JET alum Charles Kowalski to cohost Japan Writers Conference
Events, JET Alum Author Beat, Notable JET Alums, Writers 
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Posted by Tom Baker
The annual Japan Writers Conference is seeking writers, editors and translators to give presentations at this year’s event, to be held in October in Kanagawa Prefecture. Through the years, many JETs and JET alumni writers, including freelancers, have spoken at or attended this event. This year, former JET Charles Kowalski will be cohosting the conference at his university.
The organizers are aware that the coronavirus has added uncertainty to everyone’s plans this year, but they intend to go ahead with the event if it is safe to do so in the autumn. However, they are also contemplating online options, so it might become possible to attend remotely. Here’s the official announcement:
Each year, English-language writers from many fields gather at the Japan Writers Conference to share ideas and experiences on the art, craft and business of writing. In 2020, the 14th annual Japan Writer’s conference will be held on Oct. 10-11 at the Shonan campus of Tokai University in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Award-winning novelist and JET alum Charles Kowalski, a popular speaker at past conferences, will cohost this year’s event with food and travel writer Joan Bailey.
“The Japan Writers Conference is something special,” said poet John Gribble, a co-organizer of the event. “It is open to all, beginner to pro. It is also an annual collection of rigorous, authoritative lectures, workshops, and discussion groups. Anyone with a concern for the written and published word would benefit from coming.”
The conference is now accepting proposals for presentations. All published writers, as well as translators, editors, agents and publishers, are welcome to submit proposals.
Last year’s JWC presenters included astrophysicst Elizabeth Tasker on writing about science, novelist Evan Fallenberg on writing about sex, and screenwriter Steven Wolfson on structuring plots. Authors Holly Thompson and Mariko Nagai held a workshop on revising young adult fiction.
“This has been a year of isolation for everyone,” Kowalski noted. “But for English-language writers in Japan, that’s familiar territory, and it’s often the most fertile soil for the seeds of inspiration to take root. I hope that, come autumn, we’ll all be able to poke our heads above ground again and share a rich harvest of ideas.”
Writers and others interested in giving presentations, or simply attending the 2020 conference, can find details, including proposal guidelines and a submission form, at http://www.japanwritersconference.org. The deadline for proposals is June 1.
Run entirely by volunteers, the Japan Writers Conference is a free event open to all. Inquiries should be sent to japanwritersconference@gmail.com
Job: Tourism-related writer (Japan) or copyeditor (anywhere)
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Posted by Tom Baker
This job listing come from Brendan Craine, a managing editor at Export Japan, a small translation and content production company in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The job involves the production of expository text for Japan’s various tourist sites under the auspices of the Japan Tourism Agency. Applicants must complete certain trials by April 10. They can receive the trial material by emailing their credentials to writing@export-japan.co.jp with the subject line: “JTA Signage Revision Project 2020 – Inquiry about Freelance Work [first and last name].”
The following is the description provided by Craine, lightly edited:
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Information about the project (in Japanese) can be found here.
This project has been ongoing since May 2018. Last year alone, we produced over 500 pieces of text for 24 different localities. These texts ranged in topic and medium, from museum panels about national parks to online text about castle ruins, and had our writers traveling to well-known sites in Kyoto and Nikko as well as seldom-traveled islands like Oki and Ogasawara.
The project will continue in this coming year, and we are looking for writers and copyeditors to assist in the text production process.
Position: Writer or Copyeditor
Term: Ongoing between May 2020 and January 2021
Duties: (see trials for in-depth explanation)
Writer: Preliminary research on assigned location, accompanied coverage of local site, production of text and revision in response to editor feedback
Copyeditor: Preliminary research on assigned location, editing of drafted text
Compensation:
Writer: ¥18,000 per 250-word piece of text
Copyeditor: ¥5,000 per 250-word piece of text
(Participants are assigned 15 texts on average)
[Candidates with Japanese language proficiency equivalent to JLPT N2 or better are highly preferred.]
Because writing signage text is markedly different than writing for journalistic or academic publications, the JTA has mandated that writers and copyeditors must be vetted with trials. In order to be considered for either position, you will need to submit its associated trial. (Applications for both positions are also accepted, provided both trials are submitted.) Trials will be accepted until April the 10th.
Although writers residing in Japan are desirable, transportation to/from Japan can be provided for a strong candidate living overseas. Any lodging and transportation costs associated with coverage will be provided. The copyediting work can be performed entirely from overseas.
If you have any clarifying questions/other inquiries, please feel free to respond and ask.
This position is open to any qualified candidate, and referrals are welcome.
In that case, please have your colleagues email their credentials to writing@export-japan.co.jp with the subject line:
“JTA Signage Revision Project 2020 – Inquiry about Freelance Work [first and last name]”
Mombusho English Fellow Publishes New Book
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Joe Palermo went to Japan as a Mombusho English Fellow (MEF) from 1982-83 (pre-JET), and then launched a business career and lived there for a total of eight years. He has published a new book called No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners! My Life in Japan in the 80′s about his Japan experience where he lived in Gunma, Saitama and Tokyo.
From the book:
A young Japanese woman was running through Tokyo Station screaming “Save me! Save me!” There was a Japanese man chasing her and closing in. He grabbed her wrist and caught her about 10 feet in front of me. The woman was still yelling “Save me! Save Me!” but the Japanese people in the crowded station ignored her, not wanting to get involved.
From the author:
This is the beginning of just one of the stories from my experience living in Japan in the 1980’s, where I had moved right after graduating university. It was still rare to see an American who could speak Japanese fluently. This book guides the reader though my many adventures navigating through Japanese culture while living in the outskirts of Tokyo, as well as Tokyo proper.
No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners! is currently available for free on Kindle Unlimited and $5.99 paperback on Amazon.
WIT Life #340: Coronavirus in Japan
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Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as 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.
Hello from day #? of coronavirus quarantine. Hope everyone is staying safe by hunkering down and practicing self-care. The news of legendary Japanese comedian Ken Shimura’s death from coronavirus was a shock to the entire nation. Some say this is what might be needed to awaken the populace to the potential danger that this pandemic brings.
So far infection rates in Japan have been very low. One reason may be a lack of testing, which many think was due to an attempt to salvage the Olympics. Other theories cite cultural aspects such as the propensity for problem denial, bowing instead of handshaking, and little display of PDAs. Other contributing factors are surely the popularity of masks, diligent hand washing, taking shoes off at home, and the ability to receive proper medical care because everyone is insured.
Up until now, the Japanese government’s limited strategy has been to focus on known cluster areas. The current guidelines for social distancing are avoiding 三つの密 (mitsu no mitsu, or three types of situations beginning with the kanji mi, meaning close). These are 密閉 (mippei, or poorly ventilated spaces), 密集 (misshuu, or crowds of people) and 密接 (missetsu, or close physical contact).
Read MoreJob: Marketing and Sales – AeroEdge (Tochigi, Japan)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Marketing and Sales
Posted by: AeroEdge
Location: Tochigi, Japan
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
Background
AeroEdge is a fast growing company that machines very hard metal like titanium up to the grade of aircraft engine’s key structural components for the world well-known aerospace suppliers in the U.S. and Europe.
Besides aerospace, the company has been receiving inquiries from auto, industrial machinery and ship building industries in the U.S., Germany, France and the U.K., and now AeroEdge is interested in exploring business opportunities in those new fields to diversify its business operation by making most use of its high machining skills and quality assurance value added. With the above as a background, AeroEdge asked us (Nisshin Global Corporation) to post the following job opening of a sales engineer post.
Please carefully read the following task, qualifications and hiring conditions, and apply for it if you think you are a good fit.
Task: Marketing and sales in the field of auto, industrial machinery and ship building industries in the United States, Germany, France and the U.K.
JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — Shunzo Ohno Releases ‘Runner’
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By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe–shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
Spring has sprung in the Big Apple, and that means one thing: a new season of sounds, colors, and spectacular performing arts to match the blossoming sakura trees throughout the city.
This month’s highlight includes:
Wednesday, April 3
Shunzo Ohno Runner Album Release
An award-winning songwriter and composer, Shunzo Ohno is regarded as one of the most innovative and influential trumpeters today. His work with jazz legends Gil Evans, Art Blakey and Wayne Shorter combines his fresh vibrance with a tapestry of soulful inspiring grooves, not to be missed. Runner, his 18th album as a leader, kicks off with a four–piece symphonic suite aptly titled “Epic,” which takes major cues from Evans as it unleashes Ohno’s captivating mastery as a trumpeter over his dynamic symphonic vision. Like all of Ohno’s recordings, Runner is an ode to perseverance, and bold strength with cinematic currents of fearless life force.
Want to stay in the loop on future events? Follow Justin on Facebook and Twitter.
Internship: Ashinaga Japan Internship Program (Tokyo, Japan)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Internship Opportunities
Posted by: Ashinaga
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contract: Full-Time
Here are internships passed along to us directly from Ashinaga:
Job: Japanese Technical Translator – Sanoh America ( Findlay, OH, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Japanese Technical Translator
Posted by: Sanoh America
Location: Findlay, OH, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to JET alum, Mike Holmes (Niigata-ken) for the following job listing:
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide language translation in a variety of settings, such as group meetings, phone calls, e-mails, reports, or other correspondence, with major focus on Engineering / technical topics.
- Participate in a variety of business trips scenarios, such as visits to Sanoh America facilities, customers, or suppliers; Provide language translation during visits, along with related ongoing communications.
- Serve as liaison in communications between Sanoh America and Sanoh Japan; Assist with weekly Operations / Engineering call with Sanoh Japan
- All other Presidential support duties as assigned
REQUIRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Engineering, Japanese language, or related field OR equivalent experience
REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Fluency in Japanese language skills, and translation to and from English (both verbal and written)
- Working knowledge of Japanese business culture
- Proficiency in written / verbal communications and interpersonal skills
- Basic knowledge of automotive industry (especially Japanese OEMs)
- Good organizational and time-management skills
- Intermediate skills, especially in MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- High level of integrity and confidentiality
Job: Executive Director – US-Japan Bridging Scholars Program (Washington, DC, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Executive Director
Posted by: US-Japan Bridging Scholars Program
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
Founded in 1998, USJBF strengthens the US-Japan relationship through its Bridging Scholars program, which awards several hundred scholarships to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in Japan each year.
The Executive Director’s key priority will be growing the Bridging Scholars program, so our ideal candidate will be a passionate promoter of our mission. This could be a great opportunity for a seasoned fundraising professional looking to step into an executive role, or someone from academia expanding their skill set to the nonprofit sector. While USJBF has historically been headquartered in DC, this is a global search and the board will consider remote work for the right candidate.
Application Process: Please help us cast a wide net by circulating this announcement to your colleagues and networks. A full job description is below, and can be found online at www.good-insight.org/careers.
Please note that we’ve retained the consulting firm Good Insight to lead the search. Your personal candidate referrals can be forwarded to their CEO, Carlyn Madden. She is available to have a confidential conversation with anyone interested in the position. She can be reached at carlyn@good-insight.org.
Job: Associate Corporate Counsel – YKK Corporation of America (Marietta, GA, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Associate Corporate Counsel
Posted by: YKK Corporation of America
Location: Marietta, GA, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Please see below the job which was passed along to us:
YKK Corporation of America is seeking a corporate attorney with 5-7 years of corporate legal experience in a law firm and/or in-house corporate legal department for its in-house legal department in Marietta, Georgia.
YKK Corporation of America is the U.S. subsidiary of YKK Corporation in Japan, a global manufacturer of zippers and other fastening products. YKK
Corporation of America is also the parent company for all of YKK’s operations in the U.S., Mexico, and Central America.
This position will provide legal support primarily for YKK’s Global Marketing operations in the U.S., and will involve working with and advising the Global Marketing business teams on a variety of commercial transactions and legal issues. This position will report to the Chief Legal Counsel.
For More Information and to Apply: YKK Associate Corporate Counsel Position
Job: JET Program Coordinator – Embassy of Japan (Washington, DC)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: JET Program Coordinator
Posted by: Embassy of Japan, JET Program Office
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
An exciting opportunity to work at the JET Program Office at the Embassy of Japan has opened up!
Application Process: If you’re interested, please see here for job duties and application procedures: https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/JET-pc-job-announcement.pdf
Job: Various Teaching/Tutoring Positions – Japanese Children’s Society (New Jersey, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Various Teaching/Tutoring Positions
Posted by: Japanese Children’s Society
Location: Englewood Cliffs/Fort Lee, NJ, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Please see below the document for job openings sent directly to us from the Japanese Children’s Society.
The successful applicants will teach English to Japanese students. Must be a native English speaker with a B.A. degree. Applicants with TESOL or K-12 certificates and teaching experience are highly preferred. We offer multiple positions at different locations. If you are interested in teaching at one of these locations below, please send your resume including your information
about your preferred locations and available days and time.
For more information and to apply: Employment Opportunities for English Language Teachers (Japanese Children’s Society)
Job: Communications and Events Associate – International Student Conferences, Inc. (Washington, DC)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Communications and Events Associate
Posted by: International Student Conferences, Inc.
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us directly from the International Student Conferences, Inc:
Job: Various Teaching/Tutoring Positions – Japanese Children’s Society (Englewood Cliffs/Fort Lee, NJ, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Various Teaching/Tutoring Positions
Posted by: Japanese Children’s Society
Location: Englewood Cliffs/Fort Lee, NJ, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
——————————————————————————-
Urgently Seeking
Part-time ESL/English teacher (Japanese Children’s Society, NJ)
——————————————————————————-
Jobs at Japanese Children’s Society (February, 2020)
Employment Opportunities for English Language Teachers
*Urgently Seeking, Possible opening position in the near future
The successful applicants will teach English to Japanese students. Must be a native English speaker with a B.A. degree. Applicants with TESOL or K-12 certificates and teaching experience are highly preferred. We offer multiple positions at different locations. If you are interested in teaching at one of these locations below, please send your resume including your information about your preferred locations and available days and time.
Job: Associate Program Officer – Japan Foundation CGP (New York, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email
Position: Associate Program Officer
Posted by: Japan Foundation CGP
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Here’s a job passed along to us:
