CLAIR-NY Report: JETAA USA Support for Communities in Japan
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CLAIR-NY recently posted the below report, written by Senior Researcher Matthew Gillam, on its website about JETAA USA chapter activities in support of communities in Japan:
JETAA USA Support for Communities in Japan
Recent examples as of May 2012
One way that the many JET alumni chapters in the US work to stay connected to Japan is through their support for prefecture and local governments and their involvement with communities here that have links to Japan. Alumni are active in contributing to sister city and sister state relationships, assisting groups or officials visiting from Japan, helping out at events and exhibits to promote tourism and local products, and participating in kenjinkai and other Japanese groups here in the US.
Sister State & Sister City Relationships
While almost every chapter reported involvement with sister states and cities in some way, a few of the more substantive examples are mentioned here.
Even though Washington, DC, does not have a sister city itself, members of the chapter there took part in the Sister Cities International grant selection process that determined the 2011 funding recipients for SCI’s new exchange initiative, Leading Asia: Renewing the U.S. and Japan Sister City Network.
The New England chapter, in Boston, is actively looking for ways to contribute to the sister city relationships that Boston has with Kyoto, Springfield with Nanae, and Concord with Takikawa. The Kyoto connection is especially interesting because both cities share a thriving anime & manga culture. The current chapter president is also a member of the Japan-Hokkaido Association.
The New Orleans chapter helped host a delegation including the mayor and officials from their sister city of Matsue who came to participate in the annual Japan Fest, held at the New Orleans Museum of Art in January.
"Every chance I get, I would like to perform. I feel that in order to keep this genre of music alive, the younger generation of Japan needs to be exposed to it more often. I am happy that I am able to keep my current younger fans and gain new ones." (Guan Barl)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Since becoming a star in Japan in 2008 for his interpretations of enka, or Japanese ballads, singer Jero is now poised to make his New York debut at Japan Society on June 9 withLet’s Enka! with Jero, where he will perform a selection of karaoke-accompanied enka classics and talk about his childhood, his trailblazing success, the challenges he’s faced and his love for the uniquely Japanese genre of music.
Born Jerome Charles White, Jr., the 30-year-old Pittsburgh native was born of mixed Japanese and African American heritage. He was exposed to enka and the Japanese language as a child by his grandmother, a native of Yokohama. Jero’s first single released in Japan, “Umiyuki” (“Ocean Snow”), entered the top five of the national pop charts, which helped the fledgling vocalist win Best New Artist of 2008 at The 50th Annual Japan Record Awards.
Following his Japan Society debut concert, Jero will participate in a rare meet-and-greet with fans, selling and signing his CDs as well as special Jero tote bags, the proceeds of which will be donated to JERF, the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, set up by Japan Society in the wake of 3/11. In this exclusive interview, I caught up with Jero on his difficult pre-stardom days in Japan, the turning point that encouraged him to perform in America, and his role as a global envoy of enka.
Your New York debut will be held at Japan Society. How did this come together?
I received an e-mail for the event asking me to perform. I forwarded the e-mail to my manager and there you have it!
Tell us a little about your previous live performances in North America. What were your expectations and how were the shows received?
My very first performance in the U.S. [in 2008] was at my alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. Two years later, I was given the opportunity to perform in L.A. and San Francisco. I actually was against performing in the U.S. because I wasn’t sure how it would be perceived by the U.S. audience, as all the songs are in Japanese. I received a lot of positive feedback after those performances, which gave me a confidence I never had before.
You’ve said before that you would like to keep performing on the Japanese New Year’s Eve music program Kohaku Uta Gassen every year and continue to get younger audiences listening to enka. How do you feel this has been going so far, and how do you feel about introducing enka to a younger generation of fans?
Every chance I get, I would like to perform. Because the enka audience has decreased every year, outlets to perform have also decreased. I feel that in order to keep this genre of music alive, the younger generation of Japan needs to be exposed to it more often. I am happy that I am able to keep my current younger fans and gain new ones.
For the complete story, click here.
Read an exclusive interview with Jero from the winter 2009 issue of JQ magazine here.
Attention JET alums in Hawaii: Support Requested for Hiroshima City Delegation at the Pan-Pacific Festival
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Via the Hiroshima City Government with assistance from Naomi Maki of the Japan Local Government Center in New York (aka CLAIR-NY):
A tourism promotion and exchange delegation from the City of Hiroshima is visiting Honolulu!
Purpose: Hiroshima City and Honolulu City established a sister city relationship in 1959, and over the years, they have enhanced their friendly relations through promoting peace, culture, sports, and other causes. In 2009, they exchanged delegations in commemoration of the 50 years of their sister city relationship. Also the Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce and the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce established a relationship in 1971, and last year was the 30th anniversary for them. So this year, the City of Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce are sending a delegation to Honolulu to promote tourism in Hiroshima. They will visit Honolulu by a charter flight with around 200 citizens.
Schedule: From June 7 to 12
Support Requested for Hiroshima City Delegation at the Pan-Pacific Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii
We are looking for JET alumni who worked in Hiroshima on JET, because the City of Hiroshima would appreciate any volunteers who might be able to help with their tourism promotion in Honolulu on the following dates:
*From 11:20am to 11:35 on June 9, Saturday for a stage event.
*From 3:00pm to 7:00pm on June 10, Sunday for distributing Hiroshima’s tourist information at a booth.
If you or any other JET alumni know someone who worked in Hiroshima as a JET, please share this information. If anyone is interested in this program, please contact Darryl Toma, President of JETAA Hawaii at Jetaahawaii [at] gmail.com.
And if you are interested in Hiroshima and connecting with other Hiroshima JET alumni, please join the Hiroshima JET Alumni group on LinkedIn!
Also CLAIR and the City of Hiroshima would greatly appreciate it if JET alumni could share the above information with other JET alumni.
From Naomi Maki, Assistant Director, Japan Local Government Center.
About the Pan-Pacific Festival: http://www.pan-pacific-festival.com/index.html
JETAANC Pacific Bridge: Connecting with Japanese Exchange Students through Ayusa
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By Rachel Peters (Fukuoka, 2004-07) for the JETAANC Pacific Bridge magazine. Rachel works at Ayusa International and is helping out with the upcoming Tomodachi Initiative to bring Japanese high school students to the Bay Area during the summer.
After returning from the JET program in 2007, I was eager to enter a field where I could continue to promote cross-cultural understanding, tolerance, and awareness. I was extremely fortunate to find my way into Ayusa International, a division of Intrax Cultural Exchange that brings foreign exchange students to the United States for both year-long and short-term programs.
At Ayusa, I work in our Partner and Participant Services Department, which is where I cultivate and maintain relationships with our international partners and resolve issues that arise with our students while they are in the United States. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit our branch office in Japan, travel domestically to visit our students, host families and staff, and work on a variety of projects that foster international exchange.
Working at Ayusa has been a rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally. It’s inspiring to see the impact of the work we do in the lives of our students and the families who graciously host them. This coming summer, I am thrilled about a new program that we will be facilitating here in the Bay Area—the Tomodachi Softbank Leadership Program—and feel that it would be a great opportunity available for JET alumni in the Bay Area.
Job: Postings from Idealist.org 5.29.12
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Via Idealist.org. Posted by Geneva Marie (Niigata-ken 2008-09) Geneva is a contributor to both JETwit and JETAANY. Geneva is on a continuous (epic) search for Japanese-related jobs in the United States. Hire me! :-)
Outreach Associate
Posted by: Forward Translations, Inc.
Type: Part-time/Temporary/Contract
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $15 p/h
Application Deadline: June 15, 2012
Forward Translations, Inc. (a non-profit , startup company) is currently hiring an Outreach Associate for a part-time, temporary position with possibility of more hours at the end of the work period. Concentration in a foreign language, business, nonprofit management, humanities, or related field preferred.
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/CF9gJctNnSCp/
WIT LIfe #202: I Wish (奇跡)
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WIT Life 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.
Over the weekend I finally got to see I Wish (奇跡), the newest English release from my favorite Japanese director, Hirokazu Kore-eda (是枝裕和). This movie is set in Kyushu, and tells the story of two brothers separated due to their parents’ divorce (one up north in Fukuoka, one down south in Kagoshima). Now that all of Kyushu is connected by bullet train, the older brother had heard it said that if you are there at the moment when two shinkansen cross (in Kumamoto, where I was a JET), you can make a wish and it will come true.
The brothers (the talented Maeda siblings, pictured here with Kore-eda) come up with wishes of their own and are accompanied by friends when they make the journey for this purpose. The original Japanese title can also be translated as “miracle”, and for many of these wishes to be realized Read More
Job: Hays Recruiting seeks recruiting experts for Japan and China
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Hays Recruiting seeks recruiting experts for Japan and China. Click “Read More” for more info. And please mention JETwit if you apply. Read More
JQ Magazine: DVD Review — ‘Documentary of AKB48 to Be Continued’
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“It’s genius, really. This documentary takes some of the more popular girls and puts them under the lens and attempts to find out what they really want out of this and, please, could you prance around in a short skirt while we ask?” (NEW PEOPLE ENTERTAINMENT)
The Challenger Akihabara Deep—going where no otaku has gone before: The AKB48 Trench
By Rick Ambrosio (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08) for JQ magazine. Rick manages the JET Alumni Association of New York (JETAANY)’s Twitter page and is the creator of the JETwit column Tadaima!
So, Documentary of AKB48 to Be Continued.
Starting out, I knew very little about this group. (In fact, I am writing this first paragraph before I watch this documentary.) So what do I know? I know it’s a troupe of pretty girls singing in unison to the joy of fans all over Japan. I know there are a lot of them. And they have songs. That’s…well, that’s really it. In the universe of girl groups, the only others that really come to mind are the Spice Girls and Girls’ Generation, and I only know the latter because my girlfriend really liked the jeans they wore in a video.
Before we start, you should know that getting a DVD like this is rare. The only place to pick this up is at http://store.newpeopleworld.com. No Amazon, no Right Stuf. So when handed a review copy of this disc, I knew this was something special, but I also knew I had it wrong. A hard-to-find documentary? My hopes where over the moon. I was curious what the director and his team would discover about this group. Who secretly hates whom? Which one has substance abuse problems? Surely some scandal would come to light.
For starters, this documentary assumes you know a little bit about the group beforehand. This really is set up as more of a “behind the scenes, get to know the girls” film than it is a structured presentation of their work. It allows you to get closer to the idols as people (or at least what is deemed appropriate, sadly) and see who these dancers are as they attempt to garner attention from an audience that ultimately decides their fate. The product here is really American Idol meets Japanese Pop Star, with the same emotional performances, reactions and judging of the American show mixed with the contemporary idol mania that has swept over Tokyo, Akihabara to be specific. It’s genius, really. This documentary takes some of the more popular girls and puts them under the lens and attempts to find out what they really want out of this and, please, could you prance around in a short skirt while we ask?
Job: Advertising Sales Representative Needed For Asian Fusion Magazine (NY) 05.27.12
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Thanks to Rick Lin for sharing this job. Posted by Kay Monroe (Miyazaki-shi, 1995 -97).
____________________________________________________________
Position: Advertising Sales Representative
Posted by: Asian Fusion Magazine
Type: N/A
Location: Midtown, NY
Salary: N/A
Start date: NA
Summary:
If you are an aggressive and independent self-starter whose unlimited potential has yet to be realized, this could be the opportunity of your lifetime. Asian Fusion Magazine has an opening for an experienced sales account representative to sell advertising for its magazine publications.
The successful candidate will be a poised, stimulating and articulate communicator who is capable of expanding our advertising customer base and who will enjoy the challenges associated with delivering the value of target-marketed advertising to hundreds of local businesses. Our outside sales representatives are responsible for researching assigned territories, qualifying prospects over the phone, cold calling potential customers and closing sales via telephone or in person. Our advertising sales representative’s compensation is strictly commission based. Income potential is $50 – $70k on outstanding achievement.
This position is for you if:
You have 2 to 3 years sales experience, with polished skills
You like to work hard, work smart, and have fun
You’d like the freedom of an independent contractor
You’d like to increase your income every year
Please send your resume to advertise@asianfusion-mag.com
For more information please visit our website at www.asianfusion-mag.com
Job: Web developer – Dept of Envir and Occup Health Sciences (WA) 05.27.12
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Thanks to writer and former Pacific Northwest JETAA Newsletter Editor Liz Sharpe, who works for the U of W, for sharing this job listing. Posted by Kay Monroe (Miyazaki-shi, 1995 -97).
____________________________________________________________
Position: Web Developer
Posted by: University of Washington School of Public Health
Type:N/A
Location: Seattle, WA
Salary: N/A
Start date: N/A
Overview:
Web Developer needed in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences in the University of Washington School of Public Health.
Req. 82723. Interested candidates can apply online here: http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/jobs/index.html
JapanLocal: Yunohama Beach in Tsuruoka
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JETAA Philadelphia Subchapter rep Rashaad Jorden recently wrote the following article for the Japan Tourist website (a great example of JETs helping to promote “local” tourism for Japan):
Yunohama Beach in Tsuruoka: Sand in the Land of Snow
While Yamagata Prefecture is famous for skiing and snowboarding, its mountains definitely don’t hold a monopoly on providing outdoor fun. Come July and August, the prefecture’s sand gets its turn to woo tourists.
Located within the Tsuruoka City limits on the Sea of Japan coast, Yunohama is Yamagata Prefecture’s most popular beach locale.
Each summer thousands of people descend upon it, albeit really only for the month-long swimming season, which starts on Marine Day weekend (Marine Day is celebrated on the third Monday of July). The roughly one kilometer beach does contain large stretches of empty sand as most beachgoers are confined to the space near the lifeguards’ chairs.
Although Yunohama doesn’t seem too different from many other beaches—big crowds on the weekend, plenty of swimmers and surfers, and lots of athletic types playing soccer and volleyball—it does offer beachgoers the convenience of not having to step off the sand in order to replenish burned calories. Stands selling, among other things, fish, takoyaki, and French fries in addition to plenty of sports drinks and soda are on the premises.
If you’re looking for something more than a suntan—or shelter from the sun in a tent (a common sight in Yunohama)—the area has more to offer. A short bicycle ride from the beach takes you to Kamo Aquarium. If dolphins don’t interest you, maybe hot water does. Yunohama is actually most famous for its onsen, as numerous signs in the Tsuruoka city center direct motorists to the popular onsen resort.
However, you can hit up the onsen any time of year. Do your best to take advantage of the limited time in summer when you can fully enjoy Yunohama.
Pratical information:
– There’s no entry fee for the beach at Yunohama, but it costs at least 800 yen to park in the nearby lots.
– Swimming season at Yunohama lasts for about only a month, starting Marine Day weekend.
CLICK HERE to read the full article on Japan Tourist and see photos.
JapanLocal: Sunday Afternoons At The Park Video
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Patrick Lee is a current 2nd year JET in Nagasaki-ken who specializes in videography. His videos can be seen on his Youtube Channel. He can be contacted through Facebook and Twitter.
Chuo Park in downtown Tenjin, Fukuoka is the perfect escape from the bustling activity of the city. Patrick spent one Sunday afternoon mingling with locals and capturing the moments that made a memorable and relaxing day at the park. The video has been recently showcased at the Toyama International Film Festival organized by current Toyama JET Jonathan Dao.
Job: Actus Posting: Sales Specialist (NJ) 05.24.12
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Via ACTUS. Posted by Kay Monroe (Miyazaki-shi, 1995 -97).
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*** If you apply, please make sure to let them know you saw the listing on JETwit. ****
Position: Sales Specialist
Posted by: ACTUS Consulting
Type: Could be temp to hire
Location: Closter , NJ
Salary: $35~40K
Start Date: N/A
Responsibilities:
As a Sales Specialist, you will be in charge of corporate accounts. The main services you will be selling include: international and domestic moving, office relocation support, storage service. This is a great opportunity for you to learn the business and gain valuable experience as a Sales. Will have a lot of responsibilities. Exciting environment for those who are passionate and interested in expanding business opportunities. Sales Department has 5 expatriates from Japan and 2 temp employees
This is a new position as the hiring company is launching the new project to promote their service outside the existing corporate clients who are mainly Japanese. They are aiming to expand their business within non-Japanese corporate.
Preferred Experience and Skills:
– Must have Native-level English and Conversational-level Japanese
– Sales experience welcome, but not a must
– Must have excellent command of MS Excel, Word, Powerpoint
– Must be able to prepare Powerpoint presentations and present to the clients
Company Information:
– Company Address: Closter , NJ
– Well established international freight forwarder headquartered in Japan
– Has strong global network- over 88 countries
– Revenue exceeds $14 billion
– NJ Office has 27 employees
Please forward your most recent resume and cover letter to stakeda@actus-usa.com as an MS WORD attachment. Make sure to mention which position you are applying to in your cover letter. We will contact qualified candidates to have a preliminary interview. We are a Japanese staffing agency and currently searching for candidates for the above position at one of our client companies. We look forward to your application. Thank you!
Job: Tour Guide/Driver for Japanese Tourists (AZ) 05.24.12
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Thanks to JET alum Corey Ticknor for passing this along. Posted by Kay Monroe (Miyazaki-shi, 1995 -97).
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Corey Ticknor (Yamagata pref, 2009-2011) has a Japanese-speaking job with Atlas America in Arizona that is hiring; JET alums are encouraged to apply.
***Remember, if you apply, please make sure to let them know you saw the listing on JETwit.**
Position: Tour Guide/Driver for Japanese Tourists
Posted by: Atlas America
Type: Part-time/Freelance with opportunity for Full-time
Location: Sedona, AZ
Salary: $12.50/h during 90-day training period, $15/h + thereafter
Start Date: Immediately
http://www.atlas-america.com
Responsibilities:
Atlas America tour guides/drivers operate company vehicles to provide customer transportation to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport , as well as high-quality tours around Sedona and northern Arizona . Exacting, detail-oriented office work is an integral part of the job.
Company profile:
Atlas America is a full-service travel and tour company based in beautiful Sedona , Arizona . During the past decade Sedona has become a must-see destination for Japanese travelers to the US , and steadily increasing numbers of these visitors is driving growth at Atlas America . As an affiliate with the top Japanese travel agencies (JTB, HIS, JALPAK, etc), the company provides airport shuttle service, hotel bookings, and a full slate of tour options including Grand Canyon trips, helicopter sight-seeing tours, and hiking adventures to Sedona’s famous “energy vortex” power spots.
Requirements:
• You are willing to relocate to (or near) the beautiful red rocks of Sedona , Arizona .
• You are fluent in Japanese and English with a focus on spoken Japanese (JLPT N2 recommended) and a willingness to perfect your Japanese through continuous study.
• You will have a clean driving record (driver’s abstract required) and a valid Arizona driver’s license.
• You are at least 25 years old (Commercial Driver Insurance requirement)
• You are friendly, outgoing, and because you lived in Japan , you understand and can meet the extremely high levels of customer service that our customers expect.
• You are obsessed with perfecting details, eliminating mistakes, and communicating clearly in a small-business environment.
• You enjoy hiking and will have a working knowledge of the geography, geology, climate, ethnobotany, and Native American/American settler history of northern Arizona and more specifically Sedona.
• You are willing to work a flexible schedule with a minimum of 30 hours/week and more typically 40+.
• You are legally entitled to work in the United States .
APPLY
Please send your resume, cover letter, and three letters of reference by email to info@atlas-america.com. Include your email and phone number. No phone calls please.
Job: Postings from Idealist.org 5.24.12
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Via Idealist.org. Posted by Geneva Marie (Niigata-ken 2008-09) Geneva is a contributor to both JETwit and JETAANY. Geneva is on a continuous (epic) search for Japanese-related jobs in the United States. Hire me! :-)
Program and Operations Manager
Posted by: The Asia Foundation
Type: Full-Time
Location: San Francisco, CA/Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
Salary: Salary commensurate with experience
Application Deadline: June 1, 2012
The Asian Foundation in San Francisco is seeking a Program and Operations Manger to assist the Country Representative in reporting and monitoring the Foundation’s strategy, program and projects in Mongolia. A graduate degree in relevant field of foreign policy, international relations, economics, or law is required.
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/HZcN4bPW7Z5P/
