Job: Japanese – English Bilingual Web Developer (Salt Lake City, UT)
Jobs 
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Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:
Be Part of a Global Team in an Innovative Company!
Seeking: Japanese – English Bilingual Web Developer
Location: Greater Salt Lake City Area
Responsibilities:
The right candidate will be part of the head office IT team to work for the Japan market by liaising with the Read More
Interesting article (“Japan’s Outcasts Still Wait for Society’s Embrace”) by Norimitsu Onishi in the NYTimes today on buraku in modern Japanese society, a high ranking politician named Hiromu Nonaka who is of buraku descen, and a racist comment allegedly made two years ago by current prime minister Taro Aso.
Job: Temporary Assistant – Permanet Mission of Japan to UN (New York)
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Via JETAA NY:
The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations is seeking a temporary assistant for general administrative duties.
Requirements/Preferences:
1) U.S. citizenship required.
2) Computer skills, typing skills and excellent English writing and verbal communications skills required.
3) College degree required
4) Familiarity with Japanese language and culture preferred
Duration: 5 weeks starting late January 2009
Please send a cover letter and resume by January 21, 2009 to jinji-center @un-japan. org with “PMJ Temporary Assistant” in the subject line. No phone calls please.
Event: Japan Brand Unfolds in NYC at Felissimo Design House
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Tara Hohenberger (Nara-ken, 2001-03) (PR & Events Coordinator for Felissimo Design House) has shared information for an intriguing upcoming exhibition at Felissimo Design House (10 W. 56th St. in NYC) which is featuring a collection of artisan produced products from 30 regions of Japan from Jan 25 – Feb 7, including glassware, furniture, ceramics, paper and textiles and well as lacquar and culinary ingredients.
Click “Read More” to read the full press release, or go to www.felissimo.com. Read More
JetWit is not making this job listing up.
The Australian Ministry of Tourism is willing to pay someone $100,000 to spend 6 months relaxing and enjoying some island in the Pacific and blogging about it.
Here’s the article from the NYTimes/Associated Press: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/world/asia/15australia.html?emc=eta1
Here’s the job listing website: http://islandreefjob.com/ For those interested, deadline is Feb. 22 and requires submission of a 60-second video among other things.
It sounds too good to be true, so my guess is that the $100G pays for itself via the publicity this generates for the island as a tourist destination.
If any JET alums out there apply for it, let me know or post a comment so we can hear about the process (and perhaps eventually the job itself!)
WIT Life #19: Michelin Phenomenon
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
The famous French Michelin guide finally made its way to Tokyo last spring with a 2008 edition, and the 2009 edition came out last November. A news feature called “Michelin Phenomenon” examined how the Japanese are viewing this take on their culinary culture.
Japan’s gourmet guide with the most history is “Tokyo Ii Mise Umai Mise” (Tokyo’s Good and Delicious Restaurants), started in 1967. Written on the cover of a recent issue was the quote, “The French just don’t understand.” When the editor was asked about this assertion, he claimed, “What French and Japanese look for is different. For them the atmosphere of a restaurant is important, whereas for us it’s all about the taste.”
A new guide with a Japanese publisher came out in reaction to the Michelin guide. Its editor felt that with only a year or two of experience in Japan, it would be impossible for Read More
JetWit’s first media hit! An interview by Kinue Imai Weinstein in the January 9 edition of Yomitime, the free Japanese weekly publication, with me as well as with JETAA NY Magazine Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02).
My name is Rick Ambrosio (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08). And whether readjusting to post-JET life is something you’re facing now, will deal with in the future or if you just enjoy reconnecting with that awkwardly uncertain feeling you had when you got back from Japan, come along with me as I look for a new job, a new apartment, and yes, mow the lawn of my parent’s house. Tadaima!
Hello all. Yes, I’m back, still living at home, doing chores and looking for work! Apologies about the long black out and happy new year to all! I think Julie, who writes Editorial Pursuits, really did a great job summarizing how I feel right now, in terms of thanking people, looking for work, and dedicating myself to working harder. So thanks Julie, you saved me a good amount of space to write about…. (Drum Roll)
The Puppy! That’s right. As if I needed more distractions, this Christmas my sister wanted one thing, and she got it. A puppy. A deviously cute, usually well behaved puppy. Let me outline what that first week was like.
Day 1: Love Puppy. He’s so cute. Did you see that? He looked at me! Sooo cute!
Day 3: Puppy is cute. He pees where he shouldn’t, and Read More
QUESTION
In a recent post on her blog travelingtastebuds.blogspot.com (“Growing Pains“) Devon Brown (Tokyo-to, 2002-04) describes a situation where she submitted a travel writing piece to an editor (her first hit with a national publication) only to see a published version that looked rather different than what she submitted, in rhythm and voice.
She wonders: Is this normal or typical? Or is this just what she should expect?
JetWit.com put the question to JET alumni in the Writers Interpreters Translators (WIT) Group.
Click “Read More” to read their responses. Read More
WIT Life #18: Kohaku 2008 Revealed
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Two weeks after the fact, but yesterday I finally had the chance to watch the NHK New Year’s
Eve music show Kohaku Uta Gassen aka Kohaku. This literally translates into “Red and White Song Battle,” referring to the fact that the genders split up into teams with women on red and men on white, and battle it out in the 
musical arena to see which sex takes honors for the year. The performers are a mix of contemporary pop stars and old-time enka singers (many with lavish costumes!), so there is a little of something for everyone. In addition to the interesting commentary provided by the host and hostess (representatives of their respective teams), several surprise guests drop by with acts of their own.
Each side present 26 songs during this four-hour spectacle, and this year 13 performers made it to Kohaku for the first time. For many singers, this is the pinnacle of their careers. The songs are judged by a 10-person panel of actors, athletes and other famous figures who offer their insight between songs. However, the ultimate decision of which team comes out on top is made by the live audience as well as viewers at home via their keitais.
An interesting first entry was that of Jero, a Pittsburgh native whose grandmother was Japanese. When he was growing up, she introduced enka to him and
A JET alum e-mailed me with an interesting question about electronic dictionaries. Please post responses below for the benefit of others (or feel free to e-mail your response to jetwit /atto/ jetwit /dotto/ com.)
My trusty stand-by for 5 years died. I had a Cannon IDX-9700. Do you know of any place [in the U.S.] where I can buy one and what model to recommend now? I’m looking for something originally in Japanese- I’ve found that was better for Kanji, but maybe things have changed now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Haiku Challenge #3 – Winner!
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Roland Kelts (Osaka, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has reviewed all haiku submissions containing the designated word “pop“ for Haiku Challenge #3 and has selected a winner to receive a free copy of Japanamerica + Susan Napier’s Anime: From Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle.
Says Roland: “As a half-Japanese drummer and writer, I can’t resist finding a paradiddle and bubble-blowing carp in a haiku. Congratulations, Julie Matysik–and thanks to all for stellar contributions.”
THE WINNER
A paradiddle.
The sticks connect, pop, bounce,
like koi blowing bubbles.
—Julie Matysik (Yamanashi-ken, 2006-07)
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Click “Read More” to read the rest of the haiku submissions…
Read More
NYTimes article: Seeking the Essence of Japan? Look to Germany
Japan Trends, Writers Comments Off on NYTimes article: Seeking the Essence of Japan? Look to Germany
JET alum David Kowalsky, a Seattle-based technical writer, alerted me to an interesting article in the NYTimes the other day: “Seeking the Essence of Japan? Look to Germany” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/movies/11stua.html?_r=1&ref=movies
Regarding the brief talk toward the end of the article about the similarities between Germany and Japan, David comments that the way Germany and Japan have dealt with their war guilt has been very different. He recommends a good book on the topic called Wages of Guilt: Memories of War in Germany and Japan by Ian Buruma. http://www.amazon.com/Wages-Guilt-Memories-Germany-Japan/dp/0452011566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231728075&sr=1-1
Side note: David also mentions that he (like me) first “discovered” Ian Buruma way back when he read the now out-of-print book Behind the mask: On sexual demons, sacred mothers, transvestites, gangsters, drifters and other Japanese cultural heroes http://www.amazon.com/Behind-mask-transvestites-gangsters-drifters/dp/0394537750/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231728470&sr=1-21.
Black Tokyo
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JETAA NY Magazine editor Justin Tedaldi recently alerted me to a great website: Black Tokyo – “Information on Japan from an Afro Perspective!” (http://www.blacktokyo.com/).
Have a look. I haven’t looked through it enough yet to see if there are any JET connections, but seems interesting and relevant enough regardless.
WIT Life #17: Coming of Age in an Insecure World
Japan Trends, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life, Writers Comments Off on WIT Life #17: Coming of Age in an Insecure World
WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Coming off the news that Toyota reported its first operating loss in 70 years, Japan’s other leading manufacturers are also falling victim to the high yen and global recession. Sony just announced that it will have its first profit loss in 14 years, despite the fact that it was in the black with profits of 200 billion yen in March of last year. For the business year through this March, it looks like Sony may post an operating loss of 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion). Toshiba also revealed that it will have its first operating loss in 7 years, due largely to slumping sales of its semiconductors.
However, in the midst of all this doom and gloom there was a bit of good cheer in Japan yesterday as nationwide more than 1.3 million 20-year olds celebrated Seijin no hi or Coming of Age Day. Seijinshiki (ceremonies) took place from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and this first generation of Heisei (1989~) seijin shared their hopes and fears with reporters. With a large percentage of college students, many expressed the desire to Read More
