DOCSLIB.ORG

Teaching English in Japan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Teaching English in Japan TEACHING ENGLISH IN JAPAN Teaching English in Japan TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW Job Overview….……………..1 CHAPTER 1 Public vs. Private…………..2 CHAPTER 2 Job Search….………….……..4 CHAPTER 3 Experiences….….…….……..7 CHAPTER 4 Resources…..……….……..17 International TEFL Academy © 2017 OVERVIEW The Asian market is one of the largest in throughout the U.S., U.K., and Canada. the world for English teachers, and Japan Instructors are usually responsible for air- has one of the longest traditions of em- fare and housing costs, although schools ploying English instructors. The Japanese do assist in finding housing and some- have mandated that English be taught in times provide accommodations. Most all of their public schools, beginning at age teachers live in apartments recently va- 5 and lasting through the completion of cated by previous teachers, and many high school. This broad base of child room with coworkers. learners has opened a large market for A solid hourly wage allows English teach- teaching English in Japan. Adults are ers to live a comfortable lifestyle, while taking English language classes in the saving up to 800 USD per month. English millions as well, and it often seems that teachers need a bachelor’s degree, and language schools, known as jukus, are on TEFL certification is required. Major cities every corner of a city block much like for English teaching jobs include Tokyo, Starbucks coffee shops in the USA. Fukuoka, Kobe, Kyoto, and Osaka. English teachers can find jobs year around, and in-person interviews are con- ducted 3 to 6 months in advance 1 CHAPTER 1 PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE Working in public schools throughout Ja- pan is very common for English teachers. Teachers –and are classroom assistants to Unlike language schools in Japan, public Japanese Teachers of English. schools typically have very strict applica- tion deadlines and start times. From There are a number of government pro- time to time a teacher may be able to find grams teachers can apply to, including the a public-school position outside of these world famous JET program. Another is In- times but these positions are typically terac. To get into these programs, you filled quickly by teachers already living in must begin the application process almost Japan. a year before you want to arrive. The most common public school positions The other option for teaching English in are found through the Jet Program. Eng- Japan is as private language centers, such lish teachers are more commonly known as Gaba, Berlitz, or AEON. Below is a chart as ALTs –Assistant Language comparing teaching for public schools versus private schools. 2 Public Schools vs. Language Schools Public School (JET) Private Language School Location Can be placed throughout Japan The teacher chooses the city or town Teaching 1 or 2 ESL teachers per school Many ESL teachers per school Environment Type of Student Children (elementary to high Children or adults school) Work hours and Normal school day Mornings, afternoons, and/or Schedule evenings Airfare & Provided by JET Varies; Typically, not provided Housing by employer Type of Job Assistant English teacher Lead English teacher Hiring Times One major time each year (early Year-round (may need to attend start dates can be available) an interview in your home coun- try) Timeline Info session: Varies depending on the school September – you are working for. Can take November anywhere between 1 and 6 Application Available: months. October – November Application Deadline: December Interview: January – February Results: April Placements: May – June Departures: July – August 3 CHAPTER 2 JOB SEARCH public schools through the JET program, there is a different process to gain a posi- The application for the JET program is a tion. long process that begins nearly a year be- fore the expected arrival date. The pro- When applying to private language gram application is only available in the schools, or jukus, it is possible to begin fall. If you submit all the documents (tran- the scripts, personal essay, proof of citizen- ship, and two letters of rec.), pass the in- terview process, and are selected by a process prior to arriving in Japan. This will Japanese school, you can expect to begin make it possible to obtain your work visa in late July and arrive in Japan with your prior to arriving in Japan, instead of enter- teaching job already secure. For English ing on a tourist visa and upgrading it teachers who are not applying to work in there. To get a work visa, you will need 4 your passport, Certificate of eligibility While most prefer the security of arriving (provided by the school employing you to in the country with a teaching contract prove that you have been hired), Interna- already signed, it is still possible to find a tional resume and cover letter, TEFL cer- job on the ground in Japan. There are tificate, Bachelor’s degree, and in some many language school chains that operate cases a criminal record check. throughout the country, and hire a large number of English teachers. It is possible Many teaching jobs are posted on job to secure a job at any time throughout the boards, so begin the application process year. Below are some of the largest lan- as soon as you can. Some schools will guage school chains: conduct interviews over skype, or even in your home country. Getting a job through Gaba – Provides one-on-one les- a recruiter is also a great way to smooth sons to clients of all ages and the process. Below are some of the most backgrounds throughout Japan - useful recruiting resources: http://teaching-injapan.gaba.co.jp/ Teach Away – Recruits for public and Berlitz – Employs more than 1200 private language schools in Japan - English teachers a year in Japan - http://www.teachaway.com/teach- http://teach.berlitz.co.jp/ english-japan/ ECC – Has 164 language schools Ittti – Recruits for language school Pep- throughout Japan and has different py Kids Club - http://www.ittti.com/ educational branches listed below- Footprints Recruiting - http://www.ecc.co.jp/htm/english http://footprintsrecruiting.com/learn- /index.html#01 about-teachingabroad/country- AEON – Teach English to infants up guides/country/japan to adults in locations throughout Japan - http://www.aeonet.com/englished ucation/ Amity – Teach English to all ages in schools mainly located in the cities, suburbs and rural areas of Honshu and Kyushu - http://www.amityteachers.com/te aching/ Westgate – Teach young learners, university students, or online stu- dents (must reside in Japan) throughout Japan. Contracts are usually signed per semester from 3 5 to 5 months and flights are reim- Recruit.net - bursed to Japan - http://japan.recruit.net/search.ht http://www.westgate.co.jp/applica ml?query=english+teacher tion/ Heart – Hires teachers to work mainly in public schools but also has positions working in private language schools - http://www.heart-school.jp/en/ Job boards are another good method for finding a job. Positions may be found on websites such as: Ajarn Recruit - http://ajarnrecruit.com/ O Hayo Sensei - http://www.ohayosensei.com/ Gaijin Pot - https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/ Jobs in Japan - http://www.jobsinjapan.com/ Career Cross - http://www.careercross.com/en/ Teacher Gig - http://www.teachergig.com/jobs/j apan 6 CHAPTER 3 EXPERIENCES Nagoya, Japan English What is your education level and back- ground? Teaching Q&A with Thomas Master's Degree or Higher Paeme Have you traveled abroad in the past? What is your citizenship? Taught English abroad previously Belgium If you have traveled abroad in the past, What city and state are you from? where have you been? Leuven Thailand, Cambodia How old are you? What sparked your interest in going to 25 teach English in Japan? I volunteered in Thailand and Cambodia as an English teacher for about 3 months. This inspired me to chase my dream of 7 becoming an English teacher. After com- were intelligent, constructive and very ing back to Belgium, I took an online TEFL useful. course and at the moment I'm teaching English in Nagoya, Japan. The tasks we got were extremely useful; they started off fairly easy but while our TEFL CLASS INFORMATION course progressed, the level of difficulty Why did you decide to get TEFL certified gradually went up as well. and choose International TEFL Academy? I browsed the Internet and some online Finally, the practicum (student teaching) is TEFL forums to find a good and renowned so important because you really get the TEFL company. It didn't take long before chance to put to use the skills and meth- noticing that International TEFL Academy ods you studied during the course. was the best pick. It sure isn't the cheap- est one, but it was definitely worth every How has your TEFL training helped you in penny. your current teaching position in Japan? First of all, it helped me enormously in Which TEFL certification course did you finding a teaching position because as a take? non-native speaker it is harder to find a Online TEFL Class job. How did you like the course? Secondly I had the chance to study a lot of The quality of the course was very high; I my peers' work; this gave me a lot of in- am very happy about the level of the syl- spiration and I still use a lot of the games, labus, the teachers and the co-students. activities and teaching methods that I The fact that students have to comment learned during my online teaching course. on their peers' assignments adds to the high level of this course; you learn a lot TEACHING ENGLISH IN NAGOYA, JAPAN from each other.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2011 Ehime JET Returnees' Guide
    2011 Ehime JET Returnees’ Guide For Non-Reappointment JETs graduating from Ehime life Edited and revised by your current and former Ehime Prefectural Advisors & Regional Advisors 2011 Ehime JET Returnees’ Guide Introduction You‟re now coming to the end of your tenure on JET and are preparing to leave. So what exactly are you supposed to be doing, and how do you go about it? This guidebook is here to help your transition from Ehime JET living into the next stage of your life. It has been put together over the years by a number of Ehime JETs who have also been through this process. Most sections of this guidebook has been updated, but some of the information may be a little out of date, so if you do come across any mistakes or you find some more current information, please pass this on to the Prefectural Advisors (PAs). The handbook has been divided into sections, hopefully allowing for easy use. Please have a read through each section. If there is something you can‟t find, or you have any questions on, please contact one of the PAs. Finally, congratulations on making it through your time on JET, and we hope you had a wonderful time and experience here in Ehime. We wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors. Vicky Murphy and Daisuke Yoshida Ehime JET Prefectural Advisors (2011-2012) 2 2011 Ehime JET Returnees’ Guide Table of Contents Introduction ············································································· 02 Countdown ············································································· 04 Checklist
    [Show full text]
  • Commodity, Capital, and Commercial ELT: a Political Economy of Eikaiwa English Language Teaching
    Commodity, Capital, and Commercial ELT: A Political Economy of Eikaiwa English Language Teaching Doctoral Thesis William Simpson IOE – UCL (Applied Linguistics) Word Count: 95,882 1 Signed Declaration: I, William Simpson, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. 2 Abstract: The aims of this research are threefold. Firstly, to understand how the drive for profit in commercial English language teaching (ELT) affects the manner in which language is taught. Secondly, to understand the how the various ways in which teachers are valued (monetarily in wages, valued as a ‘good’ teacher, and valued as an ‘authentic’ speaker of a language for example) interrelate with one another. Finally, the research aims to give an account of how teachers’ experiences of potential contradictions and tensions between commercial and pedagogic interests, and multiple forms of valuation, inform the way they understand themselves in relation to the economy and society more broadly. The research synthesises a body of research on political economy and language with Marxist political economy in order to understand commercial ELT through the moments of capital as value in motion: from the production and consumption of lessons, to the realisation of the lesson’s value in its sale, through to the distribution of this value in the form of wages. In focussing in on these moments throughout the circulation of capital, the research gives an account of the contradictory forces and interests at play within commercial eikaiwa – a form of ELT in Japan in which teachers are often precariously employed.
    [Show full text]
  • DAIWA Earnings Analysis of Major Banks–I
    DAIWA DAIWA INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH LTD. 6 December 2007 (No of pages: 19) Earnings Analysis of Major Banks–I —1H FY07 Earnings Summary and Operating Environment— (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp is affiliated with Daiwa Securities SMBC. See disclaimer below.) Equity Research Dept Akira Takai • Major banks’ aggregate 1H FY07 parent real net business profit (total sum of group banks) edged down 2.6% y/y to Y1,614.8 billion. Domestic net interest income expanded, mainly thanks to improvement in loan-deposit interest rate spreads. Treasury operations apparently improved overall, helped by lower overseas interest rates. Meanwhile, slow growth in net fee/commission income and an increase in overhead weighed on profit. • However, the main factor dragging down profit was aggregate credit costs net of recoveries, which reached Y366.1 billion, reversing course net credit recoveries of Y244.9 booked a year earlier. A number of banks took a hit from earnings deterioration at group non-banks and higher income taxes due to the realization of deferred tax assets during the year-earlier period. This capped aggregate consolidated net income at Y947.9 billion, 45.4% below the 1H FY06 figure, which was the highest in history. However, solid profitability prompted some banks to resume or raise common dividends in 1H. • The BOJ did not raise interest rates in 1H, after having lifted the unsecured overnight call rate 0.25% twice in FY06. The bond market retreated in 1Q but began to rebound in 2Q. Meanwhile, global equity markets pulled back in response to the deepening subprime loan crisis in August, causing Japanese equities to plummet.
    [Show full text]
  • Mozo Wondercity to Open on Tuesday, April 21
    March 5, 2009 Mitsubishi Corporation AEON MALL Co., Ltd. AEON RETAIL Co., Ltd. Opening of Mozo Wondercity in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture Mozo Wondercity To Open on Tuesday, April 21 Since November 2007, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and AEON Mall Co., Ltd (AM) have been redeveloping a shopping center in the north of Nagoya city, named “Mozo Wondercity”. The shopping center will open its doors to the public on April 21. Mozo Wondercity aims to “create a pleasant community for all” through services that meet the constantly changing needs of the consumer. The symbol of Mozo Wondercity is a baby tree, which has strong natural and environmental connotations. This is included in the shopping center’s new logo (as shown below). The baby tree signifies two things. The first is growth. Just as a carefully-nurtured sapling eventually grows into a magnificent tree, this new mall will hopefully flourish thanks to the care, support, and patronage of the community. The second is our natural environment. The baby tree image shows how Mozo Wondercity will exist as an environmentally conscious and friendly facility, a relatively new concept among shopping centers. 1 History of Mozo Wondercity The original shopping center was developed in 1994 and has been operated by AEON Mall Co., Ltd. for 13 years. During this time, it has been the most popular shopping center in the region. Amidst ongoing housing developments, however, the landscape has changed, and consumer preferences have grown increasingly diverse. The decision was made by MC and AM to redevelop the shopping center in order to better respond to these changing needs, giving rise to the new “Wondercity”.
    [Show full text]
  • An English Market in Japan: a Brief Psychology and History of Big Four Development
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by KANAGAWA University Repository Article An English Market in Japan: A Brief Psychology and History of Big Four Development Theron E. Fairchild Abstract The Big Four, in corporate English school history in Japan, set the standards for language communication as a commodity, as well as drove and dominated a market that annually generated billions in Japanese yen and reached hundreds of thousands in student-customers. The paper addresses the historical rise, decline, and resiliency of this industry, from the perspectives of management, marketing, and its underlying consumer psychology. The paper begins with critiques on the Japanese system of English education and the need for communicative training, followed by recent research from social, educational, and language psychology, as well as neuroscience, which collectively support why the need for such communication was desired in Japan. The paper next explores how that desire was commodified and marketed, how the student became a customer, and how the role of teacher became a sales asset. The focus on the Big Four schools presents a brief history of how two of them survived, how two failed, and how the market for private English has changed, from its rocketing beginning during the Japanese bubble economy of the 1980s, through the changes and downturns that occurred up to the present. keywords: EFL history, eikaiwa, English conversation school, English in Japan, English language business, English school history, language learning market Introduction In February 2006, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was reporting 826,000 enrollments in private English-conversation (eikaiwa: 英 会 話 ) schools in Japan, generating a monthly sales figure for the industry of ¥17.2 billion (apx.
    [Show full text]
  • AEON MALL Rifu Renewal
    AEON REIT Investment Corporation 16th FP ( Jan. 2021) Financial Results Presentation Material (the Asset Manager) AEON Reit Management Co., Ltd. Stock code : 3292 https://www.aeon-jreit.co.jp/ Table of contents I. 16th FP Financial Result/ 17th FP・ 18th FP Forecast /Future Growth Targets II. AEON REIT's Strengths 1. Executive Summary.............................................................. P.6 1. AEON REIT's Strengths................................................... P.23 2. “Community Infrastructure Asset” localized 2. 16th FP ( Jan. 2021 ) Financial Summary ........................ P.7 successfully ......................................................................... P.24 3. 17th FP( Jul. 2021) Forecast............................................. P.8 3. Perspectives of the “Community Infrastructure Asset”.................................................................................... 4. 18th FP( Jan. 2022) Forecast............................................ P.9 P.25 4. Stability of Community Infrastructure Asset and 5. 16th FP Operational Status ～Domestic Commercial its Rent ................................................................... P.26 Facilities Business Status～..................................................... P.10 5. External Growth ～Selective investments backed by 6. 16th FP Operational Status ～ Domestic Commercial Pipeline Support～ .............................................................. P.27 Facilities Store Performance～ ............................................... P.11 6. External Growth
    [Show full text]
  • Aeon Cover Letter Japan
    Aeon Cover Letter Japan irrefragably?Acquainted and Phobic hard-and-fast Wilt demythologise Ware catches, that Vehmgericht but Anatol erectly carouses barbecuing dwarfishly her and Valetta. etymologises Is Arel balked financially. or theodolitic when alleviates some oglers drizzle Proper visa is that those who snubbed me, aeon letter templates including no real guideline that i really got us Modern End-of-Life Services in Japan The Atlantic. Forms AEON Credit Service Malaysia. Data capturer cover letter example beautiful sample resume. Teach English in Japan with AEON Corporation AEON offers the important opportunity letter you to peg and wear in Japan Gain teaching international business. Japan in teaching started get what How Aeon with tips Interview courses TEFL. Aeon a trouble of ideas. Your miracle to Japan's Mall Food Courts aka Safety Nets for. Aeon which feature about 100 million customers also plans to harness. Each new teacher is asked to write a domestic of introduction to community school staff introduce. At 300pm immediately bill the mile East Japan Earthquake Aeon. I was searching for jobs in Japan when I apply across companies like AEON and NOVA. HIDSERP comcover-letterexamplesteachingenglish-teacher JobHero. Job Discussion Forums View topic Anybody get rejected. Of specialty stores covering a broad market range and smaller. Notice that since big companies like Interac Aeon etc always full proof of 10. ESL Teacher Cover for Example 2 The discussion 20 or 30 years. See capital of Gaba Teach English in Japan on Facebook Log In. Thank you email after you laid off Il Segugio Maremmano. Cookery Asian Cookery Chinese Cookery Indian Cookery Japanese.
    [Show full text]
  • 36.4 Tlt.Pdf
    accent argot articulation brogue cant The communication conversation dialect diction Languagedictionary discourse doublespeak expression gibberish Teacher idiom <jalt-publications.org/tlt> interchange jargon lexicon lingua franca JALT2012 Pre-conference Special Issue . July / August 2012 palaver Volume 36, Number 4 3 Plenary speaker articles from Suresh Canagarajah,parlance John Eyles, Alan Firth, Özge Karaoğlu, and Jeanettepatois ISSN 0289-7938 Littlemore phraseology ¥950 18 Featured speaker articles from Charles Browne, Carolyn Graham, Marjo Mitsutomi, Garold Murray, Ted O’Neill,prose The Japan Association Diane Nagatomo, John Wiltshier, and Sean Wraysignal for Language Teaching slang Feature Article . sound 41 Eleanor Carson and Hidenori Kashihara examinespeech students’ preferences for L1 use in the L2 classroom THE JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING 全 国 語 学 教 育 学 会 style talk JALT2012 Readers’ Forum . terminology Making a Difference 49 Simon Cooke explores grammar and autonomy tongue 55 Chris Wharton highlights two classroom activities that transcend level and age utterance verbalization My Share . vernacular 61 Contributions from Bibby, Chauhan-Lidgleyvocabulary and Lidgley, October 12-15, 2012 Cheetham, Lange and Park vocalization ACT City Hamamatsu, Hamamatsu, Japan Book Reviews . voice <jalt.org/conference> word 67 Text Reviews from Fast and Nagai wording JALT Publications } GRASSROOTS Laura MacGregor – Gakushuin University JALT Publications Board Chair Joyce Cunningham & Mariko Miyao Bern Mulvey – Iwate University Ted O’Neill
    [Show full text]
  • School Comparison (Version 1)
    Nova Geos Berlitz ECC Aeon Interview U.S Based Recruiting Yes *1 Ocassionally *4 No No. Toronto Yes. Paid Flight Over No No No No No Working Conditions Teaching (contact) Hours 22.6 *2 Up to 25 22 to 23 25 25 Office Hours 11.4 3 to 4 4.5 4.5 Total Hours 34 29.5 25-29 29.5 29.5 Training & Teaching 5 Days/ Paid in Several Days & 30 Days at 90 Days/Paid in How long 10 Days Japan & Follow- Ongoing Home & Ongoing Japan up Training Yes. Semi- Curriculum Flexibile? Activities Only No No No flexible Housing Housing Provided Yes Yes No *6 Yes Yes Furnished Apartment? Yes Yes No Yes Yes Private & Shared Private Apartment Private & Shared yes No Private *7 Key Money Paid? Yes yes No Yes Yes No. Subsidized No. 50,000 to No. Average Rent Paid No No 42,000 Yen Per 70,000 yen 55,000 Yen Month Salary and Benefits 250,000/Month 250,000/ Month 250,000/ Month 252,000/Month 255,000/ Month Salary in Yen Avg. *3 Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. 10 and National 20 and National 10 and National 22 and 13 15 and National Paid Vacation Days Holidays Holidays *5 Holidays National Holidays Holidays Up to 100,000 Yes. Dependent Yes. 65,000 Yen. Renewal Bonus No No Yen on Review Increases on 2nd Up to Yes. Not Dependent on Yes. Performance Raises After Completion 1-3% Per Year 15,000/Month Specified Review Based Yes 6,000 No Info. Health Insurance Yes-Free Yes-Free Yes-Free Yen/Month Available No Info.
    [Show full text]
  • NEW Time Totalk Intermediate
    Shane English School Japan February 2015 Volume 18 Issue 1 NEW Time toTalk intermediate See page 9 for pink more information in this issue... 2 - 3 News and Announcements 18 All About Portmanteau Words 4 - 7 It’s the Principal of it 19 The Capital of Tokyo 9 Tickled Pink 20 Relative Zero - A thought provoking peace 10 - 11 Kid’s Easter Activities 21 Spring will soon be here! 12 - 13 Taiken Tips 22 Recommendations 13 - 15 We Mean Business 23 Puzzle page 16 - 17 Mixed Ability Young Learner Classes 24 Calendar Shane Teachers’ newsletter - February 2015 1 “ News and Announcements. Adult progress check “ answer sheet errata Adult progress check time is fast approaching. You Standby can find the adult progress check answer sheet in section D4 of the 2014 Teaching Manual In the event that you are sick on any day of the LTCL Diploma Eikoh (available online and in all schools). SUCCESS! week, please call: Discounts Unfortunately the answers to the Clockwise Many congratulations to the following teachers who Advanced (spring) check in the paper version have successfully completed the Diploma with Shane. Teachers who have worked for Shane for 6 are incorrect. Many thanks to the teacher that month’s or longer may be entitled to discounts passed on this information. The intranet edition 090 1817 8467 • Sam Holman (CBD) when they enrol their children for classes at some has been updated, but the teaching manual in the • Chris Needham (CBD) Eikoh schools. You need to complete a form to schools won’t be changed until April.
    [Show full text]
  • “More Japanese Than Japanese”: Subjectivation in the Age of Brand Nationalism and the Internet
    “MORE JAPANESE THAN JAPANESE”: SUBJECTIVATION IN THE AGE OF BRAND NATIONALISM AND THE INTERNET by REBECCA LYNN CARLSON B.A., SAN FRANCISION STATE UNIVERSITY, 1996 MFA, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, 2003 MA, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, 2006 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of THE DIETRICH SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2018 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH THE DIETRICH SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES This dissertation was presented by REBECCA LYNN CARLSON It was defended on APRIL 2, 2018 and approved by Laura C. Brown, Assistant Professor, Anthropology Tomas Matza, Assistant Professor, Anthropology Annette Vee, Assistant Professor, English Clark Chilson, Associate Professor, Religious Studies Dissertation Advisor: Andrew J. Strathern, Andrew Mellon Professor, Anthropology ii Copyright © by Rebecca Lynn Carlson 2018 iii “MORE JAPANESE THAN JAPANESE”: SUBJECTIVATION IN THE AGE OF BRAND NATIONALISM AND THE INTERNET Rebecca Lynn Carlson, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2018 Today, modern technologies and the rapid circulation of information across geographic boundaries are said to be making the nation-state less relevant to daily life. In contrast, this dissertation argues that national boundary maintenance is increasingly made more relevant not in spite of such technologies, but precisely because of them. Indeed, processes of circulation are themselves making and re-making such boundaries rather than erasing them, while states simultaneously react to contain the perceived threats of globalization and to capitalize on the sale of their “cultural” commodities through nation branding. For American otaku, or Japan fans, internet technologies and the consumption of Japanese media like videogames and anime are quintessential global flows from within which they first articulate a desire for Japan.
    [Show full text]
  • GAIN JA8708 – Japan Regional Retail Food
    THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY Voluntary - Public Date: 12/21/2018 GAIN Report Number: JA8708 Japan Post: Osaka ATO Japan Regional Retail Foods Report Categories: Retail Foods Approved By: Jeff Zimmerman - Osaka ATO Director Prepared By: Kenta Kubokawa - Agricultural Marketing Specialist Report Highlights: In 2017, Japan’s retail food and beverages sector accounted for $474.3 billion in sales of which an estimated $310 billion, or 65 percent, is attributed to regional independent supermarket chains. This report provides an overview by region of independent supermarkets. Independent regional supermarkets provide opportunities for either new U.S. exporters or those looking to further penetrate the Japanese market. Japan’s Regional Independent Supermarkets This report provides an overview of Japan’s regional independent supermarkets; in particular, those whose management makes independent purchasing decisions (cf. Appendix I). This definition excludes nationwide firms – such as United Supermarket Holdings (U.S.M.H.), Aeon, Ito-Yokado, Seiyu - and their directly managed subsidiaries whose purchasers have less autonomy over product purchasing. For a more detailed analysis of the overall Japanese retail market, one should refer to the annual Japan Retail Foods GAIN report located here Regional Focus In 2017, Government of Japan (GoJ) statistics show the total value of all retail food and beverage sales was estimated at $474.3 billion (52.2 trillion JPY) (1 USD =110 JPY). Of this total, the domestic supermarket/general merchandise stores (SM/GSM) sector (excluding Department Stores) accounted for 72 percent or, $342 billion in food and beverages sales.
    [Show full text]