Meet ‘Lipstick Building’ author Hideo Dan at Manhattan’s Kinokuniya Bookstore Saturday, Dec. 11. (Courtesy of Hideo Dan)

By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories. 

Hideo Dan is a vice president and attorney at law of a New Jersey-based healthcare company who is now a debut author. Published by NY Seikatsu Press, Lipstick Building is a fast-paced suspense novel based on the author’s 30-year real-life experience in New York as a shosha (trading company) man and a corporate attorney with an international law firm.

Kenji Kadota, who works for a Japanese trading company in New York, is introduced at a party to Suzanna, a beautiful businesswoman from Peru. She proposes a big business opportunity to Kenji—an attractive prospect of exporting Japanese machinery to a major Peruvian construction company. Is this a great business chance, or is something ominous ahead? The story develops quickly into intrigue and adventure, with Kenji and Suzanna crisscrossing through South America and Europe, providing readers entertainment and thrills to the end.

The author will be the subject of a special talk and book signing event Saturday, Dec. 11 at Manhattan’s Kinokuniya Bookstore. I caught up with him to learn more.

How did you come to the U.S.?

The first time I came to the U.S. was in 1971, when I attended Indiana University for a year to study journalism. I could not land a job in journalism, so I started to work for Nissho-Iwai, a trading company, a.k.a. shosha, upon graduation from Osaka University with a law degree. In 1979, Nissho-Iwai sent me to its New York subsidiary as legal manager.

Lipstick Building is based on your three decades of experience at a Japanese trading company. How long did it take to write this book?

Actually, I was with the trading company for 14 years, seven years each for Japan and New York. After that, I left the company and joined a law firm in New York, having had passed the New York Bar Exam while I was with Nissho-iwai American Corporation. After almost nine years with the law firm, I joined Eisai, a Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company, as general counsel for its U.S. operations.

It took nearly one and a half years to write this book. I was able to do it since I was asked to manage Eisai USA Foundation, a charitable organization on the part-time basis, two years ago.

What is your personal experience with Peru? Are there any other international experiences that helped your writing?

Unfortunately, I have never been to Peru—I was planning to do so this year but because of the flood at Machu Picchu, my trip was cancelled. So I did lots of research on Peru on Google and at a library. I had met a very attractive Peruvian student when I was attending Indiana University, which gave me some inspirations for this book. In fact, Europe (Spain and Switzerland) plays a much larger part in this story than Peru. I have been to Spain and Switzerland on business and pleasure on numerous occasions and have been attracted by culture and scenery in those countries. Especially in Spain—I was fascinated by flamenco and its dancers. Flamenco is an important element in this novel.

What are the big differences between working at a trading company in Japan versus the U.S.? Did these differences shape the story?

At the trading company in New York and also at the law firm where I worked, naturally  I interacted heavily with non-Japanese people, colleagues and clients, which constantly reminded me of cultural and linguistic differences between Japan, the U.S. and many other different cultures. As someone who is very curious about anything, I enjoyed learning those differences on daily basis. At the same time, I got impressed with striking similarities at a deep human level. My book certainly reflects those experiences and observations.

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JET alum and ‘Tonoharu’ creator Lars Martinson. (Illustration by Lars Martinson)

By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories. 

Minnesota-based cartoonist Lars Martinson went to Japan in 2003 to teach English on the JET Program, an exchange initiative sponsored by the Japanese government. During his three-year stay in rural Fukuoka, he was inspired to break ground on an ambitiously stylized four-part graphic novel named Tonoharu (Pliant Press) based on the trials and tribulations of living in Japan. Part Two was released in November, and I caught up with the artist to discuss the series so far and Japanese life through an expat’s eyes.

How would you describe the differences in Tonoharu: Part Two compared to the previous book? Did you do anything different in terms of storytelling or approach?

With each volume I’ve tried to explore different facets of living abroad. The first book focuses on the sense of loneliness and isolation that occurs after the “honeymoon period” of cultural acclimation ends. The second book deals with the relationships that develop, both with members of the native population and with other expats.

My approach to storytelling has gotten more deliberate as I’ve gone along. For Tonoharu: Part One, I started by writing “Page 1, Scene 1” at the top of a piece of paper and launching into a detailed script before I had a clear sense of what direction I wanted the story to go in. Diving straight into minutiae like that is like working on the interior design of a house that hasn’t been built yet; you should know how big the windows are before you pick out the curtains. So for Part Two—and now Part Three—I’ve given much more thought to the structure of the story, and made sure I was happy with the big picture before I got too wrapped up in details and nuance.

Tell us about your experiences on the JET Program. What made you choose to apply, and what was your overall take on the three years that you were there for?

When I was 16, I lived with a host family in Nagoya for a summer vacation exchange. The experience inspired a lifelong interest in international travel. I’d go on to live in Thailand and Norway for a year apiece as an exchange student, and visit a dozen or so other countries as a tourist. After I graduated from college, I wanted to try working abroad, and also wanted to return to Japan. A friend of mine introduced me to the JET Program, and I knew immediately that it was right for me. And sure enough, my three years in the JET Program were among the best I’ve ever had.

All JET participants hit high and low points while in Japan. What were some of yours?

My elementary school classes were among the most satisfying experiences. I planned all the lessons pretty much single-handedly, so once I got the hang of it, it was gratifying to see how excited the kids were about learning English, and how much they retained.

One of the more frustrating aspects of the experience, at least in the beginning, was the language barrier. It’s hard to form meaningful friendships when you can’t—y’know—talk to people. So it was always sad when I wanted to befriend someone and they clearly wanted to befriend me, but the logistics of not being able to communicate effectively got in the way.

Last summer, it was announced that the JET Program is facing sweeping budget cuts that may endanger its future. What’s your take on the value of the program in today in Japan and in the participants’ home countries?

I suppose with the economy being what it is, some cuts are probably inevitable. But I really hope they don’t gut the JET Program. My life has been enhanced beyond measure by having the opportunity to interact with foreign cultures, and I hope Japanese students will continue to be given the same opportunity. It’s hard to quantify the benefits of the JET Program, but that doesn’t really make them any less real or important.

What kind of feedback on the books have your received from JETs and those associated with the Japanese community?

I’ve tried to make the book accessible to readers regardless of their background, but it goes without saying that those who are familiar with Japan or the JET Program are able to appreciate it on a different level. JETs tend to pick up on all these little details in the books that other readers breeze pass without notice. I remember a JET alum commenting on a scene in Part One where the main character wears a fancy suit to his first day on the job, but since it’s summer vacation everyone else in the teacher’s room is wearing ratty gym clothes. It’s little things like that that you’d only consciously notice if you’d been in that situation yourself.

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‘Hiroshima in the Morning’ author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto. (John Searcy)

By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories. 

In June 2001, award-winning Japanese American author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto went to Hiroshima on a six-month fellowship to interview the hibakusha, or remaining survivors of the atomic bomb. Three months later, the September 11 attacks on the U.S. changed everything, from the recollections of the survivors to Rizzuto’s own relationship with her family back in America, including her husband and two young sons in New York.

The result was Hiroshima in the Morning, a memoir released last fall in which the author weaves these threads into a deeply personal story of awakening about how we choose our identities, how we view history, and how we use memory as a story we tell ourselves to explain who we are. I caught up with Rizzuto to discuss her emotional journey and impressions of Japan.

What was the most interesting thing about talking with the atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima?

I went to Hiroshima initially because I knew so little—almost nothing—about the atomic bomb and its effects. I arrived more than 55 years after the bombing, so I expected memories to be a little hazy.  When I first arrived, I met people who were very committed to telling their stories in the interest of peace.  They wanted to testify about the power of the atomic bomb and the devastation of war in general in hopes that there would be no more war.  That would make their sacrifices worth it.

I was there to write a novel, though, not a factual piece, so what I was looking for was textures and details about what it was like to live in those times, and how one survived war.  So what I was getting was not exactly what I was looking for. Their stories were very complete and rehearsed. What happened then, though, was after three months of listening to these testimonies, the September 11th attacks happened within sight of my Brooklyn home. The world changed.  And so did their stories.

In hindsight, how different did the interview project turn out because of 9/11?

I don’t think anyone can underestimate the effects of those attacks.  They reverberated immediately, all the way to Japan, and we all suddenly felt the world was not safe. We were not safe. And if we weren’t safe, there was no peace, and if there was no peace, the hibakusha realized, then their sacrifice was for nothing. 

Almost immediately, this destabilization affected their stories. They began to feel more, and to remember more. Moments and people they had blocked out came back to them. They remembered heat, and color and sound. And they remembered what it felt like to go back to their homes and find their mothers’ bones.

Which of the testimonials affected you the most? Why?

The most unbearable stories were often about children. Children who died; children who tried to save their brothers or parents; children who cremated their parents, at age six, because that was what their parents would have wanted. In the months after 9/11, though, something happened which was very moving and powerful. A number of people came to me to tell their stories. Before then, I had been finding my own interviewees with the help of my translators, but after September 11th, I found out that many people actually knew I was there, listening, and they sought me out because they needed a witness. They needed a safe place to relive, and purge, their memories.  And then, it wasn’t just the sad moments. It was also the happy memories of life before, and their family members before. They needed to share those, too, and they gave them to me so their loved ones would not fade away.

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‘Summer Wars’ comes to New York’s IFC Center Dec. 29.

By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories. 

The opening scene of Mamoru Hosoda’s animated film Summer Wars transports us to the virtual world of OZ, a place where hundreds of millions of users chat, shop and play via customized avatars in a breathtakingly trippy space that owes much to contemporary Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami and Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell movies. But it’s in rural Nagano where most of Summer Wars occurs, and this setting gives it a heart in a world that’s becoming increasingly addicted to online social networks and mobile devices.

The film enjoyed a sold-out reception of its English language premiere at Asia Society yesterday as part of distributor GKIDS’ annual New York International Children’s Film Festival. Fueled by Internet buzz and rapturous word of mouth upon its initial release in Japan last year, the film won a clutch of awards and is an official entry for Best Animated Feature at the 2011 Academy Awards.

The plot: teenage OZ moderator Kenji (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas) agrees to a “job” escorting his popular schoolmate Natsuki (Brina Palencia) to her great-grandmother’s upcoming 90th birthday celebration at the family’s enormous estate in Ueda. The catch: he’s asked by his secret crush to pose as her fiancé, which hits complications as her crazed extended family enters the picture. To make matters worse, Kenji unwittingly triggers a malicious AI program called Love Machine that threatens not just the existence of OZ, but the rest of the real world with its interdependence on technology. It’s up to the boy—a girl-phobic math prodigy—to gain new confidence in himself in order to right OZ and win his dream girl’s heart.

Click here for the rest of the review.

Grammy-winning musician John McLaughlin. (Absolutely Live Entertainment)

By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories. 

Whether you call it electric jazz, fusion, or just good old music, John McLaughlin is the forefather of this style on the six string. From his contributions on classic albums by Miles Davis starting with the landmark In a Silent Way in 1969 to his own work with the massively influential Mahavishnu Orchestra and as a solo artist, McLaughlin is a legend who has continued to record with no signs of slowing down.

His 2009 collaboration with Chick Corea, Five Peace Band, won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album earlier this year, and in April McLaughlin then released his new disc with the 4th Dimension, To the One (Abstract Logix). Following a concert at New York’s Town Hall last weekend, the artist graciously took the time to answer some questions.

Tell us about your history with Japan. What attracted you most to the culture?

I’ve been studying the cultures of Asia for many years, and I’m very attracted to the culture of Japan, in particular to the impact Zen has had on the Japanese mind and spirit. That said, any in depth study of Zen will bring you to China and the culture of Chan, the forerunner of Zen. In my opinion, there is one singular problem with religions in general: they are exclusive. To me, this exclusivity is not right. Zen and Chan’s “ways” of discovery are non-exclusive. They speak about the reality of everyone having Buddha nature, and the potential of realizing it. This is the aspect of Zen and Chan that appeals to me strongly: the non-discrimination and inclusivity of everyone.

Are there any Japanese musicians of whom you’re a fan? What other kinds of Japanese performing arts do you enjoy?

I am less of a fan of Japanese music than I am to the poetry of haiku strangely enough, though I do enjoy the koto and shakuhachi music. The Zen calligraphy is something for which I have a great admiration.

Why do you think the Japanese possess such a great interest in jazz?

For sure the answer lies in the culture of the Japanese mind. Perhaps because the spontaneity of jazz appeals to their innate sense of honesty. In improvisation, jazz or otherwise, there’s no room to lie.

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By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories. 

Contemporary jazz icon Keiko Matsui began playing piano at the age of five. With sales of over 1.2 million units in the U.S. and sold-out appearances at concert halls across the world, she is one of the most recognized artists in the genre.

In addition to being the first Japanese artist to top Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart, she actively supports a range of charities, including the Y-Me Breast Cancer Organization. United Nations World Food Programme’s efforts in Africa, and California for A3M’s charity for the National Marrow Donor Program.

Matsui is now putting the final touches on her latest album, due early 2011 with Shanachie Records. I spoke with her prior to her debut three-night stand happening next week at New York’s venerable Blue Note Jazz Club.

Congratulations on your very first show at New York’s Blue Note. How do you feel about playing there and what do you expect?

Of course in New York, Blue Note is a legendary place, and I’m very happy to be there. At the same time, I have toured in many different countries, and I always feel very fortunate at the concerts to feel that music connects us beyond the culture, history, country, everything. So, I really feel that this experience at Blue Note will be very special.

When did you first come to the U.S.?

In the early ’80s.

What did you do there?

At that time, I was invited to Los Angeles by Yamaha for a special recording. I was also a student, and had the opportunity to make a sample album with Vinnie Colaiuta and Nathan East. That was my first visit to the U.S., and also my first recording there. I invited Vinnie to record on my new album, so I’m glad to see him again.

What were your memories of that experience? Did you have any culture shock?

I only had one week there, so of course I didn’t know much about the music scene in the U.S., but I was so entranced by Nathan and Vinnie’s playing. It was great creating music together with great musicians, but at that time they were so open. Maybe this is a cultural difference, because Japanese language is based on politeness and different words depending on who you talk to, but English doesn’t have that. So, Japanese people speak really strictly, I felt.

You’ve had a successful career for a long time. Why have you decided to play Blue Note now?

That’s true. For me, that’s something I’m kind of questioning myself, too. [laughs]

Click here to read the rest of the interview.