Mar 18

JETAA Music City website launch and Bluegrass Subchapter Fundraising event

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters

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Via JET alum Terry Vo who works at the Consulate in Nashville:

JETAA Music City (MC) is proud to announce the launching of their website www.jetaamc.org.

JETAA-MC is the newest chapter in the US that supports former JET participants in Kentucky and Tennessee. We are so thankful that we can launch in time to add another means of communication to assist Japan through this difficult time.

Our sub-chapter, Bluegrass will be having a Japan Relief Event TONIGHT (Friday, March 18) at 9pm. Please come out and support them if you can.

We hope that you will take a few moments and visit our website to see what we’re doing to educate our community about Japan and provide a place where our members can find useful information. We really appreciate all the other JETAA chapters who assisted us and have great websites that we could view while building ours.

Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you all soon. All feedback is welcome!

Mar 18

Consulate General of Japan in New York Accepting Donations

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Volunteer

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Dear all,

●The Consulate General’s account to receive financial donation: please go to the link below;

http://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/en/t/2011/110315_02.html

●The Consulate General of Japan in New York wishes to inform you that a book of condolences for the victims of the recent Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake will be open for people to express their sympathies on the following dates:

・ March 17-18 (Today-Friday): 9:30am-4:00pm
・ March 21-23 (Monday-Wednesday): 9:30am-4:00pm

The condolences book will be on the 18th floor of our offices at 299 Park Avenue.

The Consulate General of Japan wishes to extend its sincere appreciation for your kind support.

Consulate General of Japan
212-371-8222

This post was written by Sam Frank, an ALT who taught English in Hiraizumi-Cho, Iwate Prefecture from 2002-2004 and worked in Shirahama-cho, Wakayama Prefecture as a JET from 2004-2006. He currently manages the New York Division of UnRated Magazine (http://unratednyc.com) and works as a Project Manager at Arrow Root Media (http://arrowrootmedia.com).

Mar 17

JETAA Southeast President Theresa Kanter on public radio interview in Atlanta

Earthquake Tsunami

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Local groups raise money for Japan relief efforts

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1776789/Atlanta./Local.groups.raise.money.for.Japan.relief.efforts

Mar 17

New Orleans to help Japan In a Time of Crisis

Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, JetWit Diary, Volunteer

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After his hometown of New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina the Japanese government offered material and monetary assistance that surpassed $1 million and that included tents, blankets, power generators and portable water tanks. Japan also provided $200,000 to the American Red Cross to aid hurricane victims. Now former Fukushima Prefecture, Iwaki City JET from 2007-2010 Doug Tassin is on a mission to help his former home in Japan.

The New Orleans Japan Quake Fund is currently in the process of being established. It is being formed by a coalition of New Orleans-based, Japan-related groups: Japan Club of New Orleans, Japan Society of New Orleans, jetaaNOLA (JET Program Alumni Association, New Orleans Chapter), and Japanese Garden Society. With the full support of Honorary Consul General of Japan Donna Fraiche and hopefully the endorsement of the govenor of Louisiana and mayor of New Orleans, we are creating this fund as a means for all of New Orleans to repay the generosity and care that Japan showed us in our time of need. This donor administered fund will be created through the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), and we plan to raise money in the fund and give it directly to an organization in Japan. GNOF has a long history of successfully administering funds, and we will still be able to direct where the money goes.

Click below to read the full story by Doug and see how you can make a difference. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150159551445306

Mar 17

Role of JET alumni community in this crisis

Earthquake Tsunami, Uncategorized

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There was an article in the NY Times earlier this week saying there has not been a large response from the Japanese community in NYC, because it’s not as big as other ethnic communities in NYC and because many members are here for short periods to work for their companies, etc.

But that article didn’t understand this important fact: We–the JET alumni community of 55,000+ worldwide–we are part of the Japanese expat community.

So when the media talk about the Japanese community in the world, they need to factor in the JET alumni. Because we all have a lifetime connection to Japan no matter what else we do in life, and in our minds we are all Japanese. We are hurting like hell and we are also helping.

JET alumni are doing amazing things right now to organize and mobilize resources, funding, translations, information and volunteers. Through the JET Alumni Association. Through independent efforts. And also through the roles established JET alumni already play in myriad organizations and companies that are supporting Japan.

In addition to these efforts, part of our role as JET alumni is to engage the people around us in our home country so that they understand and feel connected to Japan. So that they understand and are aware of ways they can help. Cultural outreach is one of the most important ways that JET alumni can help right now.

Minasan, ganbatte kudasai.

Mar 17

Japan’s Prime Minister Launches English-Language Twitter Account for Quake Updates

Earthquake Tsunami

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http://mashable.com/2011/03/16/japan-prime-minister-english-twitter/

Mar 17

JapaneseLondon.com Round-up 03.17.11

Earthquake Tsunami, Events

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Thanks to JETAA UK’s Vanessa Villalobos for sharing this:

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JAPANESE LONDON?

It feels like the world is a different place, post March 11^th. The massive tremor has actually shifted earth on its axis. Now, all we can do is come together as friends of Japan to send our love and donations towards the recovery effort.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief in London

There is a book of condolence for the victims of the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, now open at the Embassy of Japan. You can call in between 9.30am and 5.30pm until the 23^rd March (including Saturday and Sunday) to sign the book. Don’t forget to take a form of photo ID (driving licence or passport) for the security on the door.

The popular violinist Taro Hakase has been holding charity concerts in venues around London since Monday, and will continue with an appearance at Fortnum and Mason, 5pm, Thursday 17^thMarch, and a concert at Cadogan Hall this Friday 18^th March.

The Japan Society has now set up its Tohoku Earthquake Relief fund, and will be channelling donations specifically to grassroots organisations in the Sendai area.

Also, visit the Play for Japan website to get the latest about fundraising events, or to let them know about yours – it’s ‘an interactive portal set up to give the maximum publicity to your efforts’. Read More

Mar 17

Volunteers needed for “Multilingual Medical Terms Translation List” created by Okinawa JET

Earthquake Tsunami, Translating/Interpreting, Volunteer

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Multilingual Medical Terms Translation List

This is a project that Stephanie Toriumi (CIR Okinawa-ken, Ishigaki-shi) is just getting off the ground. She is looking for volunteers to help check, add terms & other languages so that the list will keep growing.

https://spreadsheets0.google.com/ccc?pli=1&key=tOXlkY2K3JSEhLa5TCJEC0w#gid=0

Mar 17

JET Steve Mendoza (Minamisanriku) interviewed by NHK World

Earthquake Tsunami

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I just woke up and pulled up NHK World on my computer to see JET Steven Mendoza of Minami Sanriku being interviewed on NHK World. He was explaining how everyone went right to work helping out and taking care of each other, how the students were terrific and were put to work right away. He was asked about future ALTs in the town to which he responded that the town is gone so the students will have to go to other schools in the area. At the end of the interview, the announcer pointed out that Steve was scheduled to finish his contract this summer but that now he plans on stay on to continue to help.

I think this is likely typical of other JETs in affected areas. JETs are part of the communities in which they’re working, feel a strong connection and are playing significant roles in their communities.

Keep up the good work. You continue to instill great pride in all of us who serve or served on the JET Program.

Mar 17

Earthquake: Japan – A Land of Fragile Beauty, or Take a Break from the News Feed

Earthquake Tsunami

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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.
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The following facebook group, Japan: A Land of Fragile Beauty, or Take a Break from the News Feed, was set up by a JET based in Ishikawa Prefecture in the days after the earthquake. The group description says

This is an attempt to create some sort of haven away from the constant images of death and destruction that we’re being bombarded with on TV and the internet. Post whatever you want…thoughts, music, haikus, pictures of Japan that don’t make you want to cry.

Mar 17

Earthquake: Write for Tohoku – Call for Submissions

Earthquake Tsunami, Volunteer, Writers

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There is an open call for submissions to an ebook anthology to raise funds for Tohoku.

Writers and translators in Japan are invited to submit short pieces of writing (500-1000 words).

Travel stories, humor pieces, essays, translations from Japanese or other languages, interviews, profiles (of people or places) or other non-fiction work are welcomed.

All proceeds from the sale of the ebook will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross.

Please go to the following website for more details: http://writefortohoku.wordpress.com/

Mar 17

Job: Opening at the Embassy of Japan (Washington, DC)

Jobs

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via Embassy of Japan, DC. 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:

We have a new job opening in Washington DC for a Webmaster / Office Manager.

Please check the link for more details:http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JICC/employment.html

Mar 17

Job: Sales Engineer for Japanese Company

Jobs

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via Actus Consulting. 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: Sales Engineer for Japanese Company