Apr 25

WIT Life #89: 空気人形

Anecdote Article, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life Comments Off on WIT Life #89: 空気人形

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.

My current DOS interpreting assignment regarding food safety has kept me busy, but a weekend here in the farm country of Illinois has allowed some time to catch up.  When I was in DC earlier this week, the annual Filmfest featuring a variety of international films was taking place.  While flipping through the program booklet, I was happy to find that the latest release of one of my favorite Japanese directors, Hirokazu Kore-eda, was being screened.  Some of his well-known previous works are After Life (ワンダフルライフ), Nobody Knows (誰も知らない) and Still Walking (歩いても 歩いても), and his newest is Air Doll (空気人形).

This two-hour plus movie came out in Japan last year, and it is based on Read More

Apr 24

Job: Economics News Assistant for Asahi Shimbun (Washington, D.C.)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Economics News Assistant for Asahi Shimbun (Washington, D.C.)

The Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s leading national daily newspaper, is looking for an economics news assistant at one of its three North American bureaus in Washington, D.C.  to assist in reporting on international economic trends, attend press briefings and light administrative work.  This is not a reporting or writing position.
QUALIFICATIONS:

• Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred.
• Interest or background in covering U.S. and international economics and finance is highly desirable.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Japanese language is helpful but not necessary.

ROLES:

• Duties include assisting our Washington economics correspondent with articles by conducting thorough background research
• attending press briefings
• gathering news and views
• arranging interviews
• closely following developments in the area of international economics, including the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve.
• Some administrative support, such as transcribing interviews and other assignments, is also required.
• This is a reporting position with no article-writing or byline opportunities.

Compensation includes overtime pay, excellent medical/dental benefits, and 401(k). Salary: $33,000-$36,000.

HOW TO APPLY: Please email cover letter and resume to AsahiDC@nationalpress.com.

Deadline: Friday, May 7. No clips or phone calls, please.

Contact Information: Hiring Manager The Asahi Shimbun 1022 National Press Building Washington, D.C. 20045 AsahiDC@nationalpress.com

Apr 24

Translators: Part-time work (Japanese to English)

Writers Comments Off on Translators: Part-time work (Japanese to English)

An Upstate company is in search of someone who could help out part time translating documents from Japanese to English. The company is partially owned by a Japanese company. The company suggests a student or someone who lives in the area as an ideal candidate.

If you are interested or knows of someone that is capable, contact me for details.

Daniel Stone
danone19(AT)gmail.com

Apr 22

Tom Baker reviews “Moon,” “Shutter Island” and “The Wolfman”

Article/Journalism, Reviews, Video, Writers daily yomiuri, Moon, Shutter Island, Tom Baker, Wolfman Comments Off on Tom Baker reviews “Moon,” “Shutter Island” and “The Wolfman”

Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. He usually writes for DYWeekend, the paper’s arts and leisure section. You can follow Tom’s blog at tokyotombaker.wordpress.com.

His two latest articles are movie reviews, one of “The Wolfman,” and one that discusses “Moon” and “Shutter Island” together. Here are some excerpts:

THE WOLFMAN

In most werewolf movies nowadays, it is standard to show a person’s nose and jaw elongating into a snaggletoothed lupine muzzle when they transform from human to wolf. [Makeup artist Rick] Baker has done that before, but in this film he pays homage to Lon Chaney Jr.’s furry but still humanoid look in the 1941 film The Wolf Man, on which the new film is based. Then and now, the title monster has modest fangs, a woolly forehead, a beard that goes up to his eyes and a nose that darkens at the tip.

Our first glimpse of Baker’s version of this classic face is literally over in a flash, as we see it illuminated by a pistol shot during a nocturnal battle. (In case you missed it the first time, the scene repeats a moment later, with a larger gun.) Later scenes reveal the monster’s face at greater length.

Read the full review here.

MOON and SHUTTER ISLAND

Teddy Daniels and Sam Bell are men who love their wives. They are also the respective protagonists of two new movies, Shutter Island and Moon, that take us far enough inside the characters’ heads to see each man passionately embracing his wife in a dream.

But when Teddy awakes, he finds himself trapped on his movie’s titular island, unhappily remembering that his wife has been dead for years. And when Sam awakes, he finds himself trapped on his movie’s titular heavenly body, unhappily remembering that his wife is on Earth, and he has not seen her for many months.

Teddy (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a U.S. marshall investigating the disappearance of an inmate from a prison hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, Mass., in the 1950s. Sam (Sam Rockwell) is the solitary human staffer of a mining facility on the dark side of the moon, possibly in the 2050s.

The settings are very different, but both are ominous, isolated places in which intense psychological drama will unfold. In both movies, the protagonists have high-stakes confrontations with themselves, and with the powers that be.

Read the rest of the review here. The review is deliberately spoiler-free, but you can read Tom’s further comments about the endings of “Moon” here and “Shutter Island” here.

Apr 22

Attorneys: Japanese Language Document Review (Phoenix, AZ)

Jobs Comments Off on Attorneys: Japanese Language Document Review (Phoenix, AZ)

Established law firm in Phoenix, AZ needs licensed attorneys fluent in Japanese to conduct a document review project. Qualified candidates will be reviewing documents for privilege and relevancy in Japanese. This is a great opportunity to use your language skills in a legal environment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Active bar status in any state is preferred
• Fluent in Japanese
• Temporarily relocate to Phoenix, AZ
• Professional demeanor and strong work ethic
• Must be able to a minimum of 40 hours a week (up to 60 hours would be available)

HOW TO APPLY: Contact the law recruiting agency here.

Apr 22

Japan America Society Roundup 4.22.10

Japan Society Round-up Comments Off on Japan America Society Roundup 4.22.10

Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Cetnar Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of various Japan America Societies…

JAS of Indiana

• Agatsuma: Not Your Father’s Shamisen! – This concert, presented by JASI and the Indianapolis Museum of Art, features world-renowned musician Hiromitsu Agatsuma, who plays the tsugaru-shamisen, a traditional Japanese three-stringed instrument. His performance fuses the traditional sound of the shamisen with blues, rock, dance music, folk, flamenco and funk, and he’ll be accompanied by taiko drums and the electric piano. Tickets for JASI members are $10.
  • Date: Saturday, May 8
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Place: The Toby Theatre, Indianapolis Museum of Art, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis
  • For more information, click here.

JAS of Greater Austin

• Origami Card Making – It’s not just about folding up pieces of paper to make those little cranes anymore. There’s a whole science to this ancient Japanese art. Attend this workshop and learn how to make three different origami patterns and create your own cards from washi, Japanese paper. The fee is $10 for JASGA members. RSVP required.
  • Date: Sunday, April 25
  • Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
  • Place: Casa de Luz, Cielo Room 1701 Toomey Road, Austin Texas
  • For more information, click here.

JAS of San Antonio

• Kumamoto En Day – Celebrate Children’s Day with games and children’s arts and crafts, including paper kabuto Japanese warrior hat making, uchiwa paper fan making and koi nobori flying carp coloring. There also will be Japanese arts demonstrations for Japanese brush painting, origami and calligraphy, as well jewelry and other Japanese gift items for sale.
  • Date: Saturday, May 8
  • Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Place: San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston, San Antonio, Texas
  • For more information, click here.

JAS of Greater Cincinnati

• Asian Culture Fest – Check out the Asian market, cultural presentations and performances as this festival. There will be craft activities for kids, henna hand painting, a puppet show and more. And of course don’t forget to swing by the Japan America Society booth while you’re there.
  • Date: Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25
  • Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 24. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 25.
  • Place: Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio
  • For more information, click here.

Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.

Apr 21

Job: Managers, Translator and Assistant for Japanese energy firm (Virginia)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Managers, Translator and Assistant for Japanese energy firm (Virginia)

Strategic Policy Manager – for a major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA ($80K ~ ).

ROLES: Responsible for company’s futuredirection and management as a team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• MBA degree
• fluent in English,business level Japanese, business experience in Japan or with Japanese company
• more than 10 years of experience in management and policy making, and familiarity with strategies for an international company to grow in the US.

HR Operations/ Employee Relations Specialist – for a major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA ($50K ~ ).

DUTIES:

• Responsible for creating, modifying and implementing company’s HR policies and regulations.
• Responsible for international employee relation.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• HR degree or certifications
• fluent in English, business level Japanese, business experience in Japan or with Japanese company, more than 5 years of experience in the field
• familiarity with federal and state (VA) Regulations is a MUST.

Project Manager – for a major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA ($50K ~ ).

DUTIES: Responsible for managing full life cycle of various projects. Responsible for analyzing costing result errors.

QUALIFICATIONS:BA or MBA in Business, fluent in English, business level Japanese, business experience in Japan or with Japanese company, more than 5 years of experience in the field.

Translator- for a major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA ($33K-$37K). Duties: technical translation, general office work

QUALIFICATIONS:: must be Japanese/English Bilingual

Office Administrator – for a major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA ($33k-$35K)

DUTIES:general office work, some translation work

QUALIFICATIONS: business level Japanese is a must

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested in these or other Japan related job openings? Contact Interesse International at dc@iiicareer.com or call us at 571- 384-7117! There’s more on our website as well: www.iiicareer.com

Apr 21

Job: Logistics Coordinator at VIZ Media (San Francisco)

Jobs Jobs Comments Off on Job: Logistics Coordinator at VIZ Media (San Francisco)

VIZ Media, the Japanese comic book distribution firm, has an opening for a Purchasing & Logistics Coordinator at their San Francisco headquarters to assist the Director of Publishing within the Finance department with coordinating purchases and manage products.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Able to research and develop new vendor relationships.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office skills (strong Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of competitive and lawful bidding and awarding requirements is a PLUS.
• Understanding of the regulatory factors governing purchasing such as UCC, antitrust laws and ethical principles is a PLUS.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Ability to maintain tact and strict confidentiality regarding all applicable programs and policies.
• Ability to provide leadership, foster camaraderie, and to work effectively in a small organization with an emphasis on teamwork.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and under pressure of deadlines.
• Ability to pay close attention to details of documentation and database pertaining to purchasing activities.
• Ability to interact with culturally diverse clients, service providers and staff.
• Ability to work legally in the United States.
• Must live in or be able to commute to SF Bay Area.
• 2-3 years in purchasing and/or supply-chain-management role.
• Experience in Print/Optical Disc/Home Entertainment Product Packaging procurement a PLUS.
• Experience in an international environment a PLUS.
• Experience in a publishing environment a PLUS.
• BA/BS in a related field or an equivalent combination of skills, training, and experience showing preparation for this position.

ROLES

• Assists Director of Purchasing with establishing, communicating, and maintaining company-wide purchasing policies and procedures
• Responsible for correct coding of expenditures to proper general ledger account and title coding
• Solves internal coding issues
• Issues approved purchase orders to vendors
• Processes purchase order change requests
• Assists Director of Purchasing with the process of soliciting, evaluating, and selecting potential suppliers based on best practices
• Performs monthly closing of purchasing module in accounting system
• Handles daily and weekly order processing and fulfillment of direct sales accounts
• Receives against purchase orders and monitors receipt based on documentation
• Keeps records of purchasing, receiving and logistical coordination, electronically and in physical documents
• Maintains high levels of integrity and customer service (internal and external)

HOW TO APPLY
Please send your detailed cover letter, resume, AND salary requirements. Please specify “Purchasing & Logistics Coordinator” when applying.

By e-mail (NO ATTACHMENTS!!!) to jobs@viz.com
NO PHONE CALLS!!!

Apr 19

Jobs: Project Coordinator & Social Media Manager at Cross-Cultural Web Consultancy (SF)

Jobs Jobs, san francisco Comments Off on Jobs: Project Coordinator & Social Media Manager at Cross-Cultural Web Consultancy (SF)

btrax, the up and coming cross-cultural web consultancy in San Francisco, is looking for a Project Coordinator and a Social Media Manager at their offices in San Francisco.  Language skills in Japanese, Chinese are highly preferred.  The staff boasts a client list that includes New People, ITOCHU, Panda Express, Bandai, and a wide range of brands from both the United States and Japan.

Project Coordinator

ROLES:

• Create project plans and revise as needed to meet changing project requirements.
• Manage day-to-day operational aspects of multiple projects and ensure work stays within the contracted scope.
• Review deliverables prepared by internal team and client provided assets.
• Ensure project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately.
• Communicate with internal teams and external contractors as well as clients for smooth project flow.
• Ensure projects stay on budget and timeline while developing new strategies to streamline project processes.
• In addition to these typical responsibilities, perform other duties as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS degree or equivalent 4 years’ worth of higher education.
• Ability to lead the work flow for web and interactive projects.
• Ability to estimate costs and build timelines for interactive projects.
• Ability to identify and contract with key production partners to supplement Agency’s skill set.
• Experience in managing multiple projects to complete work on time and on budget.
• Strong presentation and training skills to improve internal and client understanding of web development.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong internal and external presentation skills.
• We do NOT require a specific number of years of work experience in the web industry

BONUS POINTS

• Ability to read, write, and speak Japanese or Chinese is a major plus as our team is 95% bi-lingual or tri-lingual
• Familiarity with Adobe CS software and other software tools for web or print work.
• Web/design/coding knowledge and/or experience in the Web industry.

Social Media Manager

ROLES:

• Create social media plan documents based on client objectives and target audience demographics.
• Manage day-to-day content updates for internal marketing.
• Work with the project manager and account executives to manage ongoing social media client contracts.
• Take leadership for researching, developing and implementing novel ways to use social media.
• Creating creative and practical solutions that help clients realize their business goals
• Ensure project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately.
• Track metrics and other online success signals to clearly define results and improve social media effectiveness.
• In addition to these typical responsibilities, perform other duties as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS degree or equivalent 4 years’ worth of higher education. Recent grads looking for long-term opportunities are highly desired.
• Srong passion for social media and has been an active user on Twitter and Facebook for more than one year.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently.
• Strong interest in Asian culture and ability to speak more than one language
• Ability to quickly understand how to apply social media to clients business objectives.
• Detailed oriented and experience managing multiple projects while staying within budget.
• Excellent verbal skills and engaging writing style (for writing tweets, blog postings, etc.)
• We do NOT require a specific number of years of work experience in the web industry

BONUS POINTS

• Ability to read, write, and speak Japanese or Chinese is a major plus as our team is 95% bi-lingual or tri-lingual
• Experience using Japanese and/or Chinese social media platforms (Mixi, Hatena, QQ, Baidu Space, etc.)
• Experience running a blog or other regular online publishing tool

HOW TO APPLY
Think your skills would mesh with our multicultural team’s brew of talent? Do you enjoy an office with big windows? Send us an email (hr@btrax.com) with your resume and salary expectations.

We think you have more creative things to do than craft a lengthy cover letter, please keep emails to 1-2 paragraphs and write the job title in the subject line when applying.

Apr 19

Jobs: Recruitment & Candidate Coordinators at Wall Street Associates (Tokyo)

Jobs Jobs, tokyo Comments Off on Jobs: Recruitment & Candidate Coordinators at Wall Street Associates (Tokyo)

Wall Street Associates an executive recruitment company, specializing in the IT, Finance, Accountancy, Human Resources, SCM, Engineering and Sales & Marketing markets, is looking for bilingual recruitment consultant and a candidate coordinator at their headquarters in Tokyo.  Their homepage also has a very detailed timeline of the hiring process here.

Recruitment Consultant

Comprehensive initial, and on going training (both on the job with experienced Consultants, and in training Consultants sessions with our Training Manager) is provided, along with an attractive salary of between 4 – 6 Million yen per year.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous recruiting or sales experience
• Strong communication skills: business level English and Japanese
• A record of high achievement in your current career

Candidate Coordinator

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Has a positive outgoing and genuine personality. You MUST enjoy working with people and helping them
• working
• Has experienced both living and working in Japan for at least two years, and who currently resides in Japan
• Has business level English and business level Japanese
• Has a knowledge of, or experience in the industries in which WSA specialises
• Is proactive and good at multi tasking

ROLES:

• The provision of coordination and support to the Consulting Team in the following ways:
• Sourcing, searching, screening and scouting potential candidates, from internet, web-based job sites, and
• web networking events.
• Touching base with candidates and clients by telephone and email
• Managing and administering candidate and client information in order to keep records up to date and record accurate
• Researching, searching and contacting potential clients from the internet, and job sites

HOW TO APPLY
To apply, simply send us a Word version of your English resume with your contact number, and we will be in touch with you — jobs@wallstreetjapan.com

Apr 18

Job: Marketing Manager at TOKYOPOP (Los Angeles, CA)

Jobs Jobs, los angeles Add Comment (1)

TOKYOPOP, the first manga publishing arm in the United States and major manga exporting firm, is looking for a Marketing Manager at their offices in Los Angeles.  The position is particularly focused on online brand development and social media marketing.
DUTIES:

• Lead the development and expansion of strategies and objectives for building and executing year-round brand engagement via social media. Manager will be responsible for integrating social and emerging forms of media into all campaigns.
• Create and maintain monthly communication calendar and coordinate with Producers and Brand Managers the day-to-day community management/maintenance on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others).
• Develop, implement, launch, and track the TOKYOPOP Tour grassroots marketing initiative to drive product sales and awareness; engage consumers and acquire signups to TOKYOPOP.com and its other social media profiles; promote brand awareness; and support other Tour goals.
• Coordinate and execute all social media initiatives, serving as the intermediary between internal, external, and third party partners.
• Plan, implement, and execute successful consumer and trade marketing programs (including brand strategic planning, market positioning, pricing, promotion, advertising) each season, in conjunction with Producers and Brand Managers.
• Work with Associate Publisher and Director of Sales to support distribution sales reps with account-specific COOP strategies for major national retail accounts.
• Direct and supervise staff to meet deadlines for sales-support materials such as seasonal catalogs, monthly sell sheets, add-on sell sheets, and other material as needed.
• Provide reporting to allow proper measurement and evaluation of marketing activities. Develop sound strategic recommendations based on analysis of ongoing trade and consumer promotion programs, assessing the implications these have on marketing strategy and achievement of objectives.
• Identify competitors and implement action plans to increase market share.
• Other duties as necessary to support the objectives of division and company.
• Limited travel as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Skilled and successful in online brand management
• Well versed in digital, web, and mobile consumer marketing
• Experience organizing and executing consumer and tradeshow events a must
• Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks under tight deadlines and budgets.
• Ability to solve problems independently.
• Energetic, creative, and passionate; a true go-getter
• Experienced in supervising outsourced resources
• Supervisory experience. Solid leadership skills. Ability to train and motivate others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal and team leadership skills
• Creative vision
• Solid analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to deliver on-time and innovative sales support materials

HOW TO APPLY:

This job opening comes from Mediabistro, a site for media-related job listings.  Click here to apply.

Apr 18

Job: Translation & Administrative Assistant at Boston Hospital (Boston, MA)

Jobs boston, Jobs Comments Off on Job: Translation & Administrative Assistant at Boston Hospital (Boston, MA)

The Global Link Language Services is looking to place a flexible part-time Translation & Administrative Assistant at a major Boston Hospital.  Job requires managing complex spreadsheets and translating from both English to Japanese and Japanese to English.

This position comes from the NAJAS Job Database.  Click here to see more job openings.

Apr 17

Job: Technical Translation & Office Assistant at a Japanese energy company (Arlington, VA)

Jobs arlington, Jobs Comments Off on Job: Technical Translation & Office Assistant at a Japanese energy company (Arlington, VA)

A major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA is looking for an office assistant, as well as a technical translator.  Both must be bilingual.

Technical Translator – The position pays around ($33K-$37K).

Duties: technical translation, general office work, and soon

Req: must be Japanese/English Bilingual

Office Administrator – for a major Japanese energy-related company in Arlington, VA ($33k-$35K)

Duties: general office work, some translation work

Req: business level Japanese is a must

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested in these or other Japan related job openings? Contact Interesse International at dc@iiicareer.com or call us at 571- 384-7117!
There’s more on our website as well: www.iiicareer.com

Apr 17

Job: Executive Assistant at Consulate-General of Japan (Seattle, WA)

Jobs Jobs, seattle Comments Off on Job: Executive Assistant at Consulate-General of Japan (Seattle, WA)

The Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle is looking for an Executive Assistant.  Japanese skills not mandatory.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Excellent English skills and office experience
2. Proficient computer skills
3. Flexibility and diligence

Send resume and cover letter by April 28 to:

Consulate-General of Japan
Attn. Yukio Motoe
601 Union Street, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98101

or email to: kanri@cgjapansea. org

Apr 17

Temporary Gig: Full-Time Translation for Convention Linkage (Oita, Japan)

Uncategorized Comments Off on Temporary Gig: Full-Time Translation for Convention Linkage (Oita, Japan)

Convention Linkage is looking for a full-time translator from May 1st to March 31st, 2010 in Beppu, Oita.  The translator would work 5 times a week, normal work hours in the Beppu International Convention Center for that 11 month period.

Employer: Convention Linkage
Period: Temporary Position from May 1st 2010 to March 31st 2011

ROLES: Helping with operations of, and translations for the following-

1. APEC Growth Strategy High Level Roundtable
2. Football Conference Event
3. B-Con Plaza Administration
4. B-Con Plaza Facilities Management
5. B-Con Plaza Operations
6. International and National Conferences

Salary: 1000yen/ hour
(For monthly calculation:
1000yen x 8hours x approx. 20.5days= APROX. 164,000yen)
Transportation Fees: Up to 10,000yen
Insurance: Enrollment in Social Insurance and Pension Plan
QUALIFICATIONS：

1. Japanese and foreign language proficiency
2. computer skills

HOW TO APPLY:
http://www.oitaroudoukyoku.go.jp/contents.php?id=200867
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