Professional translator Joel Dechant (CIR Kagoshima-ken, 2001-04) is now guest blogging for Fukuoka Now
When I moved to Fukuoka a few years back, I was looking for something close to both Tenjin and Ohori Park. I found a great “mansion” in Ropponmatsu and have been discovering its hidden charms ever since.
Ropponmatsu is just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Tenjin but still very much alive. In my alcohol-fueled explorations with trusty sack o’ blues harmonicas on my shoulder, I have found a few wonderful bars for the inveterate music lover. Check ‘em out!
Continue reading “Roots, Rock, Reggae”
J-News Mini-Roundup: The Flu Comes to Narita
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Scene from the movie, "The Blob"
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: All three newspapers headlines ran a story about the woman from America who was diagnosed potentially with a strain of the “flu.” Whether this is the Swine Flu or not is something that has still not been made public. At about 330pm in Narita Airport a woman who was flying on Northwest Airlines was taken in for the first level of quarantine testing, and tested positive for the A strain of the flu. She is now currently undergoing a second level of testing that will confirm whether or not this is the Swine Flu. Each newspaper gives its take on the situation.
Yomiuri “The War on the Virus is at our Shores.” This was Yomiuri’s closing quote from their article but it pretty much sums up their diagnosis of the situation. While both the Nikkei and Asahi newspapers give brief descriptions of what happened at Narita, Yomiuri gives detailed events that show a war on the virus is coming to Japanese shores. They point out that the WHO had just raised the alert level to 5 from the National Infectious Diseases Research center in Shinjuku. The newspaper in their preceding paragraph tells the reader about how diseases, if undiagnosed, transcend national borders.
(Click HERE to read the rest of the post)
Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) contacted me to let me know that poet Craig Arnold is missing in Japan. There is an effort underway to draw more attention to Craig’s disappearance to help pressure Japanese and U.S. authorities to take action.
For more information about the effort, please visit http://findcraigarnold.blogspot.com/
For more information on Craig Arnold, you can see his Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Arnold
Latest update from findcraigarnold.blogspot.com:
News
4/30 at 2:00 am EST: According to Christopher Blasdel of The International House of Japan, two US helicopters have landed on the island to assist in the search. The prefectural police have added another helicopter to make a total of four helicopters. The island has deep vegetation which might make it difficult to see anything from the air, but we have our fingers crossed!
JETAA NY sake tasting with JET alum sake sommelier Chris Johnson
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SAKE TASTING AT BAO NOODLES
When: Monday, May 4 at 7pm Where: Bao Noodles http://www.baonoodles.com/ 391 2nd Ave. between 22nd and 23rd St. (map) Price: $25/person (Originally $35) Limited to 25 people!!
JET Alum and Owner of Bao Noodles Chris Johnson has agreed to host this year’s JETAANY sake tasting. Bring your favorite sake glass and enjoy wonderful varieties of sake while snacking on Bao’s delicious Vietnamese creations. It will be a family style dinner with tastings of 6 different sakes from Japan as well as from the United States including, the very rare Champion Daiginjo which was honored at the 2008 Nanbu Toji Annual Competition and was a Gold Medalist at the 2008 Japan National New Saké Competition. For more information contact secretary [at] jetaany [at] org.
JETAA Chapter Beat 4.29.09
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community…
- Tampa Subchapter Tsudoi – Friday, May 1st, 7:00 at Panera Bread in the Brandon Mall. The Tampa Subchapter will be hosting their monthly Tsudoi, an informal time for anyone interested in Japanese and Japanese culture.
- Sake Tasting at Bao Noodles – Monday, May 4th, 7:00 at Bao Noodles. Take part in this year’s JETAANY Sake Tasting, hosted by Jet Alum and Owner of Bao Noodles. Family style dinner with 6 different sakes.
- Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens – Saturday, May 2nd, 11:00 at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Spend the day with JETAANY outside under the cherry blossoms. Activities include ikebana, taiko and other Japanese related fun.
- Book Club Meeting – Wednesday, May 6th, 7:00 at a location yet to be determined. The selected work this month is “The Housekeeper and the Professor” by Yoko Ogawa. Start reading so you can join in on the discussion come May.
- May Monthly Meeting – Monday, May 4th, 6:00 at Panama Cafe. Come add your voice to the inner workings of PNW JETAA and find out how you can be more involved.
- Happy Hour – Friday, May 1st, 6:00 at Wann Izakaya. Spend a relaxing evening with PNW JETAA and bring your friends.
- Yoshida Brothers Concert – May 20th, 7:00 and 9:30(two shows) at the Triple Door. Do not miss these highly talented shamisen masters.
- J-Lunch – Thursday, April 30th, 12:00 at Kopitiam. Stop by this month’s J-Lunch for anyone interested in Japan.
- Happy Hour – Tuesday, May 12th, 5:00 at Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Cuisine. Have a laugh and a drink with your friends at JETAA DC.
- JBook Book Club – Monday, May 18th, 6:30 at Penn Quarter Teaism. May’s topic of discussion is “Moribito” by Nahoko Uehashi. New members always welcome, so drop on by.
- JETAA DC Alumni Social Event at Pimlico Race Course – May 23rd at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD. The first race is 11:30 and admissions is free.
- Iron Chef Potluck – Saturday, May 9th, 6:00 at a location yet to be determined. Come put those culinary skills to the test with JETAASC’s annual Iron Chef competition.
- Camp JET at Lake Arrowhead – May 29th – May 31st at Lake Arrowhead. Spend the weekend roughing it with JETAASC.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just email Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
Job: Admin/Sales Assistant for Japanese company
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Via Actus Consulting:
Our client, Japanese trading company seeks an Administrative/Sales Assistant. Job responsibility includes assistance in General Affairs and Office Operation(60-70%) and support for Sales Department-40%) such as customer service, shipping coordination, inventory control, data filing, etc. Must be able to communicate in native-level English and also conversation-level Japanese. Some reading and writing in Japanese is required to communicate with Japan but basic reading/writing skills are good enough. Basic PC skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) also required. Entry level welcome as long as you are very much willing to learn and be a part of the team. Read More
JetWit gathering in Tokyo May 15 for Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
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Hi everybody! (especially if you live in Tokyo!)
On May 15, 2009, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is hosting a presentation by Laura Rennert, a senior agent of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, about the craft of writing. I plan on attending this event (which is in Shibuya) and would like to meet up with other JetWit-ers who are interested in going.
Please contact me at bokinaka [at] uclalumni [dot] net. The plan is to hit up an izakaya in Shibuya afterwards, so if you just want to show up for food and drinks (and great company) on a Friday night, then e-mail me!
domo!
Bobby Okinaka (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02)
www.fresh-off.blogspot.com
Note: See the post on JetWit about the event, shared previously by author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Tokyo branch of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
J-News Mini-Roundup: Baby Boy Found in Freezer
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: In Hyogo Prefecture, Ono City, Miyuki Otsuka was arrested yesterday on charges that she left her child’s body in the freezer. According to the police, Miyuki showed up the police station and said that she was hiding her baby’s body in the freezer. Both the Yomiuri and the Asahi Newspapers tell this gruesome tale differently, and interestingly enough neither paper speculates on how or why the baby was killed.
Yomiuri “He was already dead when I got home.” Miyuki claims that she made her son stay at home while she went out. After she returned home, she found her son dead. The Yomiuri mentions some interesting details surrounding this, like for example Miyuki is unemployed. Also, they point out that the body was found in a vanilla bag, wrapped up. They end their article saying the police are currently doing an autopsy to find the cause of death, but the scene they set makes you wonder how it couldn’t be Miyuki.
(Click HERE to read the rest of the post)
JOB: Marketing/Sales (Los Angeles)
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Via the JETAA Southern California email list:
H.I.S. International Tours (LA) – Little Tokyo Executive office, is looking for marketing/sales staff for a new package tour division that specializes in travel to Japan for the English speaking market. Job will entail approahcing groups and associations and networking at events geared toward Japanese culture and interest. We are looking for motivated, outgoing, bright individual with a strong knowledge and interest in Japan. Japanese language ability is helpful but not necessary. No experience necessary. Send resumes by May 8, 2009 to jobs@destination-japan.com
Via JETAA Southern California:
English tutors wanted for 2 Consuls at the Consulate General of Japan in Downtown Los Angeles. Private lessons working on conversation skills.
– 1-2 times per week on weekdays
– At the Consulate office
– $20 per hour plus parking fee (parking TBA after interview)
– 2 hours per session from 18:30
– Lesson days TBA after interview
If interested, please email resume to h_tanaka@la-cgjapan.org and y_okada@la-cgjapan.org
JOB: Inside Sales/Customer Service (Los Angeles)
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Via JETAA Southern California:
Job responsibilities and qualifications: Inside sales/customer service at beauty products mfg/distributor. Must be fluent in English, and must have great communication skill. Must be interested or has experience in beauty industry. Salary, if available: approximately 30k with benefits and overtime pay.
How to apply: Please send WORD formatted resume to fumi@interplace-agency.com
JOB: Admin Assistant (Seattle)
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Thanks to the folks at JETAA- PNW (Pacific NorthWest) for the following job listing:
We have a brand new employment opportunity at OR! Dave Perella is seeking a hard working “Customer Service Administrative Assistant – Data Entry” to compliment his already dynamic team. This is a full time hourly position with all of the great benefits OR has to offer. Please submit a resume to jobs@outdoorresearch.com upon reading the complete job description on the website. http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/cs_admin_ asst.html
MEXT SCHOLARSHIPS… Get your applications in by June 8th.
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MEXT Scholarships
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) sponsors Japanese Government Scholarships to enable aspiring foreign scholars from all over the world to study in Japan. To date, some 65,000 students from approximately 160 countries and regions around the world have studied in Japan under the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship program established in 1954. As of May 1, 2005, there were 9,891 foreign students studying in Japan as Japanese government scholarship students. Japanese proficiency is not required at the time of application unless otherwise noted; however, scholarship recipients are required to take Japanese language classes in Japan.
Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles accepts application for Japanese government scholarships from candidates who are the U.S. public and reside or attend universities in Southern California and Arizona.
Applications for following Japanese government (Monbukagakusho) scholarships for 2010 are now available. Completed application must be accepted by June 8, 2009. Please note that applicants who have Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible.
JET Program Alumni are encouraged to apply to the Research Student Scholarship (there MAY be a scholarship available for alumni ONLY through this.)
For more information, please go to: http://www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp/e_web/e_m05_18.htm
National Language Service Corp…
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Acutely aware of the need for bilingual people, the US gov’t is finally doing something about it. The NLSC has been recently formed and is looking for those of us who “are multilingual volunteers who bridge communities, interpreting and translating in time of need.”
I haven’t fully checked out the website, but it sounds interesting. If you sign up, please post something. We’d love to know more about it.
http://www.nlscorps.org/Default.aspx
WIT Life #37: Creative Commercialization
Article/Journalism, Blogs, Books, Celebrity, Japan Trends, JETAA Chapters, Jobs, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life Comments Off on WIT Life #37: Creative Commercialization
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observat
Since the recent shattering of the boy band’s SMAP’s clean-cut image with the arrest of member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (34) on public indecency charges, the fallout has been pretty well contained. Kusanagi held a press conference on the 25th to apologize, and his agency has suspended all his activities indefinitely and declared a ban on alcohol for him. Apparently the famous Johnny’s jimusho is advising all of its high-profile clients to be mindful of their celebrity status when they are out for a night on the town and drinking is involved. SMAP fans are worried that Read More
