Job: US-Japan Council – Manager/Administrative Assistant Position Opening (D.C.)
Jobs 
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Via Saki Takasu of The U.S.-Japan Council (usjapancouncil.org):
Employer: The U.S.-Japan Council
Title: Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Responsibilities: The Office Manager/Administrative Assistant will be an integral part of a small staff team in a new nonprofit membership organization focused on U.S.-Japan relations. The position will have primary responsibility for Council office administrative operations including bookkeeping, office management, organizational support for the President and Board members and some program support. The position requires an individual who is flexible, able to multi-task and prioritize, proactive, well-organized, able to plan and meet deadlines and comfortable working independently and as part of a team. The duties include but are not limited to the following: Read More
Bankruptcy Man vs. Mortgantua, Part 7 – by Steven Horowitz
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Bankruptcy Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
Do you work in bankruptcy or restructuring? Now you can join the JET Alumni Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group on LinkedIn.
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
Event: JET alum authors Roland Kelts and Karl Taro Greenfeld to speak in Philadelphia – March 26
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After a quick jaunt back to Tokyo, Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, is back in the U.S. and on the road this week for a short stint for the Association of Asian Studies’ (AAS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, where he will appear on Friday, March 26 for a discussion panel called “The Japan Knowledge Industry Outside the Academy“ with fellow author and JET Alum Karl Taro Greenfeld (Kanagawa-ken, 1988-89) (Speed Tribes: Days and Nights With Japan’s Next Generation), author William M. Tsutsui (Godzilla on my Mind), journalist Misako Hida (The Wall Street Journal Japan), and Professor Laura Miller (Bad Girls of Japan).
The discussion takes place this Friday, March 26, from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel. More info can be found under “# 69” here: http://www.aasianst.org/annual-meeting/2010/Friday.pdf
Philly-area JET alums are encouraged to swing by and say hello.
The latest issue of JQ (JETAA NY Quarterly) Magazine has hit the stands, and now Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2000-01) working on the next issue and seeking writers. Read on for more info. (It also actually stands on its own as a great list of JET-relevant things and interesting JET alums.)
Hi, Brainstorm Crew!
Hope everyone’s enjoying the start of spring (a link to JQ’s new issue is here in case you haven’t seen it yet).
Thanks always for your contributions and ideas and feel to link the new issue to your own sites/blogs to help promote us.
We are also taking on new writers if you’d like to provide some “local international coverage” of your chapter to appear in our pages. Contact me at magazine@jetaany.org for details.
Some of you have already signed up for stories at our quarterly meeting in February, so the below deadlines are the same (let me know how those stories are coming along). Here are the ideas needing takers for our May/June 2010 issue and beyond. De wa…
Deadlines are as follows:
FRIDAY, APRIL 2: Registering a story assignment with me at magazine@jetaany.org, or pitching an idea of your own for approval. First come, first served, and all suggestions are welcome. We’ve been picking up more new writers with each issue, and I encourage all first-timers whether you consider yourself a seasoned writer or not. (Just mind the deadlines!)
FRIDAY, APRIL 23: Deadline for submitting a final draft of your story. Extensions will be granted on a case-by-case basis, less so for new writers.
I would also greatly appreciate added assistance for the following:
REVIVE THE SOCIETY PAGE!: Are you a superJET who’s up-to-date on what’s happening in the lives of our members here in New York and elsewhere? I’d like to bring back the JETAANY Society Page with your help. I would carry this feature in every issue, to run at least half a page (600 words). E-mail me for more details and we’ll talk.
COPY EDITING/PROOFREADING: For those of you who like reading this thing cover to cover. Multiple times.
AD SALES CALLS: More sales means more JETAANY-sponsored events. It takes under two minutes to get an answer in most cases. Write for more info.
YOUR OWN STORY IDEAS: Anything’s fair game! Some of our most interesting material comes from suggestions from our more dedicated readers.
Now the fun stuff. Below are the story ideas. Thanks for reading and providing your support, and e-mail at magazine@jetaany.org with any other questions/ideas.
Job: Youth For Understanding seeks Japanese Culture and Language Teachers for two orientation sessions (Berkeley, CA)
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Shared with JetWit via JET alum Livy Traczyk:
Youth For Understanding USA (YFU) is one of the world’s oldest, largest, and most respected international exchange organizations. YFU oversees global exchange programs that prepare young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world.
In June of 2010, Youth For Understanding USA will conduct two short orientations for US high school students who will be spending the summer in Japan . We are looking for several qualified candidates to serve as Japanese Culture and Language Teaches at these orientations. The Culture and Language Teachers will teach YFU’s Japanese Culture and language curriculum and assist with non-classroom responsibilities as needed. Culture and Language Teachers play a huge role in helping prepare students for their upcoming study abroad experience in Japan , both culturally and linguistically.
This is a paid contract position that will last from June 5-15 (tentative dates – see job description below). Additionally, YFU will pay for travel expenses to and from the orientation site in Berkley , California , as well as all room and board while on program. The application deadline for this position is Friday, April 2, but hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply earlier. To read a position description that includes more information about this position and explains how to apply, visit the following link:
Japan Pre-Departure Orientation Job Description
http://my.yfu.org/dept/eandt/Orientations/JPDO/Teacher%20Position%20Description%20-%202010.pdf (if you have trouble opening this link, please send an e-mail to ltraczyk@yfu.org)
If you have any questions, please contact Livy Traczyk by phone (240-235-2131) or e-mail (ltraczyk@yfu.org).
JET alum David Boling to run for Congress
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Thanks to JET alum Harlan Rosacker of Washington, D.C. for passing along this information:
JET alum David Boling has announced his candidacy for the 2nd Congressional seat in Arkansas. You can see David’s website at: www.bolingforcongress.com and you can follow his blog at: www.bolingforcongress.com/blog.html.
Harland adds:
“We have known David since the mid-1990s. Our association grew as a result our having lived in Japan ourselves from 1969 to 1976. Our son Andrew (born in Tokyo) was a JET in Kanagawa-ken from 1996 to 1998.”
Here are a few JET-relevant snippets from David’s bio:
- David Boling, 45, is a fourth-generation Arkansan. He is a 10-year veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice; a one-time lawyer at the Mitchell Williams law firm in Little Rock; and, until last month, the Chief of Staff to Congressman Vic Snyder (D, AR-2).
- Boling is married to former Fuji Television reporter Mine Sasaguri; he and his wife are the parents of two children, Christopher (7) and Ellen (5).
- Fulfilling a desire to learn more about the Japanese educational system, David took a one-year break from law school, 1988-1989, to teach English to students in Fujishiro. He was later selected for a competitive Rotary scholarship which he used to master the 1800 character Japanese language, visit Pine Bluff’s Sister City, Iwai and, most importantly, gain an understanding of the Japanese legal system and trade between Japan and the United States – specifically, about trade between Japan and Arkansas.
- David passed the Arkansas Bar Exam in 1993 and then completed a Masters in Law (LL.M) at Columbia University School of Law in 1994, where he focused on international and Japanese law.
- In 1995, David joined the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division as a lawyer. He worked there for 10 years, spanning both the Clinton and Bush Administrations. As they increasingly litigated cases against Japanese firms, David’s background was a strong asset to the Justice Department, but he also worked to investigate alleged illegal monopoly behavior in the concert ticketing business and on criminal investigations to crack down on international price-fixing cartels, which steal from American consumers. He helped prosecute a Japanese executive and Japanese company for obstruction of justice in two separate antitrust investigations. In 1999, Janet Reno signed an international antitrust agreement between Japan and the US to further open the Japanese market and improve antitrust enforcement that Boling helped to negotiate.
- Boling was selected for a Mike Mansfield Fellowship at Justice, during which he worked in the Japanese Justice Ministry and other government agencies, deepening his understanding of their legal system.
David-san, ganbatte kudasai!
Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Censorship of manga – What’s ok?
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has published his latest SOFT POWER/HARD TRUTHS column for The Daily Yomiuri–this one about last month’s sentencing of American Chris Handley for possession of ‘obscene manga’ in Iowa–and this month’s proposal by the Tokyo Government to censor ‘virtual porn’ (read: manga and anime) in Japan.
Is this another example of ‘gaitsu‘–Japan being affected by foreign pressure?
Column is here: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20100319TDY11101.htm
Roland Kelts to give Tokyo Otaku talk at Temple U. – Thurs March 18 (Tokyo)
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More details here: http://japanamerica.blogspot.com/2010/03/tokyo-otaku-talk-temple-this-thursday.html
I’m looking for JET alum lawyers or law-related types out there. Especially ones who would be willing to be contacted by fellow alums seeking career advice and perspectives on careers in law.
Please contact me at jetwit [at] jetwit.com if you are willing to be contacted.
Yoroshiku.
Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94)
p.s. If you’re not already familiar with these, here are some JET alum law resources out there:
- JETAA Law Facebook Group (open to all JET alums) (Admins: Zach LeNarz & Steven Horowitz)
- JET Alumni Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group on LinkedIn (Admin: Steven Horowitz)
- Japan Law Society (Admin: S. McIntire Allen)
Jamie Graves: Food translator and waiter at Kajitsu NYC
Food & Drink, Reviews, Translating/Interpreting, Uncategorized Comments Off on Jamie Graves: Food translator and waiter at Kajitsu NYC
By Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94)
Just wanted to share that I had a really terrific dinner the other night at Kajitsu (www.kajitsunyc.com), a new and very unique Japanese restaurant on E. 9th Street in NYC, thanks to professional translator Jamie Graves (Saitama-ken, 2002-03) who not only waits tables in the intimate establishment but also translates the menu and other texts for Kajitsu and interprets for important clients.
Kajitu's Chef Masato Nishihara
Jamie, who specializes in translations relating to food and cooking, explained to me a few months ago at a JETAA NY gathering that he was working at a restaurant that specializes in shojin cuisine, which as a non-foodie I can best describe as a sort of high-end, vegan kaiseki. The chef, Masato Nishihara, had worked at Kitcho, a very prestigious kaiseki cuisine restaurant in Kyoto before coming to New York to open Kajitsu.
I can’t remember exactly what I ate, but each course did really blow me away in terms of both flavors and creativity. Plus the soba dipping noodles may be the best in NYC. The menu changes every month, so apparently a number of regulars come back each month to sample the new menu.
The fare is not inexpensive. But it’s well worth it if you have a special occasion to celebrate (which I did!) Especially if you get a seat at the counter where you can watch Chef Nishihara prepare each course right front of you, including his zen-like tea ceremony approach to making the macha at the end of the meal. (According to Jamie, all chefs at Kitcho must study tea ceremony.)
From the March "Spring" menu: Clear Soup with Sticky Rice Ball Mugwort, Rice Crackers.
Here’s a little additional background on Kajitsu from it’s website:
Kajitsu – “Fine Day”
Kajitsu means “fine day”, or “day of celebration” in Japanese. We have chosen the name Kajitsu hoping that a visit here will always be a special occasion for our guests.Shojin Cuisine
Shojin cuisine refers to a type of vegetarian cooking that originates in Zen Buddhism. Even though it does not use meat or fish, shojin is regarded as the foundation of all Japanese cuisine, especially kaiseki, the Japanese version of haute cuisine.
If you decide you have your own special occasion, make sure to say hi to Jamie and ask him all of your questions about the restaurant and the food. There’s lots to tell and lots to learn.
Kajitsu (www.kajitsunyc.com) is on E. 9th St between 1st Ave & Avenue A in New York City.
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (March 2010)
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The March 2010 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online.
Japan Info e-Newsletter – Feb 2010
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The February 2010 edition of JapanInfo is now available online. JapanInfo is published by the Consulate General of Japan in New York/Japan Information Center and is a great source of info for Japan-related things going on in New York and the surrounding area.
The Global MBA at Doshisha Business School, Kyoto, is a young, growing, high-quality and globally orientated program that builds upon the existing and highly regarded Japanese language MBAs. We welcome applications from highly motivated individuals seeking to develop internationally orientated careers in the global economy. As a former JET myself I consider the GMBA an excellent option for those looking to gain an MBA and to develop careers in international business and management. The Global MBA will equip you will the knowledge, skills, network and intellectual framework expected and required of twenty-first century global businesspeople. Our first JET alumnus will be joining us as a GMBA student in September and we look forward to further applications from JETs.
Find out more
If you are interested in finding out more about our program I strongly recommend that you visit our webpage, http://gmba.doshisha.ac.jp/ , where you can find more details about course content and structure, video interviews with faculty and students, online business seminars and much more.
Provisional applications
We welcome provisional applications from potential candidates as an initial step towards the formal application process. Simply submit your CV/resume and a personal statement outlining your motivation for applying to the Global MBA by email at your earliest convenience. These documents will be reviewed by faculty members who will pass on their comments within a week. This is an opportunity for potential candidates to confirm their eligibility and suitability for the program. There is no cost for this provisional application.
Funding opportunities
I should also like to draw your attention to the generous funding opportunities that we are offering for 2010 entry including two full MEXT scholarships (full fee waiver, monthly stipend and return flights) and a range of monthly stipends. Full details can be found on our webpage but please be aware that only applications received by the March 31st deadline can be considered for this funding.
Visit us
If you are in or near Kyoto, why not call in and see us? We are delighted to meet with applicants and to show them around our facilities. During normal teaching periods we are also more than happy to introduce you to current students and faculty. Please contact the office directly should you wish to arrange a visit.
Any questions?
Feel free to contact us at anytime should you have any questions or queries related to the course and the applications process.
Finally
As a JET alumnus I can fully appreciate what it means to be contemplating the end of your time on the program and what your next step will be. The Global MBA offers an excellent bridge to your future career and will equip you will the knowledge, skills, network and intellectual framework expected and required of twenty-first century global businesspeople. I look forward to receiving your application.
With best wishes,
Dr. A. Staples
Global MBA
Doshisha Business School
astaples@mail.doshisha.ac.jp
Poetry: Godzilla Haiku
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No real JET connection. Just heard about this Godzilla Haiku page and thought it was worth sharing:
http://godzillahaiku.tumblr.com
Event: 女子会3月会! Next Joshikai SF – Thursday, March 18 – A meetup for Japanese women and women connected to Japan (San Francisco)
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JET alum Beth Hillman reports that last month’s Joshikai author event gathered 40 people. This month they’re doing a happy hour! See below:
女子会3月会! Next Joshikai – Thursday, March 18
For the next Joshikai gathering, we’ll be meeting for an evening of networking and girl talk at Postrio, a unique and stylish downtown bar. Mingle, chat and share stories with other women in English and/or Japanese. Any skill level of Japanese is welcome, and this will be a great opportunity to practice your Japanese and connect with women who have similar interests. They’ve extended the happy hour for us until 7 pm; specials include cocktails, beers and wine, as well as yakitori, pork belly and other bar appetizers — all starting at $4! We’ve reserved the mezzanine lounge area, so we’ll have a comfortable place to relax. Feel free to join us whenever is convenient, and bring friends!
女子会の皆さん、
2月11日のイベントは沢山の方に参加していただきました。ありがとうございました。3月の会合は18日にダウンタンのおとなバーPostrioで行います。日本人女性のJunさんがマネージャーを勤められているPrescott Hotel内にある落ち着いた雰囲気のバーです。Postrioに頼んでバーのMEZZANINEのラウンジを確保してありますのでゆっくり皆さん座って話せると思います。ＨＡＰＰＹＨＯＵＲは7時まで延長です！
今回は特にゲストスピーカーの方はいません。みんなでリラックスしながらおしゃべり、情報交換、ネットワークに花を咲かせましょう！皆様お誘いあわせの上どしどしお越し下さい。（やっぱり今回も男子禁制です。）
Date: 3/18, Thursday
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm (With happy hour prices until 7 pm!) – Please come and leave at whatever time works best for you!
Location: Postrio, 545 Post Street (on Post between Mason and Taylor, just 5 blocks from Powell BART), (415) 776-7825,
http://www.postrio.com
http://www.mychoyce.com/postrio/search
There’s no need to RSVP, but feel free to send us any questions or comments.
We’re also on Twitter (http://twitter.com/joshikaisf)!
