Jan 27

Event: Joshikai SF – A new meet-up for Japanese women and women connected to Japan

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Joshikai SF:  A new meet-up for Japanese women and women connected to Japan

Jan 27

C-DOC: Learn Chinese NYC – Basics for Pronounciation and the Four Tones

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The Chinese Doctor is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).

Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Chinese, Japanese and Korean language learning options. Their main service is private one on one language lessons in the NYC area.

Congratulations on choosing to learn the new buzz language in New York City, Chinese. When learning Chinese it’s important to first learn the pronunciation of the language. Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, with 4 tones that can change and distinguish the meaning of words. It’s important to become familiar with the tones in the beginning, mastering the tones will take time and energy with a trained teacher. Don’t worry though, Cantonese has 7 tones, and Vietnamese has 9 tones, so comparatively learning Mandarin should seem quite easy!

When learning Mandarin we’ll use the word “ma.” Ma can mean four different things, depending on which tone you pronounce it with. Without further ado, here’s the tones you’ll use when pronouncing Mandarin…

Click here for the rest of the article, including other Chinese language and culture articles

Jan 19

“The US-Japan Alliance: Relic of a By-gone Era” by JET alum Michael Auslin

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The latest from JET alum Michael Auslin, a professor of Japanese history and politics and currently the Director of Japanese Studies for the American Enterprise Institute in D.C.  This one part of The AEI Outlook Series.

The U.S.-Japan Alliance:  Relic of a By-gone Era?

http://www.aei.org/outlook/100929

by JET alum Michael Auslin

The U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation was signed in Washington, D.C., fifty years ago this month. Few alliances last half a century. The fact that this one has is a testament to its strength, but it is also the result of East Asia’s failure to develop stable political and security relationships in the decades after World War II. It also reflects Japan’s postwar political realities and the choices successive Japanese governments made to maintain the country’s largely pacifist global role. Yet, the pressures on the alliance today raise questions about how well it can adapt to changes inside Japan, the United States, and throughout Asia. If the alliance is to survive, how should it change to best serve the evolving national interests of Japan and the United States?

Key points in this Outlook:

* The U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation has helped maintain peace in Asia for the past fifty years.

* Security-related issues regarding North Korea’s nuclear-weapons program and China’s growing military raise important political questions for the future of the alliance.

* Today, the Obama and Hatoyama administrations must decide if they view the alliance as a key element in their security strategies or as an outdated relic of a bygone era.

To read the whole paper, go here:  http://www.aei.org/outlook/100929

Jan 18

WIT Life #70: Japan/America friendship dolls

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

My travels currently bring me to Rochester, NY, and this morning at the local museum and science center I encountered an unexpected aspect of grassroots exchange between Japan and America.  My Japanese guests and I met with Mr. George McIntosh, Director of Collections, and headed down into the vault to get a closer look at the Japanese Ambassador Doll housed there.  Her name is Tamako and she hails from Nagasaki Prefecture, and she was part of a gift from Japan in return for nearly 13,000 friendship dolls sent over in early 1927 by the Committee on World Friendship Among Children. 

This committee was formed by Dr. Sidney Gulick in 1926 as a reaction to restrictive American Read More

Jan 15

WIT Life #69: Mainstream moe

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

Interesting intersection of American pop culture and Japanese culture on two back-to-back episodes of 30 Rock last night.  In the first one, James Franco (who manages to be amazing in everything he does) playing himself talks of his knowledge of “moe” before whipping out his very own body pillow girlfriend Kimiko.  In a later scene the morning after he and Liz spend the night together, they both emerge in their pajamas, him holding Kimiko.   This strange threesome freaks out Liz’s cousin who is staying at her place.

In the next episode, Frank refers to a high frequency sound used in Japan to chase away kids loitering in front of conbini, and then uses it on Jenna.  I have never heard of this tactic being employed in Japan, anyone else?

Jan 13

Japan Society: Isaac Shapiro book signing

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From the Japan Society of New York

Born to Russian Jewish parents in Tokyo in 1931, Isaac Shapiro grew up in the shadows of war torn Japan. Mr. Shapiro, who went on to become a prominent Manhattan attorney and president of Japan Society, shares his fascinating tale of his Russian/Jewish/Chinese/Japanese childhood in wartime Japan.

Moderated by Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, Honorary Lifetime Rabbi, Jewish Community of Japan.
Followed by a book signing.

DATE Thursday, January 14 6:30 PM
LOCATION
This program will be held at the Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 (at First Avenue).
Tickets:
$11/$7 Members, seniors & students

Buy Tickets Online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, Weekends 11 am – 5 pm.

Jan 13

Japan Society: Talkin’ Baseball with Bobby Valentine

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From the Japan Society of New York:

The only manager in baseball history to lead a team to both the Japan Series and the World Series, Bobby Valentine discusses his experiences as one of the most successful baseball managers in the world. Valentine led the Chiba Lotte Marines to the Japan Series championship in 2005, their first title since 1974. Valentine also managed the Mets to the post season in consecutive years for the first time in club’s history in 1999 and 2000. To the vocal disappointment of fans in Japan, Valentine completed his tenure in Japan in 2009, and now serves as a baseball analyst for ESPN, as well as the owner of Bobby Valentine’s Sports Gallery Café in Stamford, CT.

Moderated by Ken Belson, The New York Times

TIME: Thursday, January 21 6:30 PM

LOCATION: This program will be held at the Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 (at First Avenue).

Tickets:
$15/$12 Japan Society members, seniors & students

Buy Tickets Online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, Weekends 11 am – 5 pm.

Jan 11

C-DOC: Learn Chinese NYC – Where to Start and The Basics

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The Chinese Doctor is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).

Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Chinese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one language lessons in the NYC area.

Congratulations on choosing to learn the most prominent Asian language for the new decade in 2010. Learning Chinese has become the new linguistic pursuit in schools throughout NYC. Individually when networking I’ve also come to find out that businessmen, government employees, parents concerned about their children’s future, or just individuals interested in Asian language or culture have all at least discussed the possibility of learning Chinese. The possibilities with the language seem limitless, but where to start learning Chinese? What is the most efficient way of learning about the Chinese language and culture?

Learning Chinese, as with learning any Asian language, will take dedication and the ability to open your mind to a new way of thinking. Although it might seem cheaper at first, it’s not recommended to focus your efforts on learning Chinese with…

Click here for the rest of the article, including other Chinese language and culture articles

Jan 7

WIT Life #67: Hard power

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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Translator/Interpreter/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.

Today’s NYT features an interesting editorial from Joseph Nye about the Okinawa base location issue threatening this year’s 50th anniversary of the US-Japan Security Treaty.  This Harvard professor and former assistant secretary of defense coined the term “soft power,” but his article focuses on how he believes our hard power should be used in regard to this matter.  Basically he is urging us to not throw the baby away with the bath water, and advocates a more patient and strategic approach in order to prevent “a second-order issue [from threatening] our long-term strategy for East Asia.”  PM Hatoyama (who Nye describes as being “caught in a vice”) wants to push off resolving this issue until May, but we’ll see what the new year (decade!) brings.

In weather news, we are experiencing quite a cold winter and Read More

Jan 6

J-News Mini-Roundup: Japanese Finance Minister Resigns – Blow to Hatoyama

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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.

Background: Since becoming Prime Minister last September, Yukio Hatoyama has had a dedicated cabinet. The Prime Minister and his cabinet have stood fast to battle both a horrible economic downturn in Japan and also the many issues arising from an aging population. However in recent weeks concerns have risen in regards to his Finance Minister’s health (aged 77), in particular high blood pressure. The Prime Minister’s initial reaction was to try to keep him on regardless, as Fuji-san is one of his most experienced and capable cabinet members.

Last night however the Prime Minister called a press conference where he caved in to letting Finance Minister Fuji step down. Each newspaper reported a slightly different take on the event:

Yomiuri ” Next Finance Minister Nominated, he’ll share the position…

Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles

Jan 5

Job: TELL English Life Line, Communication Coordinator (TOKYO)

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TELL, the Tokyo English Life Line, a new free, anonymous telephone counseling for English-speakers in Tokyo is looking for a full-time Fundraising, Events & Communication Coordinator in Tokyo

DUTIES:

• Responsible for managing fundraising events
• Supporting other fundraising efforts
• Recruiting and managing volunteers
• Coordinating media relations in order to enhance the financial and volunteer resources critical to the organizational health of TELL

Jan 5

Roland Kelts on Confucianism in Japan, in AdBusters, Big Ideas of 2010 Issue

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After the Walkman and the Prius, Is it time for the West to adopt the Confucianism from the East?  Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the US, asks that in the latest issue of AdBusters. As a part of the magazine’s Big Ideas of 2010 issue, Kelts challenges the West: “Let’s listen to our neighbors in the East. A culture that prizes quiet contemplation, self-abnegation, community and stability should not threaten us in the West. We can do better if we learn from one another. And with our entire planet threatened by extinction, we need to.”

Jan 4

Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (January 2010)

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The January 2010 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online.  In this issue:

Did You Know? O-toso

New Section: Sake Basics – Ginjo-shu

Guided Sakagura Tours

Sake Professional Courses in Japan: Last Call!

Holiday Gift Idea: AnnouncingThe Sake Dictionary!!!

Additional links:

Sake World Website
More About Us
Archive

Jan 3

JetWit Baby!

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Just want to share that on December 28, 2009, my wife Wynne and I became the parents of a bouncing baby girl named Helen (aka Mini-Wynne)!

Needless to say, this may take a toll on my ability to post on JetWit for a little while. :-)  But fortunately with the help of Stacy Smith, Jon Hills, Machiko Yasuda, Gail Meadows, Jonathan Trace, Peter Weber, Crystal Wong and others JetWit will continue to hum along in the New Year.

Here’s a photo of Helen:

And here’s a nice cartoon drawing by my friend Gideon Kendall for the Bankruptcy Bill cartoon site:

Jan 3

Job: JET Programme Assistant Coordinator (Winter 2009; Toronto)

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JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following opportunity through the JETAA Toronto mailing list and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Toronto area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

Position Type: Full Time – Temporary
Location: Japan Information Centre, Consulate General of Japan
Application Deadline: Friday, January 8th – 4:00 pm
Start Date: Monday, January 18th 2010
End Date: Monday, March 8th 2010

Position Description:

The JET Programme Assistant Coordinator will provide assistance in the winter selection process of the JET Programme.

Responsibilities:

· responding to telephone, e-mail, post and in-person inquiries from potential JET candidates
· helping maintain accurate data using MS Access/MS Excel
· preparing and creating form letters in MS Word
· helping to create and maintain interview schedules in MS Excel
· assist with logistics of JET Programme interview (scheduling, materials, on site coordination)
· maintain strict confidentiality
· liaising with organisations and institutions regarding the JET Programme
· occasionally fielding general telephone inquiries to the Japan Information Centre about Japan
· on occasion, she/he may also be asked to assist with work beyond JET

Read More