Jul 12

JQ Magazine: Film Review — JAPAN CUTS 2017 at Japan Society

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Neko Atsume House, starring Atsushi Ito and an army of kitties, makes its East Coast premiere at Japan Society July 16.
(Neko Atsume House © 2017 Hit-Point:Neko Atsume House Production Committee

By Lyle Sylvander (Yokohama-shi, 2001-02) for JQ magazine. Lyle has completed a master’s program at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and has been writing for the JET Alumni Association of New York since 2004. He is also the goalkeeper for FC Japan, a New York City-based soccer team.
The 11th edition of JAPAN CUTS, the Japan Society of New York’s extensive showcase of new Japanese cinema, premieres tomorrow (July 13) for 11 days of unique programming, special guests, and the chance to see exclusive North American releases. This year’s lineup—29 films in all—demonstrates the wide variety of Japan’s contemporary cinematic space. The programming runs the gamut from documentaries to shoestring independents, old classics and mainstream blockbusters. A handful of films were made available for JQ press screenings; here are some notable selections:

Neko Atsume House (July 16, 12:00 p.m.): Based on a popular smartphone game, this film deals with writer’s block in a most unique way. When the novelist-protagonist Sakumoto-san (Atsushi Ito) finds himself faced with his profession’s most dreaded dilemma, he accepts an assignment to write a series of horror novels—a major step backward for this once-celebrated author. In order to solve his predicament, he adopts the old cliché of secluding himself in a country house for creative inspiration. What follows is a thoroughly unexpected delight of a movie as he makes friends with a multitude of friendly felines with whom he bonds.

At the Terrace (July 16, 6:45 p.m.): Kenji Yamauchi adapts his play for the screen, in what can best be described as a Japanese Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  This dialogue-heavy film finds a group of guests drinking into the night. As the alcohol makes its way through their systems, the characters let down their guard and inhibitions and make confrontational and incriminating accusations against one another. The veneer of civility gradually dissipates until the carnal desires and petty jealousies take over the proceedings. In the process, Yamauchi skewers the pretensions of Japan’s professional and bourgeois class.

Haruneko (July 16, 8:45 p.m.): Dealing with the Japanese fascination with death is first-time director Soro Hakimoto’s Haruneko, a tale set at a forest café where people come to die. In some ways, the setting reminds one of the infamous “suicide forest” at the base of Mt. Fuji, another place for a similar purpose. Unlike that real location, Hakimoto creates an ambience that can only be described as “melancholy mysticism” as the café manager, young boy and an old woman guide their visitors into the deep woods to dissolve into the ether. This film debut serves as a harbinger of great things to come from Hakimoto, who establishes himself as Japan’s answer to the great Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Tropical Malady, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Past Lives).

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Jul 3

JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — Ghibli Fest, JAPAN CUTS, One OK Rock

Article/Journalism, Events, Film, JQ Magazine, Music Comments Off on JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — Ghibli Fest, JAPAN CUTS, One OK Rock

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe–shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.

Before and after the outdoor fireworks, enjoy some summer events in the cool indoors, whether it’s catching one of the dozens of films premiering at Japan Society’s annual festival, or enjoying anything from interpretative theater to the latest rock sensation.

This month’s highlights include:

Courtesy of Lamama.org.jpg

June 30-July 2

In the Box 2: You and Me

The Club (La MaMa), 74A East 4th Street

$20-$100

Celebrated for her captivating work with the Martha Graham Dance Company, dancer/choreographer Miki Orihara premieres the second incarnation of her multi-media work, In the Box (ITB). Directed by theatrical visual-effects specialist Hiroyuki Nishiyama, this new experimental dance-theater piece features performances by Bessie Award winner Orihara with original music by best-selling Sony Music artist Senri Oe.

Following the 2015 Using cutting edge animations and projections from Japan, In the Box 2 (ITB2) juxtaposes three-dimensional sounds and images with the flesh and bones of a dancer and her moving shadow. ITB2 follows the 2015 premiere of ITB which explored the paradox of “Where Technology Meets the Body” inspired by Schrödinger‘s cat (quantum mechanics). ITB 2 picks up where its predecessor left off and opens the book of our lives in a paradoxical nature. “ITB2 explores human nature by mixing the human body with technology,” explains Orihara. “Audiences will experience entirely new sensations!” Using a streamlined technology of sensor system and infrared camera, audiences can enjoy the dancer’s motions and visual expressions through streamlined technology including CG, infrared cameras, and three-dimensional audio.

Courtesy of GKIDS

Wednesday, July 4-5

Ponyo

Village East Cinema, 189 Second Avenue

$15

Part of this year’s Studio Ghibli Fest! Perfect for audiences of all ages, PONYO centers on the friendship between five-year-old Sosuke and a magical goldfish name Ponyo, the young daughter of a sorcerer father and a sea-goddess mother. After a chance encounter, Ponyo yearns to become a human so she can be with Sosuke. Hayao Miyazaki’s tale is a beautiful combination of unbridled imagination, visual wonder and tender love, humor, and devotion from the emotional heart of the film. The July 4 screening will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

ANTI-PORNO © 2016 NIKKATSU

July 13-23

JAPAN CUTS 2017

Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street

Most films $14/$11 seniors and students, $10 members

Now in its 11th year, North America’s largest festival of new Japanese cinema returns to serve up a slice of the best and boldest titles from Japan never before seen in NYC with special guest filmmakers and stars, post-screening Q&As, parties and much more. Boasting a thrilling slate of epic blockbusters, shoestring independents, radical documentaries, mind-bending avant-garde, newly-restored classics, and breathtaking animation, JAPAN CUTS 2017 promises a bounty of cinematic discoveries for film fans and pop culture enthusiasts alike. For a list of this year’s special guests, click here.

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Jun 28

Job: Marketing Coordinator – DISCO International, Inc. (New York, NY, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Marketing Coordinator – DISCO International, Inc. (New York, NY, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Marketing Coordinator
Posted by: DISCO International, Inc.
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the company:

Posting Title:

Jun 27

Job: Study Abroad Advisor – International Education Programs (St. Mary’s City, Maryland, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Study Abroad Advisor – International Education Programs (St. Mary’s City, Maryland, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Study Abroad Advisor
Posted by: International Education Programs at St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Location: St. Mary’s City, Maryland, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a position received directly from Scott Tayloe, Founder and Executive Director at International Education Programs. People interested in the position can contact him for more information at scott@iepabroad.org:

International Education Programs (IEP) is pleased to announce the following employment opportunity:

Job Description

This is a position within the International Education Programs (IEP) office based at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. IEP is a campus-based education abroad services organization. IEP manages and supports campus education abroad programs and international student programming. The Study Abroad Advisor’s main responsibilities are to advise students interested in an education abroad program and to promote education abroad opportunities through campus based events.

Specific Duties

• Advise students on SMCM education abroad opportunities (Exchange, Faculty-Led and third-party affiliates).
• Update and manage program content via website, social media and print pieces.
• Provide pre-departure orientations to outgoing education abroad students each term.
• Manage student applications for all SMCM education abroad programs through campus and IEP CRM systems (Exchange, Faculty-Led and third-party affiliates).
• Perform administrative tasks such as data entry, email correspondence and phone calls, etc.
• Assist in curriculum mapping projects and creation of other advising and marketing tools for the office.
• Other duties as assigned.

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Jun 22

Job: Administrative Assistant – Halcyon (Washington, D.C.)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Administrative Assistant – Halcyon (Washington, D.C.)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Administrative Assistant
Posted by: Halcyon
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contract: Full-Time

Halcyon, a non-profit in Georgetown, currently has openings for a full-time Administrative Assistant to the Founder and CEO.

About Halcyon: Halcyon seeks and celebrates creativity in all forms and galvanizes creative individuals aspiring to promote social good. We bring together diverse groups of changemakers in art and social enterprise and provide a safe haven for their bold ideas to take flight. Halcyon offers an ecosystem of advocacy that encourages socially engaged creatives to learn, freely experiment, sometimes fail, and advance their talents and visions. In doing so, we foster new pathways to knowledge and resources and help innovators transform their inspiration into impact. 

About the Position: Manage all scheduling requests and provide administrative support for the office, personal, and philanthropic endeavors of both the Founder and the CEO. Job requires incredible organizational skills for an ever-changing business calendar and complex schedule. The Administrative Assistant will be engaged in every aspect of day-to-day life, making discretion and confidentiality vital. Superior client relationship management and incredible customer service skills are a must. 

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Jun 22

Job: Grant Writer – Halcyon (Washington, D.C.)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Grant Writer – Halcyon (Washington, D.C.)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Grant Writer
Posted by: Halcyon
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contract: Part-Time

Halcyon, a non-profit in Georgetown, currently has openings for a part-time Grant Writer.

ABOUT HALCYON: Halcyon seeks and celebrates creativity in all forms and galvanizes creative individuals aspiring to promote social good. We bring together diverse groups of changemakers in art and social enterprise and provide a safe haven for their bold ideas to take flight. Halcyon offers an ecosystem of advocacy that encourages socially engaged creatives to learn, freely experiment, sometimes fail, and advance their talents and visions. In doing so, we foster new pathways to knowledge and resources and help innovators transform their inspiration into impact. 

About the Position
Research, write and submit winning funding proposals.

Essential Responsibilities

• Craft funding proposals in a clear and compelling manner
• Assemble and submit grant proposals, including letters, proposals, budgets, and presentations to foundations and other grant‐making organizations, persuasively communicating the organization’s mission and programs to potential funders
• Help establish and steward relationships with foundation contacts and program officers
• Conduct robust prospect research
• Maintain a calendar/spreadsheet to ensure timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposal deadlines, and reports
• Ensure prompt acknowledgment of foundation gifts
• Prioritize projects to keep multiple projects moving in a timely manner, meet deadlines and manage supplemental material required for proposals

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Jun 22

Job: Administrative and Program Assistant – The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Administrative and Program Assistant – The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Administrative and Program Assistant
Posted by: The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the organization:

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, a non-profit that promotes understanding and cooperation between the United States and Asia, seeks a full-time Administrative and Program Assistant for its Washington, D.C. office. The Administrative and Program Assistant will have responsibilities in the following areas:

Office Operations

• Maintain office equipment and supplies
• Manage vendor relationships
• Oversee all aspects of IT systems (including hardware, software, and basic support for Foundation staff)
• Oversee D.C. office finances and serve as liaison with Montana-based financial director

• Update and maintain Foundation website (using WordPress)
• Manage website upgrades
• Use iContact to distribute Foundation e-newsletter, announcements, and invitations
• Update and manage office database

• Provide administrative support for Foundation exchanges and dialogues, including scheduling, logistics, travel arrangements, and program promotion
• Assist President and Vice President with administrative tasks, scheduling, and outreach activities

• Manage recruitment and support of Visiting Fellows
• Recruit and supervise interns
• Serve as D.C. point of contact for Japan’s Friendship Ties Programs 
• Assist with day-to-day operations of Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program

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Jun 14

Job: Individual Giving Associate – Japan Society (New York, NY

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Individual Giving Associate – Japan Society (New York, NY

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: AIndividual Giving Associate
Posted by: Japan Society
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the company, which had very positive experiences hiring former JETs and would like to do the same for future job openings like this one:

INDIVIDUAL GIVING ASSOCIATE

Reporting to the Director of Individual Giving, the Individual Giving Associate provides the administrative backbone for the Individual Giving Department, ensuring the smooth operation of all aspects of Japan Society’s membership and gift programs, including renewals; gift processing and acknowledgement; database management, data entry and recordkeeping; handling of member queries; special events assistance; and research.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Jun 14

Job: Associate Program Officer for the Arts and Cultural Exchange – The Japan Foundation (New York, NY, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Associate Program Officer for the Arts and Cultural Exchange – The Japan Foundation (New York, NY, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Associate Program Officer for the Arts and Cultural Exchange
Posted by: The Japan Foundation
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the company:

Established by the Japanese government in 1972, the Japan Foundation’s mission is to promote international cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and other countries.

The Japan Foundation’s activities consist of three major programs: 1) Arts & Cultural Exchange; 2) Japanese-Language Education Overseas; and 3) Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange.

For more information, please visit our websites at www.jfny.org and www.jpf.go.jp.

Description: The Japan Foundation, New York seeks an Associate Program Officer for the Arts and Cultural Exchange program. This program promotes the introduction of Japanese arts and culture as well as exchanges between Japan and the United States through various fields of arts and culture. This position will report to the Program Director of Arts and Cultural Exchange.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in the implementation of the Japan Foundation’s programs, with a particular focus on, but not limited to, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature.
• Manage the grant programs in Arts and Cultural Exchange by processing applications, maintaining program files and documents, and communicating with prospective applicants and grantees.
• Administer the Performing Arts Japan (PAJ) program by maintaining the application website, overseeing the application and screening process, responding to inquiries, and coordinating awards.
• Liaise with the Japan Foundation’s PAJ Advisory Committee, which consists of distinguished arts professionals from various institutions in the United States.
• Coordinate logistics for in-house meetings as well as public events by planning venues, catering, transportation, audio/visual equipment, materials, etc.
• Create program materials and publications (e.g. newsletters, fliers, and web pages) and assist in the proofreading of English documents.
• Conduct outreach activities and site visits throughout the U.S. as a representative of the Japan Foundation.
• Collaborate and correspond with program staff at the Japan Foundation Tokyo Headquarters.
• Perform other duties and additional responsibilities as directed.

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Jun 14

Job: International Program Coordinator – NorthWest Student Exchange (Seattle, WA, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: International Program Coordinator – NorthWest Student Exchange (Seattle, WA, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: International Program Coordinator – Japan and International Programs
Posted by: NorthWest Student Exchange
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to JET alumna Leah Zoller (Ishikawa-ken) for the following job listing:

Join the NorthWest Student Exchange team in Seattle as International Program Coordinator. As a vital part of the NorthWest Student Exchange team, the International Program Coordinator will coordinate exchange programs of high school exchange students as well as other related duties.Responsibilities include:

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinate programs of Japanese students and students of other countries.
• Work with international partners, U.S. local coordinators, host families and students
• Coordinate program in compliance with CSIET and Department of State regulations
• Maintain excellent communication with local coordinators, students, host families, and partners
• Accurately collect, track, and record required programmatic documents and reports
• Prepare extensive student documentation for annual audit
• Screen students and host families and their applications
• Coordinate “inbound programs” of students to the U.S. as well as “outbound” American students abroad.
• Work with aspects of invoicing procedures for participants and partner organizations
• Work with aspects of the J-1 visa as well as student health insurance
• Collaborate with NWSE team members on team projects, e.g. orientations, presentations, events, outreach, etc.

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Jun 13

JQ Magazine: Book Review — ‘25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit’

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“This year marks Canada’s 150th anniversary, so it’s a wonderful time for families to explore the wonders of the country. You just need the right information to do so, and 25 Places serves as a worthy reference guide.” (TouchWood Editions)

By Rashaad Jorden (Yamagata–ken, 2008-10) for JQ magazine. A former head of the JETAA Philadelphia Sub–Chapter, Rashaad is a graduate of Leeds Beckett University with a master’s degree in responsible tourism management. For more on his life abroad and enthusiasm for taiko drumming, visit his blog at www.gettingpounded.wordpress.com.

Summer is almost here. With the kids out of school, it’s the perfect time to explore new places and travel as a family. But where should you go?

Those thinking about Canada should seek out Jody Robbins’ 25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit for ideas. Robbins, a JET alum (Tottori-ken, 1994-97) and arguably one of Canada’s most prominent travel writers, profiles locations going counterclockwise from Victoria to Yukon, from the famous (Toronto, Vancouver) to the relatively unknown (Parksville-Qualicum Beach, Avalon Peninsula).

As the book is geared towards parents, Robbins devotes plenty of space to sharing advice about how they can entertain their young ones. In addition to expounding on the requisite what to do and see activities for each destination, Robbins just as importantly lists family-friendly options for dining (“Kids will love the wood-fired bambino pizza” at Pizzeria Prima Strada in Victoria) and lodging (a highlight of the Fairmount Chateau Laurier in Ottawa is the Art Deco-style pool, which “children love parading down to in their child-size bathrobes”).

25 Places features a diverse mix of urban and nature-filled destinations (like Outaouauis), so readers will get a great sense of Canada’s varied landscapes, as well as some surprises (beaches on the Prairies? Yes, they exist) and more importantly, how to arrive prepared for them. While it’s obvious that Robbins would include information about how to get around certain places, she excels when extensively detailing how to make your camping trip a safe and wonderful experience: An entire chapter is devoted to providing readers advice about tackling and overcoming the challenges that awaits (as well as tips about what to pack and eat). Camping novices would do well to heed this helpful advice.

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Jun 13

JQ Magazine: Philadelphia LOVEs Japan

Art, Article/Journalism, JQ Magazine, Travel/Tourism Comments Off on JQ Magazine: Philadelphia LOVEs Japan

Stone lantern amidst peonies and azaleas in Shofuso’s roji tea garden. (Therese Stephen)

By Therese Stephen (Iwate-ken, 1996-99) for JQ magazine.

What many people don’t know is that the City of Brotherly Love is in love with Japan, and has been since the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, when the Japanese Pavilion became one of the most popular exhibits of that historic World’s Fair.

When you think of Philadelphia, you probably think of cheesesteaks, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall or the Rocky steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. What you might not realize is that Philly has many ways for Japanese, and the Japanese-at-heart, to get their Japan fix for a lot less than a roundtrip ticket to Tokyo. So, whether you’re planning a quick weekend getaway or day trip this summer, or if you’re a returning Philly JET looking at your hometown with a new post-JET perspective, read on for Philly’s best Japan picks.

Let’s start with those famous Rocky steps. It’s cheesy and we know it, but everyone who visits Philly has to replay that famous Rocky Balboa moment. So once you’ve run to the top of the steps and done your obligatory fists-in-the-air-pose, head on into the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) and find your way to the East Asian Galleries.

One of the most endearing and exciting things about the PMA are its period rooms. While there are plenty of rooms displaying objects on pedestals or paintings on walls, a few steps through a doorway connecting two galleries will suddenly put you in the middle of an Indian temple or the hall of a Chinese palace. Wander a little further and you’ll find Sunkaraku Tea House, the highlight of the Japanese collection in the East Asian Galleries.

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Jun 12

Job: Public Relations Coordinator – The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations (New York, NY, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Public Relations Coordinator – The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations (New York, NY, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Public Relations Coordinator
Posted by: The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job via JETAANY Board Member Mark Flanagan:

The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations is seeking a Public Relations Coordinator.

Jun 12

Job: Staff Reporter (Defense) – The Asahi Shimbun (Washington D.C., USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Staff Reporter (Defense) – The Asahi Shimbun (Washington D.C., USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Staff Reporter (Defense)
Posted by: The Asahi Shimbun
Location: Washington D.C., USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the company:

Salary: $34,800 to $37,200

The Asahi Shimbun is Japan’s leading national daily newspaper. Based in Tokyo, it has a circulation of nearly seven million. Its North American bureaus are located in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred). Background in foreign affairs and American politics is highly desirable.  Interest in East Asia preferred.  Japanese language is preferred.

Description

Duties include assisting our Washington-based correspondents with articles by conducting thorough background research, attending press briefings at the Pentagon and other government agencies, gathering news and views, arranging interviews, and closely following developments in the area of foreign affairs and politics. Some administrative support, such as transcribing interviews and other assignments, is also required.

Some domestic travel may be required. This is a reporting position with no article-writing or byline opportunities. Competitive benefit package includes overtime pay, excellent medical/dental benefits, commuting expenses, and 401(k).  Position will be available immediately.

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Jun 12

Job: Program Manager – Columbia University (New York, NY, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Program Manager – Columbia University (New York, NY, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Program Manager, Center on Japanese Economy and Business
Posted by: Columbia University
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job received directly from the institution:

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