Japan/America News

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

Our thoughts go out to all those living in Japan or with loved ones in the area as a series of powerful earthquakes--including one 8.9 magnitude quake--and a tsunami have struck the northeastern portion of the country.  The 8.9 magnitude quake is the largest earthquake to strike Japan since recording began, 140 years ago.  The resulting tsunami is reported to have been 10 meters tall.

If you know of somebody affected by the earthquakes or tsunami who needs help or if you know of a need that JASK could lend a hand with, please let us know via email at programs@jask.org.

Read more about the earthquake and tsunami on Reuters.

Find loved ones on Google's person finder.

Donate to the International Red Cross or GlobalGiving.org.

The American Committee for KEEP, Inc., celebrates the legacy of Paul Rusch, who was instrumental in rebuilding Japan after World War II.   The Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project (KEEP) will hold a reception in Lexington on March 11 to celebrate their regional exchange program with Madison County and the legacy or Mr. Rusch.  Learn about ongoing activities in Kiyosato, a thriving economic and community development project, and Paul Rusch, whose roots are in Kentucky.  The reception will be at 6 pm on Friday, March 11 at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral on Market Street.  Please contact Jennifer Corwyn at 1-800-368-5337 or ack@ackeep.org if you are interested in attending.

Check out their flyer!

We sometimes get asked: “Why Lexington?”  “Why is JASK not in Frankfort, Kentucky’s capitol?” 

The fact is that 70% of our members are near Lexington, which has been a wonderful home to JASK since we started 24 years ago.  However, we have kept our eyes open for an ideal ‘central’ location. 

We found it.  

On March 15, JASK will move to Frankfort, where we are grateful to be housed by David Adkisson and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.  We will now be closer to more JASK members than ever before.  

We foresee a lot of positive outcomes beyond just the proximity to our members.  As we grow throughout Kentucky, members can now visit JASK immediately off of I-64 (Exit 58).  The Kentucky Chamber office is literally at Frankfort’s front door.  We will also plan to host more events at the new office.  The Kentucky Chamber recently remodeled and we are humbled to be partial benefactors.  Read more about their elegant artwork and meeting space here.  Finally, we look forward to learning from the great work being done at the Kentucky Chamber as we continually improve JASK. 

Moving, however, always comes with goodbyes as well.  Ms. Toshiko Tachihara, who has worked hard at JASK since October, has decided to not move with JASK.  The new commute is more difficult for Lexingtonians.  Toshi has been a very valuable member of our team and she will be missed.  Please join us in wishing her the best of luck in her future endeavors.  Thanks, Toshi!  

We are also saddened to bid farewell to our friends at the Kentucky World Trade Center.  Every day for nearly four years, we have enjoyed their good company and cooperation on many projects.  Our relationship with KWTC has always been strong and mutually beneficial.  We want to thank the Kentucky World Trade Center for being our gracious host. 

Luckily, we have many reasons to stay in touch with both Toshiko and the Kentucky World Trade Center after we move. 

Our move to Frankfort represents a momentous new beginning.  We hope you will drop in after March 15 to say hello: we will be right at Frankfort’s front door!  

The Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra begins its fiftieth season this fall and the first performance of the season will feature Midori, the world-famous violinist.  Born in Osaka, Japan, Midori made a name for herself at age 11 when she performed Paganini's notoriously challenging Violin Concerto with the New York Philharmonic.  Midori will be playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto in Lexington on September 30.