JAPANESE GLOBALIZATION Internationalization at Home and Abroad 6 JET Program
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#69 OCTOBER 2013 JAPANESE GLOBALIZATION Internationalization at Home and Abroad 6 JET Program Doshisha University accepting 9 foreign exchange students Points-Based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals 11 12 Nippon Budōkan Features 4 22 24 PRIME MINISTER'S STUDENT'S SCIENCE AND DIARY CORNER TECHNOLOGY Also COFESTA 2013 Kannazuki Motoman makes history © COPYRIGHT 2013 CABINET OFFICE OF JAPAN WHERE TO FIND US The views expressed in this magazine by the interviewees Tokyo Narita Airport terminals 1 & 2 ● JR East Travel Service Center (Tokyo Narita Airport) ● or contributors do not necessarily represent the views of Kansai Tourist Information Center (Kansai Int'l Airport) ● JR Tokyo Station Tourist Information the Cabinet Office or the Government of Japan. No article Center ● Foreign Press Center/Japan ● Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan ● Delegation of or any part thereof may be reproduced without the express the European Union to Japan ● Tokyo University ● Waseda University ● Asia Pacific Univeristy permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries ● Ritsumeikan University ● Kokushikan University ● University of Tsukuba ● Keio University ● should be made through a form available at : Meiji University ● Osaka University ● Kyushu University ● Kyoto University ● Tohoku University ● Nagoya University ● Sophia University ● Doshisha University ● Akita International University www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/mailform/inquiry.html ● International University of Japan 2 | highlighting japan ISSUE 69, OCTOBER 2013 16 Theme for october: Akita International University’s Exchange Programs JAPANESE GLOBALIZATION his issue sheds Tokyo International 14 Exchange Center light on Japan's initiatives UNESCO World Conference aimed at promoting cross- on Education for Sustainable 15 cultural communication and Development understanding, and changes to the Japanese education 20 system that will help to develop Medical Excellence Japan (MEJ) human resources better prepared for career pathways in an international setting. Japan’s contribution to overseas countries through voluntary international cooperation and expansion of business that is 18 firmly rooted in inbound services JICA’s Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers is also explored. 26 28 30 JAPANESE 47 PREFECTURES 47 PREFECTURES ABROAD FROM A TO Y FROM A TO Y Mr. Mori Mikio Hyogo Ibaraki EDITOR Roger D. Smith (EDITOR) ON THE COVER PROJECT MANAGER Jonathan Grogan Japanese Globalization: CONTRIBUTORS Alena Eckelmann, Terrie Lloyd, Selena Internationalization at home and aboard Hoy, Danny Minn, Veena Hoshino, Jonathan Grogan, Louis Dai, Nayalan Moodley (CONTRIBUTORS) Anna Cock Gibson (PROOFREADER) DESIGN Payoon Worachananan (DESIGNER, ILLUSTRATOR) ADMINISTRATION/ACCOUNTING Emi Sakuyama, Michiko Anezaki, Jeanette Komatsu (ADMINSTRATION) october 2013 | 3 Prime Minister's Diary a force for peace and stability, just PRIME MINISTER VISITS CANADA as it has been until now, or rather, to a degree even greater than AND THE UNITED STATES it has been thus far, given the increasingly tragic state suffusing the globe. Japan will newly bear the flag of ‘Proactive Contribution to Peace.” He also said, “Japan intends to make efforts towards measures that will ensure the participation of women at all stages, including the prevention and resolution of conflicts as well as peace- Left: Prime Minister Abe shaking hands with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Canada building, and that will also th Right: Prime Minister Abe delivering an address at the 68 Session of the General safeguard the rights and the Assembly of the United Nations physical well-being of women rom September 24 to Canada. In the United States, he who are exposed to danger in September 27, Prime attended the 68th Session of the times of conflict.” Minister Abe visited General Assembly of the United Prime Minister Abe stated Canada and the United Nations (UN) and delivered an that the Government of Japan FStates. In Canada, Prime Minister address at the General Debate. will implement ODA in excess of Abe held talks with Mr. Stephen Prime Minister Abe said, “I US$ 3 billion over the next three Harper, Prime Minister of pledge here that I will make Japan years for those purpose. PRIME MINISTER ATTENDS ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC) INDONESIA 2013 n October 7, during his “So my message to you is the “Through the ‘APEC spirit’, visit to the Republic of following. When considering the we will mobilize the region’s Indonesia to attend the mounting need for infrastructure technologies, knowledge, and Asia-Pacific Economic build-up and urban development in capital in order to push forward OCooperation (APEC) Economic your countries, always remember in creating the world’s most Leaders’ Meeting, Prime Minister that you have Japan, a country advanced infrastructure.” Shinzo Abe delivered a keynote always intent to contribute speech at APEC CEO Summit 2013. to your endeavours, with its “Japan has the experience of technologies and experiences, in achieving rapid economic growth partnership with people whose even while overcoming energy in-depth knowledge of the local shortages, pollution, and other markets is indispensable. And such limitations. And we are a it goes without saying that for people who will not be stingy in investors, tremendous investment sharing any of those experiences opportunities will also emerge in and technologies.” such areas.” Session of leaders and their spouses 4 | highlighting japan >> TOPICS CoFesta 2013 CoFesta (JAPAN INTERNATIONAL CONTENTS FESTIVAL) is the world’s largest comprehensive PRIME MINISTER contents festival. The events connected with the contents industry, like games, animation, manga, ATTENDS JAPAN-ASEAN characters, broadcast, music and film, are held in cooperation with each other. SUMMIT While various contents from Japan influence and he Sixteenth Japan-ASEAN Summit was improve each other, and cooperate in the media held on October 9, 2013 in Bandar Seri technology industry to spread our message, CoFesta Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. Prime aims to be the world’s largest contents festival Minister Abe attended the meeting. which creates new capability and spreads it abroad TPrime Minister Abe noted that Brunei widely. Darussalam marked his 8th ASEAN Member This year, CoFesta is held primarily between State that he has visited since taking office and October and December and expects 2 million people reflects the importance Japan puts on ASEAN. in attendance. The festival attracted 1.8 million He looked forward to visiting all ten Member visitors last year. States by the end of this year, which marks the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, as well as welcoming all ASEAN leaders to Tokyo in December during the ASEAN- Japan Commemorative Summit. Prime Minister Abe wished that all ASEAN leaders will enjoy their stay in Japan, and stated that Japan is preparing for the summit so that the visits would be fruitful and worthy of commemorating the 40th anniversary. Tokyo Game Show 2013 (held in September) He also mentioned that the most significant outcome of the commemorative summit would The main official events be to address to the world a vision that will direct October 2013 the future of Japan and ASEAN, and wished that 17 thu 24 thu concrete measures and projects can be discussed 40th Japan Prize so that there will be productive results. 26th Tokyo International Film 17 thu 25 fri Festival 22 tue 24 thu Japan Content Showcase 2013 24 thu 26 sat Digital Content EXPO 2013 november 2013 7 thu 10 sun Manga Festival in Singapore Japan-ASEAN Summit Meeting International Broadcast 13 wed 15 fri Equipment Exhibition 2013 a.k.a. Inter BEE 2013 Photographs and text courtesy of the Public Relations Office of the Government of Japan. Text courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website. december 2013 4 wed ATP Award TV Grand Prix 2013 OCTOBER 2013 | 5 Feature JAPANESE GLOBALIZATION JET Program: communicating with Japanese students through the joy of teaching Christine Maeda with local elementary school students DANNY MINN OST Japanese know of foreigners mainly countries such as the US, Canada, the UK, in public schools helping the students Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, in 2013, with English learning. What they might JET welcomed over 4,000 participants from 40 not know is that most of these foreigners countries including people whose employment Mhave been dispatched through the Japan Exchange contracts were extended. and Teaching Program, or the JET Program. JET has JET program is administered by The Council recruited more than 58,000 young people from 63 of Local Authorities for International Relations different countries to come to Japan over the last 27 (CLAIR). The project is also cooperated by the years. While most of them hail from English-speaking following Japanese government ministries: 6 | highlighting japan ....Eating lunch with the kids every day allows me to interact with them in a more“ informal setting and to answer their various questions regarding my country and the world in general.” Ministry of Internal Affairs and are not expected to make their pronunciation and international Communications, Ministry of students fluent, but rather to studies. Zack is married to a Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry contribute toward a positive Japanese National, and they now of Education, Culture, Sports learning experience so that have a three-year-old daughter. Science and Technology. Local students will feel more receptive Still teaching English as a job even government organizations are about learning foreign languages after the end of his JET contract, also fundamental to the operation and socializing with foreigners he said, “I try to incorporate of the program. Its main purpose now and in the future. cultural elements into my lessons is to promote internationalization We talked to Zack Robertson, whenever possible. Eating lunch by inviting young people to from Texas in the USA. Zack with the kids every day allows me assist in exchange programs worked as an ALT near Fukuoka to interact with them in a more and foreign language education from 2005 to 2010. ALT is short informal setting and to answer in local governments, boards for Assistant Language Teacher.