Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as art, film, food and language. Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she offers some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

明けましておめでとうございます！ Here’s hoping everyone is having a good start to 巳年 (hebidoshi or Year of the Snake), which is associated with wisdom, intuition, and transformation (i.e. shedding of one’s old skin). Not sure how many of you made 抱負 (houfu or resolutions), but if you did I wish you good luck in sticking to them and 2025 being your best year yet.

The Golden Globes kicked off the new year’s award ceremonies, and the television show Shogun dominated much like it did at last year’s Emmy’s. There the series swept all major categories to snag a record 18 awards out of 25 nominations, including wins for lead actors Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai and in the best tv drama category. This time Tadanobu Asano was not only nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but clinched the award as well.

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

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Position: Sales Representative
Posted by: Quick USA
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

A Japanese Wholesales Company is currently looking for a full time Sales Representative to join their Denver, CO location.

The company is looking for a person who understands and recognizes the characteristics and strengths of sales and will support the
development of sales strategies that are suitable for sales together with the team.

This position requires both previous sales experience and fluency in both Japanese and English as you will be selling to many sushi restaurants where the owners are Japanese.

DOE and skills, the pay range for this position would be around 65k-90k + performance-based bonus awards. This position also includes benefits such as health insurance, vision, and dental 100% covered for yourself and your family.

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

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Position: ESL Teacher
Posted by: Japanese Educational Institute of New York
Location: Oakland, NJ, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Miyuki Kuranishi for passing along the following job opening.

Description: To teach English to Japanese Students from 1st to 9th grades at Japanese School. The school expects to work in the morning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with 10 to 13 classes weekly.

Application Process: Email your cover letter and resume to Ms. Miyuki Kuranishi at <kuranishi@jeiny.org>.

Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as art, film, food and language. Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she offers some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

We are at the close of another year as time continues to fly. 今年の漢字 (kotoshi no kanji or Kanji of the Year) as chosen by 12,148 out of 221,971 respondents across Japan was 金 (kin or kane, meaning money or gold). This had been the selection in 2021 as well, and last year’s 税 (zei or tax) was also finance related. The explanations provided for this selection were Japan’s 20 gold medals at the Paris Olympics, the LDP slush fund scandal, the rise in prices, issuing of the first new paper currency in 20 years, robberies linked to illegal part-time jobs, and the designation of the Sado gold mine as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 災 (sai or disaster) came in second with 9772 votes, as 2024 was a year that began with 災い (wazawai or calamity). The Noto earthquake struck on the 1st with a death toll exceeding 500, and the following day a runway collision occurred at Haneda Airport between a JAL flight and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft. The Coast Guard plane was scheduled to deliver relief supplies for the earthquake. All JAL passengers survived, but only the Coast Guard captain did.

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

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Position: Sales Representative
Posted by: Sales Representative
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Laura Tanaka (Osaka, 2017-2020) for passing along the following job opening.

The Food Packaging Sales Representative is responsible for identifying and acquiring new business opportunities, maintaining and expanding relationships with existing clients, and driving the sales of food packaging products.

This role requires Japanese bilingual proficiency and familiarity with Japanese food packaging commonly used in convenience stores. The Food Packaging Sales Representative will work closely with clients to understand their needs, provide product solutions, and ensure customer satisfaction throughout the sales process.

Additionally, the role involves supporting order processing, coordinating with internal teams for timely delivery, and regularly reporting sales performance to management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Sales Coordination/Customer Service

• Ensure the credit of all customers, provide price quotations, proposals and credit terms to current and prospective customers by collecting pre-approval from Dept. Manager and Branch Manager.
• Resolve customer complaints or issues in a timely manner, ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.
• Participate in trade shows, exhibitions, and networking events to promote products and expand the customer base.

Sales and Account Management:

• Maintain and grow relationships with existing clients, acting as their primary point of contact.
• Prepare and deliver compelling presentations to prospective clients in both English and Japanese.
• Manage the sales cycle from prospecting to closing deals.
• Self-motivated, with a results-driven attitude and a focus on customer satisfaction.

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

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Position: Educational Programs Coordinator
Posted by: Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Sarah Morris (Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture, 2016-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

Description:
The Japan Information & Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan, is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of Educational Programs Coordinator. The main responsibilities of this position include coordinating and presenting educational programs on Japan and Japanese culture, creating engaging educational content, managing the Embassy of Japan’s involvement in the Embassy Adoption Program, and managing the internship program. Please see below for a more detailed list of responsibilities. 

The Embassy offers group health insurance coverage, paid vacation, and sick leave. Working hours are 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday with weeknight and/or weekend events several times a month (paid overtime). Salary is commensurate with experience. The monthly pay range for this position is USD $3, 500-5,300.

Please note: Successful candidates must be able to provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United States. Screening will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Successful candidates will be requested to submit their background check information.

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

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Position: Office Clerk
Posted by: Quick USA
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

A Japanese Company Food Company located in the Houston, TX area is currently looking for a full time, fully onsite Office Clerk to take care perform clerical duties, assist with record filings/reports and support other departments as needed among other duties.

This position requires business or native level and 1-3 years of previous office-related experience. The mastery of basic level Japanese and/or Chinese (read, write, listen) would be preferred.

Working hours would be from 9-6 from Monday through Friday.

DOE and experience, the pay range for this position would be around the 35k-41k

Your essential duties would be as followed:

• Greets and directs visitors at the front desk. Answers, screens, and forwards incoming calls to the appropriate personnel.
• Operates office machines such as copiers, scanners, PCs, phones, and voice mail system to perform clerical duties
• Updates and maintains business insurance, contracts, registration, and general business license
• Orders for office supplies as requested by departments
• Assists record filings, report/form typing, memo or letter preparations for management.

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

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Position: Overseas Admissions Counselor (Student Recruiter) 
Posted by: Temple University, Japan Campus
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Temple University, Japan Campus for passing along the following job opening.

TUJ moved to its brand-new campus with about 1300 undergraduate students in 2019 and grew to a vibrant campus with 2500 students by 2024. TUJ seeks a motivated and outgoing admissions counselor for its overseas markets worldwide to support university recruiting and advising prospective students. The Admissions Counselor will assist TUJ in meeting enrollment goals that focus on continuing current growth and achieving a qualified and diverse student population. This position will be primarily responsible for recruiting in Asia and the U.S., but may include other regions. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, student recruiting, and sales and/or marketing experience. Previous experience in the education sector is preferred. Some weekend and evening work and significant international travel will be required.

Primary Responsibilities
-Serve as the primary point of contact for prospective students and applicants
-Represent TUJ to the public and its vision to prospective students, parents, school counselors, Japanese language teachers, academic institutions, and other entities
-Make recruiting trip plans and execute them, by visiting high schools and community colleges, attending school/college fairs, recruiting conferences, and other relevant events
-Spend extensive time overseas on recruiting trips
-Prepare and give presentations about TUJ, and studying and living in Japan

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

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Position: Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Financial Manager
Posted by: YKK Corporation of America
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Jessica Cork (Hiroshima, 1997-2000) for passing along the following job opening.

About YKK Corporation
At the YKK Group, we believe in the “Cycle of Goodness” – the idea that “no one prospers without rendering benefit to others:” We’re committed to creating value for our customers, employees, and society in all that we do.

Job Summary
Ykk Corporation of America is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Financial Manager. This role is crucial for ensuring the integrity and efficiency of our financial operations, compliance with regulatory requirements, and effective risk management. The ideal candidate will be fluent in Japanese and possess strong project management and intercompany communication skills. This position requires a proactive individual who can hold team members accountable and collaborate effectively with global cross-functional teams.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for GRC financial management and performance in the Americas Region including but not limited to accounting, tax, finance, treasury, and other related financial activities.
• Serve as the main point of contact between YKK Corporation of America and YKK Corporation of Japan Group Finance, Tax, Consolidations and other financial departments.
• Collaborate closely with the CFO and stakeholders to provide guidance and improvement on compliance matters including regulatory changes and best practices.

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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. 

With Thanksgiving (and the hopes of sensible eating) now just a memory, we turn to colder weather, falling snow, and the new year to come. Fortunately for Japanese culture fans, December is just as busy as the holiday season itself. Whether you’re hosting guests from out of town or looking to squeeze in an event or two in between parties, we’ve got you covered. 

This month’s highlights include:

Dec. 7-11

My Neighbor Totoro

Various theaters

Various prices

From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family. When Satsuki and her sister Mei move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find country life is not as simple as it seems. They soon discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Cat Bus, in this all-ages animated masterpiece featuring the voices of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning, in early roles.

Dec. 11, 15

BABYMETAL Legend–43 the Movie

Various theaters

Various prices

Anime Expo Cinema Nights Presents a special concert film of the band BABYMETAL with their worldwide tour Legend-43. In April 2023, SU-METAL (Vocal, Dance), MOAMETAL (Scream, Dance), and MOMOMETAL (Scream, Dance) entered a new stage as the newly born BABYMETAL. Since then, they have embarked on their largest world tour, “BABYMETAL WORLD TOUR 2023 – 2024,” which took them to 25 countries, including Japan. The headline tour, excluding festivals and guest acts, drew a cumulative audience of more than 280,000 people for a total of 98 performances. The final chapter of the world tour, the first Okinawa performance “TOUR FINAL IN JAPAN LEGEND – 43”, has been fully filmed. The film is BABYMETAL’s first live film that allows viewers to experience all of the diverse music, unique worldview, production that only a tour final can offer, and the overwhelming performance of BABYMETAL, which has evolved even further during their world tour.

Thursday, Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m.

A Diary of Chuji’s Travels

Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street

$22-$31

One of the great masterworks of Japanese silent cinema, Daisuke Ito’s A Diary of Chuji’s Travels exists in incomplete form—a triptych missing its first segment with remnants of its second and third parts—yet stands out as a seminal jidaigeki (period drama), voted the greatest Japanese film of all time in a 1959 Kinema Junpo poll. Starring Ito’s frequent collaborator Denjiro Okochi, another great star of the silent era known for his portrayal of Tange Sazen, A Diary of Chuji’s Travels recounts the exploits of Chuji Kunisada (Okochi), the outlaw bakuto (gambler)—a real-life proto-yakuza figure who took on a romanticized Robin Hood reputation. A fragmented version of its once four-hour long runtime, A Diary of Chuji’s Travels is a kinetic dispersal of rapid-cut swordplay sequences, fluid camerawork (Ito was nicknamed Ido daisuki, a pun on his name meaning “big fan of camera movement”), expressionist techniques and political commentary—an embodiment of the modernized period drama that both Ito, “the father of jidaigeki,” and Okochi helped pioneer. Followed by a private gathering for artists and members. A pre-performance lecture on benshi begins before the screening at 6:30 p.m.

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

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Position: Manager of Citizen Diplomacy Programs
Posted by: WorldBoston
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to WorldBoston for passing along the following job opening.

WorldBoston is hiring a Manager of Citizen Diplomacy Programs! This is an outstanding opportunity for a professional seeking to grow a career in citizen diplomacy and nonprofit management with an international focus.

WorldBoston has implemented local public diplomacy initiatives since 1961. Today, we continue to facilitate international exchanges such as the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program and Fulbright Visiting Scholars Cultural Enrichment Program, as well as Custom Visitor Programs. This year, WorldBoston has hosted over 800 international visitors, orchestrating visits with professional peers throughout Eastern Massachusetts, along with logistics and cultural programming. WorldBoston is known for finding excellent and relevant interlocutors across a broad range of subjects. We are equally well-known for high standards in management and logistics, allowing Boston to rank consistently as one of the Top 3 cities in the U.S. in these types of programs.

The Position

The Manager oversees many aspects of WorldBoston citizen diplomacy programs, particularly in sourcing and driving WorldBoston’s portfolio of Custom Visitor Programs. This role is a project management role including creating and tracking proposals, programming visits, interfacing with visitors, and national programming partners in Washington, D.C. Additionally, the Manager coaches student staff who assist with these tasks. Reporting to the Vice President for Citizen Diplomacy, the Manager is a member of the management team and works to advance the overall mission of WorldBoston, often representing the organization in the community and with national partners.

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

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Position: Senior Placements Manager, Grant Programs
Posted by: Cultural Vistas
Location: Hybrid, Washington, DC, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Rachel Reed (Akita-ken, 2010-2013) for passing along the following job opening.

The Senior Placements Manager, Grant Programs will serve as the lead relationship manager with partner host organizations for Cultural Vistas placement programs. They will strategize, develop, and oversee placement services, working with program teams to procure relevant placement positions and promote professional development within Cultural Vistas exchange programs.

Who You Are:

To be successful in this job, you will excel in client relations, communications, and operations management. The ideal candidate will have multiple strategies and ideas for developing processes for client relationship management and external stakeholder outreach.

What You’ll Do:

Your job will be to lead placement services, supervise staff working on placements, collaborate with Cultural Vistas program teams to help identify the best opportunities based on program design and participant needs and to build strong relationships with host organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

At any given time, you will be responsible for creating strategies for, and directing, industry research and outreach, developing communication strategies for stakeholder engagement, and developing processes for regular and streamlined engagement with host organizations. You will report to the Director of Fellowship & Internship Programs. This role can be performed remotely or hybrid if based in the Washington, D.C. Area.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://jobs.keldair.com/culturalvistas/jobs/86653/senior-placements-manager-grant-programs

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

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Position: Business Division Manager
Posted by: Medical Excellence JAPAN
Location: Nihombashi, Tokyo, Japan
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Anne Smith (Akita, 2008) for passing along the following job opening.

Medical Excellence JAPAN (以下MEJ) は、日本の成長戦略の柱の一つ、健康・医療の国際展開の推進という政府の方針のもとに、これを実践する中核的な組織として設立された一般社団法人です。
日本の優れた医療技術、医療機器、人材育成、その他の医療サービス等の国際展開を支援するための「官民連携プラットフォーム」として、政府、医療界、医学会をはじめとする各アカデミー、医療産業界等との相互協力のもと様々な活動を推進しています。
特に事業部では、国内企業の海外事業展開支援（アウトバウンド）及び海外から日本への医療渡航促進（インバウンド）に関し、政府や関係機関との連携のもと新たな国際連携プロジェクトの創出を軸に、グローバルに活動を推進しています。

募集ポジション
事業部　マネージャー

主な職責
 日本の医療国際展開のための事業戦略立案（主な対象国：ベトナム、インド、タイ、インドネシア、台湾、アフリカ）
 事業戦略に基づく具体的プロジェクトの推進・報告書作成
 対象国のステークホルダー（政府、関係機関、医療機関等）との関係構築
 日本企業の海外事業展開支援のためのビジネスマッチングや伴走支援
 日本への医療渡航促進に向けた戦略立案と具体的プロジェクトの遂行
 日本の医療の強みを発信するプロモーション戦略立案・実施
 チームマネジメント・メンバーサポート

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

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Position: Program Manager
Posted by: National Association of Japan-America Societies
Location: Hybrid, Washington, D.C., USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to the National Association of Japan-America Societies for passing along the following job opening.

The National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS) seeks a Program Manager to facilitate the production of existing grant programs, join staff in developing concepts and funding partners for new series, coordinate a national conference of U.S.-Japan-related organizations, and help serve approximately 40 member Japan-America societies located across 26 states and a Canadian province. The position entails varied work in grant performance management, and member relationship management.

This is an exciting opportunity for an energetic initiative-taker seeking to foster positive U.S.-Japan relations through grassroots activities and to collaborate with professionals and volunteers enthusiastic about our mission to build cross-cultural understanding. We seek initiative-takers with a few years of related experience capable of operating independently, applying their creativity and specialized knowledge, and delivering exceptionally managed results.

This position is full-time with a preference for basing in the greater Washington DC area where NAJAS’ office is located, with allowance for remote work. Exceptional candidates may be considered for fully remote basing outside of the region. Pay is competitive, based on experience, and indicated by the salary range below. Final salary will also reflect the cost of living in the area where the employee resides, should a fully remote option be exercised.

Application Process: Please view the complete job description at the NAJAS website, with roles & responsibilities and instructions on how to apply – https://us-japan.org/employment

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

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Position: Japanese Immersion Teacher
Posted by: Fox Mill Elementary School
Location: Herndon, VA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Fox Mill Elementary School for passing along the following job opening.

Fox Mill Elementary School is seeking a passionate and qualified Japanese Immersion Teacher to join our dynamic team and contribute to the success of our well-established Japanese Immersion Program. Fox Mill Elementary is proud to foster bilingualism, biliteracy, and multicultural understanding among our diverse student population. The Japanese Immersion Teacher will instruct students in mathematics, science, health, and Japanese language arts using Japanese as the medium of instruction 90% of the time, per Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and state guidelines. This role requires collaboration with colleagues and a commitment to creating an engaging and inclusive learning environment.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here –  https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?partnerid=25103&siteid=5019&PageType=JobDetails&jobid=1478941#jobDetails=1478941_5019