JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — Yayoi Kusama, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, MAN WITH A MISSION
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.
As spring continues and the weather continues to warm, New Yorkers can enjoy activities all over the city both indoors and out.
This month’s highlights include:
Thursday, May 4, 7:00 p.m.
Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Avenue
$16, $8 members
Kimi Takesue’s Onlookers asks looming existential questions such as: Why do we travel? What do we seek? Onlookers offers a visually striking, immersive meditation on travel and tourism in Laos [which is also the most heavily bombed per capita in history after the U.S. dropped over 2 million tons of bombs from 1964-1973], reflecting on how we all live as observers. Unfolding in painterly tableaux, Onlookers explores the paradox of travel: Why do people fly thousands of miles from home to lounge in a Laotian guest house sipping smoothies while watching reruns of the TV show Friends? Why do we climb to the top of a colossal mountain just to snap selfies, rather than enjoy the extraordinary view? We are present, but absent. Looking, but not seeing.
Opens May 11
Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers
David Zwirner, 519, 525 & 533 West 19th Street
Free
One of the most celebrated contemporary artists of our time, Yayoi Kusama unveils her latest works in one of her largest gallery exhibitions to date here in New York. The exhibition features new paintings, new sculptures elaborating on her signature motifs of pumpkins and flowers, and a new Infinity Mirrored Room. Born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Japan, Kusama’s work has been featured widely in both solo and group presentations. She presented her first solo show in her native Japan in 1952. In the mid-1960s, she established herself in New York as an important avant-garde artist by staging groundbreaking and influential happenings, events, and exhibitions. Her work gained renewed widespread recognition in the late 1980s following a number of international solo exhibitions, including shows at the Center for International Contemporary Arts, New York, and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, both of which took place in 1989.
Monday, May 15, 8:00 p.m.
Webster Hall, 125 East 11th Street
$35
Pop singer and icon of Harajuku fashion Kyary Pamyu Pamyu returns to New York for the debut date of her first U.S. tour in five years, supported by French-born and Tokyo-based DJ Moe Shop! last month, the two collaborated on their new song CANDY CANDY (Moe Shop Remix). As fans of KPP know, she’s been a J-pop icon since she first amassed a following as a teenage fashion blogger. She later rose to global fame as a viral Jpop music video star, model, and actress, even starring in numerous Japanese TV commercials. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has sold over 970,000 physical albums and singles in Japan according to Oricon as well as over 2.25 million downloads of her singles, drawing favorable comparisons to Katy Perry and Lady Gaga in her home country. Don’t miss one of the most colorful pop performers ever to take the stage!
Read MoreJob: One-Year Visiting Assistant Professor of Asian Studies – Berea College (Berea, KY, USA)
Position: One-Year Visiting Assistant Professor of Asian Studies
Posted by: Berea College
Location: Berea, KY, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
The Berea College Asian Studies Department announces a full-time, one-year faculty position as Visiting Assistant Professor of Asian Studies, beginning August 2023. The teaching load includes three courses each semester in East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, and/or Korean) humanities (e.g., literature, philosophy, religious studies, etc.). Topical courses based on the candidate’s areas of specialization are also possible. PhD by August 2023 and college teaching experience preferred, ABD considered.
Appliction Process: Interested applicants should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement on teaching philosophy, teaching evaluations, sample syllabi, graduate transcripts (unofficial accepted at this stage), and contact information for three references. More information can be found here – https://myberea.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?site=3&id=1268.
Review of applications will continue until the position is filled, but for full consideration applications should be received by June 1st, 2023.
Job: Audience Engagement Specialist – Nikkei America (New York, NY, USA)
Position: Audience Engagement Specialist
Posted by: Nikkei America
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Below is another job received directly from Nikkei America.
For nearly a century and a half, Nikkei Inc. has offered unparalleled coverage of Japan’s economy, industries and markets. The group’s business portfolio extends beyond traditional publishing to include broadcasting, online and the widely cited Nikkei 225 stock index. Our flagship newspaper, The Nikkei, boasts a circulation of nearly 3 million. With a network of 51 bureaus in Japan and 37 overseas, our 1,500 journalists are ideally positioned to deliver news and analysis from an Asian perspective to the world.
Nikkei America Inc., a subsidiary of Nikkei Inc., seeks an audience engagement specialist for its Nikkei Asia team in the U.S. This position in New York is for a specialist who can enhance Nikkei Asia’s online presence via social media, e-newsletters and more. The right fit will have a passion for news and data, joined with a strong drive to support editors and reporters.
Appliction Process: For more information and to apply, please click here.
Job: Professional Research Assistant – University of Colorado (Boulder, CO, USA)
Position: Professional Research Assistant
Posted by: University of Colorado
Location: Boulder, CO, USA
Contract: Part-Time
Thanks to JETAARM for passing along the following opportunity:
The Program for Teaching East Asia at the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder is hiring a part-time Professional Research Assistant.
The Professional Research Assistant will serve as a TEA Staff Assistant, responsible for working with the TEA Director, project PIs, and Asian studies faculty on campus to design, deliver, and assess the impact of professional development programs in Asian Studies for K-12 teacher audiences.
Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/?jobId=47520
Job: Interdisciplinary Librarian – University of Colorado (Boulder, CO, USA [Hybrid])
Position: Two Interdisciplinary Librarian
Posted by: University of Colorado
Location: Boulder, CO, USA (Hybrid)
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to JETAA USA Country Rep, Adam Lisbon for passing along the opportunity at the University of Colorado, where he’s currently employed:
Key Facts: Work Period is Three Years
Salary: $67,000-$71,000 + Professional Development Funds + Benefits (Health Insurance, etc.)
Seeking historically underrepresented groups to train in the field of Academic Librarianship, 2 positions available. You would be hired as Research Faculty for a 3-year appointment. You have the opportunity to explore your areas of interested, see full post linked above for details. You will receive mentorship and training. If you have relevant experience with Libraries, and/or Library/Information Science, but haven’t been felt sure about pursuing a library career in Academia, this is a great way to start. Be sure to read the official job posting in detail.
The University of Colorado Libraries encourages applications for two Interdisciplinary Librarians as part of the Librarians of the Future Diversity Residency Program for three-year research faculty appointments. The purpose of this program is to introduce early career professionals, and in particular, members of historically underrepresented groups, to career opportunities in academic librarianship, which will enrich the profession by introducing new perspectives and fostering connections among librarians from diverse backgrounds.
Read MoreJob: Numerous Job Openings DSA International – (International)
Position: Numerous Job Openings
Posted by: DSA International
Location: International
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Emi Tanaka from DSA International (a Japanese recruiting company) for passing along the following information. Please feel free to reach out to them if you’re interested in a position at <jobs@dsajobs.net>.
Nationwide & International Japanese/American Corporations- New Multiple Job Listings! 2023
Japanese/American Companies seeking candidates nationwide & international. All of our positions are direct-hire with company benefits! Please see the below partial listings, we also have many other positions available!
Job: Numerous Job Openings – Quick USA (United States of America)
Position: Numerous Job Openings
Posted by: Quick USA
Location: Multiple
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Kyoko Shibata from Quick USA (a Japanese recruiting company) for passing along the following information. Please feel free to reach out to him if you’re interested in a position at <shibata@919usa.com>.
■West Coast
Bilingual Outside Sales/ $45~60K / Carson, CA / Retail, health, and beautyAudit Accountant Associate / 70-130k / Fully remote or Torrance or NJ / CPA firm
Sushi chef / $17-21/hr+ tip / Las Vegas, NV / Japanese restaurantInside Sales / 50K / Torrance, CA / Manufacturing
Customer Support Engineer / $36-42 /h / Fremont CA or OR or AZ / Semiconductor
■East Coast
IT Consultant / 100K- 150K / Manhattan, NY / IT
Sales / $45K~55K / Jessup, MD / Food tradingAccounting/Administrative Staff / 50K-70K / New York, NY / ManufacturingAssistant Manager / 75-85K / New York, NY / ManufacturingSales Manager ( Founding Member ) / 70-75K / Orland FL / Manufacturing, Trading
■Central
Sushi Chef / 50 – 70K +tip / Austin, TX / Japanese restaurant
Sales representative/ 54K / Stone Mountain GA / Food
Admin & Coordinator Assistant / $18-20/H / Gainesville GA / Logistic
Staff Accountant / 60K / Dallas, TX / Entertainment
Interpreter / $20-25/h / Bowling Green, KY / Manufacturing
HR Specialist / 70-90K / Glendale Heights, IL / Trading
Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://www.919usa.com/e/jobSearch.aspx#.
Job: Outreach Coordinator, Center for East Asian Studies – University of Kansas (Kansas , USA)
Position:Outreach Coordinator, Center for East Asian Studies
Posted by: University of Kansas
Location: Lawrence, KS, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
Founded in 1959, the University of Kansas Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) at the University of Kansas (KU) is the major academic hub and premiere outreach network in the Great Plains region, disseminating knowledge about East Asian languages and cultures and building global competencies in the 21st century.
Serving as a national resource center, funded by the US Department of Education’s Title VI grant, one of CEAS’ main focuses lies in outreach programs on and off campus. The Center collaborates with other units, including other area studies centers, professional schools, the Spencer Museum of Art, the Lied Center, and the Hall Center for the Humanities, among others, to ensure the Center’s mission.
The Outreach Coordinator is expected to design, develop, and deliver outreach programs on campus and beyond to a wide range of community partners: K-16 schools, business world, government, military, and the local communities. To coordinate and carry out our outreach programs, the Outreach Coordinator utilizes a wide array of creative ideas, engaging materials, and media to reach diverse audience in in-person and virtual formats.
Read MoreJob: JET Program Coordinator – Embassy of Japan in the United States (Washington, D.C.)
Position: JET Program Coordinator
Posted by: Embassy of Japan in the United States
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job received directly from the Embassy of Japan in the United States:
The Embassy of Japan is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of JET Program Coordinator at the Public Affairs Section. This individual is primarily responsible for coordinating the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program with the other JET Program Coordinators and the JET Program’s supervising diplomats. Please see below for a detailed listing of responsibilities.
Working hours are 9:00 am – 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, with lunch time receptionist duty once a month and occasional weeknight and/or weekend events (paid overtime). Salary is commensurate with experience and the skills of the candidate. Benefits include group health insurance coverage, paid time off, sick leave and an annual bonus. There is a potential annual salary increase based on individual performance. The minimum monthly base salary for this position is $3,500 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience.
Please note: Candidates must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. green card holder. Screening will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Successful candidates will be requested to submit their background check information.
Read MoreJob: Webpage Management and Public Relations Staff Member – Consulate-General of Japan in Boston (Boston, MA, USA)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Webpage Management and Public Relations Staff Member
Posted by: Consulate-General of Japan in Boston
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job received directly from the Consulate-General of Japan in Boston:
Application Process: The Boston Consulate of Japan is currently hiring for the position of Webpage Management and Public Relations. Candidates should submit their resumes and cover letter to application@bz.mofa.go.jp. There is no deadline- we will review applications as they come in.
More information on the position can be found here:
https://www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_00346.html
Job: Japanese Language Teacher – Proviso Math and Science Academy (Forest Park, IL, USA)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Japanese Language Teacher
Posted by: Proviso Math and Science Academy
Location: Forest Park, IL, USA
Contract: Full-Time; 2023-2024 year
Attached is a job opening sent to us directly from the principal of Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA).
Level: High School
City: Forest Park, IL (a suburb of Chicago)
Name: Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA). PMSA is a selective enrollment high school serving ten communities located in the western suburbs of Chicago. Student enrollment is 865. U.S. News and World Report rated PMSA the #6 high school in Illinois. We offer AP, IB and dual credit courses. We seek a fulltime Japanese language teacher serving grades 9-12. We are open to hiring candidates who need the H1B visa. For more information on PMSA please visit: https://www.pths209.org/pmsa
https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?schoolid=060162090170003.
Job: Assistant Manager, Sales and Marketing – East Japan Railway Company (Singapore)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Assistant Manager, Sales and Marketing
Posted by: East Japan Railway Company
Location: Singapore
Contract: Full-Time
Attached is an opportunity from a fellow JET alum in Singapore.
East Japan Railway Company, Singapore Branch, is a branch office of the well-known listed Japanese company, East Japan Railway Company (“the Head Office”) in Japan. The Head Office is primarily in the business of operating rail-based transportation as well as a wide range of businesses related to this rail-based transportation system. Our main aim is to support the Head Office’s business in Singapore and Southeast Asian countries, especially sales and promotion of Railway Passes and lifestyle businesses.
JOB DESCRIPTION
As a representative of JR East, you need the skills and experiences to work with business counterparts in the Southeast Asian markets.
JR EAST PASS and Other services Sales and Promotions
Promote JR East products and services (various types of railway passes and sightseeing trains, seat reservation services, life style businesses in Japan etc.) while collaborating with related persons,companies,associations both in Southeast Asia and Japan.
Read MoreWIT Life #369: Sakura-filled spring and Plan 75
Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as art, film, food and language. Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she offers some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.
Happy spring! It’s hard to believe that May is right around the corner. Earlier this year I spent two weeks in Japan (my first trip in six years, after a few stops and starts during Covid), and timed it extremely well to catch the 桜 (sakura, or cherry blossoms) at their peak in two of the four cities I visited. One was Kyoto, which is always a special place for me to return to as it is where I studied abroad during my first time in Japan. The other was Kumamoto, where I lived for three years during my time as a JET. It was a fantastic homecoming filled with long-overdue reunions, delicious food, 温泉 (onsen, or hot springs) and お花見 (ohanami, or cherry blossom viewing). I don’t know when my next trip will be, but here’s hoping it’s sooner than another six years!
When I returned to the U.S. everything was in full bloom, so I felt lucky to be able to enjoy a double spring. I love this season with its wonderfully warm afternoons, as well as chilly mornings and nights where hot tea hits the spot. I brought back sakura tea and a wide assortment of other cherry blossom goods, so hopefully those will tide me over when I start missing Japan…
Yesterday I had the chance to see the Cannes award-winning film Plan 75, which is showing at IFC Center through Friday. The title refers to a Japanese government program that encourages the elderly to terminate their own lives (and will subsidize this), as a way of relieving this demographic’s social and economic burdens. The film follows the three main characters of a 78-year old woman considering Plan 75, a young civil servant working on behalf of the plan, and a Filipino health care worker who ends up working for the plan. Each goes through their own personal journey over the course of the film’s almost two-hour duration, changing the way they view the plan and their roles in relation to it. The weight of this dystopian film makes it anything but an easy watch, but its heaviness is commensurate to the heft of the premise.
Read MoreJob: PR & Culture Section Staff – Consulate-General of Japan in Miami (Miami, FL, USA)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: PR & Culture Section Staff
Posted by: Consulate-General of Japan in Miami
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job sent to us directly from the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami. Unfortunately, they are unable to sponsor visas:
The Consulate General of Japan is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented candidate for the position of a PR and Culture section staff at Consulate General of Japan in Miami.
1. Qualifications
(1) Fluent in writing and speaking in English. Fluency in Japanese is preferred but not required.
(2) U.S. citizen or Green card holder.
(3) Good at communication and can work as a team with the other consular members.
(4) Proficiency in computer skills including Microsoft office.
(5) Basic knowledge in managing a webpage, Experience in organizing events. Those who have experience in promoting or practicing Japanese cultural activities are very welcomed.
Job: Administrative and Finance Associate – Stanford University (Stanford, CA, USA)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Administrative and Finance Associate (4-year Fixed Term)
Posted by: Stanford University
Location:Stanford, CA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to JET alumna, Jennifer Hwang (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2012) for sharing the following opening on her team. Unfortunately, they are unable to sponsor visas:
This is a great opportunity to enter the higher education space and support graduate students! This is a four-year fixed-term position with the possibility of becoming a permanent position.
The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) is a dynamic and fast-paced team that delivers programs to Stanford’s 9,000+ graduate students and 2,400+ postdoctoral scholars. We work collaboratively across the university with schools and other vice provost areas to enhance the graduate educational experience. VPGE supports programs, administration, and service to the university community and graduate students in five portfolio areas: fellowships and funding, professional development, diversity and inclusion, interdisciplinary learning, and academic guidance.
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