Event: SWET Summer Party
Events, Networking, Translating/Interpreting, Writers 
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The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:
The SWET Summer Party!
Event: SWET Summer Party
What: Club Party
Host: Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators (SWET)
Start Time: Sunday, July 26 at 1:00pm
End Time: Sunday, July 26 at 4:00pm
Where: Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, Kantokutei Hiroma
Click here to see more details and to RSVP.
Travel: Aitai Japan
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aitai Japan
I just found out about an interesting travel website called aitai Japan (translation: “I want to meet” Japan) (www.aitaijapan.com), which bills itself as an “association for independent tourist assistance in Japan” and explains that it is “a guide/interpreter service with listings of enthusiastic volunteer guides who can offer free tourist assistance for independent travelers on their visit to Japan.”
It reminds me of a great organization in New York City called Big Apple Greeters (a good place for JET alums to volunteer, by the way) which pairs up a volunteer with any visitors to New York looking for a friendly local to walk around with for a few 
hours. Except aitaiJapan seems to be doing this on a national level and really helping tourists cross through what can seem like intimidating language and cultural barriers to non-Japanese.
If anyone out there has had any contact or experience with aitaiJapan, please feel free to share, either by posting a comment or by sending an email to JetWit.
WIT Life #43: ひったくり
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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.
Japan’s status as a crime free haven is being further tarnished by an increase in a kind of petty thievery known as ひったくり (hittakuri) or bag snatching. The culprits make their moves while on motorbikes, bicycles or even on foot, and many times their distracted victims do not notice them until it is too late. According to a policeman, as they are often arrested holding little or no money of their own, it is thought that these crimes are committed out of economic need.
Hittakuri has a comparatively low arrest rate, primarily because Read More
Bankruptcy Bill #16 – GM First Day Hearings
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Bankruptcy Bill is a cartoon created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. To see more strips as well as original bankruptcy haiku, go to bankruptcybill.us.
WIT Life #42: Guerrilla Rain and Shotgun Marriages
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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.
Japan has just officially entered the rainy season, a period many of us might remember as a time when it’s
impossible to get your laundry done as there are few dry days to hang it outside. Last year the buzzword at this time was ゲリラ豪雨 （gerira gouu) or “guerrilla rain,” referring to the sudden fierce downpours similar to flash floods that on occasion took people’s lives and are thought to be an effect of global warming. Courtesy of innovation from the Japan Meteorological Agency, perhaps this year’s rainy season will be spent a bit easier. It has scattered Read More
Job: Entertainment company seeks bilingual exec personal asst. (NYC)
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From speaking with Jenna at Forrest Solutions, this sounds like a pretty cool job:
Entertainment company in NYC looking for a bilingual English/Japanese Executive Personal Assistant to support company Chairman.
Job Description
Senior level experienced personal and business executive assistant needed for high-profile Chairman of vertically-integrated, Rock and Roll media/entertainment company. This position requires a candidate that has experience as a Personal Assistant to a high profile individual as well as is bilingual English/Japanese. Individuals must thrive in an extremely fast-paced environment, while keeping a cool head among complete chaos. Candidate must be able to handle long hours and fast-paced work environment, and must be on call 24/7. Read More
JET alum blog featured in Japanese online news
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JET alum and SC Subchapter Rep Daniel Stone’s blog The Divine Wind Vault has been featured in an article on the Japanese website Searchina. It profiled his recent post about the excellence of Japanese convenience stores and fast food restaurants, especially in comparison to the poor level of service and goods offered at the same places here in the States. Omedetou for this Japanese media coverage!
JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following employment opportunities being offered by Japan Echo Inc., and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
Update 07/10/09: The in-house position has been filled, but Japan Echo says they have an open invitation on their website for prospective freelance translators (J to E); feel free to send in your info at any time.
The bimonthly journal Japan Echo features translations of essays, interviews, and discussions by noted commentators on topics of interest in Japan today. They are seeking an in-house translator/editor and freelance translators.
See the original posting on their site for more information and to download the trial translations.
In-house translator/editor
Japan Echo Inc. is looking for a full-time, in-house Japanese-to-English translator/English editor. Candidates should have a native command of English, strong writing skills, and reading proficiency in Japanese (JLPT level 1 or higher). This is a one-year contract position to begin in July 2009, with the possibility of an extension. Salary will be from ¥400,000/month, dependent on experience.
Please complete the trial translation (PDF) and send it with your resume and any other materials to the postal address below. E-mail submissions will not be accepted for this position.
WITLife #41: Drugs for all!
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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.
Starting today in Japan, as a result of loosening of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, consumers will be able to purchase nonprescription drugs at convenience stores and supermarkets. With this deregulation, conbini and supermarket chain operators will be allowed to sell most nonprescription products such as cold and stomach medicine at outlets staffed with registered sales clerks.
Currently, consumers can only buy nonprescription products at drug stores where pharmacists are in attendance, but the legal change will allow consumers to buy such drugs at conbini around the clock. A conbini operator senior official said that Read More
WIT Life #40: One Coin Deals
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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.
One of Japan’s recent innovations for battling the ongoing recession is providing consumers with products or services that can be paid
for with just one coin (the phrase ワンコイン that refers to this phenomenon has been getting a lot of traction lately). Today there was a feature focusing on 500 yen (or one coin) health related services and how they are boosting business for many establishments.
One location profiled was a place where you can get various health factors evaluated. Here they provide a “one coin menu” which offers Read More
New JET Alum Co-Working Group in NYC
Career, Networking, Translating/Interpreting, Uncategorized, Writers Comments Off on New JET Alum Co-Working Group in NYC
Are you a freelance translator or writer? Do you while away the days in solitary confinement while thinking it might be interesting to meet like minds, have someone to turn around and confirm a sentence with, or just add some more beating hearts to the room?
If so, then get in touch if you’re interested in being a part of the first ever JET alum co-working group in NYC. The goal behind this is to create a community of people who can share space, support, information, and experience. Timing could be every day, once a week or even once a month. It will depend on the level of response and interest.
Job: Canadian Immigration Business Assistant/Manager/Interpreter (Tokyo)
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JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following employment opportunity being offered by Skytop Trading Co., Ltd. through the Gaijinpot website and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
Judging from the posting, this company may be looking for a Japanese national, but they might be willing to hire a former JET with a sufficiently high Japanese ability.
Job Description:
1. Prepare documents for our Japanese clients to apply for Canadian permanent residency card.
2. Organize seminars for Japanese clients and Canadian partner consultants.
3. J-E and E-J translation of business documents.
4. Coordinate with branch offices in Thailand, the Philippines, and Canada in English (telephone, e-mail, and online chat).
5. Other translation projects.
Read More
Job: Translator / Video Game Creator Assistant (Tokyo)
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JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following Haken (dispatch) employment opportunity being offered by Tempstaff Co., Ltd. through the Gaijinpot website and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
Job Description:
* Japanese ⇒ English translation of in-game text, manuals and other documents related to video games
* English communication and negotiations with overseas clients
* Video game creator assistant duties (depending on skills and experience)
Contract Type: Haken (ASAP – Long Term)
Working Time: Mon – Fri, 10:00 – 19:00 (1hr lunch break)
Location: Ikebukuro, Tokyo
Salary: 2000 yen/hr
Suzanne Kamata
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Cristy Burne (Hyogo-ken, Kawanishi-shi, 1998-2000), author of the soon-to-be-released children’s book Takeshita Demons, has a really nice interview on her blog with Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90), who lives in Japan and is the editor of LiteraryMama as well as the author of books such as Losing Kei and Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (which recently won several prizes in the 2009 Indie Book Awards including the Grand Prize for non-fiction overall).
(For all you translators out there lookng for an interesting project, you may notice Suzanne’s comment that none of her books have been translated into Japanese yet. Perhaps a future JET alum collaboration to come?)
Go here for the full interview: http://cristyburne.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/american-writer-in-japan-suzanne-kamata-
Cristy Burne
on-diversity-writing-and-winning-the-indie-book-awards/
- Also, another JET alum writer, Liz Sheffield (Hokkaio-ken, Sapporo-shi, 1993-95), has an interview with Suzanne about the book on her blog motherlogue.wordpress.com.
- To learn more about Suzanne you can visit her website at http://www.suzannekamata.com or her blog at http://gaijinmama.wordpress.com (RSS feed here).
- Read an interview with Suzanne Kamata on children’s books and diversity by the blog Kabiliana.
- Go to the Authors/Books section of the JetWit Library to see a complete list of JET alum authors (at least to JetWit’s knowledge).
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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.
アラ還 (arakan) describes Japanese around 60 years of age, and it comes from (アラウンド還暦 or around kanreki). 還
暦 (kanreki) refers to one’s 60th birthday celebration. This buzzword is picking up on the previously popular アラフォー (ara fo-), coming from the phrase アラウンド40 (Around 40) which was also the title of a 2008 drama regarding this time of life. This phraseology can also be applied to other decades as well. For example, instead of disclosing my age I can simply reply that I am アラサー (ara sa- or around 30).
As you might expect, like baby boomers here in the States arakan are not taking aging lying down. A segment in this morning’s news featured Read More
