Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (March 2011)
Cultural Outreach, Food & Drink, Notable JET Alums, Writers 
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The March 2011 issue of the Sake World e-newsletter by JET alum and the leading non-Japanese sake expert in the world, John Gauntner (a.k.a. “The Sake Guy”), is now available online.
Notable JET Alums: D.H. Cermeño, author of “Rising Sunsets”
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The below was shared by Hiroshima JET alum Angela Perrone, herself a travel writer, who recently met another JET alum book author in the course of her research for JetWit on JET local travel writing.
JET Alum Author: D.H. Cermeño (Hiroshima-ken)
Book: Rising Sunsets (click to purchase via Amazon)
Book trailer on youtube at: http://goo.gl/A4P8a
Website: www.dhcermeno.com
Below is a synopsis of the book along with Cermeno’s biography.
Synopsis:
Rising Sunsets is an enlightening journey through the mind of David Fletcher, a bright and ambitious young man who is determined to conquer the world and prove his unsupportive father wrong. When reality strikes and nothing works out as expected, an unusual opportunity to go to Japan to teach English to schoolchildren presents itself. There, he discovers his true self and finds an inner strength and independence he never knew existed. Throughout the story, David uncovers Japanese culture and easily embraces the traditions until suddenly, those age-old beliefs stand in the way of his happiness. And, through an unexpected encounter with love, the course of his life is changed forever.
About the Author:
A third generation Florida native, D.H. Cermeño worked in Japan as an English teacher for a year after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans with a degree in Broadcast Production. Upon returning to the United States, he earned his M.B.A. from Crummer Graduate School at Rollins College and is a Database Marketing Manager in the hospitality industry. In his spare time, he writes, entertains, and volunteers in the local community and supports local theatre. D.H. has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America and especially loves visiting his extended family in the northern part of Spain. He currently resides in Winter Park, FL. Rising Sunsets is his first book.
Click here to see a list of other JET alum authors and their works. (If you know of others not included in the list, please email jetwit [at] jetwit.com.)
Hyogo Prefecture launches its own “HYOGO JET Alumni Network”
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Thank you to Hotaka Kawasaki of CLAIR NY for passing on this information.
Hyogo Prefecture has launched its own HYOGO JET Alumni Network! The current number of JET participants registered on the network is 555. The total number of JET participants in Hyogo prefecture over the last twenty-four years exceeds 5,000.
If you know anyone who doesn’t know about the Hyogo JET Alumni Network, please let him/her know, or just contact Hyogo prefecture.
CONTACT:
Makiko Nagasawa, Hannah Starr and Jeremy Pichot
International Exchange Section, International Relations Division
TEL: 078-362-9017
E-mail: kokusaikoryu@pref.hyogo.lg.jp
*Please note that this is distinct from the Hyogo JET Alum LinkedIn group set up by JetWit. And while the JetWit version has its role, JetWit encourages all Hyogo JET alums to register for the official HYOGO JET Alumni Network via the above contact information. The easier it is for prefecture governments to stay in touch with their JET alumni, the more likely they are to continue to hire JETs.
JETs quoted in article on English teaching in Japanese elementary schools
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New AJET Chair Matthew Cook (Osaka) as well as Beppu City JET May Schlotzhauer are both quoted in a nice Epoch Times article titled “Japanese Elementary Teachers Take On Teaching English.” (Yes, Epoch Times is the paper connected with Falun Gong, but they have a mix of regular reporting together with propaganda.)
While the article includes some cynical, provocative quotes, it’s also nice to see that the JETs quoted are the voice of experience, perspective and reason in thinking about and commenting on the new requirement to have English in 5th and 6th grades in Japan. This makes sense as JETs are actually working in the schools with teachers and students and positioned to be informed commentators.
Also interesting, toward the end of the article is a description of a proactive attempt by Cook to help prepare the elementary school teachers in his district for the coming requirement. A good example of a role that JETs can (and likely already do) play in school districts around Japan.
“Hoping to help prepare elementary teachers to teach English, Cook lobbied the board of education to host a training seminar, but was turned down. Later the board agreed to allow his school to offer a voluntary seminar to teachers from three local elementary schools. The seminar will be offered once, lasting no more than two hours.”
Here’s the link to the full article:
The below event was sent from Scott Smith who works in Recruitment for the U.S. State Department. FYI, though Scott is not a JET alum, in emailing with him I learned that he has participated in a sister city exchange with Japan and is very familiar with JETs.
We invite you to learn how you can serve our country; begin by attending our next Diversity Career Networking Event. Come listen to and speak with experienced Foreign Service Officers, Foreign Service Specialists, and Civil Service professionals about careers with the U.S. Department of State. They will explain and discuss the important work you could do to represent and protect our country.
Time: Thursday, March 10 · 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: U.S. Mission to the United Nations, 799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY10017
RSVPs are required by Tuesday, March 8; seating is limited. RSVP directly to doscareerevents@state.gov.
Please arrive 30 minutes before the start time for security screening and check-in. Please make sure to bring a governent-issued ID.
If you cannot attend, please visit careers.state.gov for more information on careers with the U.S. Department of State.
U.S. citizenship is required. An equal opportunity employer.
*Facebook page for the Diversity Career Networking Event
*U.S. State Department’s “Careers in Foreign Affairs” Facebook group
NYT Column: Take Back the Trash by JET alum Bruce Feiler
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“Take Back the Trash“ is a thoughtful column on whether to throw out food in your refrigerator by JET alum Bruce Feiler, author of Learning to Bow, Walking the Bible and several other best-sellers including his recent book The Council of Dads:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/fashion/06ThisLife.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2
JapaneseLondon Round-up – March 3, 2011
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Thanks to JETAA UK Communications Director Vanessa Villalobos for sharing this with JetWit. Vanessa is also the publisher of JapaneseLondon.com:
Featured article: March 2011 Round-Up Part One
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JAPANESE LONDON?
From Norwegian Wood, Tran Anh Hung’s film, based on Murakami’s book. What was that? *Head spins on neck*. Erm, that was the first one-sixth of 2011, passed already. But fear not, now spring has most definitely sprung it’s the perfect time to get out and appreciate Japan… in London!
Japanese Literature
Fans of Japan-related scribblings are in for a treat this month. Tran Anh Hung’s highly-anticipated screen version of Haruki Murakami’s bestselling novel, ‘Norwegian Wood’, will open at UK cinemas from 11th March. British author David Mitchell’s newest offering, ‘The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet’ isn’t due for release until March 17th, but has already racked up 96 rave reviews on Amazon. If you fancy a literary chinwag, Japan Society book club members will be vociferously discussing ‘Silence’ by Endo Shusaku next Monday March 7th – Japan Society members shouldregister their attendance: events@japanesociety.org.
Madame Butterfly
The enduringly popular Madame Butterfly is on at the Royal Albert Hall only until March 13th, so you’ll need to be quick to catch it. Set in an ‘enchanting’ Japanese Water Garden, an extra show has been already been added to meet ‘huge popular’ demand. If you can’t make it, why not order Angela Gheorghui’s CD recording, lie back and think of Japan? Or, if you’ve seen the opera and you crave more of the same, pre-order a copy of Lee Langley’s Butterfly’s Shadow – a novel in the style of Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea, that takes Puccini’s Madam Butterfly as its starting point.
HIBIKI – Japanese Music
Continuing on a musical note (!), HIBIKI: Resonances from Japan at King’s Place will run from today 3rd March, until 5th March 2011. This eclectic event; ‘A 1000-year journey through the rich heritage of Japanese music’ features collaborations with London-based musicians and an exploration of ‘Music in Mange’ with Helen McCarthy. Promisingly, there is also set to be a Suntory Hibiki whisky tasting in the bar.
Bunka-Sai – Japanese Cultural Festival
And finally – a new Japanese Culture Festival: ‘Bunka-sai’ will take over Conway Hall for one day only, this Saturday 5th March, to bring together Japanese culture, language, food and drink. Organised by Akemi Solloway.
JapaneseLondon.com‘s Round-Ups are bi-weekly. If you want to see more Japan-related events in London, check out the JapaneseLondon.com Events Calendar.
Matthew Cook leads 4th & 5th year JETs in a game of karuta at the Mid-Year Conference
Matthew Cook (Osaka-fu, 2007-Present) has been elected as National AJET Chair for the 2011-2012 JET year. Cook has been particularly focused on the challenges faced by the JET Program to its future existence.
According to fellow Osaka JET Cailin Arena (2008-Present):
“Matt has spent the past year completely re-defining Osaka AJET. He and the other members have taken the organization in a new direction – using events planning and fundraising to promote JET within their community, which has been experiencing a diminishing number of requests for JETs every year. In just the past 10 months, Osaka has set up volunteer relationships with local orphanages and public service workers, and it has begun developing a study abroad scholarship for students of JET teachers. AJET has been working hard to show Osaka exactly what the benefits of choosing JET are.”
In addition to his work with AJET, Cook has been extremely active within his Board of Education, developing an English curriculum to help Japanese teachers make the transition to elementary school English education as easy as possible. Using his experiences as both a mid-year conference presenter and Tokyo Orientation presenter, Cook will also be leading training seminars this spring. Together with AJET, he hopes to bring support to both JETs and their contracting organizations.
For more detailed information on Cook’s plans for AJET, please visit the AJET website and read his campaign platform: http://ajet.net/lang/en/about/ajet-elections/2011-2012-executive-candidate-platforms/
You can also visit his discussion page to voice any opinions you have about the direction you’d like to see AJET go: http://www.facebook.com/MCookAJET
Osaka AJET is also on Twitter and Facebook. Follow us to join the discussion! http://twitter.com/OsakaAJET
Cherry Blossom Guide for Japan 2011
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I just saw this in the AJET March 2011 eBulletin and thought it might be useful to JetWit readers as well (or at least induce natsukashii feelings):
The Sakura Guide
Here are the predicted dates for the sakura first blossom opening and full bloom across Japan (for major cherry blossom sites in each prefecture). If you are travelling around, make the most of each prefecture!
Kyushu Area:
Okinawa: Finished (Early February)
Kagoshima: Open: 1st April Full Bloom: 10th April
Miyazaki: Open: 22nd March Full Bloom: 30th March
Oita: Open: 22nd March Full Bloom: 30th March
Kumamoto: Open: 21st March Full Bloom: 30th March
Nagasaki: Open: 22nd March Full Bloom: 31st March
Saga: Open: 22nd March Full Bloom: 31st March
Fukuoka: Open: 21st March Full Bloom: 30th March
Chugoku/Shikoku Area:
Kochi: Open: 20th March Full Bloom: 28th March
Ehime: Open: 25th March Full Bloom: 2nd April
Kagawa: Open: 25th March Full Bloom: 2nd April
Tokushima: Open: 28th March Full Bloom: 4th April
Yamaguchi: Open: 26th March Full Bloom: 3rd April
Hiroshima: Open: 26th March Full Bloom: 3rd April
Shimane: Open: 29th March Full Bloom: 6th April
Okayama: Open: 26th March Full Bloom: 3rd April
Tottori: Open: 30th March Full Bloom: 7th April
Kinki Area:
Wakayama: Open: 27th March Full Bloom: 4th April
Nara: Open: 28th March Full Bloom: 4th April
Hyogo: Open: 28th March Full Bloom: 5th April
Osaka: Open: 26th March Full Bloom: 3rd April
Kyoto: Open: 31st March Full Bloom: 7th April
Shiga: Open: 2nd April Full Bloom: 9th April
Mie: Open: 30th March Full Bloom: 6th April
Chubu Area:
Aichi: Open: 25th March Full Bloom: 2nd April
Shizuoka: Open: 26th March Full Bloom: 3rd April
Gifu: Open: 31st March Full Bloom: 7th April
Nagano: Open: 7th April Full Bloom: 13th April
Yamanashi: Open: 28th March Full Bloom: 5th April
Fukui: Open: 3rd April Full Bloom: 10th April
Ishikawa: Open: 4th April Full Bloom: 11th April
Toyama: Open: 3rd April Full Bloom: 10th April
Niigata: Open: 9th April Full Bloom: 15th April
Kanto:
Kanagawa: Open: 23rd March Full Bloom: 31st March
Tokyo: Open: 24th March Full Bloom: 1st April
Chiba: Open: 29th March Full Bloom: 5th April
Saitama: Open: 26th March Full Bloom: 2nd April
Gunma: Open: 29th March Full Bloom: 5th April
Tochigi: Open: 31st March Full Bloom: 6th April
Ibaraki: Open: 5th April Full Bloom: 13th April
Hokkaido/Tohoku Area:
Fukushima: Open: 8th April Full Bloom: 14th April
Yamagata: Open: 15th April Full Bloom: 21st April
Akita: Open: 24th April Full Bloom: 29th April
Miyagi: Open: 10th April Full Bloom: 16th April
Iwate: Open: 19th April Full Bloom: 25th April
Aomori: Open: 22nd April Full Bloom: 27th April
Hokkaido: Open: 1st May Full Bloom: 5th May
JapanInfo Flash: Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki Assumes Post in New York
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An announcement from the Consulate General of Japan in New York:
Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki Assumes Post
On February 25, Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki arrived from Tokyo and began his official duties as Consul General of Japan in New York. His first stop after departing the airport was the former World Trade Center site, where he paid his respects to all those lost on September 11, 2001.
As Japan’s ambassador to Afghanistan for the past year and a half, Ambassador Hiroki has been at the frontlines of the international community’s efforts, together with the United States, to promote peace and security in that war-ravaged region. To date, Japan has implemented approximately one billion of a total five billion dollar commitment in humanitarian and reconstruction aid for the people of Afghanistan.
As former head of the 9/11 crisis management team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, Ambassador Hiroki is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of Japanese visitors and residents in New York. In fact, New York City holds a very special place for Ambassador Hiroki. He was stationed here for several years in the 1990s. As a consul in the Consulate’s political section, his duties included arranging a visit by their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Japan to the city. In his welcome message to the New York community, the Ambassador remarked, “This great city is a vibrant center of the political, economic and cultural ties that make up the Japan-US relationship. With your help and understanding, I look forward to doing my part to further the development of a strong Japan-US partnership in New York.”
Ambassador Hiroki’s extensive diplomatic career began in 1979, and he has held various responsibilities at the Ministry in Tokyo and around the globe, including planning Japan’s security policy, developing Japan-Korea relations, managing MOFA budgetary affairs and overseeing Japan’s foreign policy toward Europe. His other overseas assignments include The Hague in the Netherlands and London, UK.
Ambassador Hiroki’s close personal ties with the US were shaped by his formative experience as a young AFS exchange student at a Milwaukee, Wisconsin area high school. He later served as chair of the 29th Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) and was a graduate student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Ambassador is married to Mamiko Hiroki, an English teacher at a Japanese high school and graduate of Columbia University. They have two daughters. Ambassador Hiroki enjoys tennis and practicing tea ceremony in his spare time. He is looking forward to building upon the success of his predecessor, Ambassador Nishimiya, and doing his part to foster mutual understanding and strong bonds of friendship and cooperation between the people of Japan and New York City.
JET World Festival Held in Toyama
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Thanks to Hotaka Kawasaki and Matt Gillam of CLAIR-NY for sharing news about this nice example of “Return on JET-vestment” at the local government level:
The CIRs and ALTs in Toyama held the JET World Festival 2011 in Toyama City on February 27th to celebrate their respective home countries and deepen relations with the people of Toyama. According to the Japanese news release below, the festival included booths for each country as well as stage shows featuring Irish music, country & western music, capoeira, and puppet performances. The festival also included a “North Pole” themed kids’ corner and a refreshment stand.
How was the festival? Please feel free to tell us more in a comment to this post or via e-mail to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
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JNTO: Win a free trip to Tokyo’s new Haneda Airport
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FYI, JNTO is running a quiz contest where you can win a free trip to Japan (i.e., round-trip ticket plus accommodations). It’s part of their effort to promote Tokyo’s new Haneda Airport (i.e., the one that’s not actually 3 hours outside of Tokyo). I just entered myself!
Here’s the link: http://www.japantravelinfo.com/haneda_sweepstakes/
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US-Japan relations take a positive step–Is it good for JET?
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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 sharing this Kyodo News Service article. Jim also attended the event in the context of his work for JCIE/USA.
Key U.S., Japan bigwigs huddle to restore ties strained by DPJ
Meeting of minds: Lawmakers, intellectuals and business leaders from Japan and the United States gather at a Tokyo hotel Tuesday to discuss ways to boost bilateral ties.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110223a7.html
No big news to report from the gathering, which included Senator Jim Webb (D-Va). But perhaps this is a step that could lay the groundwork for a stronger US-Japan relationship in the future, which in turn could have a positive impact on the future of JET and JETAA.
Stay tuned.
Japan Foundation NY/Center for Global Partnership: Newsletter Vol. 12 (Feb 2011)
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NEWS FROM THE JAPAN FOUNDATION NEW YORK AND CGP
//// VOL. 12: February 23, 2011 ////
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2011 J-Initiative Grant Program RFP (Concept paper deadline: March 10)
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The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP), New York is pleased to announce that we are continuing with the J-Initiative launched last year in 2010 in order to promote networking, capacity building, and innovative program development for US-Japan exchange and outreach. We welcome innovative and future-oriented proposals from every field.
Grants of up to $100,000 per year and up to three (3) years will be awarded. The deadline for concept paper submission is March 10, and if invited after the concept paper review, the full proposal will be due by May 31.
For more details on the J-Initiative, please visit the link below.
[ http://cgp.org/index.php?option=article&task=default&articleid=397 ]
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Japan Travel Program for US Future Leaders 2010 Report Publication
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CGP in collaboration with the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) inaugurated the Japan Travel Program for US Future Leaders in 2009 with the goal of fostering a new generation of future leaders in the US who are interested in achieving a greater understanding of Japan.
The report is based on their experiences in Japan and was compiled by the students following the conclusion of the program.
[ http://www.jpf.go.jp/cgp/fellow/apsia/pdf/APSIA_2010.pdf ]
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Upcoming Events & Announcements
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JetWit Facebook Adjustment
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Click here to “like” the new “JetWit Facebook Page”
Apologies for any confusion or inconvenience. Previously, I had set up a “Jet Wit” personal account on Facebook. However, apparently the Facebook gods frown about any Facebook page that’s not an actual person, and–POOF!–just like that the Jet Wit account which had friended many, many JETs and JET alums…..simply disappeared.
So now I’ve delved into strange world of Facebook “Pages” where you have to get people to like you and setting up and using the pages seems to be far less intuitive than something like this really ought to be. All I ask is for your patience and that everyone be an obedient sheep by “liking” the page while I get my head around the set-up and figure out how to make this all a bit more functional and convenient for everyone.
Thanks for your support and gaman, and yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
