Via JETAA DC:
Speechwriting Consultant, Embassy of Japan, Washington, DC
The Embassy of Japan is seeking an individual for the position of speechwriting consultant who will work for high-ranking officials of the Embassy of Japan. The position will be on a part-time, contractual consultant base, requiring approximately 2 days per week of on-site work at the Embassy of Japan. Read More
JetWit Blog Beat: Crazy cats, spectral sounds, and Belgian conceptual art
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JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She now works as a media planner in Chelsea and sorely misses all her favorite midtown ramen joints.
JET alum Lars Martinson ,author of the graphic novel Tonoharu, shares his latest conbini discoveries:
Meanwhile, NY webmaster and NYU ITP grad student Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) shares his spectral music piece from his visual music class.
And if you find yourself in Montreal between now and Valentine’s Day, check out the tongue-in-cheek art from Belgian artist Wim Delvoye that Rob P. Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04), author of the rhyming novel Zorgamazoo, shares on his blog.
JETAA Chapter Beat 2.10.09
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community…
- Japan-A-Mania! Planning Session – Thursday, February 12th, 7:00 at Financier Cafe. Come get the details for the event and make suggestions for new activities.
- Japan-A-Mania! – Saturday, February 28th. JETAA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NY and NY de Volunteer is hosting a day of Japanese culture and activities for NYC kids. Help out and share your love of Japan with the kids.
- Happy Hour – Thursday, February 19th. Time and location to be announced. Stay tuned!
- Kodo Taiko Concert – February 17th at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
- ZEN: Japanese Film and Lecture Series – February 26th and February 28th at University of Washington and Seattle University(respectively). Come see the story of legendary Zen Master Dogen on screen and join the discussion of his life and the film.
- 2009 JET Programme Volunteers – February 18th, 19th and 20th, 9:00-5:00. The Detroit Consulate General of Japan is looking for JET alumni to help give interviews for 2009 JET Programme hopefuls. Come give a little back to the JET Programme.
- 2008 JET Returnees Reception – Friday, February 20th at the Consulate General. Meet the newly returned and reflect on times past at this year’s Returnees Reception. There’s only enough room for the first 20 ex-JETs, so don’t delay.
- Family BBQ – Saturday, February 21st, at Kings Park(dates and locations tentative). Come to this family event and share in some tasty barbecue and friendly conversation.
- Kaiwa! – Thursday, February 12th, 5:30 at 43 Below. Hang out with old friends and practice Japanese with new ones.
- Comittee Meeting – Tuesday, February 17, time and details to be announced.
- JETAANC vs. Japan Society Victory Cup Tournament! – Saturday, February 21st, 7:00 at Serra Bowl join in the first ever JETAANC vs. Japan Society of Northern California Victory Cup Tournament. The first event is bowling, so sign up and throw some rocks.
- Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story – Saturday, February 14th, 1:00 at the JCCCNC Nisei Community Hall. Come see a screening of Transcending: the Wat Misaka Story, a documentary about the first Asian American professional basketball player.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just email Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
Sean Sakamoto is a JET alum currently embedded in Gifu Prefecture. The following is a post from his blog “I’d Rather Be…In Japan“.
Godzilla never looked so good. One of the joys of living in a foreign country is that I don’t take things for granted that everyone around me sees as normal. In this case, I’m talking about plastic food. Everywhere in Japan, restaurants put replicas of their dishes in the windows of their restaurants.
The first time I saw this, I thought it was hilarious. Then I was glad, because I could not actually read the menu. For me the fake food samples are really helpful. But what about Japanese people? Do the samples help you choose your dinner?
As it happens, I now live in the birthplace of the fake food replica. Gujo Hachiman is where the phony baloney, ramen, and even
Click here to read the rest of the post “Faking it in Hachiman”
Devon Brown (Tokyo-to, 2002-04) is a freelance writer with a focus on food. You can read more of her writing at TravelingTastebuds.blogspot.com.
For about a year I was holed up in my apartment writing articles I would never allow people to read. I only shared my work in large anonymous or protected forums like writing contests or classes. My work needed to be out there, but I wasn’t ready to stand behind it.
But now it’s time for me to take a step out into public as a writer and I feel like I’m stepping in front of a batting machine. On the first anniversary of my writing career, I am jello soft and unprepared for the inevitable criticism that lies ahead. People are actually reading my blog and I write two regular columns accessible to anyone with internet access. On the web, everything is open for comment and I fear the next snide remark or disagreement with my opinions will break me.
I need some quick advice about building backbone from some of you veterans out there because the balls are flying and I can only bob and weave for so long. To all seasoned writers, bloggers, authors and artists did this happen to you and how did you deal with it?
Help out Devon and other JET alum writers by posting your comments below. Yoroshiku!
Job: Director, East Asian Institute for International Studies – Wittenburg University (Ohio)
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Via Chronicle of Higher Ed’s international programs job page:
http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000591596-01&pg=r
Position: Director, East Asian Institute for International Studies
Institution: Wittenberg University
Location: Ohio
Date posted: 2/5/2009
WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY seeks a Director of its East Asian Institute for International Studies. Reporting to the Provost, the Director will provide innovative administrative leadership, develop gift and grant proposals, and oversee funded projects – initially the development of field experience partnerships (study abroad and internships) in East Asia to support an interdisciplinary international business and economics curriculum. Read More
Black Tokyo: Japan’s Part-timers in Full-time Trouble
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The blog Black Tokyo picked up on an interesting story from the L.A. times about the state of the job market in Japan.
If you do any work that has any connection to Japan, it’s very much worth keeping track of these trends and trying to think about how they may eventually effect all of us. Things are shifting and that means problems in the future (or present), but it also means opportunities.
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Just received this announcement/press release from Shannon Jowett, Director of Communications for Japan Society (NY). Ambassador Sakurai has been very supportive of JETAA, plus he’s a real nice guy, so JetWit is a big fan:
Japan Society is pleased to announce that Ambassador Motoatsu Sakurai will be president effective Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Full details are below.
Ambassador Motoatsu Sakurai Named Japan Society President
Ambassador Sakurai with his wife
First Japanese-born president to head non-profit, non-political organization
New York, NY — February 7, 2009 — Ambassador Motoatsu Sakurai will be the new president of Japan Society. The Society’s Board of Directors announced this morning that the Ambassador assumes his new leadership role April 7, 2009. Ambassador Sakurai is the Consul General of Japan in New York and is the former president of Mitsubishi International Corporation, USA. He will be the first Japanese-born president of Japan Society, now a 102-year old non-profit, non-political organization. Read More
Job: Foreign affairs researcher – Asahi Newspaper (Tokyo)
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Via JETAA DC:
Job opening at the Asahi Newspaper
Yoichi Funabashi is hiring a foreign affairs researcher. Preference will likely be given to those in Tokyo, Japan already.
Audio: Robert P. Weston Reads from Zorgamazoo
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Robert P. Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04) has just posted an audio file of his reading from Chapter 1 of his rhyming novel Zorgamazoo on his blog wayofthewest.wordpress.com.
Have a listen! It’s fun, and you’ll feel younger too.
When you’ve finished hearing ’bout Zorgamazoo!
(Sorry, Rob. I couldn’t resist. :-)
Bankruptcy Bill #10 – Natural Order
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Bankruptcy Bill is a cartoon created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. To see more strips as well as original bankruptcy haiku, go to bankruptcybill.wordpress.com.
JetWit would like to extend a big omedetou gozaimashita to professional translator and writer Kia Cheleen (CIR, Aichi-ken 1996-98, ALT 1998-1999) who was recently named Assistant Director at the Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture at Columbia Unviversity. The position was previously held by Miho Walsh, former JET Coordinator at the Consulate General of Japan (NY) who left the Donald Keene Center to become Associate Director at the Asian Cultural Council.
JetWit is happy to see that JET alums are movin’ on up (movin’ on up), to the West Side.
Video: Roland Kelts on Studio360 with Kurt Anderson
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A sampling of what’s to air on NPR’s Studio 360 Goes to Japan on Saturday at 10 am, featuring Roland Kelts (Osaka, 1998-99):
Job: Curatorial Intern Position – Clark Center (Hanford, CA)
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Via a JET alum who saw this rather nifty listing:
Curatorial Intern Position (Clark Center, Hanford, CA)
The Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture in Hanford, California, is accepting applications for its curatorial intern program. The internship will begin on an agreed date in August 2009 and will last for one year.
The program offers a tremendous opportunity for training and hands-on experience in multiple aspects of museum management, including art registration, handling and storage, record keeping and research,
acquisitions and loans, installation and presentation to the public, maintaining a reference library. Interns will be exposed to a wide range of subjects and media, broadening and deepening their knowledge of diverse aspects of Japanese art usually not taught at university. The internship will culminate with the intern’s production of an exhibition around the end of the internship.
The internship is a 12 month position, and offers on-site housing with utilities included, a car for local use, an $18,000 stipend and a $3,000 research grant. Read More
Roland Kelts special on NPR’s Studio360 to air Saturday morning
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JetWit just received the official press release from WNYC’s Studio 360 regarding their exclusive Studio 360 Goes to Japan program, featuring a segment written and hosted by Roland Kelts (Osaka, 1998-99), which will air this Saturday on NPR stations nationwide. Content, including video, will go live on the Studio 360 web site (http://www.studio360.org/) starting at 6 p.m. today (See the full press release below.)
The segment Roland wrote and hosted is focused on Japan’s Youth Culture and its various pathologies, especially the struggles of haken, or temporary workers, amid the imploding global economy.
Additionally, JetWit has learned that Roland is booked for an interview tomorrow afternoon with Nippon Television for their nightly news and entertainment program, News Zero. He will be interviewed by pop idol and actor Sho Sakurai of the band Arashi, and director Takashi Miike, both of whom are in town to promote the latter’s forthcoming live action film version of the 70s anime series, Yatterman. The interview will be about the Japanese pop culture juggernaut. Read More
