Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position:  Bilingual Interpreter/Jr Sales
Posted by: Quick USA
Location: Greensboro, NC, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

Description:
A Japanese manufacturing company is currently on the lookout for a Japanese Bilingual Interpreter/Jr Salesperson to join their Greensboro, NC location.

The Japanese/English Interpreter will join our PE team under our Battery Group. The Interpreter will work with our customers on projects. As the chosen Interpreter interprets for our clients, they will also be learning about the projects and products that we can provide for them. Must be knowledgeable in Japanese business customs, personable and can conduct themselves in a professional manner.

This position will begin as an Interpreter for our client and will eventually evolve to a Jr. Sales position

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position:  Consular Staff
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Michelle Akamine (Oita City, Oita Prefecture, 2021-2024) for passing along the following job opening.

The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of a full-time Consular Staff. For those who are interested, please send your resume via email by May 21st.

Description:
Serves as Consular Staff in the VISA unit and/or the Japanese Citizen Services unit
(Passport, Certificate, and Family Registration, etc.)

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp/pdf/JobDescriptionEN.pdf

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position:  Associate Manager, Operations, Asia
Posted by: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Kelly Primrose (Nara, 2015-2018) for passing along the following job opening.

Position Overview: The ideal candidate will support the senior vice president (SVP) for Asia and the Asia team through operational, financial, and administrative management.

Responsibilities:

• Proactively manage the SVP’s schedule and serve as a liaison between the SVP and staff to ensure clear communication, alignment, and follow-through on priorities.
• Manage the SVP’s overseas and domestic travel schedules and arrangements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all operational, administrative, and financial matters related to Asia.
• Track the Asia team’s expenses and revenues, create financial reports and analyses, and oversee the annual team budget process.
• Facilitate collaboration between the international teams and other teams across the organization to ensure alignment on procedures.
• Work with the Fundraising team to provide timely input on financial reports.
• Manage interns, including the intern recruitment process and onboarding for the Asia team.
• Provide logistical support for meetings and events with member company executives,
• U.S. government officials, and foreign officials.

*Note this is an early career but not an entry level opportunity. Please reach out to Kelly Primrose (kprimrose@uschamber.com) with any questions.

Applicaton Process: For more information and to apply, please click here –  https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/uschamber/CANDIDATEPORTAL/jobs/3439

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position:  Local Staff, Consular Division
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan in New York
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Joseph Meringolo (Fukushima, 2014-2017) for passing along the following job opening.

Description:
The Consulate General of Japan in New York is currently seeking to hire a local employee in the Consular Division. To apply, please submit the required documents (see 6. below) to the e-mail address below by May 9, 2025. For more details, please see the recruitment guide below.

(Please send the required documents to the following address)
Email: kyujin-ryoji@ny.mofa.go.jp

1. Work hours
– Monday through Friday (except holidays), 9:15 am to 6:00 pm (1 hour lunch break)
– Leave system: Weekends off (Sat. and Sun.), days the consulate is closed, and annual paid vacations
– Benefits and compensation: Approximately $50,000 per year, determined based on education, work experience and other qualifications. Medical and dental insurance coverage available (with some self-payment)
– Place of work: Consulate-General of Japan in New York

2. Date of adoption
June 2025 or July 2025 (tentative schedule)

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Interpreter/Translator-Entry Welcome
Posted by: Pasona North America
Location: Portland, TN, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Laura Tanaka (Osaka, 2017-2020) for passing along the following job opening.

Description:
Translate a variety of written / verbal communications from Japanese to English and English to Japanese
Administrative support
Assist with ISO 9001: 2000 training, along with training and implementation of Japanese associates
Adhere to all company policies and procedures and assist Japanese with training and understanding
Assist with travel arrangements for Japanese Management
Assist with documentation for Japanese on assignment in the US
Assist with housing and family related needs, i.e. school, training classes and all family related business meetings for Japanese associates
Other duties will be assigned as needed

Qualifications:

HS/GED Equivalent, Bachelors preferred
2+ Years translation experience is plus
Knowledge of Japanese Language both written and verbal
Familiarity with MS Office applications, both English and Japanese version
Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
Good organization and problem solving skills

Apply at: https://pasonaproduction.page.link/AZgr

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Office Coordinator/ Office Administrator
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan in New York
Location: Glen Allen, VA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

A Japanese Construction Company is currently looking for a full time, fully onsite Office Coordinator/ Office Administrator to join their Glen Allen, VA location.

This position is for a full‐time position which has the role of developing, supporting, and expanding company’s presence in North America by collaborating with the local teams and business partners to anticipate and meet challenges.

As an Office Administrator, you will support day-to-day office functions, administrative coordination, and serve as a key internal resource for office-related operations. DOE and skills, the pay range for this position would be around the 45k-50k mark.

Read More

Posted by: Margie Banin (Kochi, 2005-2007), a former CIR with a love of the written word. Currently connecting others to Japan through translating, writing, and editing texts on Japan. Margie also serves as the JETwit Volunteer Coordinator and a JETwit jobs-list welcomer, as well as engaging in various other JETwit outreach activities.

JET alum Ryan Knight (Shiga, 2002-2003) shares his JET story and how his experience living in Japan led him in an unexpected direction.

I had the time of my life as a JET teacher in Shiga Prefecture during the early 2000s. Fresh out of graduate school at Michigan State University with a major in Music Performance, I was ready for a break before pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree. At the time, a DMA was essential for securing a teaching position at the university level. The previous summer, I had studied in Shiga Prefecture as an international student—a transformative experience that solidified my desire to return to Japan and immerse myself in its culture.

The early 2000s were simpler times. Social media was non-existent, the internet was in its infancy, and innovations like YouTube, AI, and the iPhone were still years away. My only connection to the world beyond Japan was a small flip phone that could send text messages of about 20 characters. Communicating with family back in the United States required a prepaid phone card costing $30–$40 and a trip to the nearest payphone—quaint by today’s standards.

Even after 23 years, I vividly remember the send-off party organized by the consulate, arriving in Tokyo, staying at the hotel, meeting other JET teachers, and riding the shinkansen for the first time. It was an unforgettable adventure for a young twenty-something fresh out of college. The JET Program is often described as offering vastly different experiences to its participants, but for me, it was nothing short of wonderful. My caring supervisors made the job immensely enjoyable, and the cultural exchange with students and teachers created lifelong memories.

Though I only participated in the JET Program for a year, I stayed in Japan, working at a cram school/private English school. Teaching both children and adults was equally rewarding. However, all good things must come to an end. The need for financial stability loomed, and my out-of-state college loan payments—totaling around $43,000—had become a burden. A musician friend mentioned that the military offered loan repayment programs, with the Navy promising $10,000 and the U.S. Army offering $65,000 for a single tour of 3–4 years. The opportunity to serve as a musician seemed too good to pass up, though my lack of military experience made me hesitant. At the time, there was no YouTube to watch testimonials and the internet provided little guidance.

In 2004, I joined the Army—from Japan, no less. The rest is history. I am set to retire this year after 21 years of active-duty service, during which I proudly served my country across Japan and various stateside locations. Beginning as a saxophonist, I rose through the enlisted ranks to E8/First Sergeant before being selected as a Warrant Officer Bandmaster/Conductor. For the past seven years, I’ve had the privilege of commanding Army Bands in Japan, New York, and now Texas.

As I transition out of military service, I look forward to leveraging my skills, experience, and passion for Japan–U.S. relations in the next chapter of my professional life.

If anyone in the JET community past or present needs anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Assistant Marketing Manager
Posted by: Square Enix
Location: El Segundo, CA, USA; Hybrid
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Jennifer Sherman (Mie, 2012-2016) for passing along the following job opening.

About the job
We are seeking a proactive, driven, and passionate individual who is looking to combine their current professional marketing experience with their existing love of manga, anime, and gaming to join our team as an Assistant Marketing Manager.

This role would be primarily responsible for developing and executing deliverables for a variety of marketing programs and operational levers to drive sales, readership growth, customer and sales retention, and engagement for the company’s imprint Square Enix Manga & Books alongside the Marketing Manager.

Requirements

This role will work closely with the Marketing Manager on all marketing promotional plans and efforts for the imprint, Square Enix Manga & Books, and report to the General Manager/Publisher of the Book Publishing Team

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: JET Program Interview Assistant
Posted by: Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

A Japanese Manufacturing company is currently looking for a full time, fully onsite Japanese Bilingual Translator/ Administrative Assistant to join their Owensboro, KY location.

The ideal candidate will be fluent in both English and Japanese and have a strong willingness to learn and adapt. DOE and skills, the pay range for this position would be around the 55k-60k mark, with great benefits such as medical, dental and vision.

Read More

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. 

Photos by Anthony Mulcahy.

On March 29, the Town Hall of New York became a community united in decades of song as a world-renowned anime composer made her NYC debut with Yoko Kanno Live!, her first U.S. concert since a 2013 solo piano gig at Otakon in Baltimore.

For this special performance–the seeds of which were planted when Kanno made a surprise appearance at 2023’s Cowboy Bebop 25th Anniversary Concert – The Music, also at Town Hall–the cultural icon was paired with two dozen musicians led by saxophonist, composer and bandleader Logan Richardson and the Blues People Big Band.

Town Hall artistic director Melay Araya kicked off the evening with a shoutout to the capacity crowd of space cowboys in the house, noting that Kanno was joining Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Whitney Houston in the honor of making their New York concert hall debuts at Town Hall.

With the first half of the show dedicated to Cowboy Bebop, Richardson and his 16-piece big band started with jazzy small-combo pieces like “COSMOS,” “Odd Ones” and “Slipper Sleaze.” Introducing Kanno to the stage, Richardson remarked what an honor it was to rehearse and share a stage with such a legendary and exuberant figure. The two shared a special chemistry, with the deadpan, mostly seated Kansas City native providing a contrast to the bouncy, crimson-clad Kanno, who literally covered every inch of the stage conducting the various members of the orchestra from song to song.

A pair of vocal numbers brought out additional guest vocalists, reprising their original contributions to recordings made more than two decades ago. Australia’s Scott Matthew delivered the goods on “lithium flower” from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, while Utica’s own Steve Conte provided vocals, acoustic guitar and rock star swagger on “Could You Bite the Hand?” from Wolf’s Rain.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Senior Automation Engineer
Posted by: Medical Excellence JAPAN
Location: Kyowa Kirin
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Kyowa Kirin for passing along the following job opening.

Kyowa Kirin is a fast-growing global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines in four disease areas: bone and mineral; intractable hematologic; hematology oncology; and rare disease.  A Japan-based company, our goal is to make people smile by delivering breakthroughs where no adequate treatments currently exist, working from drug discovery to product development and commercialization. In North America, we are headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with offices in California, Massachusetts, and Ontario.

Summary of Job:

The Sr. Automation Engineer is responsible for the design, commissioning, and operation of key KKNA Manufacturing Facility automated systems.

Read More

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. 

Spring has sprung in the Big Apple, and that means one thing: a new season of sounds, colors, and spectacular performing arts to match the blossoming sakura trees throughout the city.

This month’s highlights include: 

Friday, April 4, 8:00 p.m.

Kenshi Yonezu 2025 World Tour / JUNK

Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Avenue

From $175

Kenshi Yonezu, the brains behind the theme songs of popular anime such as Chainsaw Man and the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli film The Boy and the Heron, makes his Radio City Music Hall debut! After gaining success with Vocaloid music under the stage name Hachi, Kenshi Yonezu began producing under his real name in 2012. In addition to music, he has attracted attention for his album cover illustrations and video productions. The video for his hit single “Lemon,” the long-running theme song for the TV series Unnatural, is the most-viewed music video in Japan, and topped Billboard Japan’s year-end charts for two consecutive years, leaving a mark on music history both in Japan and abroad. His newest single “Plazma” is the official theme song to the latest installment in the iconic Gundam franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-. Available everywhere now, the track features electrifying vocals from Yonezu alongside high-tempo synths and electronic rhythms to match the vibrant universe of the mecha and their epic space battles.

April 2-20

In the Pinku: The Return of Roman Porno

Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street

$17

lIn 1971, facing flagging attendance thanks to competition from television and the specter of bankruptcy, the venerable studio Nikkatsu, the oldest in Japan, remembered the ancient wisdom that “Sex sells”—thus was the Roman Porno line born. Playing alongside the cheaper, independently produced so-called “pink films,” Roman Porno were often more than just salacious—though they were, of course, plenty salacious—for as long as their makers served up the obligatory naked flesh and softcore idylls, they were left free to throw in all the formal flourishes, experimental performances, radical politics, and morbid psychology they so desired. From the ’70s heyday of the Roman Porno to more recent works by Sion Sono and Akihiko Shiota, this six-film series, accompanying a run of Love Hotel, Shinji Somai’s lone venture into Roman Porno, is a trip to the exhilarating intersection of art and smut.

Monday, April 7, 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Hiromi’s Sonicwonder: One Night Special Performance

Blue Note Jazz Club, 131 West Third Street 

Limited availability

Since Hiromi’s debut album Another Mind (2003), the world-renowned pianist’s sound has evolved with every release, erasing the lines between jazz and classical, composition and improvisation. This special intimate performance celebrates the release of Out There, Hiromi’s 13th studio full-length album. Born in Hamamatsu, Japan, Hiromi began studying piano when she was six years old. When she was 17, Chick Corea invited her to play with him at a Tokyo concert. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where she was mentored by jazz legend Ahmad Jamal. A prolific artist, she has also recorded the soundtrack to Blue Giant, an animated feature film based on the popular manga. Hiromi is a perennial favorite on DownBeat’s Annual Critics and Readers Poll, and has performed at the world’s finest jazz festivals, including Montreux, Umbria, North Sea, Newport, and Monterey. Her work has been celebrated by media including the New York Times, NPR and NPR Music, and the Washington Post, and she was a featured performer at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony in 2021.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Language Immersion Summer Camp Counselor
Posted by: Concordia Language Villages
Location: Moorhead, MN, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Magda Fuller (Ishikawa, 2015-2022) for passing along the following job opening.

Mori no Ike, the Japanese program of Concordia Language Villages, is currently hiring positions for their summer residential language immersion programs. Concordia Language Villages has been a leader in language immersion since 1961 and attracts staff and students from across the United States and abroad.

Positions are paid and include room and board. Staff are responsible for their own transportation but a free shuttle service to/from Minneapolis is available.

Qualified applicants will demonstrate a minimum Japanese language proficiency equivalent to approximately two years of university-level study and have prior work and/or volunteer experience with camps, educational settings, or other contexts with children.

International staff are also welcome to apply with J1 visa sponsorships available. Interested parties can apply at the link below or reach out to one of our deans, Jack “Tamaki” Shimizu (jshimizu@cord.edu), for more details. Additionally, CLV is hiring kitchen staff and counselors for some of the other language camps. Please see the website for details.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here –  https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/employment (Scroll down and select “Japanese” under Language to see Japanese-specific positions.)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Assistant Editor – Manga
Posted by: Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Location: Hybrid – NY, NJ, CT, PA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Maggie Le (Ehime, 2015-2017) for passing along the following job opening.

Penguin Random House Publisher Services is seeking an assistant editor to oversee manga titles on behalf of our client Kodansha Comics. Since it began publishing in 2009, Kodansha’s English-language manga program has been a runaway success, with hits including Sailor Moon, Attack on Titan, Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, AKIRA, and A Silent Voice vaulting it into the top ranks of global English-language graphic novel publishers.

The successful candidate will have a passion for comics and Japanese culture, strong Japanese literacy, good editorial judgment, English-language writing and editing skills, and professional comportment. They will be excited for the challenge of editing manga translations in a variety of genres and age categories and eager to pitch in on other tasks.

Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here –  https://jobsearch.createyourowncareer.com/PRH_US/job/New-York-Assistant-Editor%2C-Manga-%28Hybrid%29-NY-10019/1183011101/

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

---

Position: Travel Consultant, Japan Specialist
Posted by: Inside Travel Group
Location: Broomfield, CO, USA/Remote/Hybrid
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Inside Travel Group for passing along the following job opening.

As a Travel Consultant, you will use your extensive understanding of Japan to create unforgettable cultural adventures for our clients. Exceptional time management, confidence, communication, and organisation are a must for efficiently prioritizing tasks and providing top-notch service for both new clients and ongoing bookings. High performance will be rewarded with sales and customer service-based commission, along with regular familiarisation trips to our destination countries to enhance your knowledge.

What You Will be Doing:

• Consult with customers to identify their individual holiday requirements.
• Create high-quality tailor-made itineraries based on customer requirements.
• Work to achieve individual and team sales targets.
• Co-ordinate all aspects of the customer booking to ensure successful delivery of trip.

sparrosd@gmail.com