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Faces of API AJET page 2 Re-Thinking “Princess Mononoke” page 5

API AJET

Hana-Meet-Up in Nagoya

page 6

@api Exclusive with

Allen Bo Agunday c o - f o u n d e r o f T h e J e t C o a s t e r a n d Dr i f t H u n t e r

page 10

Undercover Internationalization:

Being an API JET

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issue #007

Faces of API AJET

National Co-Representatives 2014-2015 ハイタイ from Okinawa!

It’s been an absolute honor and privilege being the conational representative of Asian Pacific Islander AJET alongside Albert David for the past year. I want to thank the API community for opening my eyes to issues I had never considered before and for teaching me so many new things about cultures and backgrounds other than my own. Not only did I learn more about the experiences of fellow JETs, I also managed to help organize the first ever API AJET National Meet-up, which was definitely one of my favorite memories during my three years here. So, again - to all members of API AJET, thank you for everything! I wish all the best for the future of API AJET and the newly appointed national and block representatives!

Mariko Cook

ちばりよー！

沖縄県 Okinawa

Greetings.

Albert David Valderrama 茨城県 Ibaraki

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I would like to thank everyone for making API AJET possible all these years. Everyone’s support has allowed this group to grow and flourish into something really big and exciting. A big thanks to all of the National and Block Representatives, past and present, for building and fostering communities in your areas. A big thanks to all of the contributors who have lent a hand and shared your stories throughout the years.

And a really big thanks to everyone who reads the webzine, posts comments, likes articles, shares links, answers weekly questions, and simply takes part in the API AJET journey.

I am excited for this upcoming group of organizers. I believe that you can take API AJET even further into the future with everyone’s collective passion and enthusiasm. And I can’t wait to see how it goes.

I hope everyone can continue to support API AJET whether you’re a current member, a potential member, or a member who has moved on to greater things. ありがとうございました。これからもよろしくお願いします。

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Faces of API AJET

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National Co-Representatives 2015-2016 Hi, everyone!

I’m Cat Dinh from Northern California, USA. I went to school at UC Davis, and worked in Emeryville for several years before coming onto JET. I was Block 1 Co-Rep for Stonewall and Treasurer for FuJET (Fukushima) between my first and second year, and thought I would take a break, but I’m glad I was invited to run as National Rep for API AJET. I really believe this community is important to us as a safe space for invisible foreigners, so I hope we can continue to support each other in Japan! I look forward to our shared experiences and different perspectives, so as we plan meetup events and online publications, I hope many of you will be inspired to contribute your voice with us.

Cat Dinh 福島県

Fukushima

Hi, everyone.

Ryan Hata 鳥取県 Tottori

My name is Ryan Hata and I am an incoming National Representative for API AJET. I am a first year ALT placed in Tottori City near the Sand Dunes. I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai`i. After high school, I moved to Los Angeles, California earning my BA in Communication Studies from Loyola Marymount University. After a “gap year” back in Hawai`i, I moved to San Francisco where I obtained my MA in Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University.

I am a huge sports fanatic. Any chance I get, I am watching a sporting event or reading the latest rumors for the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc. I also enjoy playing basketball, swimming, and bowling. When I am not doing anything sports related, I like to travel and especially love the beach.

My goals for API AJET this year is to spread awareness about our community throughout Japan. I also want API AJET to be a support system for people who may feel lost coming to Japan. I am looking forward to communicating with you in some capacity soon!

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Faces of API AJET

Block Representatives 2015-2016 The Asian Pacific Islander Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (API AJET) has a number of Block Representatives that also run the organization from behind the scenes, creating and fostering communities in their regions by putting together events and bringing people together.

Block 1: Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Akita

Jared Oliva, 青森県 (Aomori) Rebecca Chen, 秋田県 (Akita) Block 2: Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima, Niigata

Vacant

Block 3: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Nagano

Jaime Ota, 群馬県 (Gunma) Harris Vu, 群馬県 (Gunma)

Block 4: Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Shizuoka Teresa Fong, 東京都 (Tokyo)

Block 5: Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Gifu, Aichi Melody Tsukahara, 陶山健 (Toyama)

Block 6: Shiga, Kyoto, Hyogo Stuart Wong, 滋賀県 (Shiga) Block 7: Mie, Osaka, Nara, Wakayama

Vacant

Block 8: Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi

Vacant

Block 9: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi

Sachi Kaneko, 鳥取県 (Tottori) Dana Leaming, 鳥取県 (Tottori)

Block 10: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita Nick Tasaka-Mejia, 長崎県 (Nagasaki) Block 11: Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa

Vacant

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issue #007

RE-THINKING “PRINCESS MONONOKE” B Y S H I N I C H I R O S ATO

"Princess Mononoke," one of the most famous Japanese anime films by the world-leading animator Hayao Miyazaki, has been highly praised for its quality as an animation and artistic creativity, revealing the uniqueness of ancient Japanese mentality and world-views. Japan's traditional "animism" and the early process of modernization are the spotlighted themes. The conflict between superstition (represented by ancient gods in the film) and rationalization, the environmental degradation accelerated by industrialization, social marginalization and discrimination toward minorities are profoundly depicted, as if to strike a note of warning against modern society's conceited attitude. Furthermore, the dialogue between the two main characters Ashitaka and Princess San at the end leaves an opportunity for the viewers to re-think what "living together" means.

This film illuminates the decline of animism, the world ordered by gods and natural laws, and how ruthlessly it is taken over by industrial civilization.

Princess San and her wolf family are represented as the emissaries of the former, and Lady Eboshi, the leader of the iron town, of the latter. While Eboshi is portrayed as a dominating and authoritative woman, she shows kindness and mercy by giving jobs to marginalized people such as prostitutes and those with Hansen’ s disease. They, in return, work hard at the ironworks for Eboshi, without considering that their products are to make firearms, causing violence and mass destruction. Ashitaka, with a severely wounded right arm cursed by the Boar God in revenge for mankind's attacks, appears in the town and takes on a role of the mediator. He is not only respectful and deeply versed in animistic views of the world but also understands human nature; infirmity and self-contradiction. He consistently encourages reconciliation between the two worlds. For all his efforts, however, a disaster takes place when Eboshi shoots off the head of the Deer God (Shi-Shi Gami), the Great Forest Spirit. He transforms into a God of Death and wanders around looking for his head, sucking the life out of everything he touches. Finally, when Ashitaka and San return his head to Shi-Shi Gami, it brings everything back to life and lifts the curse from Ashitaka's arm.

The ending has San and Ashitaka bid each other farewell.

You mean so much to me but I cannot forgive what people have done.

SAN

That’s all right. You live in a forest, I will live at ironworks.

We will live together. Yakul (Ashitaka's elk) and I will visit you.

A S H I TA K A

They make the seemingly paradoxical decision to live apart but together.

Integrating two different cultures with different philosophies in the same box often creates pain, and even worse, can lead to hatred as a result of unbalanced power relations and the inevitable emergence of cultural hierarchies between the two. Ashitaka's decision points to a way of life that transcends differences by respecting each other's culture and choice of path. He can be compared to a window between two different worlds, through which both can come and go. What makes it possible to live with others may be building as many of these windows as possible, allowing travel "between worlds".

"Princess Mononoke" was released in 1997 and still sends us a very powerful message about society at the present time.

Shinichiro Sato is a cultural theorist born in Mito, whose interests include the representation of power in films and visual art.

MA Culture, Diaspora, Ethnicity at Birkbeck, University of London.

THE LAUNCH OF WAZZUP ISSUE #1 Issue #1 includes “Re-thinking Princess Mononoke” by Shinichiro Sato, a cultural theorist born in Mito-city, Ibaraki, and an interview with Adam Soha who hosts two radio shows on FM Palulun, a community radio station in Ibaraki.

Also included are amusing anecdotes by Ibaraki’s foreign residents. >> Read more VOLUNTEERS WANTED WAZZUP is to dig up and showcase Ibaraki talent of all sorts. We believe your ideas and skills are essential for building more powerful cross-cultural bridges and making Ibaraki a truly unique and enjoyable place. Send us email at joinwazzup.ibaraki@gmail.com. http://wazzuppe.weebly.com/ “Re-Thinking ‘Princess Mononoke’” by Shinichiro Sato and all Wazzup images are reprinted with consent from Wazzup. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means of any part is prohibited without permission.

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issue #007

API AJET

Hana-Meet-Up in Nagoya written and photographed by Jana Hopkins (群馬県)

additional photographs by Mariko Cook (沖縄県), Albert David Valderrama (茨城県), Harris Vu (群馬県), & Brandon Yanari (岐阜県)

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issue #007

On

11 April 2015, the Asian Pacific Islander Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (API AJET) special interest group held a national meet-up in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. It was the first ever national event in the group’s three-year lifespan. It was also a great opportunity to finally meet members from across the country in person and enjoy Nagoya’s famous landmarks.

The planning for this long-waited event was difficult, but it all panned out. Nagoya was centrally located between all of the current API AJET Block Representatives, coming from as far south as Okinawa and from as far north as Gunma. With a Spring Festival still in swing and some cherry blossoms still in bloom, it made for the perfect weekend to get together.

We met around lunch in front of Nagoya Castle on that Saturday. For most of us, it was our first time ever seeing each other, so there was no telling what to expect. Thankfully, Albert David Valderrama (Ibaraki ALT), one of the National Co-Representatives and co-founder of API AJET, held up a whiteboard with the group’s name, which made it very easy for everyone to find each other and start chatting. Overall, there was a total of 15 people in attendance, including nonJETs and local Japanese community members.

After a brief welcome greeting from Albert David and Mariko Cook (Okinawa CIR), also a National Co-Representative, we strolled around the castle grounds, taking pictures of the

falling sakura and various performances along the way. Having circled the gardens surrounding the castle, we headed up, starting from the top floor to the bottom. There were many exhibits that depicted the history of Nagoya, and the view was clear and fantastic with the rainy weather having cleared up completely by that morning.

For lunch, we looked to the food stalls on the castle grounds. We were definitely hungry after climbing seven flights of stairs. There was an open area under a large tree that we claimed for our hanami portion of the meet. It was perfect; it had a picturesque view of the castle above the sakura, it was close to the food, and it was located in the event square. We thought we would have a good view of the samurai event going on until other visitors crowded the field.

But we were still able to walk over, see the show, and get some cool photos.

After relaxing for a couple hours, we made our way out of the castle grounds. At the station, we ended with closing words and a final clap, as many of us had trains, buses, and planes to catch for home. This first meet-up was a wonderful opportunity to talk to people new and old about JET and API experiences, and just to relax in the warm spring weather. I hope next year will be even better than the last.

If you would like to join API AJET or just want more information, please visit api.ajet.net or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ groups/apiajet. ◆

Photos from left to right: (1) Closing words from the National Representatives. (2) Picnic time on the field.

(3) API AJET at Nagoya Castle. (4) Picnic time from the other side. (5) Post-Hana-Meet-Up group picture.

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issue #007

Undercover Internationalization:

Being an API JET written by Rochelle Zheng (千葉県)

“Oh, I’m Rochelle, by the way.” Several minutes into conversation with a new Japanese acquaintance, I realize I should introduce myself and do so (in Japanese, as the conversation has been so far).

They freeze. Look at me again, as if checking for something they missed. “...are you...Japanese?”

For some reason this always comes out slowly. Or sometimes, still slowly, it’s just, “...where are you from?”

“Ah, actually, I’m American!” I explain cheerfully.

If they still look confused, sometimes I add, “ChineseAmerican, to be specific.” This also preemptively prevents another common question: “But you’re Japanese/part Japanese, right?”

“Wow, I completely just thought you were Japanese!” comes the usual reply.

I just smile politely. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

I

do get that a lot, practically every time I speak to a native Japantese person without properly introducing myself first. (To be fair, I have also been complimented on my English pronunciation by fellow native speakers on multiple occasions.) I guess it just comes with living in Japan and being of Asian descent, and I prefer to think of it as a compliment to my Japanese ability that it isn’t immediately obvious from my pronunciation that I’m not a native speaker.

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I will admit though, it can get a little repetitive, and sometimes I wish that people would start conversations or that random little kids would say “Hello!” to me in English as they do to my more obviously non-Japanese friends. That said, it is nice not having to deal with staring in public places or assumptions that I can’t use chopsticks, though I did get complimented on my use of them once.

Living as an an expatriate in Japan when you’re of Asian descent

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issue #007

is a complicated business with both pros and cons, like the few I mentioned above. Some of my Asian friends have complained about always being expected to interpret for groups, despite not speaking much Japanese, or about being expected to understand Japanese culture even while suffering culture shock themselves.

For me personally, as an Asian-American, it is pretty nice to live somewhere where, for the first time, the majority of people I see look like me.

Though in America I never necessarily felt like an outsider because of my race, I was always still aware that being a minority set me apart somehow, and so I was always careful to identify as a Chinese-American, not fully one culture or the other but a little of both. As a non-citizen living in Japan, I am most definitely still a minority, but now I am not visibly so, and the feeling of blending in is new and somehow reassuring. At the same time, I know that as far as Japan is concerned, I will always be an outsider simply because I am not Japanese.

Often I joke that someday I’ll just introduce myself with a Japanese name and see how long it takes until people figure out that I am not in fact Japanese, and maybe, if I ever work up the courage, I actually will. But when it comes down to it, in the end I am happy to just be me, complicated, confusing identity and all.

I like to think that my presence in Japan helps to break stereotypes: showing people that “American” doesn’t necessarily mean white or blond-haired and blue-eyed, or that you don’t have to be Japanese or grow up in Japan to speak the language fluently. I think there’s also value in reminding people in Japan that even people who look very similar can come from completely different backgrounds; for a country whose majority of immigrants and foreign residents come from Asia, it always confuses me that to most Japanese people, “foreigner” equals “non-Asian”, at least as far as stereotypes about appearance go.

One of the main goals of the JET Programme is grassroots internationalization, and when I first applied I was actually concerned that they wouldn’t hire me because I didn’t look different enough. But after living for almost three years in a land where ‘foreign’ is instantly categorized as ‘other’ and simultaneously idolized and regarded with suspicion, my experiences have made me wonder if perhaps sometimes it’s being both the same but different that can have the biggest impact on showing each other how people from different cultures are just that: different in some ways, but ultimately very similar as well. And this, I think, is something that JETs of Asian descent can uniquely offer to help the JET Programme fulfill that goal.◆

I like to think that my presence in Japan helps to break stereotypes...

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@api Exclusive with

issue #007

Allen Bo Agunday Allen Bo

Agunday

c o - f o u n d e r o f T h e J e t C o a s t e r a n d Dr i f t H u n t e r

written by Albert David Valderrama (茨城県)

A

llen Bo Agunday, also known as Albo, is a fifth-year JET Programme Assistant Language Teacher based in Gunma Prefecture, originally hailing from Toronto, Canada. He is the co-founder of The Jet Coaster community and Drift Hunter documentary. The Jet Coaster is a newly rebranded online resource for both JETs and non-JETs who are interested in traveling, living, and/or working in Japan. Drift Hunter is an ongoing documentary project about the underground drift scene in Japan’s Kanto region taking place in the mountains of Gunma.

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O

riginally targeted towards potential JET applicants and an extension of Albo’s personal blog, Albo and co-founder Thomas Simmons have branched out to create a “platform to share unique experiences and information about Japan” according to their website. Together, the two manage a portal into Japan consisting of various personal blogs, YouTube videos, iTunes podcasts, and regular posts on the website itself from contributing members.

When asked about The Jet Coaster’s philosophy, Albo says, “Basically, I want to make it a resource for a bunch of different topics. One of them would be for people who are interested in the JET Programme and want to figure out what’s the best way to apply to JET and how

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issue #007 to make the most out of their JET experience.”

Furthermore, Albo explains that as creators, he and Simmons are trying to “make The Jet Coaster a resource for people who are interested in Japan in some sense, whether that’s for travel or living abroad, or that’s for exploring all the unique opportunities that you have here as a foreigner.”

The two had worked really hard to re-launch the website after its rebranding, so much so that Albo would often drop by the local Starbucks, work on the website, and not go home until it closed at midnight. Now, anyone can become a part of The Jet Coaster community simply by posting on The Jet Coaster Forum or submitting their own content to the creators.

A

s a side project, Albo, along with co-pilot Josh (youtube.com/mygreatsensei & www. great-sensei.com) is also producing a webbased documentary called Drift Hunter. Albo takes his shot at being an independent filmmaker by following several tightly knit groups of drifters on his local mountains. Albo hopes to document not only the amazing visuals of the fast-paced underground world he has become a part of, but also the stories of the drifters whose passions lie in driving the touge in their own special way.

To some, Gunma Prefecture may be known for its hot springs and snow resorts, but to others like Albo, it is known as the birthplace of drifting. “It’s really famous for drifting because of the anime Initial-D,” says Albo. “Over time, because I had an interest in cars, I met some people who slowly introduced me to the scene.”

Albo describes his first encounter with the Japanese drift scene as mind-blowing. “It culminated one night when one of my friends, who is actually one of my mentors–my senpai– brought me over to one of the drifting meets. I brought my camera with my fastest lens, I went over there, and it blew my mind. It was like the most incredible thing I’d ever seen.... When I saw it for the first time, it blew my mind completely.

Just the fact that it was so close to what I saw in the anime, I thought, ‘This is incredible. People have to see this.’”

Albo then shot a video that night and put it on his YouTube channel (youtube.com/l7frost), where it then got reposted on Kotaku, a popular video gaming blog. Within the next 24 hours, his

6-minute video went viral to the tune of 80,000 views. However, because some of the drifters featured in his video were actually professional drivers, Albo had to cut his video down to a mere minute or two of footage. Still, people found him on Reddit, YouTube, and even Facebook, asking him to make more.

To get more footage of the action, Albo had to track down the drifters on his own and become part of the underground scene.

“Eventually, one night, I stumbled upon them again after a bunch of driving,” recounts Albo. “I just tried to make friends. I went out of my way to be super friendly, super genki, and tried to get to know people.

“I want to make a video...I was explaining it as a ‘video.’ Then one time, I was explaining it to somebody else and said, ‘I’m making a documentary.’ That’s when their eyes lit up.”

And it was in that moment when Albo realized what he really wanted to do.

He continues, “I was a little interested in getting into the drifting lifestyle. How are people doing this? Where are people getting money for tires? What are their lives and stuff? What are their jobs? How are the Japanese people doing it? They were telling me their stories, and I thought, ‘That is really interesting. This could be a story. This could be a documentary.’”

Concurrently while Albo was re-launching The Jet Coaster, this spark of inspiration hit him as the start of a documentary project which he later named “Drift Hunter.” “I’m super fortunate that I just happen to be here,” he says about his situation. “I’m super grateful for this opportunity so far. It’s been great.”

T

hese days as Albo completes his time on the JET Programme, The Jet Coaster community continues to thrive and the Drift Hunter documentary progresses bit by bit. Albo is proving to be quite the inspiration for more and more people wanting to share their experiences on JET and in Japan. Additionally, he is reaching a worldwide audience with his short glimpses into the drift culture which finds its home in his backyard.

To contribute to The Jet Coaster or simply get more information about Albo and his projects, please visit www.TheJetCoaster.com.

To learn more about Drift Hunter specifically and support the documentary, please visit www.

DriftHunter.net.◆

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Contributions by: Jana Hopkins Shinichiro Sato (Wazzup) Rochelle Zheng Cover Photo by: Albert David R. Valderrama Other Photos by: Mariko Cook Jana Hopkins Harris Vu Brandon Yanari Special Thanks to: Allen Bo Agunday (The Jet Coaster) Mariko Cook Cat Dinh Ryan Hata Makiko Okumura (Wazzup) Edited by: Jana Hopkins Alexis Tai Albert David R. Valderrama Uncredited images are used for demonstration purposes only.

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@API is a publication compiled in partnership with the Asian Pacific Islander Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (API AJET). The views expressed by @API contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the API AJET Special Interest Group.

All contents retain their copyright to the respective contributor(s) and are printed by @API under special permission. @API Layout & Design Š 2014, 2015. All rights reserved.