Jobs: Relocation Consultant and Car Lease Coordinator (Nagoya and Tokyo)
Jobs 
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Via the JETAA Job Listserv:
H&R Consultants K.K. and Relo Japan K.K. are currently looking to fill two positions: Relocation Consultant (Nagoya Office) and Car Lease Coordinator (Tokyo Office), and welcome applications from ex-Jets. If you are interested in applying for either of these positions, please follow the instructions on their webpage: http://www.morethanrelo.com/relocation-consultant.asp
These two companies were founded to provide comprehensive support in Japan for international assignees, their families, and their employers. Applications for the Car Lease Coordinator (Tokyo Office) are due to close on September 6th, and for the Relocation Consultant (Nagoya Office) on September 15th.
Job: Japanese Language Teaching Position (Independence, OR)
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Via the JETAA Portland LinkedIn group:
Central High School in Independence, Oregon is looking for a Japanese teacher. The position is currently listed on the district website. Independence is 20 minutes West of Salem. If you have any questions please e-mail the principal Sylvia Warren as soon as possible at swarren@central.k12.or.us.
Job (Repost): English Language Teacher Needed Now for Private School (Hokkaido)
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Via the JETAA Portland LinkedIn group:
Are you looking for an opportunity to help build an English program from the ground up for elementary school age children?
A new, private school located in Hokkaido will open in September 2011. The school is dedicated to providing a place for young children to experience an international atmosphere. The goal for the English program is to have a well-structured, yet flexible curriculum that isn’t based on conventional textbook teaching. Students will have the opportunity to learn while playing and experiencing activities held in the English-speaking environment.
We are seeking an experienced, creative and dynamic teacher to lead the English program for elementary school age children. Previous teaching experience and a desire to work with young children is a must. Experience in Japan is helpful, but not required. The position will commence in September 2010 or March 2011.
Please send brief history and reason for interest in the position to Courtneyadodson@ gmail.com, by *August 31*.
Job: ALT position in Hokkaido
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**** Position has been filled ****
Via the Hokkaido JETs listserv:
An ALT position has become available in Horokanai-cho and Wassamu-cho. Their ALT has fallen ill and has returned to Australia for treatment, so they are looking to fill this ALT position ASAP. It can be either a full-time or part-time position.
Here are the details:
Starting date: They would like the ALT to start September 6th and stay until the end of the term in December.
Location: Horokanai-cho and Wassamu-cho, both about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes north of Takikawa. Monday and Tuesday will be in Wassamu, and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will be in Horokanai.
Working hours: Full-time is 8:30-4:00, Monday through Friday
Part-time is 4 hours a day, usually Monday through Friday but depends on school’s schedule. They would ideally like the ALT to work full-time and participate in club activities.
Pay: Full-time is 210,000 yen per month, after taxes. Part-time is 2000 yen per hour. A car is necessary for this position. Transportation fees will be covered. Native English speakers are preferred.
Housing: An apartment is available in Horokanai for 20,000 yen a month.
The company hiring is JES Network. Interested applicants can contact them directly via their webpage:
https://shcgi.ftw.jp/master/100611/10061100258/f7245.html
JET ROI: More extensive Kyodo News article on JETAA USA Conference
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Kyodo News has published a more extensive article on the JETAA USA National Conference (“US JET alums rally to save group’s funding from chopping block”) held in New York City August 12-15. Quotes from JETAA NY President Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken, 2000-02) feature prominently and help make the case for the value of JETAA to Japan while building on existing momentum. Such as:
“We now have a unified goal and position, which enables us to send a strong and consistent message to the Japanese government and to our local communities that JET and JETAA are not only worthwhile but essential to U.S.-Japan relations.”
Here’s the link to the full article in The Mainichi Daily: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20100826p2g00m0fe075000c.html
And here’s a scan of the first page of the original Kyodo article which includes a photo of Megan. (The Kyodo version is only available via subscription.)
Click here for more JetWit posts about this topic and related media coverage.
New York Mets Tap JETs for Inaugural Japanese Heritage Night
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Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field, Friday, Aug. 27.
By JQ Magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.
Move over, Matsui.
The New York Mets will hold its first-ever Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field on Friday, Aug. 27 against the Houston Astros, with discounted ticket rates available for all family and friends of the Japanese community.
Pre-game entertainment includes taiko drumming by acclaimed troupe Soh Daiko; a traditional Obon dance led by the Japanese Folk Institute of New York featuring dance participants from the Japanese heritage community and friends; the Spirit Award ceremony honoring those in baseball, the military and community service; and the national anthem sung by Japanese Hispanic American Kurt Sanchez Kanazawa.
Donna Tsufura, cofounder of Japanese Americans and Japanese in America (JAJA) and one of the organizers of Friday’s event, has contacted groups like the JET Alumni Association of New York to recruit volunteers to help publicize, assist with and participate in this special night, including the ancestor-honoring Tanko Bushi dance itself in center field. Tsufura said that this helps to fulfill JETAA NY’s mission to increase the understanding and appreciation of Japan and its people in the U.S.
Read the complete story here.
Notable JET alums: Tim Harms
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Tim Harms (1994-95) is film producer for the indie film The Vicious Kind among other films. Tim was also the line producer for The Harimya Bridge, a film written and directed by fellow JET alum Aaron Woolfolk.
Notable JET Alums: Maynard Plant and Monkey Majik
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Members of Monkey Majik with Deputy Minister Len Edwards
Maynard Plant (Aomori-ken, 1997-2000) is the founder of the well-known Japan-based band Monkey Majik (www.monkeymajik.com), which consists of two Canadian members (Maynard and his brother Blaise) and two Japanese members-tax and DICK.
For more information you can check out their:
- Website: www.monkeymajik.com
- Wikipedia entry (where you’ll learn about the origins of the band as well as how Maynard is fluent in Aomori-ben): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_Majik
- Embassy of Japan in Canada press release: “Goodwill Ambassadors, Monkey Majik, arrive in Ottawa to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Japan-Canada Diplomatic Relations”
Here is their song Change with the Yoshida Brothers (a video all JET alums will appreciate):
Do you know of any notable JET alums? Let us know at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Call for Volunteers: JET Ambassadors for School Visits
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From Mauric Maloney, President of JETAA DC:
We’d like to thank those members who responded to our earlier call for volunteers for the JET Ambassadors Program. This is a second call for volunteers before we begin our orientation and school visits in the fall.
The JET Ambassadors program wishes to establish a network of volunteers who can visit local schools and discuss their experiences in Japan through photos, videos, games, and other props.
The main focus of these presentations will be life at a Japanese school, but they will vary from person to person.
The goal is to begin presentations in the Fall of 2010 and include all interested schools in the JETAADC area, including the Baltimore Region, Annapolis and the Eastern Shore, Richmond and other points South, and even West Virginia. So regardless of your distance from D.C., please respond if you are interested.
Each presenter will receive be reimbursed for his or her time and travel.
If you are interested, please respond to this e-mail with the following information.
Name:
Current Location:
Preferred E-mail address:
Phone:
Years on JET:
Prefecture:
Grade Levels Taught in Japan:
Current Profession:
Access to Metro/Public Transport:
Access to Car:
There will be an orientation on September 14 at the Embassy of Japan. More details will follow. Please respond by Friday August 27 if you are interested. If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
Maurice Maloney
President, JETAADC
president.dc@jetalumni.org
PS – If you know of or work at a school that might be interested in receiving visitors, please let us know with the name of the school, its location, and the best person to contact.
Notable JET Alums: Barefoot Ted
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Thanks to JET alum Sacha Battrick (currently working at CLAIR-Tokyo) for sharing this:
Barefoot Ted (aka Ted McDonald), a JET from 93-96, has established himself as one of the leading proponents of barefoot running. He’s also has a company that makes sandals based on models originally developed by indigenous peoples. He gave a Google talk about barefoot running back in March for the Authors@Google series.
More info about Ted at his blog: www.barefootted.com
Do you know of any notable JET alums? Let us know at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
WIT Life #118：プリクラの進化
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
It’s been a few years since I lived in Japan, but during my various periods in the country purikura played a big part in my life. Purikura stands for “print club” and refers to the sticker pictures often taken with friends that blanket Japan and many malls in the States as well. I must admit I sometimes didn’t fully understand all the purikura functions available and usually let my Japanese friends take charge, but they seem to have advanced even further these days. A special on the news this morning took a look at what current purikura machines have to offer.
Three functions were highlighted as being the most sought after by young women, who are the prime target of purikura. They are big eyes (デカ目 or dekame), skin beautifier (美肌機能 or bihada kinou) and linking to your keitai (携帯との連動性）. The first option of dekame works Read More
JET ROI: Japanese media coverage of the JETAA USA National Conference
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Update 8/25/10: Kyodo has put out an English version of the article. Here are links:
- http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100817a8.html
- http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/us-alumni-call-for-continuation-of-jet-program
Kyodo News Service ran an article in Japanese on the JETAA USA National Conference dated August 16 that was carried by a number of Japanese local newspapers. The article resulted from the JETAA press release issued at the end of the Conference. Below is the list of the papers. Thanks to Noriko Furuhata of the Consulate General of Japan in New York for sharing the information. (BTW, if anyone wants to write up an English summary of the article in the comments section of this post, that would be greatly appreciated.):
- 徳島新聞 Tokushima Shimbun http://www.topics.or.jp/worldNews/worldTopics/2010/08/2010081601000165.html
- 京都新聞 Kyoto Shimbun http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/politics/article/20100816000030
- 千葉トピ Chiba Nippo http://www.chibanippo.co.jp/news/world/entertaiment_kiji.php?i=nesp1281924322
- 山形新聞 Yamagata Shimbun http://yamagata-np.jp/news_core/index_pr.php?kate=Lifestyle_Human_Interest&no=2010081601000165&keyword=%A5%B8%A5%A7%A5%A4%A5%BD%A5%F3
- 新潟日報 Niigata Nippo https://www.niigata-nippo.co.jp/world/lifestyle/2010081601000165.html
- 大分合同新聞 Oita Godo Shimbun http://www.oita-press.co.jp/worldTopics/2010/08/2010081601000165.html
- 山陽新聞 Sanyo Shimbun http://www.sanyo.oni.co.jp/news_k/news/d/2010081601000165/
- 河北新報 Kahoku Shimpo http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2010/08/2010081601000165.htm
- 西日本新聞 Nishi Nippon Shimbun http://www.nishinippon.co.jp/nnp/item/191143
- 山陰中央新報 Sanin Chuo Shinpo http://www.sanin-chuo.co.jp/newspack/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1059682016
- 北國・富山新聞 Hokkoku Toyama Shimbun http://www.hokkoku.co.jp/newspack/09kurasi2010081601000165.html
- 高知新聞 Kochi Shimbun http://203.139.202.230/?&nwSrl=224803&nwVt=npd
- 中日新聞 Chunichi Shimbun http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/article/2010081601000165.html
- 神戸新聞 Kobe Shimbun http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/knews/0003323442.shtml
- 下野新聞 Shimotsuke Shimbun http://www.shimotsuke.co.jp/news/domestic/life/news/20100816/367829
- 岩手日報 Iwate Nippo http://www.iwate-np.co.jp/newspack/cgi-bin/newspack_s.cgi?s_lifestyle_l+CN2010081601000165_1
- 静岡新聞 Shizuoka Shimbun http://www.shizushin.com/news/culture/topix/2010081601000165
- 大阪日々新聞 Osaka Nichinichi Shimbun https://www.nnn.co.jp/dainichi/knews/100816/20100816024.html
- 中国新聞 Chugoku Shimbun http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/News/Sp201008160110.html
- 佐賀新聞 Saga Shimbun http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/global/corenews.0.1706307.article.html
- 熊本日報 Kumamoto Nippo http://kumanichi.com/news/kyodo/life/201008/20100816004.shtml
A few more links to the article that ran in major Japanese publications online:
- http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/america/100816/amr1008161052004-n1.htm
- http://www.47news.jp/CN/201008/CN2010081601000165.html
- http://www.nikkei.com/news/latest/article/g=96958A9C9381959FE3E4E2E3E38DE3E4
- http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/country/article/20100816000030
- http://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp/f24/CN20100816/li2010081601000165.shtml
- http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/article/2010081601000165.html
- http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/s/article/2010081601000165.html
Also, below is a scan of an article in the Tokyo Shimbun that was written by one of their reporters who actually attended the Conference and has quotes from some of the JETAA chapter representatives with whom he spoke:
JET Alumni volunteers needed for New York Mets’ Japanese Heritage Night – Fri, Aug 27
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The organizers of the First Annual Japanese Heritage Night are looking for JETAANY volunteers.
Email Donna Tsufura at thedayako@gmail.com for more details (use “JETAANY” as the subject line).
Volunteers are needed for:
1) Information Tables: setting up and manning two tables with info on Japanese and Japanese Americans
2) Pre-Game performance: coordiinating taiko and bon dance participants
3) Mets Spirit Awards: coodinating Award participants
4) Transportation: JET members w/cars driving Award participants &others to & from Citi Field
5) Partnership outreach: generating ticket donations/ funding / services from companies & individuals
6) Program: assisting with writing & production for printed program
7) Outreach: reaching communities who are not yet aware of Japanese Heritage Night
8) Press/media: assisting with media needs, individual interviews
9) Documenting:video, photo & reporting coverage of the event
A general timetable of events:
SCHEDULE FOR JAPANESE HERITAGE NIGHT
Friday, August 27, 2010
(draft as of 8/23, 2:30pm)- subject to change
4:15 Material for Information tables can be dropped off at Mets office
4:40 Information tables set up
5:40 Performers enter Bullpen Plaza Gate, escorted by Mets staff
6:30 Pre-game entertainment begins (20 min)
Taiko drumming by Soh Daiko “Hachidan Uchi” (10 min piece)
Obon dance “Tanko Bushi” led by Japanese Folk Institute of New York (3 min piece)
dance participants include people from the Japanese heritage community and friends
6:50 Spirit Award Ceremony (5 min)
Awards given to the following communities and received by members of those communities.
Baseball – received by Satoru Tsufura (Nisei ballplayer) and Shuji Kato (JAA baseball league)
Military Service – Kaz Yamagushi (WWII vet) and Lt. Janelle Kuroda (Navy, active duty in Iraq)
Community Service – Suki Terada Ports and Sam Kiyomi Turner (activists, HIV AIDS, Ninth Ward)
In attendance: Ambassador Nishimiya
6:58 National Anthem sung by Kurt Sanchez Kanazawa
7:10 Game starts
5th inning Information Tables broken down
Also, for our pre-game event, JET alumni are invited to dance the Tanko Bushi on the Mets centerfield! It is a simple and fun bon dance honoring one’s ancestors. Here are the online instructions for the dance and an an mp3 of the song for you to practice.
TICKETS: All JET alumni volunteering and/or dancing at Citi Field must have a ticket to the game. The Mets have made available discounted tickets in specific areas of the stadium. I believe your website has a draft of the flyer with outdated information saying that the ticket purchase cutoff was August 5. Please inform your members that discount tickets are now available until Thurs, August 26. Regular tickets can be bought on the day of the game.
JETAA Chapter Beat 8.20.10
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community for another edition of JETAA Chapter Beat.
- 11th English Discussion Forum – Saturday, August 21st, 3:00 at Inner Sunset area of San Francisco. The topic of this month’s forum is the “Atomic Bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
- Noh Theatre Nite – Tuesday, August 24th, 6:00 at the San Francisco Public Library, Paley Conference Room. Learn about Japanese Noh Theatre with the JETAANC Kabuki Club. An informative documentary about Noh will be shown, followed by a short Noh Performance on video entitled, “The Wooden Water Well.”
- New People’s J-Pop Summit Festival Volunteers Needed – The New People J-Pop Center is hosting the J-Pop Summer Festival in Japantown in San Francisco and they are looking for volunteers to help with the many planned events. Get back into the spirit of the summer matsuri and help out.
- Go-Cart Mayhem and Networking Night – Saturday, August 21st, 7:00 to 9:00 at the Houston Grand Prix. Join Texoma JETAA for a night of go-carts, video games, pinball and more. See old friends and meet new ones over pizza and soda.
- Camping in Michigan – Saturday, September 18th thru Sunday September 19th in Van Buren State Park on Lake Michigan. JETAA Chicago is packing the car, setting up the tents and spending the weekend at the lake. Spend Saturday on the beach, followed by a cookout complete with ghost stories and marsh mellows.
- Happy Hour – Friday, August 27th, 6:00 at McCormick and Schmicks. Join the guys at JETAANE for a night of relaxation and fun at this month’s Happy Hour event.
- Aki Matsuri Volunteers Needed! – PNWJETAA is looking for volunteers to help with this year’s Aki Matsuri on September 11th and 12th. Do your part in helping to preserve the JET Program by helping to inform people about JET and your own experiences working and living in Japan.
- Tsukimi no Kai – Saturday, August 21st, 7:00 to 10:00 at the Seattle Japanese Garden. Gaze up at the harvest moon this month for a moonviewing event that includes haiku readings, music, tea ceremony and more.
- Historic Walking Tour: Jewish & Japanese Strathcona – Friday, August 27th, 1:30 to 3:30. The Jewish Museum & Archives of BC are presenting a tour of the histories of both early Jewish and Japanese communities in Vancouver, including the Jewish and Japanese Strathcona landmarks, Oppenheimer Park and more.
- Mokuyokai Hike to Joffre Lakes – Saturday, August 28th, 8:15 A.M to 8:00 P.M. at Joffre Lake. Mokuyokai is heading into the woods for a challenging hike to the emerald green alpine Joffre Lakes. Transportation is included and the trail is a sometimes steep and rocky 11km, so come prepared for a workout.
- Bonsai Class – Saturday, September 25th, 10:00 to 3:30(with a half hour break for lunch) at the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Center. Learn how to develop, transform and care for your bonsai at this informative class.
- Annual JETAA Wales Picnic – Sunday, August 22nd, 1:00 at Bute Park in Cardiff. Get out the picnic basket and get outside with JETAA UK for their annual picnic in Bute Park. Friends and family of JETs are invited, so don’t miss it.
- JETAA Masters Golf 2010 – Sunday, August 22nd, 10:30 at McMenamins Edgefield’s Pub Course in Troutdale. Compete for the Sugoi “Green Jacket” at this years JETAA Portland Masters Tournament. Golfers of all levels are welcome to join and share in this exciting and fun day.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just contact Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
As of late there has been much discussion regarding to what extent English should be incorporated into different aspects of Japanese society. A recent post here talked about the possibility of mandating English in Japanese high schools in 2013, and a Wall Street Journal article from earlier this month entitled “English Gets the Last Word in Japan” highlighted Japanese firms that are conducting their internal business in English. This is an interesting phenomenon that is especially timely in light of the possibility of the JET program being cut.
The high school teacher who wrote the former article says, “Although many of our school’s students acquire the reading and writing skills needed to pass university entrance exams, I have failed to teach them the skills necessary for simple conversation. In the future, these elite students from high-ranking universities will Read More
