Jun 18

WIT Life #386: 25 Cats from Qatar & Nippon Steel success

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Jun 16

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


Position: Volunteer Writer
Posted by:
JETwit
Location: Remote
Contract: Part-Time

Thanks to JETwit for passing along the following job opening.

Project: In March-April 2025 JETwit ran a survey inviting JET alumni to share how changes in US government employment and funding were impacting them. JETwit is looking for a volunteer writer to review the data collected and write an article based on this information discussing how the JET community has been affected and how alumni are navigating this new landscape.

Apply: Email Steven Horowitz at stevenwaseda@gmail.com if you are interested in writing this article.


Jun 3

Job: Program Manager – U.S.-Japan Council (Washington, D.C. or Remote)

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


Position: Program Manager
Posted by:
U.S.-Japan Council
Location: Washington, D.C., USA (hybrid) or Remote (U.S.-based)
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to the U.S.-Japan Council for passing along the following job opening.

Position Overview:
The Program Manager will play a critical role in designing, implementing, and managing high-impact programs that advance USJC’s mission and strengthen U.S.-Japan global partnership. Responsibilities include leading the planning and execution of key events, convenings, and leadership initiatives—working closely with internal teams, external partners, and a diverse network of stakeholders. Topical areas of work include bilateral issues, leadership development, social impact work, and more.

Key Responsibilities:
– Design, lead, and execute USJC’s signature programs and convenings—both in-person and virtual—including conferences, leadership delegations, and partnership programs and events.
– Develop and manage program timelines, budgets, speaker outreach, promotion, participant engagement, and logistics.
– Coordinate across departments to ensure program alignment and visibility.
– Serve as the primary liaison with vendors, venues, and collaborators for assigned programs and convenings.

sparrosd@gmail.com
Jun 2

Job: Bilingual Outside Sales Representative – Quick USA (Gardena, CA, USA)

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


Position: Bilingual Outside Sales Representative
Posted by:
Quick USA
Location: Gardena, CA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

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

A Japanese Distribution company is looking for a full time, fully onsite Japanese Bilingual Outside Sales Representative to join their Gardena, CA location.

As a Sales Representative you would need to meet new sales goals, develop new customer relations,
deliver company goods, and handle other assigned tasks.

Although this position requires Japanese, candidates with an intermediate level are also encouraged to apply if they are interested in applying for this position.

DOE and skills the pay range for this position would be between the 60k-66k mark. This position also includes benefits such as fully covered employee insurance

sparrosd@gmail.com
May 31

Job: Associate, Political Affairs Section – Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA)

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


Position: Associate, Political Affairs Section
Posted by:
Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Magda Fuller (Ishikawa, 2015-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

The Consulate-General of Japan is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of Associate, Political Affairs Section. Please see job posting for details.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please visit – https://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/files/100850244.pdf


May 29

Job: Media Researcher/Assistant Reporter – Nikkei America, Inc. (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: Media Researcher/Assistant Reporter
Posted by:
Nikkei America, Inc.
Location: Washington, D.C., USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Joseph Meringolo (Fukushima-ken, 2014-2017) for passing along the following job opening.

Nikkei America, Inc. is one of the subsidiaries of Nikkei, Inc.

For nearly a century and a half, Nikkei Inc. has offered unparalleled coverage of Japan’s economy, industries and markets. The group’s business portfolio extends beyond traditional publishing to include broadcasting, online and the widely cited Nikkei 225 stock index.

Our flagship newspaper, The Nikkei, boasts approximately 2.3 million subscribers across its print and digital editions. With a network of 51 bureaus in Japan and 37 overseas, our 1,500 journalists are ideally positioned to deliver news and analysis from an Asian perspective to the world.

Our digital-first global posture includes the award-winning Nikkei Asia and Financial Times, both in English. As content partners, Nikkei Asia and the FT share select articles with their audiences and collaborate editorially.

Position Overview

Nikkei America is looking for a Media Researcher/Assistant Reporter for its Washington D.C. bureau.

sparrosd@gmail.com
May 28

Job: JET Program Coordinator – Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco (California, USA)

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


Position: JET Program Coordinator
Posted by:
Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Amy Su (Gunma, 2013-2014) for passing along the following job opening.

The Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco has an opening for a full-time staff member in the Japan Information and Cultural Center (JICC). This position oversees all aspects of the Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program within the Consulate’s jurisdiction of Northern and Central California and the entirety of Nevada.

Duties include recruiting, assessing, and selecting qualified participants for the JET Program, promoting the program through information sessions and events, managing orientation and departure for outbound participants, and fostering alumni opportunities and relations. The position also works as part of a team and assists with general JICC activities (including but not limited to office work, public events, and responding to inquiries [in English]) as well as other activities of the Consulate as needed.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://www.sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/25_0521.html


May 27

Job: Translator – Pasona NA (Cullmen, AL, USA)

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


Position: Translator
Posted by:
Pasona NA
Location: Cullmen, AL, USA
Contract: Full-Time

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

  • Japanese skill is a MUST
  • Entry-level welcomed
  • Direct-hire

Job Duties:

  • Interpret/translate project documents (English/Japanese)
  • Interpret in various meetings
  • Simultaneous interpretation
  • Expat support
  • Production planning support
  • Other projects or tasks as required

Application Process: To apply please email your resume to abutterfield@pasona.com


May 27

Job: Seasonal Program Director – VIA Programs (Hybrid)

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


Position: Seasonal Program Director
Posted by:
VIA Programs
Location: Hybrid (except for on-site program Aug 8-15)
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Melissa Golden (Hokkaido, 2007-2012) for passing along the following job opening.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Program Director will manage the preparation and implementation of the Discovering Social Impact in Careers (DSIC) program from mid June through August 2025. Anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this pilot program invites 10-15 university students and starting professionals from Asia and the US to align their careers with impactful solutions to global challenges through interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and mentorship.

Priority Deadline: May 30, 2025

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here –  https://viaprograms.org/job/seasonal-program-director/


May 26

JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE,’ LiSA, George Takei

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. 

After an unusually warm spring, it’s finally starting to feel like summer. Enjoy some seasonal events this month that celebrate the best of both fine and pop art.

This month’s highlights include: 

© Nippon Animation Co., Ltd.

Monday, June 2, 7:00 p.m.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Future Boy Conan

Japan Society, 333 47th Street

$14-$18

4K digital restoration! Japan Society presents the first three episodes of Future Boy Conan on the big screen. Before becoming globally beloved for films including My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki worked in television animation, and Future Boy Conan holds a significant place in anime history as his first project as a director. Created in 1978, this 26-episode series was never officially licensed in the United States until now and remained unavailable to U.S. audiences for over 40 years. Based on Alexander Key’s 1970 novel The Incredible Tide, it was reimagined by Miyazaki and can be viewed as a template for much of Miyazaki’s later work. Set in a world after a terrible war that destroyed civilization, created massive floods, and caused the Earth’s axis to shift, Conan lives an isolated life on an island until a mysterious girl named Lana washes ashore. She’s pursued by shadowy operatives who seek to use her in a scheme to control what’s left of the planet, and Conan soon embarks on a daring journey to save Lana and uncover the secrets of his broken world. Future Boy Conan’s environmental theme, family tone, strong female characters and sense of wonder would be revisited again and again throughout Miyazaki’s career, and we invite audiences to discover where it all began.

© Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee

June 5-12

DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE

Various theaters

Various prices

In celebration of the return of DAN DA DAN, the theatrical premiere, releasing as DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE, kicks off the thrillingly eerie EVIL EYE arc, which began in the last episode of the first season. The DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE theatrical event screens last season?s start of the EVIL EYE arc, along with the first three episodes of the new second season, in addition to an exclusive interview with series co-directors Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Gongora. DAN DA DAN follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult geek. In this new arc, Momo and Okarun set out on their latest adventure, traveling to a hot springs town home rented by Jiji, Momo?s childhood friend and former crush, with the goal to solve the mystery surrounding his family. When they arrive, strange locals derail their investigation before it can properly begin, and the group soon learns there’s more lurking under the surface of the town than they could possibly have imagined.

© Kana Tarumi

June 5 & 7, 7:30 p.m.

Shun Ishiwaka: Jazz Transcending

Japan Society, 333 47th Street

Confidently straddling the jazz, pop and classical worlds and slipping into all the spaces in between, Shun Ishiwaka is rapidly becoming a worldwide percussion sensation. Recognized for his exceptional versatility, Ishiwaka has been summoned by many prominent international jazz musicians, such as Federico Casagrande, Tony Allen and Jason Moran, for their sessions in Japan. Now, it’s his turn to come ashore to the U.S. to place himself front and center in two distinctive events. Save 20% when you purchase a ticket to both Jazz Transcending programs. Offer only valid for tickets purchased in the same transaction.

The Dragon Painter

SILENT FILM WITH LIVE PERFORMANCE

Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 pm

$24, $33

Dir. William Worthington, 1919, 61 min, silent with live accompaniment. With Sessue Hayakawa, Tsuru Aoki, Edward Peil, and Toyo.

Last heard performing the drum score within the 2023 megahit jazz anime film Blue Giant playing alongside jazz legends Hiromi and Tomoaki Baba, percussionist Shun Ishiwaka gives his onstage debut at Japan Society in a live film-screening “concert.” Playing an improvised, original score on drum set and vibraphone, Ishiwaka infuses bursts of jazz-inflected color and dreamlike grooves into the classic silent film The Dragon Painter.

Shun Ishiwaka with Adam O’Farrill: Improvisation Duo

JAZZ CONCERT

Saturday, June 7 at 7:30 pm

$36, $48

Trailblazer Shun Ishiwaka and “blazing young trumpet talent” (The New York Times) Adam O’Farrill join forces for an evening of transcendent, uninhibited music and improvisation. While both share the luminous status as recent collaborators of the jazz virtuoso Hiromi (Ishiwaka performed with her in the mega-hit jazz anime movie Blue Giant; O’Farrill is a member of her Sonicwonder project), this concert is the first time for these new talents to light a spark together.

Read More
May 21

Job: Flight Attendant, Japanese Language Qualified – Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu, HI, USA)

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


Position: Flight Attendant, Japanese Language Qualified
Posted by:
Hawaiian Airlines
Location: Honolulu, HI, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Hawaiian Airlines for passing along the following job opening.

The primary function of Hawaiian flight attendants is to ensure the safety of our guests while aboard Company aircraft, by being physically and psychologically capable of performing safety procedures and assisting guests in the event of an emergency. Flight Attendants work in a fast-paced environment; they must be able to handle emergency situations and effectively deal with all types of personalities in an attentive and pleasant manner.

Secondarily, flight attendants provide our guests with a consistent and prescribed level of customer service in the aircraft cabin during flight, which includes providing food and beverage service, while providing an unsurpassed Aloha experience.

Key Responsibilities

  • Attend preflight briefings concerning weather, altitudes, routes, emergency procedures, crew coordination, lengths of flights, food and beverage services offered, and numbers of guests
  • Pleasantly greet and direct guests to their assigned seats and answer flight related questions
  • Assist guests with stowing carry-on luggage in overhead compartments or underneath cabin seats
  • Demonstrate use of safety equipment (e.g., seat belts, oxygen masks, and life jackets) and emergency procedures prior to take-off
  • Walk aisles of planes to check for guest observation of safety regulations, enforce and advise guests of safety infractions and effectively diffuse and resolve difficult guest’s situations
  • Direct and assist guests in emergency procedures, such as evacuating a plane following an emergency landing
sparrosd@gmail.com
May 15

Job: News Translator – Pasona NA (New York, USA)

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


Position: News Translator
Posted by:
Pasona
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

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

This role is with a leading international media group that has delivered trusted coverage of Japan’s economy, industries, and markets for nearly 150 years. In addition to traditional publishing, the organization operates in broadcasting, digital media, and financial indexing. It produces one of Japan’s most widely read newspapers and maintains a global reporting network of nearly 90 bureaus. Its digital-first strategy includes respected English-language outlets that share select content and collaborate editorially to provide a global perspective rooted in Asia.

About the Role
The team is seeking a News Translator to support the production of English-language news content. This position plays a vital role in translating and refining articles for publication across English-language platforms and partner distribution services.

Read More
May 14

Job: Sales Executive – Yamato Transport U.S.A., Inc. (Wood Dale, IL, USA)

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


Position:  Sales Executive
Posted by:
Yamato Transport U.S.A., Inc.
Location: Wood Dale, IL, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Trevor West (Iki Island (Nagasaki Prefecture), 2019-2021) for passing along the following job opening.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

  • Minimum of 2 years of experience in the logistics industry.
  • Proficiency in managing global B2B accounts.
  • Knowledge of freight forwarding and import/export business.
  • Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities.
  • Self-driven, results-oriented, and a skilled negotiator.
  • Outstanding interpersonal skills.
  • Valid driver’s license.

Key Responsibilities:

Read More
May 12

JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘Wolf Children’ in 4K, Koji Suzuki, 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.

As spring continues and the weather continues to warm, New Yorkers can enjoy activities all over the city both indoors and out. 

This month’s highlights include:

GKIDS

May 11-13

Wolf Children

Various theaters

Various prices

New 4K remaster with both sub and dub screenings! College student Hana falls in love with a “wolf man” and together they have two half-human, half-wolf children, Ame and Yuki. The young family’s happy but humble life comes to an abrupt end when the father is tragically killed during a hunt. After struggling to raise her children in the busy city, Hana boldly decides to move to a dilapidated house in the countryside, in hopes that her children may one day decide their own path to happiness – whether “human” or “wolf.” This heart-wrenching modern fairy tale is a staggering work of beauty and emotion from Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda. Rich with gorgeous animation and set to a poignant musical score, Wolf Children is a sweeping tale about self-discovery and the bonds of family.

Kodai Kobayashi

Wednesday, May 14, 8:00 p.m.

Ichiko Aoba with Wordless Music Quintet

Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)

$42-$68

Ichiko Aoba has the power to bend space around her, pulling listeners from reality and surrounding them in the comforting fabric of her imagination. She’s been casting these spells since her debut at 19 years old, making picturesque dioramas with only her voice and guitar. But in recent years, she’s turned a corner and let a new process take hold.

The Japanese singer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist tapped into the full breadth of her ability, marrying the classical guitar of her earlier work with lofty orchestral sweeps. She went big with Windswept Adan (2020), crafting a story about her deepening bond with nature. Collaborating closely with arranger Taro Umebayashi and creative director Kodai Kobayashi, the three of them freely shared ideas—both aural and visual—crystallizing a collective vision. The universe of Windswept Adan was so vast that it also included the script for an imaginary movie, drawings by Ichiko, and stunning photos by Kobayashi. For her new album, Luminescent Creatures, she opens an even wider portal into her mind. With support by Hayden Pedigo.

Maki Takagi

Friday, May 16, 7:30 p.m.

Shakuhachi Vogue – A Visual Concert

Japan Society, 333 47th Street

$43 nonmembers, $32 members

Traditional instrument supergroup The Shakuhachi 5 makes its East Coast debut in this provocative “visual concert.” Offering a dazzling repertoire spanning four centuries, including a work written for the ensemble by Dai Fujikura and a brand-new commission from Rome Prize winner Lisa Bielawa, these five shakuhachi rockstars aspire to boost the image of their primitive bamboo instrument as a hot, trendsetting device, seen throughout ukiyo-e woodblock imagery. In collaboration with NY based video/sound designer Tei Blow, music will be synced to a hypnotizing video collage of ukiyo-e from the Edo period, featuring swaggering, shakuhachi-wielding vagabonds and wandering Zen Buddhist monks. Performing a 400 year span of repertoire, the accompanying backdrop prints recall the shakuhachi-wielding vagabonds and wandering Zen Buddhist monks that are the band’s historic musical predecessors.

Read More
May 6

Japan Writers Conference call for presenters

Posted by Tom Baker

Preparations are underway for the 2025 Japan Writers Conference, and the deadline for presentation proposal submissions is about a month away. If you are a writer who will (or can) be in Tokyo in November, this is your chance to speak to other writers and share your tips and wisdom about how to write, how to write better, or how to get published.

Current and former JETs have always been a major presence at the conference, as you can see from this 2023 article in AJET Connect magazine.

If you want to join in, here are the official details on how to submit a proposal for a presentation. 

Deadline

June 8, 2025 (18:00 JST) or when submissions reach 30 per genre.

How to submit?

Find submission guidelines and forms here: https://japanwritersconference.org/ 

Presenters must have publications, which can take any form (e.g., books, magazines, literary journals, personal blogs, movies, etc.). 

Venue and Host 
The 2025 JWC will be at International Christian University (ICU), Mitaka, Tokyo, on Saturday, November 29th and Sunday, November 30th, 2025. The presentation rooms are equipped with projectors and microphones for presenters. Unfortunately, the venue cannot provide Wi-Fi to JWC attendees. So, if you’d like to attend or give a talk, you must use your internet data. 

Dr C.E.J (Christopher) Simons will host the 2025 JWC. He is Senior Associate Professor of British Literature at ICU and director of the ICU Peace Research Institute. 

All information about our host and venue can be found on https://japanwritersconference.org/. 

Feel free to share our event and this call for proposals with your fellow writers. 

As in the past, the conference will be free and open to all who wish to attend. Please mark your calendars and plan to join in the 2025 JWC!


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