Jun 8

JQ interview with Hikaru Utada – by Justin Tedaldi

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Hikaru Utada: The Complete JQ Interview

By Justin Tedaldi, Editor (Kobe-shi CIR, 2001-02)

(Originally Published May 2009 in JQ (JETAA NY Quarterly) magazine, the official quarterly publication of JETAA NY (http://jetaany.org/magazine)

It was perfect timing. Back in January, Hikaru Utada, the New York-born recording phenomenon who before she was out of her teens notched three of Japan’s top ten bestselling albums (including number one), was back in town working on a new album for the U.S., and JQ spent a full hour with Hikki to talk of many things, including her new disc This is the One, which hit stores in May.

I know you want to talk about the new album and the single.

The song…

I heard it about two and half weeks ago, as I think I was already on the e-mail list from when your last English album came out.

Oh, right, right, right.

So we go way back. Ten years ago I found out about First Love when I studying Japanese as an undergraduate…

Oh, wow.

It’s amazing to be here now talking about it.

I’m humbled [laughs]. Read More

Jun 3

JQ Magazine’s Spring 2009 “Utada Issue” Now Available Online!

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The Spring 2009 Issue of JQ (JETAA NY Quarterly) Magazine is now available online at http://jetaany.org/magazine/.

O-tsuakare sama deshita to Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for all his hard work in putting out another outstanding issue, this one featuring a one-on-one interview he did with Hikaru Utada in New York.

Tanjo!!  JQ‘s Spring 2009 Utada Issue is Here!

• What do an Oscar-winner, a celebrated ambassador-turned-president, an international author summit and one of the best-selling singer-songwriters the Eastern Hemisphere’s ever seen have in common? That’s right! They all (I heard) turned down Conan O’Brien to appear in the new issue of JETAANY’s quarterly magazine JQ!
• Months in the making but well worth the wait, our new issue also features our newly elected officers, Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a you-are-there piece on the Tokyo Marathon that you’re guaranteed to learn a thing or to from, and interviews with an Off-Broadway star, community honchos, noted authors and local JETs-made-good in both Japan and beyond.
• And how’s this for a main course: for the first time ever our feature interview was too long for the print issue, so we’ve posted the complete 13-page interview with Hikaru Utada at the handy link below. Whether you’re a Hikki-mania or just want to read what might be the most in-depth interview she’s ever done in English, we’ve got you covered.   It all happens in the new issue of JQ. Dozo and enjoy!

SPRING 2009 ISSUE – click to download PDF

(Click Here to Read the Complete Hikaru Utada Interview)

Editor: Justin Tedaldi – magazine@jetaany.org

SPRING 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Page 3…..Letter From the Editor / Letter From the Country Rep
• Page 4…..Nippon News Blotter / JQ National Photo Contest Winners
• Page 5…..Comings & Goings – New Officers and JLGC Changes
• Page 6…..JETAANY Author Showcase by Gina Anderson and Justin Tedaldi
• Page 6…..TAIKOPROJECT in Philly by Renay Loper
• Page 7…..Japan Society’s New President Motoatsu Sakurai by Justin Tedaldi
• Page 8…..JETlog featuring Ed Thompson (Chiba-shi CIR, 1994-97)
• Page 9…..STOMP New York’s Yako Miyamoto by Liz Wanic
• Page 10…Running the Tokyo Marathon by Stacy Smith
• Page 11…Nihonjin in NY – Featuring Noriko Furuhata of the CGJ by Rick Ambrosio
• Page 11…Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Page 13…Hikaru Utada: The JQ Interview by Justin Tedaldi
• Page 14…Adren Hart’s ConnectForce Productions Jazzes Up NY by Matt Matysik
• Page 15…JETAActivity Photos
• Page 16…An Animated Talk with Japanamerica Author Roland Kelts By Larry Heiman
• Page 17…Destination Nippon: JNTO and Kintetsu International by Sylvia Pertzborn
• Page 18…New York-Tokyo Founder Taeko Baba by Marea Pariser
• Page 19…Film Review: Departures by Lyle Sylvander
• Page 19…Book Corner: Shutting Out the Sun by David Kowalsky
• Page 20…Shutting Out the Sun Author Michael Zielenziger Q&A by Kelly Nixon
• Page 21…Awaji Puppet Theater at Japan Society by Beata Wilk
• Page 23…Top 14 List / Life After the B.O.E. / Let’s Make Chirashi!
• Major domo to (from left) Anson Mau, Kayoko & Rob Werner, Marea Pariser, Louie Reyes, Joe Marucheck, Justin Tedaldi, Steven Horowitz, Laura Pollak, Stacy Smith, and (off camera) Nancy Ikehara and Peter Mallik for pitching in to mail out the Utada Issue.

May 20

Roland Kelts to host talk with Hayao Miyazaki in July

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According to a news item on the Anime News Network (which was first reported by Publishers Weekly journalist Kai-Ming Cha in her personal blog), Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, will host a talk with Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away among other animated films) on July 25 in Berekely, CA.  Miyazaki will be making a rare U.S. appearance to receive the second annual Berkeley Japan Prize for lifetime achievement, presented by the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

This is familiar territory for Roland, who hosted a talk with novelist Haruki Murakami last October when Murakami was presented with the first Berekely Japan award.

May 13

JET alum sake expert John Gauntner at Japan Society May 19

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Just saw a Japan Times article on JET alum sake expert John Gauntner, and then this popped into my inbox:

May 12

JET alum John Gauntner is leading world sake expert

Celebrity, Food & Drink, Interview/Profile, Writers Add Comment (5)

Thanks to JET Liason Noriko Furuhata and JET alum Eric Campbell, both of whom work at the Consulate General of Japan in New York, for sharing the link to this Japan Times article about JET alum John Gauntner who has established himself as the leading non-Japanese sake expert in the world.  And this on the heels of a recent JETAA NY sake tasting event at Bao Noodles, a restaurant owned by JET alum and sake sommelier Chris Johnson (Oita-ken, 1992-95).

Great stuff.  Then again, is anyone really that surprised that JET alums would know sake so well? :-)

For more info, here are links to:

• the Japan Times article: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090404a1.html
• John’s website:  http://www.sake-world.com/ (filled with lots of good stuff)
  
• The five books he’s written on sake:  http://www.sake-world.com/html/books.html (Yet another published JET alum author!)
• His Nihonshu columns that he wrote for the Japan Times for 8 years:  http://www.sake-world.com/html/jt-archives.html

Perhaps going forward it’s time for JetWit to start keeping its eyes peeled for JET alum shouju sommeliers.

May 1

Roland Kelts on Sakura-Con: Yomiuri column and podcast

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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a recent Daily Yomiuri column on his experience at Sakura-Con in Seattle in April.  You can also listen to a podcast about the event in which he’s interviewed.

Apr 28

WIT Life #37: Creative Commercialization

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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03).  Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Since the recent shattering of the boy band’s SMAP’s clean-cut image with the arrest of member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (34) on public indecency charges, the fallout has been pretty well contained.  Kusanagi held a press conference on the 25th to apologize, and his agency has suspended all his activities indefinitely and declared a ban on alcohol for him.  Apparently the famous Johnny’s jimusho is advising all of its high-profile clients to be mindful of their celebrity status when they are out for a night on the town and drinking is involved.  SMAP fans are worried that Read More

Apr 1

Roland Kelts interviewed by AnimeNewsNetwork’s Chicks-On-Anime

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A good (and long) interview with Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, by Bamboo and Sara (aka Chicks-On-Anime) has been posted on the AnimeNewsNetwork.

Mar 25

JET Alumni Author Showcase – Photos

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Here are some photos from yesterday’s JET Alumni Author Showcase, courtesy of Noriko Furuhata, the JET Liason at the Consulate-General of Japan in New York:

Randall David Cook (Fukui-ken, 1991-93), Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04), Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) and James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) discuss their writing

Read More

Mar 23

JET Alumni Author Showcase – Yatta!

Books, Celebrity, Events, JETAA Chapters, Writers Add Comment (10)

The first-ever JET Alumni Author Showcase is done and in the books, and by all accounts it was a big success.

• Wonderful readings by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) and Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04). (Stay tuned for photos and video clips.)
• Engaging and informative discussion, led by Randall David Cook (Fukui-ken, 1991-93).
• Great post-program schmoozing, connecting and re-connecting (including a mini-Nara reunion).
• And I think Kinokuniya sold pretty much all the books it brought.

Thanks to everyone who attended, helped out and supported the event.  Hopefully this will be the first of many more to come.

Mar 11

James Kennedy “Librarian” essay sets blogosphere atwitter

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Following James Kennedy’s (Nara-ken, 2004-06) recent post of his essay describing the heretofore unpublicized lifestyles and rituals of librarians (a “cult” of which Kennedy’s own wife is admittedly a member) in connection with the American Library Association’s awarding of the “Best Book for Young Adults” to Neil Gaman, author of Coraline, rather than Kennedy’s The Order of Odd-Fish, the blogosphere was atwitter with commentary about Kennedy, who will be appearing in NYC March 22 for the JET Alumni Author Showcase along with Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) and Robert P. Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04)).

The Handless Poet’s Maria Alexander said:

I’m buying James Kennedy’s book, The Order of Odd-Fish.  I’m buying it entirely because of this blog post.  James Kennedy could quite possibly be the funniest man in America. http://www.thehandlesspoet.com/blogger/2009/03/james-kennedy-is-all-growed-up.html

School Library Journal’s Elizabeth Bird wrote:

Bad news for my husband. I have just fallen head-over-heels in love with James Kennedy, author of the YA novel The Order of Odd-Fish. Ladies and gentlemen of the liking men variety, I advise you to be very careful in reading this blog post of his which tells (in a fashion) of his experience with the last ALA Media Awards. He had me at “conniving sidelong lope” and now I feel compelled to read every damn word the fellow has ever written, starting from the early scribbles he scrawled out as a toothless mewling babe. Ba-bump goes my little heart. I also feel inclined to give him a bad review with the sole intention of hoping that he will write about me and do complicated things with my name. As I read through it I almost want to dedicate this entire post solely in the purpose of getting you to read this blog. Go. Now. Read. This. Man.  I, for my part, am off to read his book.  Even if it is YA.  http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/1130041713.html?nid=3713

Read More

Mar 10

JET Alumni Author Section at Kinokuniya – more photos

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Here are a few more photos from the photo-op last Friday to promote the JET Alumni Author section at Kinokuniya in anticipation of the JET Alumni Author Showcase (set for March 22; e-mail authors at jetaany dot org to rsvp).

The books featured include:

• 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 http://jetwit.com/wordpress/library/authorsbooks/

Stop by Kinokuniya and take a look!

L to R: Noriko Furuhata (Consulate), John Fuller (Kinokuniya Store Manager), Toru Mukaikubo (CLAIR), Hirotaka Ono (Consulate), Tony McCormac, Steven Horowitz, Amber Liang, Roland Kelts, Akira Sugiyama (Japan Information Center), Ryoko Kobayashi (CLAIR)

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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

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

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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 http://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