WIT Life #234: Tokyo Rose
Events, Translating/Interpreting, Uncategorized, WIT Life, Writers 
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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 see the play Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose at Asia Society. Prior to seeing the performance I had heard of Tokyo Rose, but was not aware of what the story behind this name was. It was actually created by Allied forces in the South Pacific during WWII to describe English speaking female broadcasters of Japanese propaganda, which was intended to disrupt the morale of the Allied force listeners.
The play’s protagonist is Iva Toguri D’Aquino, a Japanese-American who later married a Filipino. She had the misfortune of going to Japan to take care of a sick relative in 1941, and being stuck there once war broke out. When the Japanese government asked her to renounce her American citizenship and she refused, she was forced to work at Radio Tokyo as an announcer. The program was The Zero Hour, which consisted of propaganda-tinged Read More
WIT Life #233: Live Your Dream
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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.
Handmade bookmark distributed in Taylor’s memory
Last month I had the opportunity to interpret for Mr. Hakubun Shimomura, the current Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT or 文部科学省) during his time in Washington, DC. His schedule included a variety of official visits and meetings, including to a charter school and with various U.S. government agencies, but to me the most personally significant part of working with him was when he addressed the local JETAA chapter (In addition to MEXT, JET is carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC or 総務省), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA or 外務省) and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR or 自治体国際化協会).
Minister Shimomura provided opening remarks at a reception before the screening of a documentary called Live Your Dream, which tells the story of JET Taylor Anderson who lost her life in the tsunami two years ago. Also featured in this film is the other JET who passed away during this natural disaster, Montgomery (Monty) Dickson. Family members of both Read More
WIT Life #232: Gutai at the Guggenheim
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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.
On Saturday I finally had the chance to check out the exhibition Gutai: Splendid Playground (Feb 15-May 8) at the Guggenheim, and it was well worth the wait. Frank Lloyd Wright’s rotunda is filled with Sadamasa Motonaga’s Work (Water), an installation of tubes filled with colored water commissioned by the museum to be recreated for this space.
Gutai (具体) literally means “concreteness” and refers to the way the members of the Kansai-based Gutai Art Association (59 Japanese artists from 1954-1972) sought to directly engage with materials in an experimental way. The group would hold festivals and other events designed to break down the barriers between art, the ordinary public and everyday life.
One interesting aspect of the movement that I wasn’t aware of was its Read More
WIT Life #231: 2020 Olympics in Tokyo?
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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 went to a reception at the Nippon Club hosted by the Honorable Naoki Inose, the Governor of Tokyo. His remarks were proceeded by some from Mr. Shigeyuki Hiroki, Japanese Ambassador and Consul General of Japan in New York, who was also a co-host. Ambassador Hiroki offered his condolences for the recent tragedy in Boston before Read More
WIT Life #230: Spring has sprung! (桜祭り)
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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.
After spending the last week in New Orleans on business, I was happy to come home to lovely spring weather here in NY. The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, not least of all the sakura! Around these parts the 桜祭り (sakura matsuri) at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is famous for celebrating the cherry blossoms and Japanese culture, but over in Queens there is another festival which has grown over the last three years. As you can probably tell from this shot of the 59th Street Bridge shrouded in sakura, I’m referring to Roosevelt Island’s very own 桜祭り.
After getting off the F train or alighting from the tram, a short walk along the East River leads you to the stars of the show, the sakura. Although they weren’t quite at their peak, they were Read More
WIT Life #229: Shaking things up
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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 week the New York Times has had a host of articles about recent economic, business and political decisions in Japan. One that came out today discusses the efforts of Haruhiko Kuroda, the new Bank of Japan governor, to drastically change Japan’s economic policy in order to escape the deflation that has plagued the country for an extended period of time. He will attempt to achieve this by doubling the amount of money in circulation and bringing annual inflation to about 2 percent. However, some experts question whether monetary policy alone can end Japan’s deflation, as the country has other deflationary pressures like an aging/shrinking population and heavy regulations burdening the economy. A certain result from these new policies will be a weakening of the yen, which is a boon for Japanese exporters.
Another article talks about the changes the Japanese Cabinet has proposed in regard to Read More
WIT Life #228: Japan Week!
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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.
Yesterday began the second annual Japan Week here in NYC, a bit of a misnomer as it only goes for the three days of March 19-21. The venue is Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, where you can find 18 booths featuring Japanese food, drink and culture. Last night I was lucky enough to attend a kick-off event at the Japanese ambassador’s residence that highlighted Japan’s unique food culture and traditional arts.
One of the gue
st speakers was Michael Romano, director of culinary development for Union Square Hospitality Group, whose restaurants include Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern. Romano was also instrumental in the creation of Union Square Tokyo in 2007. He spoke of his love affair with Japan which began later in life, but has become a full-fledged passion. Romano espoused his devotion to Japanese knives, and shared how a craftsman in Sakai, a city once known for samurai swords but now famous for its kitchen knives, made him a Read More
WIT Life #227: Sakura season!
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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.
I am down in DC for my latest interpreting assignment, and the whole city seems to be getting ready for its cherry blossom festival due to start in exactly two weeks. Of course nature doesn’t always abide by man’s schedule, and some sakura are already starting to bloom. This makes me wonder whether there will be any blossoms left for the duration of the festival, as last year most were long gone by the end. At any rate, although today’s slushy snow makes it hard to believe, spring is just around the corner. 
I recently returned from my annual pilgrimage to Japan for the Tokyo Marathon (as well as the Kumamoto Marathon again this year!), and over there everyone is gearing up for sakura season. At Starbucks (one of the few places with free Wi-Fi so a frequent stop for me) I enjoyed the Sakura White Chocolate latte, a drink that comes in a cherry blossom adorned cup and is decorated on top with sakura white chocolate shavings. This beautiful creation has a taste that is just the right Read More
WIT Life #226: Rise of the Robots
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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 see my first plays starring both humans and robots, created by the teamwork of two greats minds at Osaka University. One is Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro, a robotic scientist who directs the university’s Intelligent Robotics Library, which strives to create robots that can successfully co-exist with humans. The other is the playwright and director Oriza Hirata, who works as a professor at the University’s Center for the Study of Communication-Design and who founded the Seinendan Theater Company behind these plays. Both were in attendance at this event held at Japan Society, and stayed after to mingle with fans at the post-performance reception.
The first play “Sayonara” (which debuted in 2010) features a female human actress and a anatomically-correct female android (made to look like the person it was modeled after) called Geminoid F. The girl has a terminal illness and Geminoid F has been hired to comfort her by sharing her encyclopedic knowledge of poems. Flash forward to later in the short play when the android has completed this job and is being sent to the affected area of Fukushima. She is told by the man shipping her that Read More
WIT LIfe #225: Tofu Barrel Politics
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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 week Japan’s new prime minister Shinzo Abe announced a $116 billion stimulus package consisting of public-works spending (with an emphasis on Fukushima), investment tax credits and increased spending on education and health care. This is a great departure from the fiscal austerity practiced by the DPJ, but Paul Krugman takes the announcement with a grain of salt, saying “Now, people who know something about Japanese politics warn me not to think of Mr. Abe as a good guy. His foreign policy, they tell me, is very bad, and his support for stimulus may have more to do with old-fashioned pork-barrel (tofu barrel?) politics than with a sophisticated rejection of conventional wisdom.” I love the “tofu barrel” reference, and plan to use it going forward.
There was also an editorial in the Times today on the same subject, praising Abe’s fiscal plan as a start but at the same time stressing the need for structural reforms to accompany it if Japan wants to Read More
WIT Life #224: 明けましておめでとうございます！
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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.
Happy 巳年 (hebi doshi, or year of the snake)! In Japan there are 15.2 million people who were born in the year of the snake, making them either 年男 or 年女 (toshi otoko/onna). Not sure what the numbers are here in the States, but Chinese astrology says that we’re likely to see significant developments in the area of science and technology this year. According to astrology.com, “Research and development are apt to flourish, making 2013 a very special year for scientists and scholars. The snake is a great sign, a positive one, with energy that can help us face all of the challenges ahead of us.” Also, the snake (which has the alternate kanji of 蛇, as shown in the image) is said to be the yin to last year’s dragon (辰, tatsu or 龍, ryu) yang.
Speaking of feminine/masculine elements, two recent articles in the New York Times focus on women’s issues in Japan. The first marks the passing of Beate Gordon, “who almost single-handedly wrote women’s rights into the [Japanese] Constitution.” She was the last living member of the American team that wrote Japan’s postwar constitution, and had served as Read More
WIT Life #223: Return to LDP rule with Abe at the helm
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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.
The parliamentary election in Japan two Sundays ago restored the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or 自民党) to power after three years of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or 民主党) being in charge. LDP leader and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is now the incoming Prime Minister, and current Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda resigned as head of the DPJ. A particular focus will be the new administration’s handling of issues such as relations with China and other Asian nations (in particular the territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands), possible restarting of nuclear power plants and Japan’s energy policy (the LDP favors the nuclear option), and socioeconomic challenges (such as the low birthrate/increasingly aging population and combating deflation).
Abe is known to be a hawkish conservative, and he emphasizes both Japan’s ownership of Read More
WIT Life #222: Japan’s Global Leadership
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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.
Earlier this week I went to a lunchtime 座談会 (zadankai, or round-table talk) at Columbia Business School’s Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB) entitled “Global Leadership Challenges for Japanese Companies.” The discussion was led by Sheena Iyengar, the S.T. Lee Professor of Business at the school and moderated by Hugh Patrick, the Center’s Director. Some of the themes explored during the course of the hour and a half session were how to stimulate entrepreneurship, the issue of global leadership being thought of as equivalent to English ability, and the cultural fear of making mistakes as hindering innovation. There was an interesting characterization of America as being on the promotion side of the spectrum (risk-taking), and Japan falling on Read More
WIT Life #221: MoMA’s Avant-Garde Tokyo
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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 month MoMA introduced an exhibition called Tokyo 1955-1970: A New Avant-Garde, which looks at the creations that emerged from this tumultuous period. It features around 200 works of various media, such as paintings from Yayoi Kusama and photographs from Daido Moriyama, as well as pieces from lesser known artists. They all offer social commentary and many are confrontational, some via explicitly sexual themes such as Tetsumi Kudo’s “Philosophy of Impotence” installation, which occupies a large section of the exhibit.
Another interesting work is Hiroshi Nakamura’s “Circular Train A,” which features uniformed schoolgirls as cyclops, further fetishizing this symbol of sexuality in Japanese society. In this painting and others, the influence on modern manga and anime is undeniable. Fun fact is that Yomiuri Shimbun had served as the sponsor of a Tokyo exhibition of post-war artwork, but withdrew the following year as the content had become too controversial. The exhibition will run through February 25 and various lectures and gallery talks are offered, so make sure to check it out.
In conjunction with this exhibition, a film series called Art Theater Guild and Japanese Underground Cinema: 1960-1986 is taking place. On Friday night I had the honor of Read More
WIT Life #220: Wonderful Single Life/Going My Home
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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.
As I shared in my last post, one of the best parts of being here in Japan is the chance to catch up on dramas when the work day is done. When I’m at home I try to keep up to date on them via the Internet, but it’s just not the same as watching them in prime time. Two of my current favorites are tonight’s ｢ゴーイング・マイ・ホーム」 (Going My Home) and Thursday night’s 「結婚しない」 (Wonderful Single Life; literally Won’t Get Married).
I greatly enjoy the latter as the main character is a 35-year old woman whose single status is a source of both stress and liberation. The supporting roles feature her female contemporaries as well as younger and older friends, all in various work and personal situations. It is an interesting commentary on the lives of women in modern Japanese society, and I am eager to see Read More
