Students from Taylor and Monty’s high schools to visit the US
Earthquake Tsunami 
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The below article appeared recently in the US-based Japanese language newspaper Frontline. Thanks to a helpful, bilingual JETwit supporter for sharing this and providing a summary in English:
“It basically says that 1,000 high school kids from 40 schools in the US will visit Japan in three groups from June 10th to the end of July. The group will include students from Taylor and Monty’s alma maters. They will do volunteer work in Tohoku and will visit Ishinomaki and Rikuzentakata (you can see the reference to Taylor, Monty, & JET in the third paragraph). The three main groups will evidently break up into smaller groups of 25 while in Japan and will move around among visits to places like temporary housing and volunteer work sites, and they are planning to visit Fukushima-ken to conduct radiation testing on newly harvested produce (that’s really interesting). They will also visit Kobe to see the recovery there from the Hanshin earthquake.”
★ 米高校生ら1000人、被災地へ 10日から訪日、交流
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東日本大震災からの復興に取り組む日本の姿を自分の目で確かめようと、米国の高校生ら約1000人が10日から７月下旬にかけ、３グループに分かれて訪日する。それぞれ約２週間滞在し、岩手、宮城、福島、茨城４県でのボランティア活動などを通じて被災地の人々と交流を深める。国際交流基金が主催する招待プログラムの一環。2005年の大型ハリケーン「カトリーナ」など、過去に自然災害に見舞われた地域を含む全米の40校が参加者を送り出す。外国青年招致事業（JETプログラム）で訪日中に震災の犠牲となった英語指導助手テイラー・アンダーソンさん＝当時（24）、バージニア州出身＝と、モンゴメリー・ディクソンさん＝同（26）、アラスカ州出身＝の出身校の生徒も訪日し、２人の赴任先だった宮城県石巻市と岩手県陸前高田市を訪れる予定。参加者は25人単位で行動。一部は岩手県久慈市で仮設住宅を訪問し、震災当時や避難生活の話を聞く。宮城県気仙沼市で津波被害を受けた海岸を地元ボランティアとともに清掃したり、福島県天栄村を訪れ収穫した農作物の放射線量を測定したりすることも計画されている。全ての参加者は神戸市にも足を運び、阪神大震災から復興を遂げた街の様子も視察する。（共同）
Press Release: The U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) Entrepreneurship Task Force and others Announce a Strategic Partnership to Bring Innovation, Recovery to the Tohoku Region.
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Thanks to JET alum Andrew McCarthy for sharing this information:
For Immediate Release
The U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) Entrepreneurship Task Force, SunBridge Global Venture Habitat and Venture Generation, Tokyo Announce a Strategic Partnership to Bring Innovation, Recovery to the Tohoku Region.
The partnership launched at an April 25 event at Stanford University supports entrepreneurs with game-changing ideas for the area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Leaders of this new initiative hope to breathe new life into the region by empowering entrepreneurs to rebuild the region in smart and innovative ways that will make it globally competitive. Read More
JapanLocal: Promotional Video for JET alum book “For Fukui’s Sake”
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Below is a promotional video for the book For Fukui’s Sake: Two Year’s In Rural Japan by JET alum Sam Baldwin (Fukui-ken, 2004-06) (who also created the video). The video does a great job of capturing the images and essence Fukui through Sam’s eyes. Read more about Sam in the book review Tim Martin (Fukui-ken, 2006-08) did for JQ magazine.
JET alum James Kennedy curates Second Annual 90-second Newbery Film Festival
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This just in from the so-original-you-have to see/meet/read-him-to-believe-him James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of the acclaimed young adult novel The Order of Odd-Fish. Make sure to watch the “Heart of a Samurai” video below–one more example of a JET alum generating interest in Japanese language and culture in ways the Japanese government could never have possibly imagined. (See explanation further below.)
Preparations for the Second Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival are underway! The 90-Second Newbery is a film festival I curate in which filmmakers of any age are challenged to make movies that tell the story of a Newbery award-winning book in 90 seconds or less.Full details here. The deadline for video submission is October 29, 2012. Details about screenings in New York and Chicago—including special celebrity guests—below!
But first, check out the latest submission above! It’s of Margi Preus’ fantastic 2011 Newbery Honor book, Heart of a Samurai. The movie is by Alex, Amy, Izzy, Asher, and Zach from Burley Elementary in Chicago. Full disclosure: I helped with this one! And here’s our twist: we did the film in Japanese, even though the students, er, don’t know Japanese. I helped with the script and pronunciation. There are storms at sea! Whales! Burning beards! Fistfights! It’s also slightly longer than 90 seconds. Oh well. ENJOY! Read More
Message from Outgoing AJET Chairman Matthew Cook
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Originally posted to the AJET website on May 25, 2012:
AJET Chairman, Matthew Cook: My Final Message as Chair
CLICK HERE to read the full message on the AJET website.
A few select quotes:
“This year saw AJET re-branded to clearly show the world what AJET does: Connects people linked to the JET Programme; participants, ministries, alumni, our countries, and the world. That started a chain reaction of more close interaction from all of those parties.”
“This year, you saw the AJET website revamped and redesigned so that you could more easily navigate it. We saw facebook groups created for regions across Japan, to allow JETs to connect with other JETs locally and share what they found relevant to their experiences. We saw AJET make a presence in the twitter universe and speak to the public, as well as multiple instances of coverage in the media.”
“AJET got involved with JET Alumni and members of our council even attended the JETAA International Conference, to make sure current JETs were represented. AJET engaged Embassies and started close relationships with U.S. and Canadian governments, which we’re hoping will result in more and more opportunities for JETs.”
CLICK HERE to see a list of Matt and the AJET Council’s accomplishments.
Career: JET alum makes her mark in international exchange role with Hostelling International
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Thanks to Megan Johnson (Mie-ken, 2001-03) who works for Hostelling International, for sharing a bit about her career path in the field of international exchange programs, a very popular field for JET alumni. (Join the JET Alum International Education and Exchange group on LinkedIn to connect with other JET alums in the field.) Megan recently also shared a very JET-relevant job opening at her organization which we posted to JETwit.
During the two years I spent teaching in rural Japan, exploring the country, and traveling throughout Southeast Asia, I gained an immense appreciation for responsible, culturally sensitive travel and the power of travel to build positive relations among those of different cultures. Before I left Mie-ken, I knew I wanted to find an organization in the U.S. that I could get involved with that would allow me to interact with travelers and exercise my passion for utilizing effective intercultural communication skills to learn more about the world and its people. Hostelling International USA turned out to be that organization.
HI-USA is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to “help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people, through hostelling”. There are 60 HI-USA hostels throughout the country, and luckily one of their locations is in Chicago, where I moved after JET. Because of a stroke of luck–the replacement ALT in my tiny town in Mie-ken happened to be from Chicago and happened to be a volunteer at the hostel in Chicago–I found myself accepting a job as the hostel’s Education Coordinator. Read More
Return on JET-vestment: JETAA Northern California’s Kabuki Club Becoming an International Resource for Japanese Performing Arts
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By Mark Frey (Kumamoto-ken, 2002-06), JETAA Northern California’s Communications Coordinator and former Newsletter Editor.
JET Alumni Northern California’s Kabuki Club Becoming an International Resource for Japanese Performing Arts
The Kabuki Club of the JET Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a small Oakland library conference room two years ago. A handful of friends with a shared passion and interest in Kabuki gathered to study and talk about Fuji Musume, a very beautiful and popular Kabuki dance drama. Little did any of them realize that two years of hard work later the “Kabuki Club” study group would be an important part of the programming of two local cultural centers, often drawing more than 50 people from the greater San Francisco Bay Area interested in learning more about Kabuki, Noh, Bunraku, Butoh, and other Japanese performing arts.
It must have seemed just as unlikely to those first members that a small online discussion group that the group started would soon grow and encompass participants from across the U.S. and around the world. “It’s gotten to the point where students from around the world are contacting Kabuki Club for help and guidance with research projects,” said Mark Frey, director of the Kabuki Club. “Just this week we received a request from a high school student in Luxembourg looking for information about props and stagecraft in the Kabuki playSukeroku. We’re happy to help!”
The Kabuki Club has unexpectedly returned a nice dividend on the Japanese government’s investment in the JET Program, helping to promote the treasures of Japanese culture locally and to a growing worldwide audience. “While on the JET Program, so many of us were lucky enough to have Japanese friends who took time to introduce us to the unique magic and power of Japanese performing arts. It’s very gratifying now that we’re able to do the same for people all over the world. I feel like it’s a small way we can say ‘thank you’ to Japan for the joy and friendship we received,” said Mark.
Check out what JETAANC Kabuki Club is up to at http://www.jetaanc.org/kabuki.
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.
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
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
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: Tottori JET introduces his town to the world
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Tottori JET Anthony Lieven has created two videos so far as part of a monthly project that introduces his JET town of Misasa to the world. With Anthony’s permission (after initially seeing posted to the Tottori JET group on Facebook), here are the two videos so far:
April 2012
May 2012
If you or any other JETs/alums have Japan Local video, photographs, writing or other projects you’d like to share, please email jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
A message from JETAA USA’s 3 new Country Representatives
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Each country with a JETAA chapter has the right to participate in JETAA International. Most countries have one Country Representative (or “Country Rep”) each. However, the formula for representation is one country rep for each 9 chapters. And since JETAA USA has 19 chapters, that means it has 3 country reps.
Country Reps play a large role in coordinating among the chapters in their country, which in the case of the US, has no central governing authority. (Kind of like the original 13 colonies before the Constitution, if you will.) They serve as the shepherds, facilitating the reporting and funding required between CLAIR And the chapters. However, since 3/11 the Country Reps in the US have played a significant new role, helping to organize and facilitate Japan relief fundraising and communications and helping to think about the future direction of JETAA USA along with their normal duties and obligations. This adds up to a lot of work in addition to their day jobs. So make sure to thank your CRs for all their behind-the-scenes work whenever you have a chance.
With that background in mind, here is the introduction message to the chapters from the 3 newly elected JETAA USA Country Representatives:
Hello JETAA Chapter Officers,
Melissa, Jennifer, and I would like to ‘officially’ say hello as your new Country Representatives for the 2012-2013 year. Below are some personalized greetings from us.
As always we can be reached at our JETAA USA emails:
us1.jetaausa@gmail.com – Melissa Chan
us2.jetaausa@gmail.com – Christina Omori
us3.jetaausa@gmail.com – Jennifer Butler
We look forward to a great year working with you!
MELISSA – CR1
Hello everyone! My name is Melissa Chan from JETAA Northern California and I am honored to serve as one of your JETAA USA Country Representatives with Christina and Jennifer. We are excited to continue some of the great work that Jessyca, Megan and Mike have worked on over the past year. I also plan to utilize our social media outlets (Twitter, facebook, etc.) as ways to keep all members informed of what’s happening with JETAAUSA and the various chapters. Be sure to follow us @JETAAUSA. You are welcome to contact me at us1.jetaausa@gmail.com if you have any ideas, suggestions, or want to help out! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
CHRISTINA – CR2
Hi everyone! My name is Christina Omori (NEJETAA) and it is my pleasure to be working with Melissa Chan (JETAANC) and Jennifer Butler (JETAAMC) as your JETAA USA Country Representatives for the 2012-2013 year. We have many exciting efforts such as the JETAA USA Relief fund, evaluating and promoting the success and value of the JET Programme, and much more. Some of the projects I’ll be working on include understanding the success and value of the JET Programme to learn where we have opportunities for improvement while providing support to our communications outlets such as the JETAA USA website and our Google Groups forum. Please feel free to reach out to me at us2.jetaausa@gmail.com for any questions or concerns or just to say hello! I look forward to a productive and successful year working with you all!
JENNIFER – CR3
Greetings! This is Jennifer Butler from the Music City JETAA chapter and I’m looking forward to working with Melissa and Christina this coming year as one of the JETAA USA Country Reps. We are dedicated to supporting all 19 US chapters as we work on national projects that will naturally require the cooperation of all of you. Yoroshiku! In particular, I’m planning to work on the Sister Cities Initiative and supporting more outreach to other community groups. If you have any ideas for this or would like to contact me about anything else of concern, just email me at us3.jetaausa@gmail.com. Thanks and here’s to a productive year!
JETAANY representing at JapanDay Central Park
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JETAANY apparently did a great job of running the Yo-Yo Fishing Tent at JapanDay in Central Park on Sunday. Minna-san o-tsukare sama!
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CLAIR NY report on JET alumni support for Japan post-3/11
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CLAIR NY has published and posted to its website a report that attempts to capture some of the efforts of the JET alumni community to support Japan post-3/11. It is worth noting that it’s difficult to capture all of the wide-ranging efforts of the JET alumni community (over 55,000 and growing every year), and there are likely many efforts that have simply not been reported or captured in other ways. That said, this report still provides a really great overview and some good details.
English version: http://www.jlgc.org/TopicList.aspx?topicCategoryID=6&topicID=49&languageTypeID=1&controlType=Display
Japanese version: http://www.jlgc.org/TopicList.aspx?topicCategoryID=24&topicID=263&languageTypeID=2&controlType=Display
