a translated version of the series, which sparked a philosophy craze in Japan and prompted the University of Tokyo to create a course based on Sandel’s.

As Friedman details, the PBS series is now available at http://www.justiceharvard.org, and here you can find a thought-provoking discussion of the ethical and global implications of the 2011 Japanese earthquake and nuclear disaster among students in Tokyo, Shanghai, and at Harvard. 

It is interesting to see Japanese students voicing their opinions in a proactive way, and I am curious to see what kind of feedback the university course has received since being introduced.