Mar 10

Roland Kelts on Japan’s News Zero interviewed by Sho Sakurai

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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) was recently interviewed by Sho Sakurai on Japan’s News Zero program.  Click here to watch the clip on YouTube.  (Good opportunity to practice your Japanese a bit as well. :-)

Mar 10

Job: J->E In-house translator – Daiwa Institute of Research (Tokyo)

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Posted by Daiwa Institute of Research on the Honyaku Google Group:

In-house J-E Translation Position at DIR

Daiwa Institute of Research is looking for a full-time, in-house J-E  translator for analyst reports covering Japanese stocks for our Tokyo  office. A successful candidate should have some knowledge of economic  topics and a basic understanding of accounting. Securities industry  experience is also welcome. In addition to strong Japanese reading ability (Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 preferred), we seek candidates with strong writing skills and the ability to paraphrase difficult Japanese texts. Read More

Mar 10

KRAZY! Roland Kelts to speak at Japan Society (NY) this Thursday

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Mar 9

Job: Director of International Programs – Purdue University-Calumet (Indiana)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Director of International Programs – Purdue University-Calumet (Indiana)

Via Chronicle of Higher Ed’s international programs job page:

3/9/2009

• Purdue University-Calumet (Indiana) : Director of International Programs (Chief International Officer)

Mar 9

SWET Workshop: Problems with Presentations? The Doctor is In! (Tokyo)

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Via the e-mail list for the Tokyo-based Society of Writers, Editors and Translators:

Problems with Presentations? The Doctor is In!

If you usually work with words, but are wondering how to make the most of your presentation software, this hands-on seminar is for you.

Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009 10:15 – 16:00 (lunch break 12:00-13:00)
Place: Sophia University, Library room 524
Price: 10,000 (SWET members), 15,000 (non-members)
Presenters: Hugh Ashton & Shuji Yoshida
Language: English
Participants: Up to 12 Read More

Mar 8

Kirsten’s World: “Home”

Humor, Writers Add Comment (2)

By Kirsten Phillips (Niigata-ken, 2005-08)

The trip home was poetic. Trying to spare myself the tremendous charge for checking more than 2 bags on a flight, I condensed the entirety of my JET existence into three bags. One of them (a duffel bag to be precise) broke 30 minutes before the takyuubin people were due so we Macguyver-ed the fucker up with twine and a paperclip and hoped for the best.

How I thought that bag could not be the source of hilarious drama is beyond me.

You should have witnessed me getting it onto the plane. Narita is like some parallel universe where things have to go right even when they are noticeably falling apart. The lack of stress at Narita is downright fucking scary for an airport. Bless its hallowed grounds.

So let me present you with reason #718 of just how stupid I can be. Read More

Mar 8

Kinokuniya sets up JET Alumni Author section

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In anticipation of the upcoming JET Alumni Author Showcase (set for March 22; e-mail authors at jetaany dot org to rsvp), Kinokuniya has set up a table featuring books by JET alumni authors.  The table is on the ground floor in the main aisle, right by the magazine section and features the following books:

• Japanamerica – Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99)
• The Order of Odd-Fish – James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06)
• Zorgamazoo – Robert P. Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04)
• Learning to Bow – Bruce Feiler (Tottori-ken, 1989-90)
  
• Importing Diversity:  Inside Japan’s JET Program – David L. McConnell
• Hitching Rides with Buddha (originally titled Hokkaido Hitchhiking Blues) – Will Ferguson (Nagasaki-ken, 1991-94)
  

*See a more complete list of JET alumni authors and their works at https://jetwit.com/wordpress/library/authorsbooks/

Stop by Kinokuniya and take a look!

Other Kinokuniya-related information that may be of interest to you:

1. Kinokuniya now offers an Anime/Manga Membership Card – for $15 you get 10% off all of your purchases.  You can find the application form at the checkout desk in their stores.
2. Anime Day @ Kinokuniya – Sunday March 15  (1073 Avenue of the Americas & 40th St. in NYC) – 11am to 6pm – First 10 fans dresses as Zetsubou-Sensei will win Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Vol. 1 from Del Rey Manga!
3. Japanese Young Artists’ Book Fair_3rd – Feb 15 thru March 8 – Comics, graphic books, picture books, art books, phtoograph books, poetry books, art object books and more at 4 different locations in NY:  Kinokuniya (Midtown), Printed Matter (Chelsea), St. Mark’s Bookshop (E. Village), Spoonbill & Sugartown, Booksellers (Williamsburg) and

Mar 7

JETAA DC Bookclub Update

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Via JETAA DC:

Hi all,

After a great first meeting in February, our book club is officially alive and kicking. The March meeting will be on Monday, March 30 at 6:30 location TBA (please let me know if you have any thoughts). We will be discussing Out by Natusuo Kirino.

Here is a brief summary courtesy of Publishers Weekly:  “Four women who work the night shift in a Tokyo factory that produces boxed lunches find their lives twisted beyond repair in this grimly compelling crime novel, which won Japan’s top mystery award, the Grand Prix”

Let me know if you are interested in coming or if you have any questions. Here are some discussion
questions to consider along the way.

I hope to see you on the 30th.  Happy Reading,

Jillian

Mar 7

Job: Credit Analyst and Corporate Treasury Relationship Manager (Chicago)

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Via JETAA Chicago:

JOB OPENING: CREDIT ANALYST & CORPORATE TREASURY RELATIONSHIP MANAGER

Credit Analyst

• – Analyzing the credit worthiness of existing and potential Japanese corporate borrowers
• – Minimizing the Bank’s credit risk by assisting in the development of acceptable deal structures
• -Conduct credit control and portfolio management assessments with senior credit members This person may be out of undergrad or have 1-3 years of experience. For those with no experience he/she must have finance or accounting degree. Corporate Treasury Relationship Manager
• – Manage the business development activities with Japanese corporate relationships in order to create new revenue streams
• – Partner with senior corporate bankers in development of business plan and sales execution Required background
• – 3-6 years of treasury management or cash management experience
• – Fluent in Japanese

Interested parties please contact Ben Godfrey at bgodfrey@ michaelpag e.us.com

Mar 7

On Wisconsin: New JETAA subchapter starts in Wisconsin

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According to the weekly JETAA Chicago e-mail webletter, there is now a JETAA Wisconsin subchapter.  Any interested Wisconsonians can join the yahoogroup at at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wijetaa/.

Mar 6

James Kennedy: America, Emulate this Man

Blogs, Humor, Roland Kelts, Writers Add Comment (1)

**********************

James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of The Order of Odd-Fish, has a new blog post in which he “attacks” the American Library Association in a uniquely entertaining way.  Below is an intro which doesn’t even begin to do justice to the full post.

In January the American Library Association held its Midwinter Meeting in Denver. Teenagers were invited to talk about their favorite books that were nominated for YALSA’s “Best Books for Young Adults” list.

It was reported that one fan of The Order of Odd-Fish wore a three-foot-long red-and-white fish hat in its honor, declaring that the book was “incredibly, ridiculously funny. You just don’t see books like this very often.”

I was able to track down a photo of the gentleman. His name: Kevin Buckelew. I have written a factual account the incident below.

You can meet James on March 22 at the JET Alumni Author Showcase in New York, along with Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, and Robert Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04), author of Zorgamazoo.   Space is limited to RSVP to reserve your spot.  Details at http://jetaany.org/authors.

Mar 6

Job: Director, Office for Latin American Programs – Texas A M (TX)

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Via Chronicle of Higher Ed’s international programs job listings:

3/4/2009

• Texas A&M University at College Station (Texas) : Director, Office for Latin American Programs
• Learn more in our Employer Profiles

Mar 5

Kirsten’s World: 現金なれます。現金を取り下さい。I suck at the lyrics to the ATM…

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By Kirsten Phillips (Niigata-ken, 2005-08)

I had an inaka bank. 弟四銀行. Anyone outside Niigata even heard of it? Is it just a Niigata thing? Do they have those in Nagano/Toyama/Nagoya?

I was always nervous going to Tokyo because the only ATM that would recognize my ATM card was the 7-11. Not the Save-On, not the AM/PM, not the Circle K, not even some of the LAWSON’S in the big city would take my card but I could always rely on 7-11. Oh, how sad I was when I parted with my cute little pink ATM card with the cartoon duckies on it. Nah, I’m not shitting you.

Learning the Japanese ATM ropes was quick enough. Once I recognized the kanji for “balance” and “withdrawal”, my financial worries were over. Furikomi? Yeah, I love those! They’re sooo yummy, especially when they’re r-….wait, that’s not a food?

Ohhh, friends. Nothing could be more tragi込み than watching American citizen Numero Uno trying to pull off a delicate kanji procedure such as a furikomi on her own. Read More

Mar 5

Introducing the 2009-10 JETAA DC Council

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Via JETAA DC:

2009-2010 JETAA DC Council

• President: Michelle Spezzacatena
• Vice President: Justin Manger
• Secretary: Brooke Howell
• Treasurer: Susan Gundersen
• Ad Hoc Chair: Heather McDonald
• Outreach Chair: Margaret Burton
• Newsletter Chair: Abby MacBain
• Online Chair: Ben Bucher
• Returnee Handbook Chairs: Abby MacBain and Jeff Herman
• Social Chair: Cynthia Hawkins (Rosalyn Adams)
• Volunteer Chairs: Naomi Basik and Stacey Yanagawa
• Non Profit Chair: Mac Maloney
  

Mar 5

Japanese art and anime festival at the Orlando Public Library

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Via JETAA Florida:

There will be a Japanese art and anime festival at the Orlando Public Library Friday, March 13 through Saturday, March 14. Check it out.   http://ld-e.com/jclub/J.Fair2009.jpg