Japan/America News

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has opened up the application for Japanese American high school
students to apply now through November 30, 2011. Only five (5) Japanese
American high school participants will be chosen in the United States. The
program will take place from March 9-20, 2012 where they will visit the
Kanto and Kansai area. 

Dear JASK Friends,

I feel very privileged and honored to assume the JASK Executive Director position. We have had a great history of effective leaders in this position and I will do my best to uphold the traditions of quality that have gone before me.

I am so looking forward to getting to know and work alongside all of you.  I am excited for this opportunity that the board has given me to lead this amazing organization.  I believe many facets of my present and past work experience, as well as my outside activities will help me as we grow our organization to new heights.

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity of working with people from around the world and have spent several years living and traveling abroad while working in various guest relations marketing positions including a five year stay in

Japan . 

My family and I live in 

Lexington where our five year old son starts kindergarten at the Maxwell Spanish Immersion Elementary School in downtown Lexington . 

I look forward to the exciting future that JASK will bring us all!

Sincerely,

Dave Carpenter

After four years, JASK says farewell to Matt Krebs, who leaves to pursue a Ph.D. at UK on August 15.  
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Dear JASK Friends,

We look forward to everyone getting to know our new Project Manager, Ms. Mariko Shimada, beginning with reading her introductory note. 

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Dear JASK members,

My name is Mariko Shimada and I am happy to be the new Project Manager at JASK. 

I am originally from Tokyo, Japan.  Due to my father’s job assignments, I have lived in many countries, such as Holland, Korea and now the US.  The longest place that I have lived is here in the U.S. – nearly twenty years now.  I was in Washington State for most of that time and have now been in Kentucky for two years.  After graduating from Washington State University with BA degree in Marketing, I spent a little time working with the Japan/America Society of Washington.  I then worked at a software company in Washington.  After a few years and a promotion to Sales/Marketing manager, my life changed when my son was born.  I resigned the position and have focused on raising him since that time.  Now that my son is a little older and going to school full time, I had begun to feel that I wanted to work again.  I feel lucky to have found this position at JASK.

One of my passions is tennis.  Since moving to Kentucky I have gotten involved with an organization that introduces kids ten-years-old and younger to tennis.  I have been actively working with local elementary schools to introduce tennis.  I really enjoy helping young children learn about such a great sport and hope to reach many children in Kentucky.

My son keeps our free time occupied with various sports activities such as tennis, soccer and baseball.  I also play tennis, of course.  I am a USTA 4.5 player.  My local team will be playing the district tournament this summer, hoping to advance to the sectionals and beyond.

I am very excited to be part of the JASK team and look forward to meeting you all at future JASK events.

Sincerely,

Mariko Shimada

Tatsuya Nakatani is everywhere.  Everywhere when he drums and drumming everywhere in the world.  He experiments with the cacophonous gong, incorporating local drummers in his performances. 
 
Tomorrow, May 21, he will play in Lexington at "Collexion", a collaboration hot-spot at 111 E. Louden Ave..  The event is in the evening at 8:00pm.  Three members of the Lexington band: Everyone Lives, Everyone Wins, will join him to perform on Saturday. 

Marjorie Guyon is painting with her hand and her heart.  You can help her support tsunami relief in Japan.  A print of her new painting: "Miyagi", will will improve any office, any reception area, any dining room, any gallery.  Best of all, your purchase is a contribution to relief efforts in Japan.   



With two recent successful projects: one at Keeneland and now the Nations of Nations project that moved last month from display outside Mayor Jim Gray's City Offices to the W.T. Young Library, Ms. Guyon still took time to paint: "Miyagi."

The painting: "Miyagi," quietly invites its audience to remember those in Miyagi who lost their lives in the March 11 disasters and subsequent heartache.  With so much rebuilding left to undertake, our contributions can help our friends in Japan.  Ms. Guyon's gracious donation of "Miyagi" and the right to reprint, to the Japan/Kentucky Relief Fund, means that all of the net revenue, after printing and shipping, goes directly to Japan. 

A local printer, Don Ament, will mail the print with Ms. Guyon's original signature to your office or home. 

Visit our webpage to learn more and donate to Japan relief by purchasing this print. 

On April 26, JASK hosted a 6:01 Club and Open House event at our new offices at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in Frankfort.  We were pleased to see many of you there!  The event was a great success.  Many of our members were able to meet one another, reconnect, and see the beautiful building that JASK now calls home.

This Thursday will mark 25 years to the day since Toyota Motor Manufacturing USA (now Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky) broke ground on their facility in Georgetown, Kentucky.  Since that time, Toyota has been an important member of the Kentucky community.  JASK recognizes the many contributions that Toyota has made to Kentucky since coming here 25 years ago.  The phrase that is used repeatedly by community and government leaders when referring to Toyota is "good corporate citizen."  And Toyota has certainly been that.  In addition to employing 7,000 individuals from 77 different Kentucky counties, Toyota has made $40 million of charitable contributions in the Bluegrass--not to mention all of the jobs created and communities benefited by Toyota's 90 supplier locations in Kentucky.

Click here to read more about Toyota's 25 years in Kentucky.

Click here to read about the process of bringing Toyota to Kentucky.

Click here to see a timeline of Toyota's 25 years in Kentucky.

A group of five Japanese companies, led by Sumitomo Light Metal Industries, Ltd., have arranged to purchase a 60% stake in Kentucky's own Arco Aluminum, Inc.  Arco Aluminum is based in Louisville and is one of the world's largest manufacturers of aluminum sheet for beverage cans.  The Japanese group is buying Arco from BP Company North America.

Read more, here.

The John Manjiro Whitfield Commemorative Center for International Exchange is organizing its 21st Japan-America Grassroots Summit.  The Summit will take place from June 27 to July 4 and will include a three-night homestay.  All interested people are welcome, regardless of age or language ability.

The Japan America Grassroots Summit is an annual largescale meeting of Japanese and American citizens, held alternately in Japan and America. The Summit aims to strengthen the peaceful relationship between Japan and America by fostering grassroots friendship.  This year, the Summit will be held in Kochi, on the island of Shikoku, in southern Japan.

Kentuckians can leave from Lexington for $2,280.  Or you could save $100 by registering early by Thursday, March 31st.  Apply now!

When:  June 27 to July 4
Where:  Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan
Details:  here
Application:  here