I was aware of Aaron Woolfolk’s (Kochi-ken, 1991-93) film The Harimaya Bridge. But I didn’t realize there’s also a frisbee team in Kochi called the Harimaya Bashis. (Makes more sense if you’ve been to Kochi or seen the film and the story behind the bridge.) It turns out they’re involved with a Kochi Flying Disc Association event for October 10 at the Kochi Municipal Sports Complex (shiei) consisting of a day of various frisbee-related sports and activities.
JetWit would love to post a write-up and/or any photos from the event if someone reading this happens to attend. But mostly this post is just an excuse to share the Harimaya Bashis’ super sweet logo.
JQ Magazine’s September/October “Sayonara Print Issue” Out Now!
Article/Journalism, Interview/Profile, JQ Magazine 
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JQ magazine returns with another fall classic! Features include the JETAA USA National Conference wrap-up, a review of JET alum author Malena Watrous‘ new book If You Follow Me, and an exclusive interview with Japan’s Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki. Click here to view.
BIG NEWS! This is also JQ‘s final issue in traditional print form. It will return after a brief hiatus as an all-online publication. With no space limitations or monthly deadlines, JET readers from all chapters are encouraged to submit stories, announcements, updates and commentary to help make us a stronger and more unified “national international” publication.
Additional contents below. Thanks to JQ Editor Justin Tedaldi (Kobe-shi CIR, 2001-02) for another sugoi issue. Contact Justin if you’d like to pitch or write a story for future editions.
CONTENTS
- Page 3……..From the Editor, Ambassador of Japan to the United States
- Page 4……..Nippon News Blotter / JETAANY’s Secretary Ties the Knot
- Page 5……..JETAANY Society Page – National Conference Wrap-up by Goshippu Garu
- Page 7……..Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki: The JQ Interview by Justin Tedaldi
- Page 8……..JoAnn M. Hunter Goes from Broadway to Tokyo by Lyle Sylvander
- Page 9……..Through the Eastern Looking-Glass with Malena Watrous by Sharona Moskowitz
- Page 10……JETlog featuring Stuart Wallace
- Page 11…….Book Corner: Just Enough by David Kowalsky
- Page 11…….Life After the B.O.E. by David Namisato
Job: Korin Japanese Trading (4 Positions Available)
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Job posting via JET alum Tara Hohenberger. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
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Company: Korin Japanese Trading
Positions Available:
Click ‘Read More’ for details and requirements for each job position
JET Alum Writer Beat
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I’d like to start a new series of posts titled “JET Alum Writer Beat.” And I’m looking for someone to take it on and make it happen. Please contact Steven at jetwit@jetwit.com if interested.
JET Alum Writer Beat will be kind of like JETAA Chapter Beat and Japan Society Round-up. You’ll follow established JET alum writers out there (I’ll give you a list to start)–i.e., read or subscribe to their blogs, their Facebook or Twitter accounts, email lists, etc.–and you’ll post a round-up once a week or so listing anything you think is worth mentioning about them and their recent work.
For more info, please contact Steven at jetwit@jetwit.com.
WIT Life #123: International acclaim and disdain
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 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.
I was really happy to hear that Eri Fukatsu (37) won the best actress award at the 2010 Montreal World Film Festival for her performance in the Japanese film Akunin (Villain). It also features Satoshi Tsumabuki (29) who stars in the title role and is pictured with Fukatsu on the right. Akunin is a tragic love story based on the novel of the same title, and Fukatsu plays the part of a young woman who runs away with a construction worker (Tsumabuki) who inadvertently killed someone. It was directed by Lee Sang Il (36), and all three were in attendance at the festival. Fukatsu is the first Japanese actress to take home the trophy since 1983.
I have liked Fukatsu ever since seeing her in the 2005 drama Slow Dance, which also stars Tsumabuki who is one of my favorites. In this drama you wonder if Read More
NUMBERS CRUNCHED! The ABA’s Number of Attorneys per State and per Gross State Product
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Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Folks, this chart should explain itself. It doesn’t speak too much to the tuition bubble, but eyeballing the data suggests there’s a correlation between lawyer density and less income per lawyer. I may have to run a regression analysis just to satisfy my inner social scientist.
Notable JET alums: Bruce Feiler comments on anti-Islam protests on CNN
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Bruce Feiler (Tochigi-ken, 1987-88), author of Learning to Bow as well as several very thoughtful books on the topic of religion including Walking the Bible, was recently a guest on CNN discussing current anti-Islam sentiment with Anderson Cooper. Click here to read more posts about Bruce Feiler on JetWit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-pVfz8UbZU
A recent column from The Japan Times by Debito Arudou (not a JET or JET alum) that does a nice job of addressing the oft-heard (and rather misleading) charge that JET has not led to improvement in English scores in Japan: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20100907ad.html
It has a bit of snark and falls into some generalizations, but the underlying point as well as the thoughtful analysis are spot on and greatly appreciated here on JetWit.
JET ROI: Japan Times readers respond to recent article on JET
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From The Japan Times, definitely worth a read:
- “Readers offer their thoughts on jettisoning JET” – http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20100907hs.html
Here are links to related JetWit posts with:
- The original Japan Times article by Eric Johnston: https://jetwit.com/wordpress/2010/07/27/jet-roi-japan-times-article-on-debate-over-jet-program/
- A Japan Times article based on JETAA’s press release following the JETAA USA National Conference in August: https://jetwit.com/wordpress/2010/08/17/jet-roi-japan-times-article-jets-press-to-keep-program-intact/
- Christiana Aretta’s “100 English Dreams”: https://jetwit.com/wordpress/2010/07/31/jet-roi-100-english-dreams-a-jet-project-by-christiana-aretta/
Job: Bilingual (Japanese and English) Translator/Interpreter
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Job posting via Thad Johnson (Hyogo-ken, 2000-01), President of Consultant Solutions, Inc (CSI). Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
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Job Introduction
If you miss interacting in Japanese daily and enjoy being in a dynamic bi-cultural work environment this could be just the fit for you. We’ll pick up two people in the next couple of months, one based in KY and one based in MS. Here’s an overview of the position but feel free to contact me directly for details (see end of post for contact details).
Overview
We’re looking for a detail-oriented, bilingual (Japanese and English) translator/interpreter with excellent communication skills to provide support to Japanese management in an automotive environment. In this position, you will translate documents, such as engineering memos, e-mails and meeting notes, and will also serve as an interpreter at meetings and on conference calls. You will be a vital link in the management chain, providing support to busy executives in a fast-paced environment. You may also be called upon for personal support issues such as assisting Japanese executives in procuring emergency health care, transportation, and accommodations.
Consultant Solutions, Inc. will provide training and a support network that includes translators with experience in the field. We will also consider relocation and/or visa support for the right candidate.
Click ‘Read More’ for job details and requirements
JET ROI: JETAA Rajio Taiso
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JETAA Portland is getting ready to make a video of a group of its members doing NHK Rajio Taiso (radio exercises) in Portland’s Japanese Gardens on September 8. And it’s hoping to inspire other JET Alumni chapters to do the same in front of their respective landmarks. The goal is to aggregate all of the videos into one big video that shows JET alumni doing Rajio Taiso all over the U.S. and, preferably, the world.
While the idea takes a lighthearted approach, it will also help symbolically demonstrate to Japan’s population how JET alumni everywhere are and have been promoting and spreading Japanese culture around the world.
For more information, or to submit your own video, you can contact JETAA Portland’s webmaster Bob Schnyder at webmaster@jetaaportland.com or go to: http://www.jetaaportland.com/community-events/rajio-taiso-portland-japanese-gardens/
And if you have no idea what Rajio Taiso is (or you just need a little dose of natsukashii) here’s a video:
WIT Life #122: Gaijin food and smile rankings
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 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.
Today’s news did a special investigation on the favorite foods of foreigners visiting Japan. The results were displayed in an easy-to-read pie chart which showed soba/udon at the top with 20%, sushi and yakitori tied for 18%, ramen at 13%, okonomiyaki at 9% and 22% for other. The average total amount of money spent on food per day was 3352 yen (about $40 at today’s exchange rate of 84.125 yen to the dollar), thanks to cheap, filling meals like a serving of yakisoba for 200 yen at a local matsuri. With lodging for 2500 yen per night at a hostel, this allows for a pretty cheap stay in Japan despite the current 円高 (endaka or strong yen).
This survey marked a shift from the popularity of more upscale foods like sushi to more everyday dishes like noodles. Many foreigners interviewed attributed their interest in ramen to Read More
JET Alum Video: Eigo Noto – a new perspective
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I found this JET-made parody video (which I’ve since found out was made by Lena Franco (Okayama-ken, 2008-10)) after seeing it posted on a fellow JET alum’s Facebook status:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQrfiJ2WFeQ
And one more cute and fun video by Lena titled “Souljia Boy” which is a compilation of video clips where she taught students the dance that goes with the tune:
http://www.youtube.com/user/francol86
Job: Program Associate, GSM
Jobs Comments Off on Job: Program Associate, GSM
Job posting via wlid-jobs Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
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Position Title: Program Associate, GSM
Grade: G-5
Reports to: Program Director, GSM
Location: Washington, D.C.
Click ‘Read More’ for job details and requirements
JETAA Chapter Beat 9.3.10
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community for another edition of JETAA Chapter Beat.
- Tampa Subchapter Tsudoi – Friday, September 3rd, 7:00 at Panera Bread in the Brandon Mall. The Tampa Subchapter will be hosting their monthly Tsudoi, an informal time for anyone interested in Japanese and Japanese culture.
- Networking Event and Happy Hour- Wednesday, September 8th, 6:30 at Gordon Biersch. Enjoy the last long weekend of summer with friends old and new.
- J-Lunch – Friday, September 10th, 12:00 at Thai Kingdom. Come share your love of Japan over lunch with others in the DC area.
- General Meeting – Monday, September 13th, 6:30 at the Embassy of Japan. See old friends, meet new members and discuss upcoming and past events at the next JETAADC business meeting.
- Happy Hour – Friday, September 3rd, 6:00 at Kushibar. Old alums and new are invited to share a laugh or two over a drink at this month’s Happy Hour event.
- Aki Matsuri – Saturday and Sunday, September 11th & 12th at Bellevue College. The Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle is co-sponsoring this year’s Japanese Fall Festival. Celebrate Japanese culture and history with performances, tea ceremony and over 75 different exhibits.
- KaiWA – Thursday September 9th and 23rd, 5:30 at 43 Below. Practice Japanese with old friends and some tasty snacks.
- Table for Two Happy Hour Event – Friday, September 10th, 5:00 at the Purple Onion. Japanese entrepreneur Masa Kogure is coming to SF to talk about his non-profit organization called “Table for Two,” which strives to help solve the issue of global food imbalance will be holding a informational event.
- Cedar Point Trip – Saturday, September 25th JETAA Great Lakes is loading up the cars and heading off to Cedar Point for a day of fun in the outdoors.
- General Meeting – Thursday, September 9th, 6:00 at Uno’s Chicago Grill in Harvard Square. Come share in the discussion about the future of NEJETAA.
- Book Club Meeting – Thursday, September 9th, 7:00 in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. This month’s selection is Natuso Kirino’s “Out.” Start reading now so you can contribute to the discussion.
- Samurai Sword Fighting Class – Saturday, September 11th, 2:00 to 4:00 at 440 Studios 4A. Samurai performer Yoshi Amao will be leading a special class on Samurai Sword Fighting, going over a variety of basic techniques with the class. Don’t miss this one of a kind experience.
- Clash of the Baseball Titans – Ichiro vs. Matsui – Friday, September 10th, at Angels Stadium in Anaheim. Come out for a day at the ballpark to see the Angels take on the Seattle Mariners, followed by fireworks after the game.
- JETAA Golf Classic – Saturday, September 11th, 1:00 at Monterey Park Golf Course. Dust off the clubs and show your skills on the links for a friendly JETAA golf get together.
- Camping in Michigan – Saturday, September 18th thru Sunday September 19th in Van Buren State Park on Lake Michigan. JETAA Chicago is packing the car, setting up the tents and spending the weekend at the lake. Spend Saturday on the beach, followed by a cookout complete with ghost stories and marsh mellows.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just contact Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
