Foxhound87: Hokkaido Pt. 1
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Joshua Small is a First Year JET currently living in Ikaruga-cho, Nara-ken and has been chronicling his experience on his blog Snorlax87.
Taking advantage of the 3 day weekend, I signed up for a tour package sponsored by the Hokkaido Association of JETs (HAJET). 6 Nara JETs and I took a plane out of Osaka to New Chitose airport. The flight was about an 1 1/2 hours. When we finally started our initial descent, I looked out the window to get a good view of Sapporo (capital of Hokkaido). It was absolutely gorgeous. Snow-covered mountain ranges littered the background and there wasn’t a rice field in sight. When we landed, we met up with the HAJET representatives who took us to the train station.
We finally arrived in the city proper and we were given about 6 hours to explore the city. Sapporo is a wonderful city. The 3-day weekend also coincided with one of Japan’s most famous festivals, the Yuki Matsuri (snow festival). We toured around the city for a bit before heading to the Snow Festival. We saw Sapporo’s famed clock tower (not that impressive) and even happened upon an extreme sports show. I don’t think any of the competitors landed their tricks. Snowboarding looks hard.
Once we made it to the snow festival, I was stunned. There were dozens of snow sculptures in the park lining the streets. The sculptures varied in size, design, and theme. I saw giant robot ones, recreations of famous buildings, anime characters. It was really amazing.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
http://snorlax87.blogspot.com/
The Consulate General of Japan in New York has provided a “Letter of Support” for JetWit recognizing to the valuable role JetWit plays in supporting the JET Programme and the JET Alumni Association. Both the English and Japanese versions are included below with permission from the Consulate.
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ENGLISH VERSION
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Message from the Consulate General of Japan in New York
JET, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, is an international exchange initiative launched by the Japanese government in 1987. JET recruits talented, young university graduates from around the world and brings them to Japan, where they serve as assistant language teachers in Japan’s public school system or coordinators for international relations in local government offices. Most JETs are posted to rural areas, often in very small towns or villages, where they become tightly integrated into their local schools and neighborhoods, forging lasting friendships with their adopted homes. Of the over 50,000 people who have participated in the JET Program to date, half of them, around 26,000, are from the US. In fact, one in every thousand Americans is a former JET.
25 years have passed since the start of JET and former participants are successfully making their marks in various fields. They include: Anthony Bianchi, a member of the municipal assembly of Inuyama City and the first foreigner from North America to be elected to public office in Japan; Mike Maher-King, creator of Smile Kids Japan, a website that enables JETs to volunteer at Japanese orphanages; Roland Kelts, professor at Tokyo University and author of the popular book Japanamerica, Collin Joyce, popular writer and author of the book Nippon Shakai Nyumon (Introduction to Japanese Society); and Michael Auslin, Director of Japan Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. JET alumni can also be found working at various Japanese companies and organizations around the world.
One of JET’s core strengths is that its participants continue to make a positive impact long after they return from Japan. With their unique cross-cultural experiences and language abilities, former JETs have formed a close-knit community dedicated to promoting bonds of friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and their home countries. Today, the JET Alumni Association (JETAA) is active around the globe. In the US alone, there are 14 JETAA chapters with more than 10,000 registered members. As this network of JET alumni grows, we look forward to its positive contributions in business, culture and other fields, and we hope it will play an active role in the future development of the JET program itself.
JetWit.com nurtures this vibrant community by connecting former JETs and providing them with news on the latest Japan-related events, JET activities, the work of notable alumni and job opportunities. With its helpful information and frequent updates, JetWit has emerged as the de facto central website for JET alumni. We look forward to JetWit’s continued success as a key online resource for former JETs and all those wishing to cooperate with them.
Yasuhisa Kawamura
Director, Japan Information Center
Consulate General of Japan In New York
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(Image of original signed letter)
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JAPANESE VERSION
(Text)
在NY日本国総領事館メッセージ
JETプログラム(Japan Exchange and Teaching Program)は、外国の青年を日本の学校の英語指導助手等として派遣する事業で、総務省、外務省、文部科学省、地方自治体と自治体国際化協会が中心と なって実施してきました。1987年の事業発足から今日まで、5万人以上が参加し、その約半分26000人がアメリカからの参加者です。すなわちアメリカ 人の1000人に1人はJET経験者であるということです。JET参加者の多くは、日本の地方都市に派遣され、中には外国人が一人もいないようなとても小 さな町や村で、生徒達に英語を教え、地域の人々と交流し、日本社会を十分理解してきた方々も少なくありません。
プログラム発足から25年が過ぎた今日、元JET参加者が様々な分野で活躍する姿が見られるようになりました。北米出身で初めて日本の公選職員と なった愛知県犬山市のアンソニー･ビアンキ市議会議員、日本の孤児院でのボランティア活動を組織的に展開しているマイク・マーラーキング氏、『ニッポン社 会入門』の著者コリン・ジョイス氏、『Japanamerica』の著者ローランド・ケルツ氏、アメリカン・エンタープライズ政策研究所（AEI）のマイ ケル･オースリン日本部長、その他にも大学教授や有力紙コラムニスト等枚挙に暇がありません。また、日系企業にも非常に多くの元参加者が勤務しています。 私は、JETプログラムは、世界中の数ある交流事業の中で最も成功したものであると確信しています。
JETプログラムの素晴らしいところは、現役JETの活躍はもちろんのこと、元JETの方々が様々な分野で活躍し、日本という共通項を基に強力な ネットワークを構築していることです。JETの同窓会組織（JETAA、JET Alumni Association）は、世界各地に支部を持ち、アメリカだけでも14支部に計1万人以上が登録しています。このネットワークは、日本と諸外国をつな ぐ重要な絆であり、JETプログラムという木にたわわに実っている果実だと思います。この果実が、ビジネスを含め様々な社会的ニーズに応えて活用されるこ とを強く期待しています。それは、今後のJETの発展にもつながるものです。
JetWit.comは、JETネットワークを支える重要なツールとなっており、総領事館でもJETの活動を知るためによく参照しています。同サイ トは、JETや日本関連の情報を元JETに発信している他、日本滞在経験を活かせる仕事の求人情報が掲載されており、その充実した情報量により、元JET の方々にとって中心的サイトとなっています。元JETの活動について知りたい方、元JETとの協力を考えていらっしゃる方、そんな方々の間でこのサイトが 有効活用されることを期待しています。
平成23年2月1日 在ニューヨーク日本国総領事館 広報センター長 川村泰久
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(Image of original signed letter)
Stories from the JET-Tourist Tally Project
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Below are approximately 150 comments received so far as a result of the JET-Tourist Tally Project. First the Top 10 Comments followed by all comments organized according to prefecture. (Click here for the latest totals from the JET-Tourist Tally Project.)
Important: If you have not yet responded, please help out by entering your JET Tourist-Tally information in the Google Form we’ve set up. And of course feel free to share any comments or stories! Every response matters. CLAIR, MOFA, JNTO and the prefecture governments are all paying attention to the results.
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The Top 10 Comments from the JET-Tourist Tally Project
(FYI, the comments were evaluated on the basis of “omoshiroi” plus effectiveness at demonstrating the value of JET.)
I took my parents up through Tohoku to experience a part of Japan tourists typically don’t see. We hiked Yamadera, shot over to Sendai and Matsushima, went to Hiraizumi, traveled through Aomori up to Sapporo, went over to Onuma Park, down to Hakonodate, and then down to Aomori for a few more days. They loved all of our experiences, from using an onsen and sleeping in a ryokan to learning how to order their own food. My father particularly loves to tell the story about a tiny yakiniku restaurant we stumbled into in Hiraizumi. The owner couldn’t speak English, but he did know at least one word. He came over to my father, put a beer down and said “suds.” From that point on, they were friends. A Buddhist monk sitting a few tables over joined us and invited us to visit his temple the next day. It was an amazing intercultural experience in an ancient town usually overlooked by tourists.
-Abigail McBain (Aomori-ken, Ajigasawa-machi, 2004-06)
My family said they never would’ve thought to visit Japan before I did JET, and since visiting twice couldn’t believe they ever said that because they had the most amazing time. Especially memorable was the opportunity to see village life in Japan and experience Japanese hospitality, something regular tourists rarely get to experience.
-Kirsten Jones (Tokushima-ken, Tsurugi-cho, 2005-07)
My parents still talk about the experiences they had visiting me in Japan. My father in particular. As a result he still maintains links to Japan and often buys tea directly from a Japanese seller near Uji named Hibiki-an. I myself have returned to Japan as a tourist three times since I finished the JET Programme, one time with a fellow JET alumna, staying 10 days each time. I plan to visit Japan again. I also often encourage my American friends who are interested in visiting Japan to go. One of my co-workers recently went there on vacation, again for about 10 days, and had a wonderful time.
-Rose de Fremery (Shizuoka-ken, Hamaoka-cho, 1998-2001)
Being able to share a country that I love (Japan) with people that I love (my family) was one of the best experiences of my life. My mother still talks about coming to visit me for those two weeks. We were able to explore my town (Hamamatsu) and also Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto. In addition, this was the first time my mother had ever left the United States; she is amazingly proud to say she became a world-traveler when she was in her 50s! This would not have happened if I had not been a JET participant and could confidently share parts of Japan with my family.
-Jennifer Butler (Shizuoka-ken, Hamamatsu-shi, 2001-04)
Both of my visitors were and still are keen practitioners of aikido. They continue to teach the martial art and will be regular visitors to Japan, also inspiring others to travel there. Without my JET experience I wouldn’t have been able to take them to Japan. Also, I am now a British Airways pilot flying regularly to Tokyo so I could perhaps list a figure of several thousand visitors!
-Darren Tostevin (Fukuoka-ken, Omuta-shi, 1990-91)
Prior to my becoming an ALT, my fiance had never had any interest whatsoever in visiting Japan. It was only once I went there and started to tell her about the people I had met that she began to read more and educate herself about the country. When she finally came to visit me, she was constantly amazed at how genuinely welcoming and helpful everyone was as well as how easy it was to get around and experience everything that Japan has to offer. To this day she still tells everyone about her experiences there and how Japan went from the bottom of her “Places to Visit” list to become her favorite country that she’s ever visited. Not only did the JET Programme give my family and friends an amazing opportunity to see what Japan has to offer but it also converted someone who never had given the country a second thought into a vocal volunteer tourism spokeswoman.
-Gregory Blair (Nagasaki-ken, Saikai-shi, 2007-08)
I made sure to show two of my guests around Niigata, which is not your typical tourist destination–and they loved it even more than Kyoto! Having JETs in locations off the beaten track surely helps those areas.
-Maureen O’Brien (Niigata-ken, Niigata-shi, 2006-08)
Several of these visitors (at least 5) had previously stated absolutely no interest in visiting Japan…it took quite a bit of convincing on my part to get these individuals to come. In the case of one, a senior citizen friend from England, it just seemed so un-knowable and far beyond her comfort zone. But she loved it once she arrived. The other four, a Philippine-American family who are friends here in the US, were previously very anti-Japanese due to experiences their grandparents’ generation suffered during WWII. They couldn’t understand how I would possibly want to move to Japan on JET. But they kept in touch the entire two years, and finally – just one month before I returned – they agreed to come for a visit. They fell in love with the people and the country, their prejudices were totally erased. Even now, three years later, they are still talking about Japan…only now it is in terms of how wonderful and warm the people are and how we should all live up to these standards of hospitality. A total about-face!
-Margie Banin (Kochi-ken, Motoyama-cho, 2005-07)
My parents would never have dreamed of visiting Japan had I not been there. Now they are complete Japan enthusiasts and are really interested in the country and culture. My friends who came to visit still talk about it now and pass this on to other people, encouraging others to visit Japan. Also, thanks to my stories, pictures and news from the two years I spent in Japan, my whole network of friends and family have shared my interest in the country. I also organised letter exchanges with my old high school, and at least 20 students has direct contact with Japanese students at my school in Yakage-cho, and have become Japan enthusiasts.
-Annie Barber (Okayama-ken, Yakage-cho, 2007-09)
I had heard about all sorts of difficulties vegetarian ALTs had settling in to Japan, so I was a little worried when a vegetarian friend of mine came to visit. After five days of my drilling her with phrases that would help her order meat-free food, she and her companion ventured off to Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima for a week. They had no problems and were really impressed with how the restaurants were able to cater for her special dietary requests. They were also really impressed with the variety of food offered (tofu, seasonal / mountain veggies, tempura, etc.) that were appropriate for vegetarians. Another example of excellent service in Japan, going that extra mile to satisfy the customer! (On another side note, I’ve been pining for a visit back to Japan since I left and have managed to persuade my family to come with me after Golden Week this year. Assuming everyone can make it, that will be another 4 people spending a total of 48 days tourist travel in Japan!)
-Martin McCloud (Niigata-ken, Tokamachi-shi, 2004-09)
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Stories from the JET-Tourist Tally Project
(Organized by Prefecture) Read More
Shizuoka JET alums in the NY area?
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The below information was originally posted on the Shizuoka JET Alum LinkedIn Group by Hotaka Kawasaki of CLAIR-NY:
Shizuoka Prefecture will be exhibiting some of its food and drink at the International Restaurant & Food Service Show of New York from Feb. 27 through Mar. 1. Some officials from Shizuoka-ken will attend and the Japan Local Government Center (aka CLAIR-NY) will support them as well.
It would be great if any JET alums in the area would be interested in joining for part or all of the conference.
Please contact Steven at jetwit [at] jetwit.com if interested.
More information on the International Restaurant & Food Service show at http://www.internationalrestaurantny.com/
Japan America Society Roundup 2.9.11
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JET alum Gail Cetnar Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Japan America Society of Colorado
Tsugaru Shamisen performance — Come hear a free performance by the Monsters of Shamisen, Kevin Kmetz and Mike Penny. They are the first non-Japanese Tsugaru Shamisen performers ever to have participated and placed in the national Tsugaru Shamisen tournaments held annually in the Tsugaru region of northern Japan. Kmetz and Penny have performed throughout Japan and the U.S. in a great number of musical groups. Their music is influenced by a wide variety of musical styles including baroque/classical, Balkan gypsy, American bluegrass, Irish folk music and modern rock/pop.
- Date: Monday, Feb. 21
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Place: University of Colorado Denver, King Center Concert Hall, 855 Lawrence Way on the Auraria Campus
- For more information, click here.
Performance by Japanese violinist — Wright State University will host a free recital by world-class violinist Takayoshi Wanami, a blind violinist who has performed and recorded with some of the finest orchestras around the world, including the London Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Philharmonia, and the Academy of St. Martins in the Fields, among others. The performance will feature works by Beethoven, Ysaye, Takemitsu and Tchaikovsky. Also during the event, the University Orchestra will play Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1.
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 22
- Time: 8 p.m.
- Place: Wright State University’s Schuster Hall, Creative Arts Center
- For more information, click here.
JAS of the State of Washington
Shadows of a Fleeting World: Pictorial Photography and the Seattle Camera Club — In the 1920s, Seattle’s first photography group was founded by Japanese immigrants who were denied citizenship and went on to dominate exhibitions and win numerous prizes. To create their work, which combined pictorial photography and Japanese traditional art, photographers used a blurry focus, altered the photos during development and captured emotions in a style that took its cue from the painting of the era. These photographs will be on display at a JASSW reception with guided tours and discussion.
- Date: Thursday, March 31
- Time: To Be Announced (evening)
- Place: Henry Art Gallery, 15th Ave NE & NE 41st, Seattle
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail the info at gail (at) jetwit (dot) com.
JETs in the News: JET alum to run Tokyo Marathon, raise money for Nepales students
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Thanks to JETAANY President Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken, 2000-02) for sharing this article with JetWit:
There’s a nice article in one of the Chicago Tribune’s local sections on Aomori-ken JET alum Mark Scott who will be running in the upcoming Tokyo Marathon on February 28 while raising money for a Nepalese charity that helps students go to school who might not otherwise be able to do so.
The charity, fyi, is Everest of Apples, the official Aomori-ken AJET charity. Here’s a little more about the charity:
“As the official charity of Aomori AJET, EofA is mostly funded by JETs in Aomori. As such, we are not explicitly looking for donations from JETs from other prefectures (although they are always welcome!). Rather, we very much hope that Everest of Apples will prove to be a model, or at least food for thought, for other prefectural AJETs, or any similar groups of JETs, interested in setting up their own charity.”
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Are you running in this year’s Tokyo Marathon? If so, let us know by posting in the comment field below or emailing jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Job: Administrative Staff at Kyushu University
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via Jet alum Joel Dechant. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
*Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JetWit. Thanks.
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Job Position: Administrative Staff at Kyushu University
http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/g30/employment.html
Job Description:
The Global30 Project Office at Kyushu University is looking for Administrative staff. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/intlweb/news/news/ad0207_g30.pdf
Job: Job Listings via JETAANY
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via JETAANY. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
*Note: If you apply for any of these positions, please let them know you learned of it from JetWit. Thanks.
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English into Japanese Quality Manager – Linguistic Opportunity – Nationwide!
Japanese into English Quality Manager – Linguistic Opportunity – Nationwide!
Recreational Specialty Instructor (RSI) @ Shofuso Japanese House & Garden, Phila
Researcher/assistant reporter with Japanese Newspaper
Job:Server at Japanese Fine Dining Restaurant, NYC
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations seeking Speech writer/Editor
JETAA UK job listings!
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Thanks to JETAA UK Web Content Editor Fiona Steele I just learned that JETAA UK has a section on their most excellent website that provides current job listings:
And here’s the RSS feed:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/JETAAUKJobs
(JETAA UK also has a nifty interactive map on its homepage that tells you how many JETAA UK alums there are from each section of Japan. And if you click on a region, you can see a list of all of the JET alums from a given prefecture. However, you can’t see any information about the individuals unless you have a login and password for the site.)
WIT Life #153: Sapporo Snow Festival
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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.
The snow here in NYC that we have received in abundance this year is pretty as it’s coming down, but it soon turns into dirty mush or slush beneath our feet. For those looking to enjoy more pristine snow-covered landscapes, look no further than Sapporo’s 雪祭り (yuki matsuri) or Snow Festival. Held every February in Hokkaido’s capital, this hugely popular week-long event brings in 2.5 million visitors and features perennial favorites as well as new sculptures each year. It began in 1950 when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park, and five years later the 自衛隊 (jieitai) or Self-Defense Forces joined in and made the first of the colossal sculptures for which the festival is now known. For those of us not lucky enough to be able to see the works in person, please enjoy them virtually with the following video of this year’s festival which began yesterday.
Akita Global Network Newsletter – Vol 2
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Hot off the presses, it’s Volume 2 of the Akita Prefecture Global Network Newsletter (“AGN”). This newsletter is part of Akita-ken’s efforts to stay connected with its JET alumni as well as study abroad students who were based in Akita-ken. And this issue features an essay by Dan Dooher (Akita-ken, 2006-10)
To get on the e-mail list for this pdf newsletter, please contact the Akita Prefecture International Affairs Division at: kokusaika@pref.akita.lg.jp The newsletter welcomes submissions from alumni as well.
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JETs in the News: Lars Martinson featured in Japan Times article on ex-pat comics
Blogs, Books, Cartoon/Illustration, Celebrity, Interview/Profile, Japan Trends, JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Uncategorized, Writers Comments Off on JETs in the News: Lars Martinson featured in Japan Times article on ex-pat comics
JET alum and 'Tonoharu' creator Lars Martinson.
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JET alum/cartoonist Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two and Tonoharu: Part 1, is the focus (along with Adam Pasion, author of the Sundogs anthologies) of a thoughtful Japan Times article by Gianni Simone on comics about Japan “that tell it like it is.”
Here’s the link to the article: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110205a1.html
And below are a few excerpts about Martinson from the article:
The comic life of expats in Japan
Americans Lars Martinson and Adam Pasion tell it like it is with cutting-edge manga
By GIANNI SIMONE Special to The Japan Times
Tales of expat life in Japan all too often get blown out of proportion and quickly become picaresque adventures that little resemble real life.
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Luckily for us, many comic artists who have lived here seem to be more level-headed and have tackled the subject with a more realistic, no-nonsense approach.
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As the title suggests, “Tonoharu: Part Two” is not Martinson’s first foray in the field of expat comics: He self-published the first volume of this four-part saga in 2008 thanks to a grant from the prestigious Xeric Foundation.
Martinson, 33, first arrived in Japan in 2003 to work as an assistant language teacher, and spent the next three years working at a junior high school in a small town in Fukuoka Prefecture. His second stint in this country was in 2008 when he studied East Asian calligraphy under the auspices of a two-year research scholarship from the Japanese government.
Travel had played a pivotal role in his life (he had lived in Thailand and Norway as well), so when he came up with the idea of producing a graphic novel, he decided to make foreign travel a central theme.
“I planned from the start to turn my Japanese experience into a comic,” Martinson says, “even though I didn’t want it to be a mere autobiographical story. So I chose a 20-something American like me as the protagonist, but added a fictional group of eccentric expatriates living in the same rural Japanese town.”
At times living in the middle of nowhere was a challenge. Still, Martinson has no regrets about those three years spent in Kyushu.
“I’m actually a city slicker,” confesses Martinson, “and would love to live in a huge city in Japan at some point. Also, I’m sure that expat communities are awesome, but they can also separate you from the native population. When you live out in the country, you don’t have the option to just hang out with other Westerners, and this can force you to get involved in the host culture in ways you probably wouldn’t otherwise.”
Click here to read the full article: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110205a1.html
Click here to read more JetWit posts about Lars Martinson:
Click here for Lars Martinson’s official blog/website: http://larsmartinson.com
Foxhound87: Setsubun!
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Joshua Small is a First Year JET currently living in Ikaruga-cho, Nara-ken and has been chronicling his experience on his blog Snorlax87.
Setsubun is a bizarre festival in Japan. I know that calling a Japanese festival bizarre is redundant, but bear with me. Setsubun is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan. It literally means, “seasonal division.” Roasted soybeans are thrown at an Oni (demon or ogre), while the people say “Demons out! Luck in!” (鬼は外! 福は内!, Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!?). Although this is not common practice in households anymore, most people attend a shrine or temple’s spring festival where this is done. I recently went to Setsubun.
I decided to go to Setsubun with Center of the Universe (Tenri) JETs. We hopped the bus from Tenri Station and walked about 10 minutes to Oyamato Shrine. We walked through the large gate and wandered onto the shrine’s grounds. There was a large bonfire, so we gathered there for a moment to warm up. As I was warming my hands, I noticed an older woman walk up to the fire and throw a department store shopping bag into the fire. My first thought was, “Are people burning their garbage on sacred ground?” Turns out, there was stuff inside the bag. Though no explanation was given to me, I assume people burn things that bring bad luck or memories. Again, this is a guess.
The priests had set up a stand selling bags of soybeans. Each bag had a number in it that corresponded with a prize. I won a bag of potato chips. Yay. Another JET won an apple. Um…yay? When the ceremony started, we moved to the action. 2 priests were sitting on stage next to large drums. They said something in Japanese, hit the drum, and reacted as if horrified. The “demons” had arrived.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
http://snorlax87.blogspot.com/
JET ROI: Mainichi Daily, Japan Times article highlights major foreign policy impact of JET alumni
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Update 2/12/11: The same article also subsequently appeared in the Japan Times. This time with Ben Dooley (a former CIR) getting the byline. Here’s the link: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110210f3.html
Thanks to James Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94) (Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA), author of the July 3 “JET on the Chopping Block” post and one of the newest members of the JETAANY Board of Directors) for making JetWit aware of this article:
Here’s a great article that just appeared in The Mainichi Daily News titled “Returnees of English-language program key to Japan-U.S. ties.” Notably, the article quotes several JET alums who are established foreign policy experts including:
- Michael Auslin – Director of Japan Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.
- Ben Dolven – Current director of the East Asia division at the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. Congress’ official think tank
- Michael Green – Head of Japan Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former head of the Asia team under President George W. Bush’s National Security Council (Note: Michael was a “Monbusho English Fellow (MEF), a precursor to the JET Program.)
- Andrew Ou – Currentlyworking in the U.S. Embassy’s political section
Here’s a link to the article: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20110205p2g00m0fe017000c.html
Here’s the text of the article:
Returnees of English-language program key to Japan-U.S. ties
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) — When current participants in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program gather, the discussion often focuses on English teaching methods. When the program’s U.S. alumni get together, however, talk often turns to a weightier subject: U.S. foreign policy towards Japan.
Since the program was established in 1987, it has brought tens of thousands of young Americans to Japan to engage in cultural exchange, with a focus on teaching English.
Although the program has an uneven track record when it comes to improving Japanese students’ English, it has quietly and unexpectedly become a powerful tool for achieving another objective: grooming the next generation of American leadership in U.S.-Japan relations.
Michael Auslin, a former participant of JET and prominent Japan expert at the American Enterprise Institute, said recent attacks on the program by the Japanese government’s budget screening have focused on the quality of its English teaching, while ignoring a more important feature as one of Japan’s most valuable tools for conducting “public diplomacy” both with the United States and other countries.
JET’s success in this regard is perhaps best demonstrated by the number of former JETs occupying Japan-related positions in both the academic field and the U.S. government. The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo alone employs 25 former JETs, and JET returnees have done Japan-related work at the highest levels of the U.S. government.
“The JET Program created a fairly large cadre of people who had Japan experience,” says Ben Dolven, a former JET and current director of the East Asia division at the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. Congress’ official think tank.
“You’ve got a core of people who have had this experience all over, who are now part and parcel of U.S. policymaking on Japan,” he said.
Dolven’s point is illustrated by an anecdote told by Michael Green, the head of Japan Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former head of the Asia team under President George W. Bush’s National Security Council.
Green, who participated in a precursor to the JET program, was tasked with putting together a group to examine how the 2001 election of Junichiro Koizumi as Japan’s prime minister might affect its relations with the United States.
The task force consisted of Japan experts from various government agencies, ranging from the Central Intelligence Agency to the Treasury Department.
“The interesting thing about it was that you had all of these people from all of these agencies, who had been JETs…” or, like Green, had participated in similar programs in Japan, he said.
The group put together a set of recommendations that “became, in many ways, a blueprint for President Bush’s first meeting with Koizumi,” Green said.
Dolven said since JET program participants often work in rural areas, the program gives them a more nuanced view of the “real” Japan, a background that provides crucial context for better understanding the country and making informed policy decisions.
“There are lives being lived all over the country, and if you are just focused on Tokyo, you miss so much,” Dolven said.
Auslin also said that JET is probably the most successful, institutionalized, organized way to get young foreigners to obtain a deeper understanding of the “real” Japan.
This sentiment is perfectly embodied by Andrew Ou, a former JET now working in the U.S. Embassy’s political section.
While on the JET program 10 years ago, Ou developed a relationship with Ichita Yamamoto, now a leading figure in Japan’s main opposition Liberal Democratic Party. Ou cites this connection, as well as his JET experience with Japan’s local politics, as invaluable to his current work analyzing Japanese politics.
“You can’t put that into an equation and come out with a figure of how important it is for bilateral relations,” he said. But he believes that his own and others’ experiences on the JET program “add up to invaluable benefits for the U.S.-Japan relationship.”
Recent criticism of the JET program comes at a time when many scholars have observed an increasing tendency in Japan towards turning “inward,” contributing to what the Japan Center for International Exchange, a New York-based think tank, has called an erosion in the “the institutional base of U.S.-Japan policy dialogue and study.”
Ou finds criticism of the JET program especially disappointing. “I think as a group, JET alumni have a bigger impact on bilateral policy than any other,” he said.
And that is what makes it essential to “emphasize how important the JET program was and is for me and countless other diplomats,” he said.
(Mainichi Japan) February 5, 2011
Learn Chinese New York – Chinese Language Night
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J-DOC, C-DOC, and K-DOC are recurring features 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, Chinese, English, and Korean language learning options.
This event listing can be found at: Chinese Event NYC.
Are you interested in learning Chinese, and celebrating Chinese New Year at the same time? Come join the staff at Hills Learning for a fun night out to celebrate the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival. This is a great opportunity to Learn Chinese in New York, so please join and bring your friends. Oh yeah, 新年快乐! (Happy New Year in Chinese)
