By Declan Somers, CEO of Mobal, and an Irish expat who has been living in Japan for a number of years. 

Most former JETs will tell you the same thing:

Japan never quite lets go of you.

You might leave your contracting organisation, your apartment key, and your bike behind-but the country stays with you. In the food you miss. In the language you half-dream in. In the quiet pull to go back, even years later.

For Tony Smith, founder of Mobal, that pull never disappeared either. But the story of Mobal- one of the most familiar mobile providers to JETs didn’t begin in Japan.

It began in Malawi.

A Holiday That Changed Everything

Tony didn’t travel to Malawi on a mission.

There was no grand plan. No charity proposal. No business model.

He was on holiday.

What he saw there, though, stayed with him. Not statistics or policy failures-but people. Families. Children. Communities living with a level of poverty that was impossible to unsee once you had seen it up close. Tony returned home and did something quietly radical.

Without telling his company, without telling his staff, he began donating Mobal’s profits to charity!!

No press release.
No mission statement.
Just a personal decision that business should do more.

Then he went further.

Rather than simply donating money, Tony started using what he knew best-business- to create viable social enterprises in Malawi. The goal wasn’t aid. It was dignity: meaningful work, local employment, and long-term sustainability in the very community he had visited.

Mobal’s Secret Mission

For years, Tony kept this to himself. Until his accountant intervened.

Pointing out that companies donating to charity could legally benefit from tax breaks, the accountant asked a very practical question:

“Why aren’t you telling anyone you’re doing this?”

That moment changed Tony’s approach and he decided to come clean. He informed his staff how profits were being used, formally embedded giving into Mobal’s mission, an founded a separate charity in the UK to distribute funds properly and transparently.

What had started as a private moral choice became a public commitment.

Japan Enters the Story (Again)

Several years later, the charity began working with international volunteers, including Japanese volunteers visiting Malawi through the JICA programme, primarily on educational projects. Then disaster struck. In 2015, catastrophic flooding displaced huge numbers of people in Southern Malawi, including children who could no longer attend school-let alone eat regularly.

Volunteers gathered to ask the simplest, hardest question:

What can we actually do right now?

Tony-who had loved Japan his entire life and had a small office in Tokyo- made an unexpected suggestion:

Why not set up a charity in Japan to help?

That idea became Seibo Japan, a registered Japanese NPO.

School Meals & SIM Cards: What’s the connection?

In February 2016, Seibo Japan and Seibo Malawi, using funds donated from Mobal together began feeding displaced schoolchildren at nursery schools in Malawi. The problem? Almost nobody in Japan knew who they were.

In the early days, Seibo Japan operated out of Mobal’s Tokyo office, sharing space- and occasionally ideas. That’s when the team noticed something else: Mobal had a really good SIM card. Perfect for foreign residents in Japan. JETs included.

In an unusual pivot twist, Seibo Japan’s two staff members became SIM salespeople. Tony promised that every sale they made would be donated to the cause.

It worked. Sales took off-helped enormously by Mobal’s presence at JET orientations at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, a setting familiar to thousands of former JETs reading this now.

What began as a workaround became a partnership.

The lines between charity and company blurred, in the best possible way.

The Power of YouTube

Then came Makoto’s stardom in 2019.

If you’ve ever seen “A Day in the Life of a Japanese Salaryman” on YouTube, you’ve already met him-even if you didn’t know it.

👉 https://youtu.be/6tmjXp_AYg0

The video racked up 11 million views, countless comments, and international attention. What viewers didn’t realise was that Makoto wasn’t just a “salaryman”—he was deeply involved in Seibo Japan and the work happening behind the scenes.

After that, attending a JET orientation became… complicated.

Makoto couldn’t walk through the venue without being stopped for selfies, autographs, and the inevitable:

“Wait—aren’t you that guy from YouTube?”

Fast Forward to 2026

It’s now the 10th anniversary of Seibo Japan. Makoto continues to run the organisation, raising funds through donations and initiatives like Malawian coffee sales via the Warm Hearts Coffee Club.

Mobal, meanwhile, is still doing what it quietly set out to do all those years ago:

• Profits still go to charity
• Social enterprises still provide over 600 meaningful jobs
• More than 20,000 children still receive a hot school meal every day
• Education remains at the centre of everything

Today, the work at Mobal is led by Declan (formerly Makoto’s colleague at Seibo & ex–Malawi volunteer), working alongside Makoto- another example of how careers, causes, and Japan itself have a habit of pulling people back together in unexpected ways.

Good Coffee always leads to a Good Story

One of the most quietly powerful developments in Seibo Japan’s story in Japan came via coffee. Fully funded by Mobal and supported by the wonderfully generous Ataka Trading, Seibo Japan runs a non-profit Malawian coffee business that does far more than sell beans. Yes, Makoto and his team do of course sell coffee online but the real impact happens offline, in classrooms across Japan.

At the time of writing, over 40 partner schools are involved.

Seibo Japan volunteers work with students to organise Malawi coffee sales events- often as part of international studies, ethics, or global citizenship programmes. Students help plan the event, promote it, and run the sale themselves.

Along the way, they learn about:

• Fair Trade and ethical supply chains
• The difference between charity and social enterprise
• How business skills can be used for social good
• What life looks like for students their own age in Malawi

Every yen raised goes directly to charity.

And sometimes, the story doesn’t end there.

In some cases, students later travel to Malawi themselves, meeting communities, visiting schools, and seeing exactly how the funds they helped raise are used.

For anyone who once stood in front of a Japanese classroom as a JET and tried to explain “internationalisation” in real terms, this model feels instantly familiar—and quietly revolutionary.

Learn more here and reach out if you have a school to introduce!

Home

👉 https://www.charity-coffee.jp/en/

Why This Matters to JET Alumni 🇯🇵

If you’re a former JET, this story probably feels familiar.

• A life changed by living abroad
• Small decisions that snowball into something bigger
• Japan acting as a connector between people, cultures, and causes

JET alumni continue to choose Mobal not just because it works but because it aligns.

• No confusing contracts
• English-friendly support
• Japanese phone numbers without the bureaucratic headache
• And purchases that directly support education and social impact

A Little Something Extra for JET Alumni (and a Coffee Warning ☕)

Because this story has always been intertwined with the JET community, there’s a small thank-you built in.

JET alumni—and their friends and family—can receive a 50% discount on a Mobal voice SIM or eSIM using the dedicated JET Alumni discount link.

And if you’re visiting Tokyo?

You’re very welcome to visit the Seibo Japan charity office, where there’s a good chance you’ll meet Makoto himself—though fair warning: you may leave with a bag of Malawian coffee beans, sold with enthusiasm, purpose, and just a hint of mischief.

It’s not a showroom.
It’s not a pitch.
It’s simply another example of how Mobal, Seibo Japan, and the JET community continue to overlap in wonderfully human ways.

Stay Connected. Do Good. Come Back to Japan.

Mobal is proof that not all meaningful projects begin with a business plan.

Sometimes they begin with a holiday.
A moment of discomfort.
And a decision to quietly do the right thing-until it becomes impossible not to share it.

For JETs who still carry Japan with them, this is a story worth staying connected to.

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe–shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.

Live gatherings are back, and over 50,000 fans are expected to attend Anime NYC later this month, a three-day showcase of the best of Japanese pop culture, exclusive screenings, talks with iconic creators and industry leaders, Japanese games, and incredible live concerts.

Highlights from this year’s programming include:

FRIDAY, NOV. 19

• Funimation Presents Attack on Titan Final Season (4:30-5:30PM)
  Celebrate the end of Attack on Titan with two lead cast members on stage. Join Bryce Papenbrook (English voice of Eren Jaeger) and Jason Liebrecht (English voice of Zeke Jaeger) as they discuss their characters and their complex relationship, particularly during Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1 and the upcoming Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2.

• Shinji Aramaki Panel (5:00-5:45PM)

Shinji Aramaki is a film director and mechanical designer who will be conducting a rare live appearance. He has been directing anime films since the 1980s and is currently working on the CG anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus (co-directed with Kenji Kamiyama) which will appear on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll.

SATURDAY, NOV. 20

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Special Event (12:00-1:30PM)
  Aniplex of America is proud to present all three lead voice actors on a stage for the first time this year! Join special guests Zach Aguilar (Tanjiro Kamado), Aleks Le (Zenitsu Agatsuma), and Bryce Papenbrook (Inouske Hashibira) and look back on the TV series and Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train, plus the new Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles game.

• Lupin the 3rd: Prison of the Past (3:30-5:30PM)

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the gentleman thief Lupin’s first animated series with a trivia contest hosted by the dub cast along with awesome prizes and a world premiere screening.

SUNDAY, NOV. 21

• Pompo The Cinephile (12:00-1:30PM)

East Coast premiere! A rollicking, exuberant ode to the power of the movies and the joys and heartbreak of the creative process, as a new director and his team devote their lives to the pursuit of a “masterpiece.”

• BELLE (2:30- 5:00PM)

See a special advance screening of Mamoru Hosoda’s biggest film ever, BELLE, before it hits theaters early next year. When shy, everyday high school student Suzu enters “U,” a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as popular idol singer Belle. When a mysterious “beast” enters her world, she embarks on an emotional quest to discover its identity—and her true self in the process.

Anime NYC takes place at Javits Center, 655 West 34th Street, Nov. 19-21. Click here for a complete list of programming. For tickets and more information, visit https://animenyc.com.

Episode 8 of the USLawEssentials Law & Language Podcast an interview with Scott Alprin (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-95) of Alprin Law Office, P.C. Scott is trademark and intellectual property attorney who speaks Japanese and works with many international clients. He discusses his career path and shares insights on law and practicing as an IP attorney.

JET alum Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94), in collaboration with Daniel Edelson of USLawEssentials.com, recently launched “USLawEssentials: Law & Language,” a legal English podcast intended for foreign lawyers, law students, and LLM students as well as other non-native English speakers who want an enjoyable way to improve their legal English. The podcast episodes cover a variety of topics including legal news events and discussions of recent cases as well as interviews with multilingual lawyers. The discussions use accessible language with helpful explanations along the way.

Last week on the Krewe of Japan Podcast…

Did you know Japan has 4 seasons? In this episode, Doug & Jenn take you on an audio journey through Japan’s four seasons. From the top cultural events and natural phenomena that you must see, to the weather and must try seasonal food and drinks, this episode if perfect for those reminiscing about their last trip and those planning their future one.

This week on the Krewe of Japan Podcast…

Enjoy studying Japanese and want to work in an industry where you can apply those skills? How do you even get into translation and localization? The Krewe has you covered. Doug & Jenn chat with another Jenn: Jenn O’Donnell, a localization director in the game industry based out of Japan. Jenn shares her career path, some challenges she had to overcome, and how Twitter played an interesting role in her journey to becoming a video game localizer.

The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!

This week on the Krewe of Japan Podcast…

The Krewe is neck deep in travel nostalgia! Nigel, Jennifer & Doug talk about re-visiting Japan (one day…), reflecting on some traditional & non-traditional tourist destinations. Who wouldn’t want to zip line into Godzilla’s mouth?! They are joined by Kay Allen, Deputy Manager for the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Los Angeles Office. Kay provides fantastic insight into travelling Japan, some of her favorite destinations, and how the Olympics and CoVid-19 have reshaped the tourism industry in Japan.

The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!

Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba 1989-91)

The 15th annual Japan Writers Conference will be held in October this year. The organizers are now looking for writers, editors and publishers to give presentations on the art, craft and business of writing. If you are a writer, now is a good time to think about taking part.

The conference is a free event, held in English. It covers publishable writing of all types: poetry, fiction, journalism, memoir, translation and more.

Past presenters have included best-selling thriller author Barry Eisler, Edgar-winning mystery novelist Naomi Hirahara and “Slumdog Millionaire” creator Vikas Swarup. There have also been presentations by many JET writers over the years, including poets Warren Decker and Michael Frazier, novelists Percival Constantine and Benjamin Martin, journalists Elaine Lies and Tom Baker, textbook author Todd Jay Leonard, and writing renaissance woman Suzanne Kamata. This year’s event will be cohosted by JET alum and novelist Charles Kowalski, together with nonfiction writer Joan Bailey.

Here are the official details:

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The 2021 Japan Writers Conference will be at Tokai University, Shonan Campus in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, on Saturday, October 16th and Sunday, October 17th, 2020. Hiratsuka is on Sagami Bay, not far from Odawara. As in the past, the conference will be free and open to all who wish to attend. Please mark your calendars and plan to join in. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, there is a possibility we’ll have to move online again this year, or it may be a hybrid, with some sessions held live, some online.

All published writers, translators, editors, agents and publishers are welcome to submit presentation proposals for the 2021 Japan Writers Conference. The deadline for your proposal is Tuesday, June 1, 2021.

Please send your proposals via this page on the JWC website: http://japanwritersconference.org/submit-proposal/

We especially encourage proposals from new submitters. One of our strengths has been variety, and the best way to foster variety is to have new presenters each year.

When planning your JWC proposal, keep your audience in mind. Your listeners will be writers and others (translators, editors, publishers, and agents) concerned with creating publishable writing. While teaching, literary studies and private self-expression are all worthy activities, they are not the focus of this conference.

Standard conference sessions are fifty minutes long, but if you have something longer in mind, please let us know and we will accommodate if possible.

To submit a proposal for a conference presentation, send the following information, using the form here to submit: http://japanwritersconference.org/submit-proposal/

1. Your name (or names)
2. Title of presentation (20 words or less)
3. Type of presentation (short lecture with Q&A, craft workshop, panel discussion, reading with Q&A, etc.)
4. Genre (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Translation, Instructional, Career)
5. Short summary (50 words or less)
6. Abstract (150 words or less)
7. Personal and professional biography (50 words or less. Mention your publications, as this will be part of the Conference program)
8. Your publications (Need not be complete, but give names of journals and genre for short pieces; title, publisher and date for books; venues and dates for plays, and so on)
9. Are you available on both days?
10. Any special needs?
11. Contact information (email address, telephone number) These remain confidential. Please include everyone who will be part of the presentation.

If you are unable to use the website form, or
have questions concerning your idea or the conference in general, you may use this email address: japanwritersconference@gmail.com

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

We recently learned about the National Association for Black Engagement with Asia (NABEA) which seeks to connect Black Asia specialists in both the public and private sectors. They also hope to increase the representation of Black Americans engaging with Asia. Through their programming, they work towards building a mutually beneficial economic, political, social, and cultural relationship between Black America and the Indo-Pacific region.

There seems to be a natural connection between the JET alumni community and NABEA. And in fact, we’re currently aware of four JET alumni who are also members of NABEA:

• Jennifer Butler (Shizuoka-ken, 2001-2004) – Manager of Student Relations for the Ashinaga Foundation and former JETAA USA Country Representative and JETAA chapter president
• Mya Fisher (Kanagawa-ken, 2000-2002) – Founder of Global Equity Forward, a strategic consulting and advisory company for international inclusion, diversity, and racial awareness.
• Jody Dixon (Yamanashi-ken, 2009-20014) – Program Manager for the American Association of State Colleges & Universities overseeing their China-US Rising Star Study Program
• Savannah Williams (Shizuoka-ken, 2018-2020) – a Community Manager and Event Coordinator for Startup Lady Japan

According to Fisher, “NABEA is an important and growing community of Black Americans who are specialists actively engaged in Asia. Their publicly accessible and searchable database of Black, Indo-Asia experts is a great addition to the continued work of increasing representation and inclusion in the U.S.-Japan community specifically, and the Indo-Asia region more broadly.”

If you are interested in joining NABEA, go to their website for more info: http://usnabea.org/

And if you’re already a member, feel free to post in the comments section below and let everyone know!

 

Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba, 1989-91).

The Japan Writers Conference is a free annual event for English-language writers, held in a different part of Japan each year. In 2017, it will take place in Tokyo at the Ekoda Campus of Nihon University College of Art on Oct. 8-9, the last two days of a Japanese holiday weekend.

There will be will be about 30 presentations by published writers of fiction, poetry, memoir, travel writing and more. Several of those writers are former JETs.

JET alumnae Susan Laura Sullivan and Suzanne Kamata, for example, will give a joint presentation on editing anthologies. Sullivan is the editor of the forthcoming anthology “Women of a Certain Age,” while Kamata’s published anthologies include “Call Me Okaa-san” and “The Broken Bridge.”

Kamata will also give a presentation together with Ann Tashi Slater on creative nonfiction.

JET alum and textbook author Todd Jay Leonard, whose many titles include “American Traditions,” will give a lecture on “The Ever-Changing Publishing Industry,” in which he will discuss traditional versus print-on-demand publishing, followed by a Q&A session.

Poet and novelist Holly Thompson, who first came to Japan in connection with the pre-JET MEF program, will present “Writing Picture Books: Nonfiction Opportunities.” Her published works include “The Wakame Gatherers.”

For details on those and the other presentations, visit www.japanwritersconference.org or follow @JapanWritersCon on Twitter.

The Japan Writers Conference, now in its 11th year, is completely volunteer-run, and admission is free.

The TESOL International 2017 Convention is coming up: March 21-24 in Seattle! I’ll be there presenting on a panel titled “Legal English: Strategies for Effective Communication in Law School” on Thursday morning at 9:30am.

Are any other JETs or JET alumni planning to attend? If so, please feel free to post in the comments section below or to email me directly at jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com. It would be great to connect with other JETs there, and I’m sure there must be others.

Hope to see some of you there,

–Steven

 

Passed on by Eden Law JETAA NSW President and Australian Country Representative.

The Global Science Course (GSC) is a new undergraduate 2 year-long transfer program. It was designed to enhance cross-cultural interactions among young minds from around the world coming together to learn science. All GSC classes are conducted in English by world-leading professors who are pursuing cutting-edge research in the most advanced fields, while also focusing on the fostering of students who will lead the next generation in science communities.

By giving students the opportunity to study abroad in Tokyo, they will not only get the chance to make the most of our world renowned facilities but will also be able to experience Japanese lifestyle and culture first-hand. This is an invaluable opportunity for those looking to expand their worldviews and experience something unique during their time as an undergraduate student.

Furthermore, successful applicants to our program are rewarded with a generous scholarship. This includes 150,000 Japanese yen per month to aid in paying tuition fees and support living expenses. It additionally includes fully supported rent.

Here is a link to the course website: http://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/GSC/

Here is a link to our informational booklet: http://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/GSC/about/files/booklet.pdf

Information about our program can also be shared through Facebook and Twitter:
https://www.facebook.com/globalsciencecourse/
https://twitter.com/GSC_UTokyo

Good luck!

 

Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba, 1989-91), a writer and editor in Tokyo and a regular Japan Writers Conference participant.

The Japan Writers Conference is a free annual event for English-langauge writers in a variety of fields. It is held each autumn in a different part of Japan. The event attracts a fair number of JETs and JET alumni, and this year’s event, at Tokushima University on October 29-30, will be hosted by a former JET, the author and anthologist Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima, 1988-90).

The organizers are looking for writers, translators, editors, agents and publishers to give presentations at this year’s event. For those interested in presenting or simply attending, the remainder of this post contains practical information taken verbatim from an official announcment:

About the site, Suzanne writes, “Although off the beaten path, Tokushima University is reasonably accessible. It’s about an hour and a half by bus from Kobe (all buses on the way to Tokushima station make a stop in front of the university), and a short bus ride from the Awa Odori Airport. Tokushima, a city with a rich literary heritage, is settled on the banks of the Yoshino River. We’ve got nature and culture (both traditional, such as Japan’s largest Bon festival, Awa Odori, indigo dyeing, bunraku puppetry and pottery-making, and modern, as in J-pop, anime and manga).

“The conference will be held in Tokushima University’s brand new Glocal Building.”

She also says there are plenty of hotels nearby in the station area.

So mark your diaries, calendars, smartphones or whatever it is you use to keep track of things, and plan to join us. As the event shapes up, we will keep you posted.

This is also our first call for presentation proposals. All published writers, translators, editors, agents and publishers who would like to lead a session are invited to submit proposals. We especially encourage proposals from new submitters. One of the strengths of the Conference has been variety, and the best way to foster variety is to have new presenters each year.

Those who have presented at past conferences are (of course) welcome to submit new proposals. But please, in the words of Ezra Pound, “Make it new.”

Please forward this to any friend or colleague who might be interested. If you know someone the conference organizers might approach–either living in Japan or planning to visit Japan next autumn–send us your suggestion. If you have contact information, that would be a great help.

Detailed information follows, but briefly, a proposal needs to include a brief bio, including some publication credits, the type of presentation you wish to make, a title, a summary of 50 words, a longer abstract (150 words) and any special requests you might have. Standard sessions are fifty minutes long, but if you have something special in mind, please let us know and we will accommodate if possible.

Presentations on all genres and all aspects of writing and publishing are welcome. The deadline for presentation proposals is Wednesday, June 1, 2016.

As in the past, the Conference will be free and open to all who wish to attend. This is possible because all the presenters and organizing staff volunteer their time and talent, and the use of the site is donated by the host. As a result, the Conference cannot offer any payment, reimbursement, lodging, or help in securing visas or travel permits. So please don’t ask.

Proposal Guidelines

When planning your JWC proposal, keep your audience in mind. Your listeners will be writers and others (translators, editors, publishers, and agents) concerned with creating publishable writing. While teaching, literary studies and private self-expression are certainly worthy activities, they are not the focus of this Conference. Ask yourself as a writer or other word professional these questions:

What information do I have which could be useful to others?
What writing, rewriting, editing, or marketing techniques have worked for me or others I know?
What topic would make for a lively and enlightening discussion?
What publishing or other professional opportunities do I know about?
What will an attendee take away from my fifty-minute session that he or she will find worthwhile?

You may submit more than one proposal.

The only qualification one needs to be a presenter is to have published. This does not mean that you need to have published a lot or in some high-profile journal. Your book (if you have a book) does not have to be on a best seller list. You do not have to have won any awards or to have appeared on TV. You simply need to have written, edited, translated, or otherwise worked on a piece of writing which has made it to the public eye. That is, published.

Proposal Deadline and Format

Using the following format, please send your ideas for a presentation by June 1, 2015. Send your proposal in the body of an email (no attachments) to both these addresses:

gribblej@gol.com
bernmulvey_1@yahoo.co.jp

In your subject line give your name, “JWC,” and the date.

In the body of the email, give:

1. Your name (or names)
2. Contact information (email, telephone. These remain confidential.)
3. Your publications (Need not be complete, but give names of journals and genre for short pieces; title, publisher and date for books; venues and dates for plays, and so on)
4. Title of presentation. (20 words or less)
5. Type of presentation (short lecture with Q&A, craft workshop, panel discussion, reading with Q&A, etc.)
6. Short summary of the presentation (50 words or less)
7. Abstract of the presentation (150 words or less)
8. Personal and professional biography (50 words or less. Make mention of your publications, as this will be part of the Conference program)
9. Anything else, such as special equipment needs or questions.

Your proposal doesn’t have to be a “finished” document to submit. There will be time to shape and polish your ideas for a presentation. But there is a set number of session slots available and if you are interested in having one of them, please let us know soon. Again, the deadline is June 1, 2016.

John Gribble
Bern Mulvey
Co Co-ordinators,
2016 Japan Writers Conference

JALT and AJET have teamed up bring you the JALT Shinshu-AJET Conference in Matsumoto City, Japan.

Featuring lectures from Morten Hunke and Yumiko Miyamoto the conference will focus on Can-do Statements & Assessment in a Japanese Context.

Many teachers are under immense pressure to prepare Can-Do statements that specify what aspects of communicative competence their courses are designed to develop, and clarify how students are assessed in relation to these statements. To explore this issue, Morten Hunke will discuss how the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) can be applied at the university level in Japan, and Yumiko Miyamoto will discuss assessment at the Senior High School level.

When:Sat 18^th of April, 2015.14:00-17:00
Venue: Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture
Price:JALT members: Free; Non-members 1000 yen

For latest details, see JALT.org event page.
For any inquiries please contact:
Chris Low(AJET Director of Professional and educational Development)
or Gregory Birch (JALT)

I just learned from Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11) of CLAIR Tokyo that there is a LinkedIn group for French JET alumni:

• JET Alumni Association of France – http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=5043487&trk=my_groups-b-grp-v

Also, a reminder that you can find JET alum LinkedIn and other groups for every prefecture and nearly every professional field you can think of here:  http://jetwit.com/wordpress/jet-alum-groups/

 

By Sarah Parsons (Gunma-ken, 1995-97) for JQ magazine. Sarah is the careers and networking coordinator for JETAA UK and chair of the Midlands Chapter. She also runs her own business called Japan In Perspective, where she facilitates business links between the UK and Japan.

There are a variety of ex-JETs: those who have just returned looking for jobs and hoping to make sense of and use their JET experience, and those who are still interested in keeping in touch with Japan who have been very successful using their JET experience professionally—whether it be directly Japan-related or using it as a catalyst for a new career—but who have not been engaged with JETAA for a long time, if ever. Several things became evident.

First, JET can be a life-changing experience that offers so many potential professional opportunities, but the professional needs of our members are not being formally facilitated within JETAA UK. Secondly, the job environment in the UK is getting more and more competitive and it is very challenging for ex-JETs to stand out, gain more business skills and use their experiences professionally, so there is a demand for helping JETs with their post-Japan careers; and thirdly, in order to achieve any of this, JETAA needs to raise its profile professionally and engage with local business communities.

In this vein, we decided to map out a multifaceted programme within JETAA UK to facilitate these needs and to engage and utilise the expertise of some of our more experienced members. We wanted to organise networking events for local ex-JETs to meet the local business communities (UK companies that are interested in Japan as well as local Japanese companies) so as to offer great opportunities for JETs to develop important contacts and give attendees a chance to keep up to date on what is happening in the Japan-related business world.

Read More

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.

Stay warm this winter with some hot local events, from the debut performance of one of Japan’s most successful live acts, another performance from one of the country’s biggest crossover stars, and an annual showcase that brings the sights (and tastes) of Japan to vivid life.

This month’s highlights include:

Saturday, Feb. 1, 6:00 p.m.

Black Rain

Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue

Free

The final entry of the film series Vengeance Is Shohei Imamura! Yasuko was exposed to black rain, the radioactive fallout from the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Years later, she and her townsmen continue to rebuild their life and endure the aftermath. At an age ripe for marriage, Yosuko has been rejected by man after man for fear of radiation, even though she has shown no signs of any illness. The film juxtaposes present-day struggles with flashbacks to scenes of wartime devastation. A departure from Imamura’s usual interest in bawdy human behavior, this film brings him closer to his early mentor Ozu, who is known for his restrained and subdued study of quiet dignity and for whom Imamura acted as assistant director.

Tuesday, Feb. 4

Dragon Ball Full Color, Volume 1

$19.99 MSRP

Akira Toriyama’s epic manga series—one of the most popular of all time—makes its English-langage debut in full color, graphic novel-size in print and digital editions! Son Goku is the greatest hero on Earth. Five years after defeating the demon king Piccolo, he’s grown up and has a family. But what is the real reason for Goku’s incredible strength? A visitor from outer space arrives bearing terrible news—Goku is an alien, and the visitor, Raditz, is Goku’s brother! When Raditz turns out to be a ruthless killer, Goku must fight his incredibly strong brother to save his family and the entire human race. A surprising alliance may be Earth’s last hope: Goku will team up with his old enemy Piccolo to save the world!

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Akiko Yano Trio

Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette Street

$30 reserved, $35 premium

Akiko Yano returns to Joe’s Pub with her longtime New York friends/virtuoso musicians Will Lee and Chris Parker, answering overwhelming demand from the fans who caught their previous go-round in November 2012. See the pop and jazz chanteuse whom Jon Pareles of the New York Times calls “a world class songwriter with a clear, gentle, wide-ranging voice. She is also an accomplished, endearing performer who might be a Japanese Carole King, Joni Mitchell or Meredeith Monk…”

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