JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She is now a freelance writer and digital strategist in New York and relishes her constant hunt for the best cheap(ish) eats in the city.
Adventure writer Elizabeth White (Toyama-ken, 1995-98) visited a most amazing vineyard this weekend. Check out her wonderful post here – you can practically taste every sip. Also be sure to scroll down for some delicious-looking recipes with a lot of San Luis Obispo flavor.
Writer Kelly Luce (Kawasaki, 2002-03) checks in with a cute anecdote about her experience at Fishtrap writing workshops.
If only we were in Japan to share this very special Pringles flavor with JET alum Lars Martinson…
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (September 2009)
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The September 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- The Hazards of Nama
- Did You Know? The Toji
- Guided Sakagura Tours
- NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
- Sake Events
- Learn More About Sake eBooks
- Odds-n-Ends
JETAA Northern California 2009 Career and Networking Forum – Sept 27
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JETAA Northern California and the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco present:
The 2009 Career & Networking Forum
Sunday, September 27, 2009 – 1:00-5:00 p.m. – Kabuki Hotel
The Career & Networking Forum (CNF) co-sponsored by the JET Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) and the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2009 at the Kabuki Hotel (www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/sanfrancisco/kabuki) at 1650 Post Street in San Francisco from 1:00-5:00 pm (registration begins at 12:30).
The event will include industry-related breakout sessions and a keynote address, as well as a networking session where attendees can meet representatives from various organizations, and discuss resumes and job hunting techniques with alumni. This event is FREE for all JET Alumni and $10 for Friends of JET (FOJ).
For all veteran alumni this is a great opportunity for you make some career contacts, catch up with old friends, and help recently-returned JETs. Through the industry-related breakout sessions, we are providing an opportunity for older alumni to help mentor newly returned JETs and JETs looking to transition into another career.
Following CNF the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, Yasumasa Nagamine will be hosting a reception for recently-returned JETs at the Kabuki Hotel. We would like to invite all JET Alumni attending CNF to this reception to help welcome back JET participants.
Please RSVP through the CNF registration link, also found below.
Tentative Schedule of Events:
- 12:30-1:00: Registration
- 1:00-1:10: Opening remarks
- 1:10-1:40: Keynote
- 1:40-2:45: Breakout sessions by industry
- 2:45-3:00: Break
- 3:00-5:00: Networking Session
- 5:00-7:00: Welcome Back Reception
>> Keynote Address: Timothy Morey, (CIR, Aomori City 1996 – 99) UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA, Senior Business Architect at Wipro Technologies. Focusing on the tools that can help you take action to realize your career aspirations.
>> Breakout sessions by industry
Hear from alumni who been there and done that. Get your questions answered from alumni who have all landed new jobs in a variety of fields.
>> Networking Session
What is the power of networking? Find out at this two hour-long session where you will have the opportunity to meet with Bay Area companies and organizations, and fellow alumni engaged in a variety of fields. Alumni will also be available to review your resume and help you showcase yourself and the skills you honed during your years on JET. You will not want to miss this opportunity to get a jump start on your career search!
**Be sure to bring an UPDATED resume and business cards (if you have them).
**Professional attire is required.
If you are interested in attending please register online by Monday, September 21, 2009. Space is limited so register now!
CNF Registration Link: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dG9BSHhvRkpFSXZwbkJJeGc0Sm1DQ2c6MA.
***If your company or organization is interested in hosting a table during the Networking Session please contact cnf@jetaanc.org for more information***
Internship with JET alum Michael Auslin at American Enterprise Institute
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Hot of the JETAA DC yahoogroup, a really great JET-appropriate opportunity for JET alum academic and international relations types. FYI, JET alum Michael Auslin is a professor of Japanese history and politics and currently the Director of Japanese Studies for the American Enterprise Institute in D.C. See past JetWit posts about Michael Auslin here.
Japanese Studies:
An intern in this department will work under Resident Scholar Michael Auslin, head of AEI’s Japan Studies Program. Dr. Auslin is currently focusing on Japanese strategic thinking and security doctrine, as well as Asian maritime security issues.
Tasks include: researching, in Japanese and English, topics in Japan’s national security, maritime security issues, and Asia’s strategic security environment. The intern will also conduct research in support of publications and assist in the organization of AEI conferences and panel discussions. The ideal candidate for this position will have an interest in Japanese and Asian security affairs and reading ability in Japanese language.
All applications must be submitted online at www.aei.org/internships.
All applications must include a cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, and short writing sample.
AEI internships are available to advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates. A minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale is required. However, most successful candidates have at least a 3.5 GPA.
This internship is one of fifty offered by the American Enterprise Institute every semester. AEI’s internship program has repeatedly been named one of the top 100 internships in the nation. The work assigned to interns is highly substantive, consisting largely of academic research, conference attendance, and various other tasks in support of their particular department. Additionally, AEI internships offer a wealth of academically enriching opportunities, including access to our conferences and events; a series of policy lectures and career talks available exclusively to interns; and frequent intern happenings, informal gatherings providing the chance to interact with AEI’s prestigious staff.
If you have any questions, please contact Leslie.Forgach@ aei.org
Roland Kelts reviews “Tears in the Darkness” for BOOKFORUM
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Just found out that Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a review of “Tears in the Darkness,” a capacious, brilliantly narrated account of the Bataan Death March in World War II, featuring interviews with Japanese, American and Filipino veterans/survivors — in this month’s issue of BOOKFORUM. Inhumanity, with novelistic intimacy…
Read the review here: http://www.bookforum.com/inprint/016_03/4339
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This just in from Feiler, Bruce (Tottori-ken, 1989-90), author of the original JET book Learning to Bow as well as a number of other best sellers such as Walking the Bible, Abraham, and Where God Was Born:
| A Note From Bruce Feiler
On October 6th, my new book America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story arrives in bookstores. It describes a year I traveled through American history, from the pilgrims to the founding fathers, Cecil B. DeMille‘s garage to the Oval Office, looking at Moses’s influence on the American story. You can read more about the book here. I’ve also completely redesigned www.brucefeiler.com. It contains some cool new videos, a list of the cities I’m visiting this fall, a blog, including a new series “This Week in Moses,” and, of course, a way to email me directly. I’ve also set up a Facebook page, and I hope you’ll friend me there. Plus, you can follow me on Twitter. I hope you enjoy the book, and thanks for your continued support. Please let me know what you think. Yours, |
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Event: Storyboards and Picture Book Dumies for Good Bookmaking (Tokyo)
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Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who also serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, shared the following:
Storyboards and Picture Book Dummies for Good Bookmaking
with Author/Illustrator Naomi Kojima
Time: Saturday, September 12, 2009, 9:45-11:45 a.m.
Place: Tokyo Women’s Plaza, Conference Room 1
5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (by the Children’s Castle and United Nations University)
For a map see www.scbwi.jp/ map.htm
Fee: SCBWI members 1,000 yen; nonmembers 1,500 yen
Reservations Required: Contact info@scbwi.jp by Sept. 10 to reserve your space
Materials to bring: pencils, scissors, tape or glue
This event will be in English and Japanese.
Putting together the storyboard and book dummy is a necessary process and the foundation for good bookmaking. It enables illustrators and authors to see their work more clearly, and to find clues for editing and arranging text and illustration. In this hands-on workshop we will take a pre-selected story and turn it into a 32-page picture book dummy. A preliminary talk will address the basics for preparing storyboards and book dummies: dividing text for placement on pages, creating visual flow and pacing of text and pictures, as well as basic layout and design. But the primary focus of the workshop will be on the actual making of the dummy. Illustration skills are not necessary; both writers and illustrators are welcome. Story text and paper will be provided.
Naomi Kojima is an author and illustrator of picture books. Born in Japan, she spent her childhood years in the U.S. and studied sculpture at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Kojima’s first two picture books, Mr. and Mrs. Thief and The Flying Grandmother were published in New York soon after she joined a Massachusetts SCBWI chapter. Since then, her books have been published in the U.S. and Japan, and translated into French, Swedish, and Indonesian. Her picture books include The Alphabet Picture Book (Kaisei-sha) and Singing Shijimi Clams (Kane Miller).
BAPCPA Man #6 – Unemployment, median income and the means test
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BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
(Click here to see larger version of the cartoon.)
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Miyazaki, Horibuchi and the virtues of change
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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20090828TDY13003.htm
Related JetWit Posts:
- Roland Kelts interview with Hayao Miyazaki
- Transcript of Roland Kelts full interview with Hayao Miyazaki (via GhibliWorld)
Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) backstage with Hayao Miyazaki at Berkeley event
Roland Kelts article in Adbusters: “Japanese Simplicity”
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Check out the latest article by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, in AdBusters magazine, titled “Japanese Simplicity: The only way to leave a smaller footprint would be to die.”
Also stay tuned for Roland’s forthcoming novel titled “Access.”
Japan Times review of Chin Music Press book “Oh!” by Jeff Kingston
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The Japan Times has a nice review of the novel Oh! A mystery of ‘mono no aware’ by Todd Shimoda, and published by JET alum Bruce Rutledge’s Seattle-based publishing company Chin Music Press.
The review describes “an emotionally numb and alienated technical writer” who “suddenly decides to bolt Los Angeles and visit Japan, his ancestral home.” The main character subsequently stumbles into an exploration of teenage suicide clubs as well as “mono no aware” (the pathos of things), one of those Japanese emotional concepts that tend to baffle us gaijin.
Go here for more information about Oh!: http://www.ohthenovel.com
Go here for more information about Bruce Rutledge and Chin Music Press: http://chinmusicpress.com
Academia: JET alum Christopher Hood heads Japanese Studies Centre at Cardiff University
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Thanks to Dr. Andrew Staples (Fukuoka-ken, 1996-99) (whom we learned about thanks to Eleanor Robinson (CIR Aomori-ken, 1999-2002)), JetWit has learned of another JET alum in the world of academia:
Dr. Christopher P. Hood (Aichi-ken, 1993-94) is the Director of the Cardiff Japanese Studies Centre at with is part of the Cardiff Business School at Cardiff University in the U.K.
Chris’ website does a good job of describing his background and career path as well as listing his books and other publications. Hopefully it serves as a guide and perhaps inspiration for other JET alums as well:
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Having become interested in Japan while I was at Concord College, I went on to study Japanese Studies and Business Studies at the School of East Asian Studies (University of Sheffield). Then, after a year on the JET Programme, I returned to Sheffield to do a PhD. Since August 2000, I have been a lecturer at and the Director of the Cardiff Japanese Studies Centre, part of the Cardiff Business School at Cardiff University. I am also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House.
I have also been working on a number of other projects over the past few years. For example, I was the editor of The Politics of Modern Japan, a 4 volume collection of articles on Japanese politics, published in 2008. I was also co-editor, with Prof. G. Bownas and D. Powers, of Doing Business with the Japanese, published in 2003.
My research interests relating to Japan are broad, however the central themes are relating to identity and symbolism. My doctoral research and first book, Japanese Education Reform: Nakasone’s Legacy, were on education reforms in Japan and the influence of Prime Minister Nakasone.
My next project was on the shinkansen (‘bullet train’), looking at the ways in which it both reflects aspects of Japanese society and the ways in which it has influenced Japanese society. This book, Shinkansen – From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, was published originally in 2006, with a paperback version published in 2007.
I am currently writing a book about the Japan Airlines flight JL123 crash in 1985. Although the book, Dealing with Disaster in Japan: Japanese and Global Responses to the Flight JL123 Crash, due to be published in 2011, will discuss the reasons for the crash, it will primarily be looking at what can be learnt about Japanese, and to some extent global, society by looking at what happened following the crash.
After this I am planning a book which will bring together my research to date as well as including some new material based on further fieldwork which has been ongoing for the past couple of years. This book will be looking at identity within Japan using several topics (education, attitudes to city mergers, attitudes to natural and man-made disasters, and attitudes to the development of the shinkansen network) as case studies.
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To learn more about Chris and his publications, go to the following links:
- Chris’ website: http://www.hood-online.co.uk/index.php
- Chris’ books and other publications: http://www.hood-online.co.uk/publications/
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You may have read recently about Eleanor Robinson (CIR Aomori-ken, 1999-2002) and her work with the new Doshisha Global MBA Program which begins in September. Thanks to Eleanor, we’ve also learned about another JET alum, Dr. Andrew Staples (Fukuoka-ken, 1996-99), who is a Special Visiting Professor at Doshisha Business School with a number of published writings that should be of interest to the JET alumni community.
Here’s more about Andrew and his career path so far:
JetWit: We understand your work has been published. Can you tell us what and where?
Andrew: I’ve published a few times with Palgrave in the Asian Business Series including the chapter in the new textbook (we are in the process of making PowerPoint slides to accompany the book, which has been selling well), a chapter in an edited volume titled Emerging Multiplicity, and my own single authored text published last year, Responses to Regionalism, which was based on my PhD thesis.
Publications by Andrew Staples:
- Asian Business and Management: Theory, Practice and Perspectives (see chapter 4)
- Responses to Regionalism in East Asia – Chapter titled “Japanese Production Networks in the Automotive Sector”
- Emerging Multiplicity – Integration and Responsiveness in Asian Business Development
JetWit: What was your path from JET to academics?
A: I was an ALT for two years in a senior high in Fukuoka prefecture before becoming the ALT prefectural coordinator in Fukuoka City for the final year. After JET I enrolled at the School of East Asian Studies (SEAS), University of Sheffield, U.K. to study for an MSc in East Asian Business (1999-2000). I funded this, by the way, with my pension and tax refund and a bit of university English teaching here and there, which is something other JETs could consider doing. Read More
Bankruptcy Bill #19 – Law Firm Raids
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BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
(Click here to see larger version of the cartoon.)
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
BAPCPA Man #5 – 341 Meeting of Creditors
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BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
(Click here to see larger version of the cartoon.)
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
