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.

What a difference a month makes! Here in NY the vaccine effort is in full swing for adults over 30, and many of us are keeping our fingers crossed in the hopes of snagging one. The rollout in Japan will take a bit longer, and currently Osaka and other areas seeing surges in cases. As a result, stronger restrictions (i.e. limited restaurant operating hours) have once again been implemented, much to the chagrin of proprietors. But the sakura are in full bloom in Tokyo, so hanami at least provides a nice distraction 🌸

Recently the NYT had two interesting Japan focused stories I’d like to share. One profiles the artist Kyohei Sakaguchi from Kumamoto (my JET home!). It does a deep dive into his architecture-related works, his living with bipolar, and his support of others with mental health struggles. His 2020 book Call Me When You’re in Pain details his experiences with suicidal thoughts, answering calls from strangers in crisis, and his strategies for coping. I find his activities remarkable considering the stigma of mental health issues in Japan, a stigma likely to be particularly strong in conservative Kumamoto.

The other article discusses why QAnon never gained traction in Japan, a hypothesis also evaluated in an AV Club article yesterday. One reason for Japan’s resistance is the idea that it is already well versed in conspiracy theories and therefore not as susceptible to new ones. Another factor is the conflict-averse nature of Japanese society, as well as the reluctance to talk about politics. However, one commenter in the latter article disagrees with this assessment, referencing the term “JAnon” which was used to refer to QAnon supporters in Japan. For more about this phenomenon, check out this Bloomberg podcast. Happy reading/listening!

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

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Position: External Advisor for Government Relations and Regional Affairs, Asia (with a focus on India and Japan)
Posted by: Global Citizen
Location: Paris, France
Contract: Full-Time, Temporary

Here’s a job passed along to us from a JET alumna who wishes to remain anonymous:

Since its inception, Global Citizen has leveraged the power of artists, governments, corporations, philanthropists, and civil society to achieve one common goal: ending extreme poverty. In the last decade, Global Citizen has mobilized $48.4B USD towards this goal. Of this, over $22.6B USD has already been disbursed, impacting the lives of more than 880M people.

In 2021, Global Citizen will be undertaking a coordinated advocacy campaign around the Recovery Plan for World launched in late February. The campaign will seek to mobilize new resources to address the most urgent needs brought about by COVID-19 and to help the world recover better together.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The External Advisor for Government Relations’ responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Read More

This week on the Krewe of Japan Podcast…

Just in time for the final weekend of the Spring Tournament/Haru Basho in Osaka, Doug & Nigel talk all things Sumo with Andrew Freund, director of USA Sumo and 2012 Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame inductee. Andrew shares his story of how he went from corporate English teacher in Japan to coordinating & facilitating high profile sumo events including the annual US Sumo Open & sumo appearances on ESPN SportsCenter & John Wick 2. He also shares in-depth insight into the sport that he’s learned and gained great appreciation for through his countless (if not daily) interactions with professional sumo legends.

The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!

By Jack McDonough, 2021 prospective JET

In my last article, I wrote about Kaguya-sama: Love is War: a romantic comedy that is both funny and romantic. Today, I want to tell you about My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, which is not very funny and barely has any romance at all but provides its audience with outstanding drama and impactful character development. 

The anime is based on the light novel series Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru by Wataru Watari, meaning My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, As I Expected, and is abbreviated to Oregairu. The story, which first aired in 2013 and finished last year, follows three characters: the pragmatic, loner Hachiman Hikigaya, the beautiful, erudite Yukino Yukinoshita, and the pretty, energetic Yui Yuigahama as they lead Soubu High’s Service Club. The audience experiences the story through Hachiman’s cynical point of view, and much of the story is delivered in internal monologues that show off his pessimistic nature. Hachiman is forced to join the service club by his teacher, who fears Hachiman’s way of thinking will never change and that Hachiman will be doomed to a life of reclusion. Yukino begrudgingly accepts Hachiman into the club and their story together begins. 

 Throughout the series, Hachiman, Yukino, and Yui solve problems that their classmates bring to the Service Club, usually normal high school social situations like helping someone ask out their crush or planning a school dance. With each problem, Hachiman and Yukino offer separate solutions: Hachiman offers expedient solutions that would solve everyone’s problems at the expense of himself, while Yukino offers solutions that would push her to exhaustion, but allow for everyone to be happy with the outcome. In one instance, a classmate by the name of Tobe asks the club to help him confess his love to his crush. When Hachiman finds out that the object of Tobe’s affection does not like Tobe back, Hachiman lies and confesses to the girl to save Tobe from embarrassment. While Hachiman believes that since no one likes him, embarrassing himself to save Tobe means that no one has to get hurt; in reality, Yukino and Yui are crushed when they see Hachiman sacrifice himself and tell him to stop embarrassing himself. The two girls grow to care about Hachiman and can’t bear to see his sacrificial acts any longer. 

The show relies on Hachiman’s monologues and dialogues with other characters. Most scenes are of mundane, everyday things, yet feel incredibly tense due to the subtext of the words of each character; Oregairu is drama at its best. While season one’s animation is just ok, seasons two and three are beautiful and when combined with the great musical score and phenomenal voice acting, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better drama anime. 

While watching this show, I felt uncomfortably similar to Hachiman, at least when thinking about my high school self. Hachiman changes from an isolated pessimist to someone who wants to find, what he calls, “the real thing” with his friends Yukino and Yui.  Hachiman initially believes that he needs to bottle up his emotions and never be vulnerable in front of anyone. He later realizes that it’s better to care and it’s better to have something that could lead to heartbreak than to go through life alone; it’s ok to ask for help and it’s ok to say what you really feel. When you step back and think about all of the tension in Oregairu, you realize that the root cause of grief is denial; the characters deny their feelings and allow their agony and heartbreak to fester rather than accept reality and allow themselves to feel and grieve. So my recommendation is to get some tissues, get some ice cream, and allow yourself to get attached to Oregairu. Afterward, ask yourself: “do I have the real thing?”

************By Makoto Shirai, secretary, Japan-Insights Research Institute (Non-profit organization in Tokyo)

Dear Friends,

Have you thought about the recovery of Tohoku?

Let me introduce an essay from Japan-Insights archives.

The eleventh one is on Beyond2020_nx by Dr. Shun Kanda.

https://topics.japan-insights.jp/Public/pdf/japan-insights_jp/topics/JIN_Beyond2020.pdf

Please share this expert’s experience!

Japan-Insights is a nonprofit open database compiled by leading experts in Japanese studies. The posts present a broad range of historical and contemporary topics that encourage visitors to engage with the real Japan through immersive experiences. Follow the Facebook page and website to learn about and share these insights from around the country!”

#japan #japaneseculture #Tohoku

This week on the Krewe of Japan Podcast…

In the first of many episodes focusing on English teaching in Japan, Doug & Jenn take a look at various types of teaching opportunities, both JET and non-JET avenues. This conversation transitions into an interview with two English professionals based out of Fukushima Prefecture: John Loynes (British former-JET-turned-eikaiwa-entrepreneur) & Bradley Trenery (Australian private school English instructor). John & Bradley share their unique journeys to Japan and offer some interesting insights into working in their respective educational environments, along with some hilarious tales that will permanently etch the Japanese word for “population” in your memory bank.

The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!

Anime Takes the Stage: 2.5D Musicals + Beyond

Tuesday, March 30th, 8 PM EDT

About this Event 

What is a 2.5-Dimensional (2.5D) musical?  

It is a stage adaptation from two-dimensional media such as anime, manga and video games. This new genre of Japanese pop culture has gained remarkable popularity in Japan since the debut of Musical: The Prince of Tennis in 2003.  

2.5D culture attempts to recreate the fictional world (2D) in the real world (3D) and is expanding and deepening in Japan. It has manifested itself in different forms such as cosplay, voice actors’ concerts and V-tubers. As a part of the phenomenon, 2.5D musicals have brought anime, manga and video games to the stage and created a whole new cultural practice of theatrical performances.  

Come join the panel discussion with Akiko Sugawa-Shimada, Zihui Amethy Lu, and Mayuko Fujiwara as they introduce the uniqueness of 2.5D musicals using examples such as The Prince of Tennis, Sailor Moon, Narutoand Touken Ranbu.They will be comparing it with other conventional musicals, history of Japanese theatre, as well as discussing where 2.5D musicals fit in the larger scheme of the 2.5D culture and why they are expanding. 

The discussion will be followed by a live Q&A. If you have any questions about the adaptation of anime and manga to the stage, now’s your chance to ask the experts! Please ask your question when you register for the event via Eventbrite. Live commentary will also be enabled on the YouTube stream, so you can participate in the Q&A session on air as well. 

This is a FREE event. Registrants will receive the link to the stream via email. 

[Eventbrite Registration page]  

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ep6anime-takes-the-stage-the-rise-of-25-dimensional-musicals-and-beyond-tickets-143770715079

[Twitter] 

Let's explore 2.5D musicals, a stage adaptation of anime & manga, from academic perspective!

Experts will discuss the uniqueness and the fandom, using examples such as #ThePrinceOfTennis, #SailorMoon, #NARUTO and more!

🎭✨FREE signup here💫🎭https://t.co/klvg3oz8gA

— The Japan Foundation, New York (@JF_NewYork) March 8, 2021

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

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Position: Associate (US-Japan Advisory)
Posted by: Brunswick Group
Location: Ideally Washington, D.C., or New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Please see below the job sent to us directly from the firm, the Brunswick Group, or apply directly on LinkedIn here. 

Brunswick Group – Associate (US – Asia)

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JETwit’s JET Alum Movers & Shakers is produced by Ryan Hata (Tottori-ken, 2014-2017), Margie Banin (Kochi-ken, 2005-2007), and Jim Walsh (Fukushima-ken, 2018-2020). Want to be featured next? Submit your information here.

Accomplishment: The Launch of the Krewe of Japan Podcast, sponsored by Japan Society of New Orleans

More Information: Sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans, the Krewe of Japan Podcast launched in February 2021 with Doug as one of its co-hosts. But what is a “krewe”? A krewe is an organization that stages a parade or event during the Carnival season in New Orleans. Much like a Mardi Gras parade with diverse entertainment and an overarching theme, the Krewe of Japan Podcast is about to march right into the podcast library of those in New Orleans and around the globe. Through insightful and entertaining conversations with a variety of experts and professionals (both foreign and native Japanese), Japan enthusiasts, and others in various fields involving Japan, the Krewe of Japan will highlight a broad spectrum of Japanese culture, travel, history, language and much more.

Public Information: Have ideas for an episode, feedback, questions, or just want to share your Japan experiences? Let the Krewe know!

Email: kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @kreweofjapan
Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast

Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba, 1989-91)

Before the pandemic, Tokyo was famous for its nightlife — and a small but fun part of that was a thriving English-language pub quiz scene. Some of those quizzes are now taking place online via Zoom. One of them is a long-running charity fundraiser for TELL, a mental-health nonprofit that offers counseling, in person or by phone, to people dealing with depression, anxiety or other issues. TELL is best-known for its free, anonymous Lifeline (03-5774-0992). It also offers other services that you can read about at the TELL website.

The next two quizzes are set for April 7 and May 12. Both start at 8 p.m. Japan Time. Players generally participate in teams, but don’t be afraid to show up solo — the host will be happy to add you to an existing team. You can find all the details on these quizzes, and other upcoming events, at https://telljp.com/outreach/events/.

Mark your calendar, and get ready for a fun evening out — on a screen.

March 31, 2021 at 8 PM EDT / Japan Time: April 1, 2021 at 9 AM

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1816153914492/WN_s3uAB54vTaykEOnmbToJhg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/3803751933045660

Join USJETAA, U.S. JET Alumni Association, and NABEA, National Association for Black Engagement with Asia, for a conversation with author Karen Hill Anton. This event celebrates the publication of Karen’s latest book, The View from Breast Pocket Mountain. It will feature an introduction to the book, Karen reading a book excerpt and a Q&A session. We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about her experiences and the book to attend. The View From Breast Pocket Mountain just won its first award from the Book Readers Appreciation Group (B.R.A.G.) Medallion. This competitive award for independent authors rated the memoir “Excellent” in all categories.

The View From Breast Pocket Mountain is a unique and previously untold story, a treasure trove of experiences crossing borders and cultures, creating a life, and finding contentment in a far-off country. To those who’ve ever wondered what their lives would be if they’d taken that road without a map, this is the book you need to read. The book gives us a glimpse of a life not designed or even imagined. To find out more visit: https://www.karenhillanton.com/book

Speaker

Karen Hill Anton wrote the popular columns “Crossing Cultures” for The Japan Times and “Another Look” for Chunichi Shimbun. As a consultant and coach, she works in the area of cross-cultural competence. She served on the Internationalization and Society Advisory Council of Prime Ministers Keizō Obuchi and Ryutaro Hashimoto. She is Emerita: Board of Governors, Temple University Japan, Shizuoka Human Rights Association, and the Jun Ashida Educational Foundation.

Karen has been an enthusiastic supporter of the JET Programme since its inception, and spoken to JETs on numerous occasions. Her daughter Mie was a CIR in Mie prefecture (smile), and her son Mario was assigned to Oita prefecture, where he now makes his home. Karen studied Japanese calligraphy for 25 years and attained second-degree mastery. She has taught modern dance and is now a devoted student of Hula. Originally from New York City, she has lived with her husband William Anton in rural Tenryu, Shizuoka prefecture since 1975.

Sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans, the Krewe of Japan Podcast launched a new weekly episodic podcast in February 2021.  But what is a “krewe”? A krewe is an organization that stages a parade or event for the New Orleans Carnival season. Much like a Mardi Gras parade with diverse entertainment and an overarching theme, this Krewe is about to march right into the podcast library of those not only in New Orleans but those around the globe. Through insightful and entertaining conversations with a variety of experts and professionals (both foreign and native Japanese), Japan enthusiasts, and others in various fields involving Japan, the Krewe of Japan Podcast will highlight a broad spectrum of Japanese culture, travel, history, language and much more. Past and soon-to-be-aired guest interviews include (but not limited to):

• Matt Alt, accomplished writer/translator/localizer based out of Tokyo who wrote the book Pure Invention
• MattVsJapan, a popular YouTube language show host who has his own Japanese learning methodology called Refold
• Shoko & Bon Koizumi, the great-grandson of the esteemed 19^th century literary figure Lafcadio Hearn (Japanese name: Koizumi Yakumo)
• Andrew Freund, director of USA Sumo
• Dr. Samantha Perez, history professor at Southeastern Louisiana University and coordinator of the Matsue-New Orleans Sister City Exchange Program
• Saeko Yatsuka-Jensen, a Japanese professor from Tulane University
• A joint conversation on English teaching opportunities in Japan with John Loynes (former JET, privately-owned Eikaiwa entrepreneur) & Bradley Trenery (Private English Instructor)

This week’s episode (dropping tomorrow, March 12) will feature an interview with a couple JET Program alumni, Wesley Julian and Dan Martin. Wesley and Dan produced the fantastic documentary about the global community’s response to the Great East Japan Earthquake called Tohoku Tomo and its “follow-up” docuseries highlighting all that Tohoku has to offer called The 113 Project. They shared a behind-the-scenes look into the making of Tohoku Tomo and The 113 Project, their insights and experiences with Japan both before and after the tragic day of March 11, 2011, and how you can still help Tohoku with its recovery.

The Krewe of Japan Podcast can be found on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher.  Missing your platform? Have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel).

Friday, March 19, 2021, 3:30 pm (US / HST)
Friday, March 19, 2021, 5:30 pm (US / PST)
Friday, March 19, 2021, 8:30 pm (US / EST)
Saturday, March 20, 2021, 9:30 am (JAPAN / JST)
Language: English & Japanese

How do we begin again? 10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and in the midst of a global pandemic, learn how Oakland-based artists marksearch (Sue Mark + Bruce Douglas) and Tokyo-based artists Hiroyuki Abe and Natsuka Endo creatively approach community-engaged art when it is not safe to gather. Join a participatory conversation about their new work 旅はすみか/ Journey Itself Home, a memorial to the Tohoku region. Launching with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, these interactive sound monuments feature the voices of young adult 3.11 survivors. Honomi Ijima, environmental scientist and cultural translator for the artist team joins. Miho Walsh, former Executive Director, Asian Cultural Council, facilitates this dynamic round table.

This event is hosted by Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) in collaboration with East West Center and International House of Japan.

English: https://www.nichibei-artists.org/en/report/933

Japanese: https://www.nichibei-artists.org/report/931

Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba 1989-91)

The 15th annual Japan Writers Conference will be held in October this year. The organizers are now looking for writers, editors and publishers to give presentations on the art, craft and business of writing. If you are a writer, now is a good time to think about taking part.

The conference is a free event, held in English. It covers publishable writing of all types: poetry, fiction, journalism, memoir, translation and more.

Past presenters have included best-selling thriller author Barry Eisler, Edgar-winning mystery novelist Naomi Hirahara and “Slumdog Millionaire” creator Vikas Swarup. There have also been presentations by many JET writers over the years, including poets Warren Decker and Michael Frazier, novelists Percival Constantine and Benjamin Martin, journalists Elaine Lies and Tom Baker, textbook author Todd Jay Leonard, and writing renaissance woman Suzanne Kamata. This year’s event will be cohosted by JET alum and novelist Charles Kowalski, together with nonfiction writer Joan Bailey.

Here are the official details:

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The 2021 Japan Writers Conference will be at Tokai University, Shonan Campus in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, on Saturday, October 16th and Sunday, October 17th, 2020. Hiratsuka is on Sagami Bay, not far from Odawara. As in the past, the conference will be free and open to all who wish to attend. Please mark your calendars and plan to join in. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, there is a possibility we’ll have to move online again this year, or it may be a hybrid, with some sessions held live, some online.

All published writers, translators, editors, agents and publishers are welcome to submit presentation proposals for the 2021 Japan Writers Conference. The deadline for your proposal is Tuesday, June 1, 2021.

Please send your proposals via this page on the JWC website: http://japanwritersconference.org/submit-proposal/

We especially encourage proposals from new submitters. One of our strengths has been variety, and the best way to foster variety is to have new presenters each year.

When planning your JWC proposal, keep your audience in mind. Your listeners will be writers and others (translators, editors, publishers, and agents) concerned with creating publishable writing. While teaching, literary studies and private self-expression are all worthy activities, they are not the focus of this conference.

Standard conference sessions are fifty minutes long, but if you have something longer in mind, please let us know and we will accommodate if possible.

To submit a proposal for a conference presentation, send the following information, using the form here to submit: http://japanwritersconference.org/submit-proposal/

1. Your name (or names)
2. Title of presentation (20 words or less)
3. Type of presentation (short lecture with Q&A, craft workshop, panel discussion, reading with Q&A, etc.)
4. Genre (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Translation, Instructional, Career)
5. Short summary (50 words or less)
6. Abstract (150 words or less)
7. Personal and professional biography (50 words or less. Mention your publications, as this will be part of the Conference program)
8. Your publications (Need not be complete, but give names of journals and genre for short pieces; title, publisher and date for books; venues and dates for plays, and so on)
9. Are you available on both days?
10. Any special needs?
11. Contact information (email address, telephone number) These remain confidential. Please include everyone who will be part of the presentation.

If you are unable to use the website form, or
have questions concerning your idea or the conference in general, you may use this email address: japanwritersconference@gmail.com

************By Makoto Shirai, secretary, Japan-Insights Research Institute (Non-profit organization in Tokyo)

Dear Friends,

Have you met story tellers in Tohoku?

Let me introduce an essay from Japan-Insights archives.

The tenth one is on Kataribe: 2011.3.11-Future by Mr. Goto and Mr. Onodera.

https://doc.japan-insights.jp/pdf/JIN_TOPIC_20200228161825.pdf

Please share this expert’s experience!

Japan-Insights is a nonprofit open database compiled by leading experts in Japanese studies. The posts present a broad range of historical and contemporary topics that encourage visitors to engage with the real Japan through immersive experiences. Follow the Facebook page and website to learn about and share these insights from around the country!”

#japan #japaneseculture #Tohoku