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Acknowledgements The 2015 Japan Trip would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors and benefactors. We are truly indebted to them for the time, assistance and expertise they have provided. We would like to thank our donors Dr. Paul Terasaki, founder of the Terasaki Foundation, Dr. Franklin Gilliam, Dean of UCLA Luskin School, Dr. Mark Peterson, Chair of the Public Policy Department, Dr. Todd Franke, Chair of the Social Welfare Department, Mr. Toru Akaike, Principal of Kofu First High School in Yamanashi Prefecture, and Mr. Kenji Funakawa. Without their generous support, this trip would not have been possible. Additionally we would like to thank the UCLA staff and professors who have helped us with our logistical preparations and assistance for the trip. From the Public Policy Department, we would like to thank Maciek Kolodziejczak, Director of Student Services, Dan Oyenoki, Administrative Specialist, and Nancy Huynh, Assistant Director of Student Services. We would also like to thank Professor Yumiko Kawanishi for her Japanese introduction class, as well as Mr. Yoh Kawano for his reconstruction class, which were both very helpful for the participants. Finally we would like to thank Dr. Stephen Commins and the GPA staff for their advice and direction. We would like to thank the numerous Japanese government ministries, agencies, local government offices, non-profits, schools, students, and alumni for their assistance, hospitality and time. We give special thanks to Mr. Koji Kazuno, who organized the Yamanashi section of the trip for the education team. And last but not least, we would like to thank the participants of the trip, whose energy and enthusiasm reinvigorated our own efforts and gave us a fresh perspective of Japan. Without them, there would have been no Japan trip. We sincerely hope that the experiences and connections they have made in Japan will serve them well in their professional careers.
Luskin School Japan Trip 2015 Organizers Patrick Allan Co Takahiro Asaoka Ko Kawaragi Rie Kudo Noriko Magara Keisuke Matsumoto Nozomi Ohno Takehiro Suzuki Yasunori Takizawa Glenn Yamada Yoshiha Yamakawa Toru Yoshida 2
Contents Reconstruction 4 Trip Summary 6 National Diet of Japan Reconstruction Agency Rikkyo University Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Office for Environmental Remediation Decontamination Site Minamisoma City Government Indoor Vegetable Factory Volunteering at a Survivors’ Community Center Development Bank of Japan, Tohoku branch Miyagi Mental Health Care Center Onagawa Town Zen Sitting in Dogenin Personal Reflections 13 Education 20 Trip Summary 22 Japanese National Diet Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Honcho Elementary School Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO University of Tokyo Saiko Iyashinosato Nennba Oshi (Former-Togawa family House)/ Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine Education Board of Yamanashi Prefecture Kofu First High School Shiobe Kindergarten Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd, Hakushu Shichiken Personal Reflections 29 Transportation & Economy 40 Trip Summary 42 Japanese National Diet The Bullet Train Operation Center of Center of Central Japan Railway Company Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry SCMAGLEV and Railway Park Kyoto Kyoto City Office Experiencing the Kyo-machiya Tamanohikari Sake Brewing Corporation CrossEffect, Inc. Personal Reflections 47 Editor’s Note 54
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RECONSTRUCTION
Group Organizer: Nozomi Ohno (MPP ‘16) Rie Kudo (MPP ‘16) Noriko Magara (MPP ‘16)
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Group Members: Maria Abesa (MPP/JD ’16) Precy Agtarap (MURP ’15) Izabela Chmielelwska (MPP ’15) Michelle Cordi (MPP ’16) Perri Kruse (MSW ’15) Maritza Lee (MURP ’16) Brittany Kimiko Madigan (MSW/ MPH ’15) Kevin Medina (MPP/MSW ’15) Victor Mendez (MURP ’15) Kelsey Mulcahy (MPP ’16) Jennifer Oehlman (MSW ’15)
Itinerary Date
Plan
Place
3/23 Mon.
National Diet Reconstruction Agency Rikkyo University
Tokyo
3/24 Tue.
Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Office for Environmental Remediation Decontamination site Stay at Farm Guest House
Fukushima
3/25 Wed.
Minamisoma City Government Indoor vegetable factory Volunteering Development Bank of Japan, Tohoku branch
Fukushima
3/26 Thu.
Miyagi Mental Health Care Center Onagawa Town
Miyagi
3/27 Fri.
Temple (Dogenin), Zen sitting meditation
Miyagi
Miyagi
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DAY 1 National Diet of Japan
By: Michelle Cordi It was just a little bit strange walking into the National Diet, which is the governing body of Japan, with its four kilometers of red carpet and Emperor’s Room. It was strange because it was familiar to me even while surrounded by signs I could not read and busts of leaders I did not recognize. Perhaps this was because I expected to see the differences between Japan and the U.S. by visiting the building that houses Japan’s national government. Instead I saw a great many similarities. We had the chance to visit the chamber of the House of Representatives , and it is an impressive room. A prominent dais, plenty of woodwork and a semicircular seating arrangement reminded me of the last State of the Union address. Not only did the design elements remind me of home, but the structure of the government is similar in several ways. Although Japan has a parliament, the structure of the legislature is bicameral and emphasizes the separation of powers. Ultimately, the exotic international government I expected to find in Tokyo did not materialize, but it is interesting to find reminders of home across the international dateline. It was truly an honor to visit the National Diet, and to walk the grounds knowing the rest of the trip would provide varied perspectives from different levels of government. This visit helped me better understand how the Japanese government works, at the national level, and that was invaluable information for me as a member of the reconstruction team.
Reconstruction Agency
By: Perri Kruse After the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, 25 meter high tsunami, and nuclear power plant leak that took place on the coastal cities of Japan in 2011, organizations across the country began to respond and search for ways to decontaminate the land, rebuild lost buildings and homes, and revitalize businesses. At the Reconstruction Agency, we learned from Assistant Director Jun Jinushi, who explained to us in greater detail the extent of the devastation from the disaster and the efforts being taken to rebuild. There were approximately 120,000 evacuees that came out of the Fukushima prefecture, many of who will never be able to return again because of the dangers of the nuclear radiation. Immediately, volunteers came to Tohoku from across the nation and around the globe to remove debris in order to create a foundation for the restoration of infrastructure. Currently, the removal of debris has been completed in 231 municipalities in twelve prefectures, but debris removal in Fukushima continues to take place. Jinushi mentioned that the top priority of agencies assisting on this matter is to save lives and provide basic necessities to evacuees. Once this need is met, the next priority is to help survivors return to their daily routines. Some of this assistance comes in the form of building public housing for evacuees. Additionally, as part of the community relocation project, homes are being built on higher land in order to decrease the likelihood of devastation should another tsunami occur. Jinushi also shared that the national government has been helpful during the rebuilding, but not as much in solving the issue of revitalization, another large component. Furthermore, a goal of many organizations has been to change the misconception that purchasing agriculture 6
and products grown in Fukushima is safe. Decreasing the worries of consumers by educating them on the safety precautions being taken on Fukushima-grown products will help to stimulate and revitalize the agricultural economy once again.
Rikkyo University
By: Maria Abesa On March 23, Monday, the Reconstruction team visited Rikkyo University to hear a lecture from Professor Tajima of the Department of Economic Studies. Rikkyo University is a beautiful school in Tokyo, reminiscent of liberal arts colleges on the East Coast. We were welcomed warmly by faculty and students alike. Professor Tajima’s lecture was about the continuing economic effects of the 2011 disaster. Specifically, she discussed the effects of the perceived danger of radioactive pollution on Fukushima’s agricultural products. Because of the public unease surrounding produce grown near the contaminated sites, market prices of vegetables from Fukushima have plummeted and failed to recover. Professor Tajima’s lecture was very interesting. Many people think disaster management ends when the fires are put out and the evacuees are resettled. We learned that there are much longer-lasting effects: more subtle, but just as damaging and hander to fix. It was also a good opportunity to apply what we had learned in our statistics and economics classes. We were able to participate fully in discussions about simultaneous equations, interaction terms, and market demand. H was quite exciting to prone that we were perfectly capable of engaging others using material we had been tested on just the week before.
DAY 2 Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Office for Environmental Remediation By: Victor Mendez On Tuesday, March 24, the Reconstruction team visited the Ministry of Environment’s Fukushima Office for Environmental Remediation. The meeting focused on the progress of the decontamination efforts pertaining to the Fukushima Nuclear Plant disaster that occurred on March 12, 2011. Five months after the disaster, The Act on Special Measures Concerning the Handling of Radioactive Pollution was enacted in August 2011, in response to the unprecedented situation of radioactive pollution after the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The Act came into force on January 1, 2012, which established a new policy for the off-site decontamination works (collection, transfer, temporary storage, and final disposal) under the responsibility of the national government. Under the Act, there are two categories of contaminated areas. The first one is the “Special Decontamination Area”, where decontamination is implemented by the national government to 11 municipalities in the (former) restricted zone in Fukushima Prefecture. The second one is “Intensive Contamination Survey Area”, where decontamination is implemented by each municipality (104) in eight prefectures with financial and technical measures by the national government. As of today, almost half of the 11 municipalities in the former restricted zone have completed decontamination and lifted evacuation orders. The remaining municipalities are expected to complete in 1-2 years which will also lift evacuation orders. On the other hand, the majority of municipalities outside of Fukushima Prefecture are still in the progress or almost completed with decontamination work as of the end of December 2014.
Decontamination Site
By: Brittany Kimiko Madigan On March 24, the Reconstruction team visited the devastated areas of Fukushima affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disaster. We first visited a decontamination site in Iitate, Fukushima within the 20 km evacuated zone where workers were removing fallen leaves and topsoil from the contaminated grounds. Our tour guide, Mr. Mochida, reported that it was impossible to completely decontaminate the forest area, as it would require removal of all soil, which could potentially lead to erosion and another natural disaster. He also informed us that many of the workers have come from other parts of Japan, motivated by their desire to help restore their country. Mr. Mochida then led us to a storage site where the removed soil would be stored indefinitely. The devastation was not immediately apparent as the neighborhoods were still intact; however, the absence of people became strikingly noticeable. We were informed that the residents could return to their homes during the day, but could not stay overnight. Many Fukushima residents have strong familial ties to their land that have extended over hundreds of years and struggle with the unfortunate reality that they will not be able to return to their homelands indefinitely. We drove further out to the coastal area near Minamisoma city which was devastated by the tsunami. Much of the rubble had been cleared, though a few devastated homes remained as powerful reminders of the severity of the tsunami four years ago.
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DAY 3 Meeting with Mayor Sakurai
By: Precy Agtarap We were fortunate to speak with Mayor Katsunobu Sakurai from the City of Minamisoma to learn about the government’s role during the evacuations and what it took to guide the citizens to safety from the devastation caused by the tsunami, earthquake, and nuclear power plant. Mayor Sakurai wore the beige uniform that he is frequently pictured in, which portrays a sense of normalcy but within minutes of discussion we learn that after four years of agony, experience, and turmoil nothing can be what it once was. Mayor Sakurai explains that there was an overwhelming panic among his citizens - streets were filled with cars, while others were confused whether to stay or leave. The lack of and miscommunication between local and national government about the evacuation procedures left Mayor Sakurai to make a decision based on his leadership instincts, a difference between life and death. Although the Mayor was able to evacuate his citizens there were causalities and some people chose not to return. The city felt that they were abandoned and the increasing supply and food shortage added to the mistrust of the national government. The Mayor explains that a leader’s judgment is very important in times of turmoil. Over the years, he has seen many officials psychologically and physically affected by the disasters, therefore, he runs several miles every morning in order to maintain a positive and healthy well- being necessary to be a good leader. While the City has gone through many changes but the citizens are still struggling today. Issues of job creation, population rebalance, environment and safety, mental health services, infrastructure, reconstruction, finances, and other pressing concerns are challenges that the City continues to struggle with. At the forefront, rebuilding people’s lives.
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Indoor Vegetable Factory
By: Kelsey Mulcahy The solar powered vegetable factory in Minamisoma City was initially created to combat the negative public image of crops grown in Fukushima due to the nuclear disaster. Despite the levels of radiation being very low, the rest of the country and world are still worried. The president of the company previously worked for Tokyo Electric Power Company which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and feels partly responsible for the disaster. Now, he manages this joint public and private solar venture that grows lettuce and celery from clean energy. The factory is built on land that used to be houses before being destroyed by the tsunami. The main objective of the factory is education; they want to inform the public of the power of alternate forms of energy and have students become the leaders in the reconstruction effort. The facility opened two years ago and has hosted over 1,800 children in their educational program. The children stay for half of the school day and experience devices where they can change the direction of the solar panels to see when they get the maximum power. They also eat sandwiches from the lettuce grown in the factory. Other programs include children bringing bags of house trash so they can produce methane gas to heat water for coffee. The children are eager to present their ideas because they are inspired, leading to the emphasis on the future generation in Minamisoma City’s reconstruction efforts.
Volunteering at a Survivors’ By: Izabela Chmielelwska Community Center
After learning about the disaster management recovery from national and local leaders, we spent an afternoon with some victims of the 2011 tsunami in the Fukushima area. The community center’s main room was filled with people that live in temporary housing, mostly elderly women and a few men. The activity volunteers were mostly young women, which contrasted with the predominately male cadre of politicians whom we have met earlier. The people at the community center were very happy that we came, and showed their gratitude by involving us in all the games. There were three: newspaper toggle of war, fan pon-pon ping-pong, and racing around the table with candy on a spoon. Even though we did not speak Japanese, and the ladies did not speak English, we got along great and had a lot of fun (with some translation help from our awesome leaders, Noriko ad Rie). There was also a musical part to the evening. Everybody sang Japanese songs together, and our group was invited to sing “Moon River” with the accompaniment of the guest musician who came to lead group singing. Besides songs and games, we got to interact with smiles and laughs, and the language barrier seemed to disappear. The lady at my table presented Jenny and me with beautiful crafts with little dolls dressed in kimonos on an acorn (pictured). It was such a pleasant surprise, which really captured the generous spirit of the Japanese people. It was uplifting to see that a new community is formed in the face of tragic loss, even four years after the disaster.
Development Bank of Japan, Tohoku branch
By: Jennifer Oehlman During our visit to Sendai, we had the opportunity to hear a presentation outlining the challenges affecting reconstruction efforts after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the role of finance in revitalizing the economy for local businesses in the devastated areas. Sendai recently hosted the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk, where the Development Bank of Japan presented financial initiatives to further improve the sustainability of businesses if faced with future disasters. Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) provides consulting to various businesses to first assess the company’s overall resiliency and disaster preparedness, and next work to improve the resiliency of the company based on the risk assessment ranking. While the ranking system existed before the 2011 earthquake and compared results to companies in other countries, the system previously focused on preventing natural disasters, but has now shifted to preparedness in responding to risk. As an incentive to improve risk preparedness, DBJ provides preferred interest rates to companies that rank higher and demonstrate the likelihood that they can recover fully from any disaster, natural or other. Providing consulting services further distinguishes DBJ from other banks, and encourages various companies to convene and discuss what works well in improving risk preparedness. DBJ also aims to improve the current market for local businesses that are still suffering from the effects of the devastation from the tsunami, earthquake, and nuclear power plant disaster. Some of the challenges local cities have faced since the disaster is the mismatch in supply and demand for concrete, ceramics, and earth and stone products during the significant reconstruction efforts, as well as a mismatch in employment, as there are more jobs available in construction and mining than qualified employees. Although the economy is now booming for some local industries, fishing and tourism within the affected cities are still suffering in Tohoku due to perceptions that the local seafood is contaminated by radiation, and fear of radiation is another factor deterring tourists from visiting these cities. DBJ created a fund to for the seafood and fishing/fish processing industry to provide financial support as well as consulting. In 2013, DBJ worked on an initiative in Kesennuma at Aiku Hot Spring Resort with a study group promoting health tourism. Since the 2011 disaster, food companies have been seeking alternative meat sources to avoid local seafood, particularly shark meat. The goal of this study group was to develop new uses for shark meat and to encourage local business such as Aiku Resort to serve more creative varieties of shark in order to utilize Kesennuma’s natural and abundant resources and further improve the economy of the local fishing industry.
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DAY 4
Miyagi Mental Health Care Center By: Kevin Medina The 2011 Tohoku disaster had significant mental health implications for victims. The lead psychologist from the Miyagi Mental Health Care Center illustrated some of the most common symptoms seen in victims including cessation of physical health treatment, addictive behaviors (usually to alcohol), isolation, depression and suicidal ideation. He emphasized the importance of community and social support in Japan in buffering mental illness. Unfortunately, many victims lose their communities twice. First they lose their community after the 2011 Tsunami and Earthquake. The victims can then take refuge in government-supported housing. Upon acquisition of steady income, they transition out of temporary housing and lose the community they found there. Losing their community two times in the face of a disaster is a colossal hindrance in the rehabilitation process. Another major barrier is the presence of mental health stigma that prevented many victims from engaging mental health services.
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With knowledge of this embedded stigma, mental health professionals relabeled their services as fatigue check-ins, to lessen the mental health connotations. After this reframe, they saw an increase in victims who sought treatment. The Mental Health Care Center offers home visits, case management, education, and support at job placements. Although they face a shortage of workers, he discredited the efficacy of global mental health aid for Tohoku. The devastated prefectures in Tohoku consist of small, tight-knit communities. Many members would reject the help of outsiders. More pertinent than help from the outside, is a robust understanding of community characteristics to truly empathize with the victims of the region. In the end, it seems that there is no formulaic way to address mental health in response to a huge disaster. What seems to matter more is engaging Tohoku as a community and delivering services in a culturally appropriate way.
Onagawa Town
By: Maritza Lee On March 26, the UCLA reconstruction team visited Onagawa Town, the most devastated town from the tsunami that followed the large earthquake in Fukushima. According to official data collected, the day of the disaster caused a 10% loss of life in the population of the town. Around 80% of the remaining population lost everything they owned. Homes, stores, farms, businesses and personal belongings were washed away in a giant wave that was recorded as high as 20m in some places. Four years after the disaster the town is still picking up the pieces. The reconstruction process has been very challenging. Onagawa has a small local government, unable to handle the reconstruction of the town by itself. Fortunately the local businesses are being proactive and have coopted to get together with the town and plan the reconstruction process. During our visit we had a chance to interview with Asuhenokibo, a non-profit group who is redesigning the town from the ground up. Since there was so much devastation in the low lying areas near the ocean the project has proposed that all housing be relocated to the surrounding mountain terrain. The geography of the area was a flat semicircular area of land that was barely above sea level, surrounded by mountains and hills. One of the challenges for the revitalization of the cities economy is that the local community relied heavily on fisheries and oyster farming as the primary economic activity. The local beach areas in the town are renown as good fishing spots nation wide. With the resulting nuclear disaster just south of the town on the coastal waters, the perception of the nation was changed as to the safety of the fish and oysters that were being harvested from the local community. People were extremely worried about the possibility of contamination from the fallout and this posed a very large challenge for the community to regain its momentum as a quality fishery. Aside from the challenges, the town has posted signs everywhere that state “Onagawa does not give up!�. It is evident that this is a true statement that Onagawa is not giving up. There are projects underway, in which soil is being moved to elevate areas to reduce the danger of another tsunami reaching it. The town has decided not to build a tsunami wall in fear that it could make it harder for the residents to see any future tsunamis. Instead the plan was implemented to relocate all housing to higher elevations and further away from the ocean itself. The only structures that are allowed to be built near the ocean and/or in low-lying areas are commercial buildings built to withstand another tsunami. One week prior to our arrival the new train station for the town was reopened. Sometime later this year the new shopping mall will be reopened as well. The stores in the mall will be filled with well-known Japanese companies bringing back life to the town. From the original 10,000 residents only about
6,000 still remain in the local area. There is hope the town will once again be the town it once was due to the efforts of the current plans in action. Recently 500 people were moved back into the town from temporary housing to municipal housing. The overall implementation of the plan will take 30 years. This has given the younger generation of the area a large role in its creation and implementation because they are truly building the town of their future today.
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DAY 5 Zen Sitting in Dogenin
By: Perri Kruse
I was the first of us students to walk in. I followed the lead of our translator, and participated in the ritualistic process prior to assuming my position on the floor. Once directed, I sat in what I know to be the “lotus position.” I watched as the Chief Priest began banging on the drums, and chanting in conjunction with his wife. It was a very different experience than what I expected, and different than how I have meditated in the United States. Following the beginning rituals, the Priest then proceeded to teach us how to meditate—how to breathe, how to sit, and where to look. After what felt like twenty minutes (and my inability to still feel my feet), we closed with a bow. I can tell it takes multiple tries to master. We then proceeded to the next room where we had the privilege of enjoying tea, snacks, and learning about the role of the temple during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The temple Dogenin, served as a refuge for citizens during the disaster. Although items broke because of the earthquake, its convenient location at the top of a hill allowed for the avoidance of the flooding from the tsunami. Hundreds of victims crowded inside for safety, and the Chief Priest strove to make their experience as calming and comforting as possible. Services from all over Japan came to the temple to attend to the people’s needs (i.e. by providing hair cuts, medical care, clothing, and so on). Additionally, the Chief Priest shared with us personal narratives of those who lost loved ones in the disaster. There was great loss and sadness during that time. However, the ability for the people to adapt to a small environment and come together as a community during such a tragic time was powerful.
Personal Reflection
By: Maria Abesa One Canon EOS 600D, one wide-angle lens, one telephoto lens, one Lensbaby Composer Pro, and one Canon 580EX SpeedLite. All that was crammed into a camera bag that weighed, in total, about eight pounds. Doesn’t sound like much, but after seven days, 10,800 miles by air, and 700 miles by land, my shoulder was ready to fall off. Excessive? Probably. But I had never been to Japan before, and I wanted to capture it all. Sure, the other four senses were out. No amount of gear could capture the sheer everything of all we experienced. The inimitable smell of Pacific salt water as we explored the Fukushima coast. The glorious feel of a cup of hot sencha tea in our freezing hands. The unmatched flavor of the sashimi fresh from Onagawa Bay. The beautiful, haunting timbre of the chief priest’s voice as he chanted a prayer for our safe return to Los Angeles. Those are all things I can’t share; those are all experiences that will have to remain jealously nurtured in my memory. Thanks to my trusty gear, though, I can share tons of pictures: pictures of the National Diet, of the big blue seascapes, of classmates clad in kimonos, of the surprisingly competitive games we played with the senior citizens at the relocation community center, of trains and taxis and sashimi and sake, of the construction efforts ongoing on the north coast. I also have far too many pictures of Luskin students jumping in front of things. Ironically – or perhaps fittingly – the one place I don’t have a photograph of is the one place that touched me the most: Minamisoma City. His name is Katsunobu Sakurai. I didn’t know it at the time, but the mayor of Minamisoma had uploaded a plea for help on YouTube in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami. The video went viral, and aid from across the world poured into the city. Sakurai achieved Internet fame and even ended up on Time’s yearly list of the world’s one hundred most influential people. Now, some people think he’s a hero working tirelessly to revive his city. Others think he is a man who has bought into his own press, and that his efforts to bring people back into a city devastated by radiation are fruitless at best and reckless at worst. I don’t know which camp is right. All I know is that when we met, he told us about the day the tsunami hit his city. About the confusion and lack of clear communication from the central government. About having to make quick decisions despite knowing little about the disaster. About reaching out to nearby local government leaders to for aid, and about his refusal to evacuate the city until the end. He told us about the thousands of Minamisoma residents who made it to safety and the hundreds who died in the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan. He had to make decisions, Sakurai said. In the absence of swift intervention by the central government, he had to be the one to call the shots. He thinks they did alright. Considering that every other stop on our itinerary had been cheerful and happy, this particular visit was an oddity. I remember looking at him and being struck by how angry he seemed. Angry at being forced to make those decisions with little guidance. Betrayed, on behalf of the city. Frustrated with the difficulties Minamisoma continues to face, four years after the earthquake. And he seemed tired – understandably so – of fighting for
a city that he feels was abandoned by the government in 2011, and is now being left behind by its own population. Angry, betrayed, frustrated, tired. Not exactly a glowing list of adjectives. Yet, most importantly, Katsunobu Sakurai was still there. He is angry, betrayed, frustrated, and tired; still he works to restore Minamisoma City. He is overseeing the physical reconstruction of the areas flattened by the earthquake and the tsunami. He is developing economic programs to entice businesses and labor to return. Knowing the limitations of his own office and his city’s need to marshal additional resources, he has opened city hall to officials from the same central government that he feels failed to provide adequate support in the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima earthquake. We need that human connection, Sakurai said. If the city is going to recover, the central government must understand the city, and the city must understand the central government. And for that, there must be a human connection. It was, in my opinion, a singular example of setting aside one’s emotions for a cause greater than one’s own vindication and ego. We visited a lot of breathtakingly beautiful places in Japan. But it was in that room – that plain, white-walled government office just like so many I’ve been to here in the United States – that I found the most unforgettable aspect of the trip. Katsunobu Sakurai reminded me of why I chose to pursue an MPP. All that we do in school – those painful exams, those endless hours trying to make Stata do something (do anything, sometimes), inching our way through reams of readings, juggling internships with our academics and anemic social lives – lead to one thing: Minamisoma City. We struggle our way through the MPP so that when our Tohoku earthquake comes – in whatever form it might assume – we will stand ready. We will have built a city capable of withstanding much; we will know how to communicate with our constituents in a timely, meaningful, and convincing manner; we will be well-equipped to bring economies back from the brink and help people make themselves whole again. We will know how to deal with perspectives and ideas that are sometimes virulently opposed to our own, subjugating our pride and emotions for the greater good. We will be of service when we’re needed the most – and we will be excellent on behalf of the constituents we serve. One of the best things about spending spring break in Japan was getting to know my colleagues better. They are a remarkable group of people: immensely gifted, kind, and intelligent. They are curious about the world and certain of their desire to make it a better place. If I had but one wish for them and for myself, it would be for each of us to find what Minamisoma City is to Katsunobu Sakurai: a place we can serve with competence, selflessness, and conviction. 13
By: Precy Agtarap In reflecting over the time I had spent in Japan during our spring break trip this year, I have concluded that one day I would love to go back. The trip was full of memorable experiences. Meeting students from Public Policy and Social Welfare allowed me, an Urban Planner graduate student to view the issues through multiple lenses. I hope the encounters and challenges, and hopes and fears that we have learned through our conversations with city officials and citizens will teach us how to prepare for both natural and man made disasters. Several of us arrived three days before the rest of the group and we were able to venture on our own in Tokyo. Although the cherry blossoms weren’t in full bloom we got to see a few along Ueno Park. It was a lot of fun and there was so much excitement in trying to figure out how to get to the next city. We were overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of the Japanese people, who instantly knew that we could not understand the train schedule. We were able to get around using the underground public transportation surrounded by vast amounts of department and mini-mart stores and delicious eateries. The cities were dense in Tokyo and the buildings and streets were intricately woven into the urban fabric. There was hardly any traffic and not once did I hear an angry driver; on top of that, the streets were so clean! We eventually had to leave Tokyo, and all three groups, education, reconstruction, and transportation, went to different areas of Japan. I was part of the reconstruction group and we learned about the issues post- earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disasters. We traveled to Fukushima and Miyagi and stayed in a farm guest- house, fed the alpacas, relaxed in the hot springs, and went to a Zen temple to learn mediation. We were very fortunate to have a few scheduled meetings with several agencies and ministries as well, such as the Reconstruction Agency, a lecture with Professor Tajima at Rikkyo University, the Ministry of the Environment, the Minamisoma City Government, and the Development Bank of Japan. This was the interesting part because we got to learn and ask questions in order to help us understand and imagine what it could have been like during these disasters. Of course, an hour or so will not explain the emotions, pain, and suffering that they have experienced. The whole trip was to inspire and teach us about how we can apply it to our studies, internships, and jobs. I am focused on Community Economic Development and Housing and I am particularly interested in understanding the impacts of disasters on housing and relocation. All three disasters in Japan forced people to leave behind the community they have lived in all their lives and some of them have remained in temporary housing, a significant change to what they have been accustomed to. I am currently in a class centered on disaster and management and I hope to address this issue more in depth. In LA, this will be an important issue to address since there are so many people living here and the topic of housing is contentious. The Mayor of Minamisoma advised that we need to have multiple disaster plans prepared but they should be interconnected; to think of the citizen’s safety first; and to have strong leadership and collaboration in order to minimize chaos and distrust. The best thing we can do is to ensure that individuals and families who may not have access to information regarding disaster preparedness are provided with resources. We should also start 14
to have individual plans and safety kits handy. Although these are minor suggestions, it can at least help us to start thinking about the possibility of a disaster and what we can do to help each other. I’d also like to share one last event—We got to spend some time with a few of the elders at a community event, which is held once or twice a month for those who are living in temporary or permanent housing. A couple of the ladies at our table showed another student and I how to make origami cherry blossoms. They were sweet, kind, and extremely patient with us. One of them even gave me all of her colorful paper so that I can make it for my family and friends. I was touched by how much we were able to bond even with the language barrier. At the end of the day, we were all taking pictures and as we parted ways, she had given me a small stuffed owl and pinned it on my shirt. She said it would bring me happiness and luck. I will never forget that special moment we shared. By: Izabela Chmielewska The Japan study trip was a very rewarding experience. The week-long immersion into the multifaceted aspects of reconstruction gave me a much deeper understanding of the post-disaster efforts. This cannot be taught in a classroom – it must be experienced. We traveled throughout Northeastern Japan to learn how the triple-disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear) is being handled, and how those efforts are being received by the affected population. The small towns in the Tohoku region were a stark contrast between the big-city lifestyle we observed in Tokyo. It was a glimpse into another Japan. A Japan that is still reeling from that disastrous day of March 11, 2011. The country is rocked by earthquakes on a regular basis, and generally has incredibly reliable infrastructure that can withstand them. However, the magnitude of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting tsunami and Fukushima nuclear catastrophe were too great even for Japan to handle. Four years later, the country is gradually transitioning from recovery to resilience. At the national level, policy design and implementation is systematic, and seemingly addresses issues holistically and effectively. The debris has been cleaned up, and new construction is ongoing. But there still is lingering bitterness and stigma, especially in Fukushima. The victims and many local officials say that the national government failed to provide adequate evacuation during the disaster and has misguided priorities of recovery. One of the major grievances is that there is too much concentration of efforts and funds on decontamination rather than focusing on moving people out of temporary housing faster and restoring their lives and livelihoods. The loss of family, communities, heritage, and way of life has left a deep void that cannot be filled with policies and money alone. Ancient fishing villages have been wiped out; many of them were in the inhabitable red zone with no hope of rebuilding homes on the land of their ancestors. Human understanding is a key ingredient of the healing process. Japan’s people have a lot of compassion, but there
are cultural and structural barriers to emotional expression and mental health interventions. Despite this, the high level of social cohesion and the spirit of revitalization provide a good foundation for improvement. Many towns, like Onagawa, are turning a tragedy into an opportunity to build a better city through a cooperation of government, businesses, nonprofits, and residents. This kind of approach and verve are very impressive – and promise a better tomorrow. There were many poignant moments throughout the trip, but few stand out in particular: the Minamisoma Mayor reflecting on the tragic day and the painful aftermath for him and his city, and the former Tepco executive whose sense of guilt led him to establish an innovative vegetable factory as an emblem of reconciliation. We also had a moment to reflect on the meaning of the reconstruction, particularly during two interactive events: volunteering with the elderly survivors at a community center, and learning about physical and spiritual relief at a Zen Buddhist temple. These very personal encounters added an invaluable human dimension that we could not have gotten from the meetings with government officials alone. The multifaceted view of post-disaster Japan gave us a holistic understanding of many angles of reconstruction and revival. The reconstruction trip integrated elements of public policy, urban planning, and social welfare into its program. All of these elements are needed for today’s recovery and tomorrow’s resilience – a valuable caveat for us to know as future leaders. How can the lessons from Japan be applied to the United States? The importance of social cohesion is often undermined in the American society, which unlike Japan, is heterogeneous and does not have deeply established cultural traditions that could nurture it. Another lesson is coordination and speed of disaster response. In comparison, the response to Hurricane Katrina was a disaster in itself. This is partly due to the differences in government structure. Japan has a unitary rather than federal system with one dominant political party, so naturally any actions are swifter and less debatable than in the U.S. However, the frictions between national and local government exist in both countries, and are largely driven by the national government’s disconnectedness from the public – the local officials are much closer to the people, especially because they experienced the calamity together. Disaster response and recovery may be the most daunting task that any government will have to face because disasters are governed by the laws of nature. Despite some issues, Japan still serves as a model of preparedness and response not only for the U.S., but for others as well, especially disaster-stricken developing countries and international humanitarian actors. I highly encourage Luskin students to take this unique opportunity to study Japan from within. The organizers did an incredible job putting together an intensive and rewarding learning experience, which would not have been possible without the generous support of Mr. Terasaki and the Luskin School. Thank you for expanding our horizon of practical knowledge, enabling us to contribute to the public good more mindfully in our future endeavors.
By: Michelle Cordi I went to Japan hoping to gain a better understanding of nuclear energy. I hoped that traveling to areas devastated by the nuclear disaster would reveal the true cost of what seems like a somewhat abstract policy issue. Abstract, until there is an event that snaps it into reality. The 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi devastated vast areas of the Tohoku region of Japan. Words are simply inadequate to describe the tragedy, and reconstruction is a painful and slow process. As Californians, we must strive to understand what happened in Tohoku because disasters like these are possible here. Our state has a troubled relationship with nuclear power. There is currently only one functioning nuclear reactor in California, and we, as voters, may have to decide the ultimate fate of nuclear power in our state. Luckily, Californians seem to be moving away from nuclear energy. It is impossible for me to favor nuclear energy in California after seeing the extensive disaster clean up efforts in person, and listening to officials describe the arduous process of removing contaminants. Not only have lives and communities been destroyed, but the economy of the region was also dealt a significant blow. Some farmers cannot tend their fields, and agricultural products from Fukushima that do make it to market are difficult to sell. The consequences of the nuclear disaster are impossible to ignore. I am grateful to have been a part of the reconstruction team, and to be able to experience one possible consequence of relying on nuclear energy. There are lessons to learn from reconstruction beyond the areas affected by radiation. Many questions arose in my mind as we visited sites torn apart by the tsunami, and spoke with people about their experiences. Tsunamis are not a major concern here in Los Angeles, but earthquakes are certainly part of our reality. The most pressing question that came to mind on the trip was: Are we ready for the next major earthquake in California? There are two current policy issues of which I was continually reminded throughout our travels. The first is the proposed statewide earthquake early warning system, and the second is Mayor Garcetti’s plan for retrofitting older buildings here in L.A.. Both plans are designed to preserve lives in the event of an earthquake. However, the projects will be expensive, and many Californians may not feel the urgency of the need for earthquake preparedness. We go decades in between major quakes. The reconstruction team’s travels in Tohoku reminded me that disasters happen without warning, and the best way to saves lives is to be prepared. It sounds simple, but that fact is easily overlooked in the face of so many other pressing issues like the slow economic recovery and budget shortfalls.
By: Perri Kruse Through the efforts of the Japanese Organizers, I was able to participate in one of the most impactful and meaningful experiences of my life. Without the support from the Luskin School, I would more than likely not have been able to take such a trip in my lifetime. The hospitality and welcome I received from everyone in this country was incredible. A few friends and I arrived a couple days early to allow more time to explore Tokyo. We got a little lost in the metro station, and one man, Takeshi, was eager to help us. He spoke very little English, but was able to guide us in the right direction. We imagined he would just walk us to the correct train, but he ended up spending the entire day with us, showing us the “ins and outs” of Ueno and Harajuku. We encountered many locals like Takeshi, eager to assist us and teach us about their culture. I had the privilege of attending prohibited areas damaged from the earthquake and tsunami in the Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, areas that most people would not typically visit. Learning what efforts have been taken to rebuild the country physically, financially, and emotionally by the government, relief agencies, and the people in the community was important. At the decontamination site, I asked how they were able to recruit so many workers to participate in such a dangerous endeavor. I learned that there is a great deal of volunteerism and dedication to cleaning up the land by the people in the community, as they want to be a part of the reconstruction efforts and feel the need to contribute. From a Social Welfare perspective, I learned the difference in viewpoints between the United States and Japan on mental health, and the subsequent hurdles in this realm. In the Japanese culture, seeking help for emotional problems does not happen, as there is a strong cultural stigma associated with it. Currently, the mental health services provided in Japan are strictly case management. The traumatic impact that the earthquake and tsunami has had on individuals and families has affected the community in a whole other way, and citizens have had little space to express this impact. Additionally, the community is facing a growing instance of suicide specifically following the disaster, and remains to be a country with one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Conversely, in the United States, we embrace therapeutic services and assisting those with mental health needs. There is not shame associated with seeking help. However, we still have a difficult time engaging the Japanese population in our country because of this cultural difference. Having learned more about this stigma will assist me in my work with Japanese clients here in the United States, and the importance of outreach with this population in the community. I strongly encourage taking steps towards reducing the stigma of seeking help, and making mental health services— specifically individual therapy—more readily available to those in need. Furthermore, I hope that the cultural outlook surrounding this subject begins to shift towards greater acceptance for these types of services. Overall, I hope this trip continues to be offered to the Luskin students in the future, as it is incomparable to any other trip I have ever taken. I am truly humbled by the entire experience. I have such respect for the Japanese culture and was touched by their sense of community and ability to be so resilient after
such a tragic disaster. It was absolutely wonderful. Arigato gozaimas to the Japanese Organizers and the Luskin School! By: Maritza Lee Japan has taught me a life lesson in resiliency. It has shown me not only what a resilient city looks like but also how we as an individuals can be resilient and bounce back after a natural disaster such as the great East Japanese earthquake. Only four years after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, the towns affected in the Fukushima prefecture are not only rebuilding but are rebuilding resilient cities, using the technical information that is available. For example, the city of Onagawa is taking on the daunting task of relocating their residential areas to higher ground and rebuilding their entire business infrastructure to be earthquake and tsunami resistant. The biggest lesson for me is how individuals and communities can be resilient, and have the ability to heal after such trauma of loosing their homes, jobs, and life as they knew it. In the Fukushima prefecture there are around 20,000 people working in decontamination activities. The Japanese Government has assumed the huge task of removing 1cm of soil from every town that has shown to be contaminated by the resulting radioactive fallout within 20km of the Fukushima nuclear power plant that was destroyed by the earthquake. For many it can be seen as a daunting task, however the workers we met were committed to their communities and National pride. I felt honored to be given the opportunity to see into the lives of the local people who are facing this task of putting back together their lives and community. Every meeting with each local group gave me insight into how individuals have decided to participate in their communities’ great undertaking of rebuilding the cities they once had. It was fascinating to see young people and local business working together to set forth a plan for restructuring their city into a more disaster ready design. I felt very welcomed by everyone in Japan and loved the dynamic culture and the respect individuals place on themselves and one another. There is a lot of culture that local communities are trying to preserve as they rebuild from a disaster that affected such a large area, people and industry. Being a part of the group has opened my eyes to many ideas we can implement in our local communities to better prepare ourselves for disaster. It has shown me that we as humans have the courage and resiliency to work together in the face of disaster and I will forever be changed from this experience. By: Brittany Kimiko Madigan As a fourth generation Japanese-American I have been exposed to aspects of the Japanese culture through my upbringing and have travelled to Japan several times as a tourist. This trip was a much different experience, which allowed me to acquire a deeper understanding of the Japanese culture. As we visited various destinations within the Tōhoku region, I was impressed by the overwhelming sense of community and resilience among the Japanese people. Many of the devastated areas were described as tight-knit communities, which shaped the identities of residents. After suffering such profound loss, many of the residents chose to remain in temporary houses over moving to other towns in order to maintain their strong community bonds. The focus of reconstruction was not on improving individual lives, but rebuilding
the community as a whole. After speaking with many residents, it became clear that one of the main goals of the reconstruction process was to create opportunity for the younger generation. This sense of community and profound level of mutual respect have made the Japanese people incredibly resilient following this devastating experience, which would be difficult to replicate in other countries. Our translator, Mari, remarked that Japan’s large population and small living areas have forced the Japanese people to interact harmoniously to share spaces and resources. These shared, community values are a contrast to the individualism that is valued in Western societies. These lessons from Japan can be applied to community development and reconstruction in the United States and I would encourage Luskin students to participate in the Japan trip in future years.
By: Kevin Medina I was fortunate enough to participate in the 2015 UCLA Luskin Japan Trip. I came to Japan a few days prior to the official start date of the tour with 3 classmates. The first apparent cultural difference was individual’s willingness to help travelers. Locals approached us within seconds when our perplexed faces suggested we had no idea what we were doing when looking at the metro station map written completely in Japanese. This type of hospitality was frequent and seems to be embedded in Japanese culture. Once we got our bearings, the next thing that stood out to me was the efficiency of the transit system. It seemed that everywhere we wanted to get to in Tokyo was reachable via no more than a 10-15 minute commute via public transportation. After tackling the city by ourselves for a few days, we then met up with the main group and began our journey. I was on the Reconstruction track, and traveled to areas in Tohoku to learn more about reconstruction efforts since the 2011 Tsunami and Earthquake. We visited local government and multiple businesses and organizations to get a first hand look at the reconstruction progress at multiple levels. Thanks to our trip organizers, we had access to organizations and officials that we would not have had access to otherwise. An additional asset was the multidisciplinary composition of our team. The Reconstruction group had individuals from all 3 departments of the Luskin School. Bringing all 3 departments together enriched our experience by allowing us to experience the multiple perspectives our classmates took on the same issue. In addition to the educational component of our trip, we had the pleasure of trying local cuisine, staying at a farmhouse (with an alpaca!), relaxing in an onsen, try-
ing Zen sitting, and seeing numerous cherry blossoms in bloom. Overall, this trip was a huge success. The Japan trip allowed me to meet many individuals from Japan who share common professional interests. I met with many incoming Japanese MPP students, MPP alumni, and other professionals that I am now fortunate enough to be connected with. I return to Luskin recharged and ready to tackle Spring Quarter. I highly recommend this trip to all interested Luskin students. By: Victor Mendez Japan was the very first Asian country I have ever visited in my life. I had a great experience learning the culture, reconstruction efforts, and different cities. I learned a lot in just one week however, that is not to say I learned everything I needed to know. The in depth meetings with professionals, students, and government officials provided an engaging environment to exchange ideas. By having these meetings on a daily basis, I understood how important it was to talk with communities and listen to their many concerns. However, what stood out the most on the trip were the people of Japan. Their hospitality and respectfulness to others made me feel welcomed and comfortable throughout the trip. In addition, their knowledge and experience of the tsunami and nuclear disaster was compelling. There were a lot of mix feelings of how the national government handled evacuations and decontamination efforts. But the people that I talked to seemed very optimistic about the national government’s efforts of addressing future natural disasters. First of all, Japanese culture was a humbling experience. I experienced Japanese etiquette before stepping onto the plane at LAX when we were boarding the plane. The flight attendants and staff bowed before, during, and after the flight to everyone. This custom was practiced everywhere we visited. I noticed that there were different types of bowing: informal, formal, and very formal. The very formal bowing occurred when interacting with government officials. The formal bowing was witnessed between professionals and informal bowing occurred almost everywhere. On the other hand, I learned that the reconstruction efforts have made great progress. Within a year or two, municipalities located outside of Fukushima prefecture will lift their evacuation efforts. In addition, the residential areas that got affected by the tsunami are being pushed further back and higher from the coast. Mountains are being flattened in order to create neighborhoods in Onagawa. Surprisingly, Onagawa’s power station managed to avoid the disaster. The power station was built on higher ground and had a more efficient emergency response than Fukushima’s power plant. Some parts of Los Angeles are also located on the coast and the city can learn from Japan’s efforts by developing power plants and residential structures on higher ground and further away from the coast. This will cause less damage and savage thousands of lives if a large tsunami were to hit the coast. However, because residential development already exists by the coast, it would be a very big political issue if the city decides to use eminent domain. Coastal land is prime real estate property for developers and Los Angeles is in a housing shortage. Therefore, if the city plans to limit development by the coast they will have a lot of issues with homeowners and developers with big pockets. 17
By: Kelsey Mulcahy It is difficult to put into words the experience of standing next to a bridge destroyed by a tsunami. As much as I thought I was prepared for seeing the Fukushima area, I did not anticipate that the environment would look much the same as it did five years ago. Despite the diligent work efforts of the local and national Japanese governments, the reconstruction process by nature is slow. The debris is gone, but there are still damaged houses standing in the 20 kilometer zone that is closer to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, since the residents still cannot stay there overnight. Once I returned to the U.S. and began explaining to family and friends the process of cleaning up an area after a nuclear disaster, I keep wondering if there is a better solution. In our current digital age with advanced technology, I believe there should be a more efficient way to manage the clean up. We watched workers painstakingly rake leaves and shovel dirt on a small part of the mountainside where there are many trees and plants. Manually taking the top four inches off of the ground and storing it in bags for three or four hundred years is so slow; there needs to be a better way. If a country as advanced as Japan cannot find a better solution, then we need to increase our global responsiveness to nuclear disasters, as a similar disaster is likely to occur again in the future in another area. Leaders around the world should be invested in creating a better plan for nuclear clean up. This is why I chose to take a disaster management class this quarter with Professor Commins; I want to look at ways in which to increase resilience to disasters.
In this reflection I focus more on the reconstruction part of the trip because I think that is the part that left the most lasting effect on me. But Japan is a beautiful country, not only in the countryside and coastlines, but because the people are kind and helpful. The Japanese people were genuinely happy to help us, as foreigners, find our way around the country. It was relaxing to not have to worry about theft and walking alone around Tokyo. I want to return in the future to see other areas such as Kyoto and Mount Fuji, and also to learn how the reconstruction process up north is coming along. I hope that when I return, the families that are currently living in temporary housing will have been able to move into permanent houses in communities. This will help with their peace of mind and mental health, as the sense of community in Japan is a beautiful thing that even now I do not feel as though I fully understand. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to go on this trip. Our wonderful peers- the Japanese students that organized 18
the trip- planned an unbelievable experience that helped me to see more in a week than I ever expected. I cannot say enough about what wonderful people they are; getting to know them and their homeland better on this trip was one of my favorite parts of the whole experience. By: Jennifer Oehlman When I left for this trip to Japan, I was eager to learn and experience anything and everything, and was ready to “roll up my sleeves� and get hands-on experience with international social work by engaging in volunteer and learning activities. I had initially chosen the reconstruction trip because I wanted to learn about the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and hoped it would allow me to fully understand and witness the remaining devastation, and the current needs of the communities affected by the disaster. I was also interested in the current state of the environment within these areas and the decontamination efforts from the nuclear radiation, as well as public health and mental health services, and further development of the cities that faced severe destruction and the economic state of reconstruction projects. I also hoped to gain some exposure to what disaster relief looks like in Japan within the social welfare field. Throughout the trip, I began to realize that most of my experience was more of an opportunity to process the disaster and to understand just how devastating the event was on a basic human level. I remember hearing about the event and the severity of it in 2011, and even seeing photographs of the destruction and hearing the number of people who had lost their lives or lost their homes, but it never really registered how tragic this was for the survivors, both from the trauma of the disaster as well as the aftermath. It was a completely humbling and emotional experience to see the remaining devastation in person and hear the stories firsthand from some of the survivors, and I was so inspired by how resilient these communities are. I felt that our presence in Japan was more effective as a time to learn from those who had lived this experience, and being able gain this knowledge and hear the perspectives of these communities was even more valuable than some of the volunteer work we could have done while visiting for a week and knowing so little about the culture and the reconstruction projects that were already taking place. One of the most memorable moments was visiting a senior center and spending time with individuals who who had been displaced from the disaster and are living in temporary housing. I feel that having genuine experiences playing games and laughing with them was invaluable to both us and all of the seniors we met.
Based on my experiences in Japan and learning about the complicated processes of the reconstruction efforts, I believe that the country has responded very well to the disaster and has demonstrated significant resiliency and effective responses to address the devastation. I think this is largely due to how community oriented these smaller cities are, and I wondered if disaster relief would have been as effective if these communities and Japan as a country were less united. I was impressed by how survivors’ needs were met even before the government provided relief, and that individual families in the community as well as the local temples housed hundreds of evacuees. Volunteers came from across the country to help find missing people, clean up debris, and donate money and services, whether it was providing haircuts or responding to basic medical needs, or even providing entertainment. Thinking from a social work perspective about responding to crisis, I thought that most of these communities were very effective in providing initial safety and stabilization to those who experienced the disaster most severely, and that even though Japanese culture addresses mental health needs differently than in the US, I felt that the methods that mental health workers utilized were very effective in responding to the needs of survivors while also keeping in mind the significant stigma around mental health. It seemed that the mental health agency we visited, Miyagi Disaster Mental Health Care Center, had recognized a need for survivors to talk about their experiences and receive some kind of counseling services, but were sensitive in the way they assessed individuals and labeled their services in order to be mindful of stigma and cultural norms and to not deter survivors from seeking help. I was further impressed by how focused these communities and some of the reconstruction agencies are in caring for youth and promoting future leadership. The directors of the indoor vegetable factory and solar energy plant in Fukushima
explained that all the work they do is to help teach youth alternatives to nuclear energy, and to inspire new innovations by giving them hands-on experiences to see how they can contribute to a healthier and more sustainable country and teaching them how this will benefit their own future. I valued how invested they were to inspire and teach youth, with the expectation that youth will stay in their current communities to become future leaders. Overall, what stood out the most about Japan is the profound humility and honor within the culture, and the pride and respect all of the people I met have for their country. From the moment I stepped off the plane in Japan, every person I met was so accommodating and friendly, everyone went out of their way to help us. Strangers would spend several minutes on the metro helping us to understand our route even through the difficulty of the language barrier, another stranger took 45 minutes after work to walk us to our hostel when we were lost, a new friend we met at the train station spent an entire two days with us as a tour guide, showing us the major sites in Tokyo and teaching us about the city and its history and culture, and it seemed as if we were making new friends everywhere we went because people were so genuinely friendly. I felt so respected and accommodated everywhere, and I hope that it will change my interactions with other travelers within the US so that I can provide a feeling of hospitality and accommodation. After seeing communities in Japan and witnessing the support that has continued four years after the disaster, I realized that the US may have a long way to go in terms of preparing for major disasters or another severe earthquake, and it has allowed me to think about what disaster relief work would look like for the social workers here in California. I also feel that visiting Japan and having so much exposure to Japanese culture will help to inform my further work with potential Japanese-American clients and to strengthen my delivery of services through a better understanding of the culture and history.
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EDUCATION
Group Organizer: Patrick Allan Co (MPP ‘16) Yoshiha Yamakawa (MPP ‘16) Toru Yoshihda (MPP ‘16)
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Group Members: Tali Elizabeth Bar-Or (MSW ’16) Dorothy Chien (MSW ’15) Juliet Carlotta Doris (MSW ’15) Rebecca Durant (MSW ’16) Selene Estrada-Villela (MSW ’15) Dulcemonica Jimenez (MPP ’15) Tae Wook Kang (MPP ’16) Karla Stephanie Landin (MSW ’15) Daniel Lee (MSW ’15) Michael Loeser (MPP ’15) Clarissa Manning (MPP ’16) Raul Angel Meza (MPP ’16) Juliane Kimphung Nguyen (MSW/ MPH’15) Cindia Velasco (MPP ’15)
Itinerary Date
Plan
Place
3/23 Mon.
National Diet Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Tokyo
3/24 Tue.
Honcho Elementary School Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO University of Tokyo
Tokyo
3/25 Wed.
Saiko Iyashinosato Nennba Oshi (Former-Togawa family House) Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine, Mt. Fuji Education Board of Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi
3/26 Thu.
Kofu First High School
Yamanashi
3/27 Fri.
Shiobe KindergartenCrossEffect, Inc. Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd, Hakushu Shichiken
Yamanashi
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DAY 1 National Diet of Japan
By: Tali Elizabeth Bar-Or It was fascinating to visit the National Diet of Japan. The Japan trip Team had the opportunity to tour and learn about the history of Japan’s House of Representatives. The Diet is Japan’s national parliament and is the highest organ of state power and is solely responsible for the law-making in the state. Unlike America, we learned that in Japan they do not elect a president directly. Instead, the Diet members elect a prime minister from among themselves, and the prime minister forms and lead the cabinet of ministers of state. The entrance of the Diet usually remains closed and is only opened for His Majesty the Emperor on the day of the Opening Ceremony on the first convocation day after the election. On the tour we learned about the central entrance, which is the central hall. The hall is beautiful with a floor area of 267.65 square meters and large cathedral-like ceilings. I noticed the windows were stained glass, and there were three bronze statues— Hirofumi Ito, Taisuke Itagaki and Shigenobu Okuma— all who were recognized for their service in the parliamentary government in Japan. We had the opportunity to see the emperor’s room, which His Majesty the Emperor stays in when he visits the Diet. His room is elaborately decorated, with hues of red, orange, gold and brown. This room is made of entirely Japanese cypress and finished with fine liquor. During the last part of the tour, we sat in the Chamber of the House of Representatives and learned about Japan’s government system and traditions. In the center of the dais is the Speakers chair and the chair next to it is reserved for the Secretary of General. On either side of the Speaker’s chair are the Cabinet Ministers, who are on an elevated platform. The Prime Minister’s is in the front row on the left-hand side near the Speaker. A semi-circle is formed around the rostrum in front of the speakers, which consist of the members’ seats. It was an incredible listening to the history of Japan and their government. I am grateful and feel privileged to have the opportunity to visit the National Diet of Japan.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology By: Daniel Lee, Raul Angel Meza The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or MEXT for short is the Japanese federal government’s organizing body for the nations educational institutions. The MEXT is in charge of educational policy, national curriculum for all schools, research promotion, scientific and technological regulation and policy, as well as the promotion of sports and culture. Touring through the MEXT building we were able to learn a great deal about the history of Japanese education as well as about Japanese cultural institutions. It was a good introduction to the week of educational enrichment that we embarked on during our trip. Our trip to the Ministry of Education to speak with school Inspector Mr. Ota was instructive and provided an appropriate lense through which to contextualize our later visits to elementary and high schools. Meeting with Mr. Ota, the MEXT official in charge of school inspection for the entire country of Japan, was a great honor as well as a great pleasure. Mr. Ota has an elegant command of the English language and a magnificent sense of humor. We were able to learn a great deal about the over22
arching educational systems in Japan. And while he himself was clearly knowledgeable about the American educational system he was eager to learn more from us, seeking to turn our meeting into an exchange of ideas. Mr. Ota was the first official on our education tour to speak of the sea change in thinking about education in Japan. Five to six years ago it seems there was consensus among Japanese education policy makers that the tradition of drilling students and inculcating them with information was churning out knowledgeable students but ones who lacked creativity, initiative and the ability to be flexible. To address this concern from the top down Japanese education officials, instructors and administrators have begun to draft policies, initiatives and curriculum directives that encourage student participation in class discussions and promote critical thought. Mr. Ota emphasized the fact that this difference stood out when he had the opportunity to visit the US approximately 20 years ago. One stark and unexpected difference between the US and Japanese educational systems that stood out was the larger amount of time that Japanese teachers spend working with students vs. American teachers. This was surprising because teachers in the US spend countless unloaded hours preparing lessons, grading papers and staying late after school hours to help students succeed. In Japan however this increased commitment is not only more openly appreciated but more adequately compensated. Though teachers do not accrue and exorbitant salary comparatively their compensation far outpaces how teachers are valued in the US. With this increased salary comes increased responsibility as teachers are entrusted far more than parents with instilling morality and the sense of respect and deference which seems to inhabit broad swaths of Japanese culture. As a former teacher himself Mr. Ota demonstrated a multilayered understanding of the pros and cons of the system of Japanese education in its current form and offered a great deal of honest insights and criticisms. When asked to compare each system he identified the aforementioned insights. In addition when ask bluntly about the welfare of students with special needs, non-ethnically Japanese students and the deficit of female students who eventually matriculate in a post secondary college atmosphere he was honest and direct about the ways in which he believed that the Japanese education system could perform better. Special needs students are alternately integrated and/or separated if their needs are extreme, non ethnic speakers such as the daughters and sons of immigrants are welcomed and additional services allotted if they are need of instruction in their native language, and efforts and campaigns are current being deployed or in process to increase the enrollment of female students in postsecondary education. One large overlap with the United States was the recognition that in all cases there is a demonstrated need for more social workers who are versed with dealing with issues such as substance abuse, parental abuse and neglect and sexual identity and gender identity issues. After spending only a short time in Japan the deference and humility that we were greeted with by Mr. Ota was not a surprise but his honesty and directness when asked to engage with the issues where Japan’s system of government was not optimal were impressive.
DAY 2-1 Honcho Elementary School
By: Tae Wook Kang On Tuesday March 24, 2015, we visited Honcho Elementary School. After a brisk metro ride and walk in the windy Japanese spring, we arrived to such warm hospitality (and cherry blossom tea) from the school administrators. We went through the customary bows and received a greeting from the school principal. He was in a bit of a rush that day and could not speak with us for any extensive time period. It was completely understandable as the school was already in a buzz before we arrived. It was graduation day for the 6th grade class! As the 6th grade prepared to enter their classrooms before the actual ceremony, all the students lined up outside the classrooms. The waves and greetings varied from shy to overly boisterous. Amid the enthusiasm and energy from seeing us, it was still evident to see how well-disciplined and nurtured these students were. They listened to their teachers and were respectful to all adults. We had the opportunity to enter into each of the 6th grade classrooms. Speaking with the class before their final moments in elementary school is an experience that I will forever cherish. While brief, I hope that my words of challenging them to keep studying hard and pursuing their goals will be reinforced and acted upon in their educational journeys. We toured the excellent facility and classrooms. Honcho Elementary emphasizes the study and care of the environment, so there is a great deal of nature inside the building. The labs were exquisite and the classrooms were immaculate. It was great to see such level of care and detail in every aspect of the school. Finally, we entered the main hall for the Graduation ceremony. All the families were already in place. No one showed up late. Unlike American graduations, the place had an air of solemnity and seriousness. There were no air-horns or overzealous amateur photographers. While American graduations fill the air with competing, cacophonous screams, the Japanese were quiet at the sound of each child’s name. The only exception to the silence was the student announcing his presence with an affirmation and several bows to various dignitaries. While American graduations have speech after speech, the Japanese maintain simplicity and efficiency. This day is not about the self-importance of the administrators or teachers. In some ways, it is not even about the families. And it is definitely not about us, even though it was a great honor to attend and they mentioned our presence several times. This day is about the students. They have accomplished much, but they know there is much more left to seek, achieve, and learn. As they walked and bowed in their respective suits (some more ill-fitting than others), they walked towards their futures
with their heads high, confident in the knowledge and skills gained; but bowing with their heads low, humble that there is much more for them to do and to grow.
Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO
By: Michael Loeser, Clarissa Manning We visited ACCU (the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) ) and learned that there are still over 800 million illiterate people in the world. Subsequently, ACCU showed us handouts of the work they have tirelessly pursued to address this fundamental issue of meaningful global development since the early 1970s, particularly in Asia. We were first shown a video, Mina Smiles, which has been translated to 37 different languages, including minority languages. In the story, the character, Mina, needs to travel to the city to buy medicine for her ailing husband. Through the story, we saw how illiteracy negatively impacted Mina’s self-image and confidence, as well as making her vulnerable to being cheated in the larger society. In the turning point of the story, Mina begins attending a literacy program she finds on her journey home, similar to programs supported by the ACCU. Through literacy classes Mina gains self-confidence, takes better care of her family and becomes more competent in navigating the larger society, decreasing feelings of alienation and empowering her as an individual. ACCU further told us one of the reasons the video had been created was to address weaknesses in initial programs. The first ACCU programs focused on lack of access to quality books in native languages but ultimately suffered from the much more basic problem of these populations lacking access to literacy programs. One of the major original focuses of the initial translation of literacy materials was to encourage and educate the population to carry out practical and basic productive activities, such as farming coconuts and/or planting trees. The quality of the materials was very impressive, showing us that coconut farming can actually produce ten different marketable products. The literacy
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DAY 2-2 materials also focused on educating the rural population about the importance of a clean and hygienic environment, drawing a distinct link between literacy, environmental protection and health, and importance of girls’ education. We next learned about the teacher exchange programs ACCU operates, which began from a grant provided by the Japanese government in 2001. The original teacher exchange program was first organized between teachers from Japan and South Korea. China later joined the program in 2003, in honor of the 30th anniversary of renewed diplomatic relations between China and Japan. These exchanges lasted one to two weeks, including home visits. In 2010, the program expanded to include a US-Japan exchange under the Japan-US Educational Commission. This exchange, which lasts for two weeks, allows teachers to study methods of teaching sustainable development to children through a larger program called Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). According to ACCU, the process for teachers to qualify for the program is highly popular and competitive. The driving idea behind this program is to promote cross-collaboration between Japanese and US schools, to ultimately create best practice handbooks for teachers. The ACCU also supports the Global Classrooms Initiative which encourages the development of organizations such as Model United Nations at the high school levels, stressing these programs as critical forums to “win understanding” and develop shared values. The ACCU further supports and emphasizes youth-led community development programs in the Punjab Province, Pakistan. The overall approach focuses on the 3H approach, which stands for head, heart, and hands. Recently ACCU has been attempting to expand these programs into Afghanistan, but has been hindered by residence restrictions due to security concerns within the country. On our visit we saw just how dependent great development work is upon streams of funding, with periods of inactivity being caused by lack of funding. The ACCU further stated a willingness to promote further cooperation with the United States government.
University of Tokyo
By:Selene Estrada-Villela, Karla Stephanie Landin After a week exploring different aspects of the education system in Japan, we visited the University of Tokyo which is known as one of the most prestigious colleges in the nation. We were warmly greeted and escorted to one of their meeting rooms where they presented information about their higher education system overall and specifically how the University of Tokyo compares with other universities. We met with the General Manager Mr. Sugiura and his team to discuss the University’s globalization efforts. We also met Hitomi who is charge of international planning and welcoming the guests and students from abroad. The other team member was an Administrator of Education who oversees over twenty programs at the University of Tokyo. The University officials were proud to share the many accomplishments and rankings their institution has earned. Internationally, the University of Tokyo ranks 24th among the best universities in the world. Similar to UCLA, the University of Tokyo prides itself as a research institution that continues to be 24
funded by the government of Japan. They further explained how 17 Nobel Laureates have come from the University of Tokyo, the most recent specializing in cosmic waves. They also stated that they have an excellent department that focuses in career services and thus the University of Tokyo students easily find competitive jobs due to them being so marketable. The University also recently established their alumni association in 2014 to help them keep a stronger alumni base and to provide more support to their graduates. According to the panel, there is very minimal private funding that comes from alumni but with the recent establishment of the alumni association they hope to see an increase in this funding. Within this first year alone, they have received 2.5 billion yen in donations. In terms of the different programs offered, each department tends to be independent as it is responsible for its own expansion. Currently enrolled at the university are more than 25,000 graduate and undergraduate students studying a variety of majors including law and politics to pharmaceutical sciences. One of the unique features that we learned about the University are the several campuses it has across Tokyo which make it easier for students remain in the same cohort based on their field of study. The most popular programs nationally and internationally that receive thousands of applications are in the schools of engineering, science, and information science. We discussed various differences between the university system in the United States compared to Japan’s universities as well. In terms of tuition, all of the public universities in Japan cost the same amount regardless of prestige, location, or financial need which overall is significantly lower than tuition fees in the U.S. In regards to having more men enrolled at the university level than women, the education team we spoke with stated that they are actively trying to recruit more women. In response to that, they will start to have each high school in Japan recommend one male and one female student each year who will attend the University of Tokyo in 2016. The manager and his team were very welcoming and were as excited as we were to interact with each other. We then proceeded to the main University of Tokyo campus where we were able to see graduates and their families taking pictures and celebrating their accomplishments. We had a delicious dinner at the University of Tokyo cafeteria to end our evening there and proceed to our next location!
DAY 3-1 Saiko Iyashinosato Nennba
By:Tae Wook Kang As we disembarked the bus on the freezing morning of March 25, 2015, we got a clear and beautiful view of Mt. Fuji. Some of us stood in awe of the natural beauty that has amazed visitors for centuries. Some of us immediately pulled out our phones and cameras to take pictures of a site we have longed to see. All of us had to be pulled away to visit Saiko Iyashinosato Nennba. However, what we experienced there was totally worth it and truly amazing in its own right. First, we visited the traditional houses to drink some tea and meditate before the dolls of the Emperor and his court. We were transported back to a simpler time in Japan’s history. We listened to our tour guide and the translation, but the cold was difficult to overcome. We saw how people lived and farmed during previous centuries. From seeing the tools and instruments of survival, we got to see an industrious and diligent people. As someone who has loved history since 1st grade, it was awesome to see how generations of Japanese lived. And then we got to dress in traditional kimonos and samurai armor! This was truly one of the highlights of our entire trip and social media posts. Everyone looked so classy and stunning whether wielding swords or robed in silk. For fun, we acted out fight scenes of various kinds. Samurais fighting each other. Samurais attempting to rescue the
ladies. Women fighting and defeating samurais. It was just so much fun and the other onlookers asked to take photos of us and with us. Our scenes of wearing the traditional Japanese clothing with Mt. Fuji as the backdrop will be indelibly imprinted in our memories and Facebook pages for a long time.
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DAY 3-2 Oshi (Former-Togawa family House) Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine By:Yoshiha Yamakawa, Toru Yoshida It was very interesting to learn about the cultural traditions of Mt. Fuji. We visited the Fuji Sengen Shrine and the Togawa’s Oshi House, which are located in the northern foothills of Mt. Fuji. Mt. Fuji has a special meaning for Japanese people, and traditionally, it is more than a beautiful mountain. It is a center of Shinto animistic worship; the Fuji Sengen Shrine was built more than 450 years ago to worship it. Meanwhile, many people from all over Japan travelled long distances to climb Mt. Fuji since ancient times, so there was also a need for accommodations close to it. The Togawa’s Oshi House accomplished this through its role as a pilgrim’s inn, employing various ways to purify visitors. I was interested in the reason why Mt. Fuji became a World Heritage site under the cultural heritage category instead of the natural heritage category. The two sites we visited might be answers to my question. At these places I was able to personally feel why Japanese people have taken up Mt. Fuji as a symbol of Japanese history and tradition.
One of the other interesting things is what the Shinto priest of the Sengen Shrine said about the changes that occurred after Mt. Fuji became a World Heritage site. He told us that as a priest, he wanted to create a new attractiveness to the shrine that still preserved its tradition and history, in spite of the increasing number of tourists from all over the world. Ironically, Yamanashi Prefecture, which played a central role in Mt. Fuji’s registration as a World Heritage site, also asked the priest to preserve the shrine as much as possible as a World Heritage site. The priest said that the balance of preserving and developing something new was difficult but important. Since my stereotype of Shinto priests was that they were very conservative people, I was surprised that this young priest was very positive to attracting more tourists to his shrine. He wanted to use tourism as a means to help the local industry as well.
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Education Board of Yamanashi Prefecture By:by Juliane Kimphung Nguyen, Patrick Allan Co On March 25, we met with several Yamanashi Prefecture Board of Education staff, including the superintendent, Mr. Abe, and the director, Mr. Saiki. We discussed Yamanashi prefectural education budget and learned that 31 local schools were established by Yamanashi Prefecture. Japan also provides financial assistance in the form of subsidies for low-income families. The school budget is completely dependent on the student’s financial situation, but large budget is invested in the schools to provide free tuition and lower financial burden among students and their families. The board member also inferred that monetary issue is not a concern for kindergarten through high school because the government will cover most or all of the tuition. We then asked about how the school system operates. There are approximately 40 students per high school class and 35 students per elementary class. Teachers collaborate with each other to create curriculum, manage classrooms, and help troubled students. Afterwards we inquired about how one becomes a teacher and if there is any additional social support for them and troubled students. The board members informed us that teachers need a teaching certification, which takes about 4 years to complete, and teaching jobs are highly competitive because it is a well-respected position. We also learned that the public education system allows teachers to have tenure; however, like the United States, tenure depends on the various private or public school systems. As for social support, there are only two social workers that work for this prefecture. Instead, social workers and nurses collaborate together and are sent to schools based on student needs. They are not part of the school budget. With regards to the lower percentage of women in STEM jobs in Japan, female students are given equal opportunity to enter a science track, so there may be another cause of this. For moral education and internationalization, it is the BOE’s goal to produce resilient leaders who think both globally and locally, or “glocally.” The BOE is actively promoting this in many ways. Although we would have loved to ask more questions and learn more from the board of education, due to time constraints, we could not cover everything. Overall, we learned that the Japanese education system tries its best to ensure that students are performing well academically and are generally happy. Additionally, it tries to not make education a financial burden, especially for low-income families. Teachers are known to provide strong mentorship for students. We felt a strong sense of rapport between students and teachers.
DAY 4 Kofu First High School
By:Dulcemonica Jimenez As a part of the educational track, I was a part of the team that presented at the Super Global High School within the Yamanashi prefecture of Japan. This high school is recognized for its academics and its gifted student body. The first part of our visit included a brief introduction to the teachers. The teaching faculty was made up of a diverse group of individuals that expressed a high passion for their students and teaching. Next we were given a tour of the high school itself—the building was very impressive, with several floors and an art wing that I am still bragging to people about! The student’s artwork was very impressive and impactful. You could see that they were very gifted and passionate about their artwork- it was portrayed through their paintings. Next we were able to interact with school juniors- this interaction was great! The students practiced their English and was both exchanged our passions and introduced ourselves. I was able to ask students about their aspirations, but also about simple high school life things like “What music do you listen to?” Prior to this students and our group shared a presentation about each of our schools. The majority of the day was spent with a group of first-year students that had been preparing a presentation on a local policy issue. The
group I worked with was two young girls that wanted to address policy issues about Houtou, which is a local noodle that is harvested in the area. They shared their ideas of investing in this crop and exporting it as a way of boosting the local economy. Through these policy changes they would create jobs and bring in money for the prefecture. The students taught me a lot about Houtou, but more importantly I learned how important their school work, culture and work ethics were to them. This was amazed me! These two young girls were so focused and motivated to create a policy impact at such a young age!
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DAY 5
Shiobe Kindergarten By:Tali Elizabeth Bar-Or, Dorothy Chien, Juliet Carlotta Doris, Selene Estrada-Villela On March 27, we visited Shiobe Kindergarten which is a private school located in the Yamanashi Prefecture. We were fortunate to spend the entire day at Shiobe Kindergarten filled with various activities thanks to Mr. Kazuno who is a member of the Yamanashi Prefecture Board of Education. The staffs at this kindergarten were extremely warm and welcoming and we sincerely appreciated their hospitality as the way they ensured that we were always comfortable. The teachers at Shiobe Kindergarten shared with us their experiences working with students from the ages of 3 to 5 years old. A unique feature that Shiobe Kindergarten has is that students are taught in traditional Japanese and English classrooms that aim to foster individuality, social competence, and creativity. Throughout the day the children enjoyed practicing their English language skills with us as they cheerfully exclaimed, “Good Morning!” The excitement that the kindergarteners had about our presence was contagious and there was never a dull moment throughout our visit. Once we dispersed into the different classrooms throughout the Kindergarten we were delightfully surprised by a group of Kindergarteners who performed Broadway’s Aladdin. Within six weeks these kindergartners had memorized the lines and songs of Aladdin and performed this flawlessly entirely in English. A unique feature of this adaption was that many of the children played the same role which included Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, the Genie and Jafar. According to one teacher, they had done this intentionally so that every child had an equal opportunity in the musical so that the focus was not on one individual student. Following the ceremony we had the opportunity to interact individually with the Kindergartners while having a traditional Japanese school lunch known as a bento box. We could tell that their parents cared a lot about their children because all of their lunches were packed neatly, looked healthy and filled with love. After lunch, each child presented us with gifts that they made personally. The second highlight of the visit to Shiobe Kindergarten was our performance for the children. We had the honor of leading the 1st song called “A Boom Chica Boom.” The children had to repeat the lyrics “ I said a Boom Chica Boom,” and then emulate the dance move paired with the lyrics. The children laughed and danced in the theater room while singing the song. Initially, we were nervous about the concept of teaching kindergarteners the songs because we were unsure if they children would (A) understand and (B) be able to learn the dances and words. We sung two additional songs called “Let me see you do the Gator” and “Zoo Animals.” The children seemed to have enjoyed them all, and their understanding of the instructions surpassed our preconceived notions and expectations. By the time our segment was over, the children exerted a lot of energy and were ready for their overdue naps. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with the set-up of each classroom. We noticed that the children had books both 28
in English and in Japanese. We enjoyed the environment at Shiobe Kindergarten as it teaches and allows the students to be creative and individual thinkers. The instructors give directives and the children follow suit with little to minimal re-directing. Additionally, teaching the children English at an early age prepares them to live in a global society.
Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd, Hakushu Shichiken By:Tae Wook Kang After a week of meetings with ministry officials and boards of education, it was refreshing to be able to just unwind and have some downtime at one of Japan’s oldest and most esteemed sake factories. After a week of visiting schools and guiding high school students in projects and kindergarteners in song, it was nice to be able to receive an education of a different sort and bond as a team in a more relaxed setting. From looking at the exterior, the Meijo Co. is not overly impressive. But it would be wrong to judge the quality and historic legacy of this place simply by the outside. We received a tour from the owner of the company, Mr. Kitahara. His family has owned the factory for many generations and he is incredibly proud of the work they do and the product they distribute. We got to see the inner workings of a sake factory. It was great to see each step of the process: cultivating the rice, putting it in rooms of various temperatures, tasting the yeast, and then sampling the various kinds of sake. It all felt very refined and debonair as we toasted “Kampai!” with our glasses of this delicious sake. It was quite an enjoyable experience for us all and many of us knew that our family members would appreciate us bringing back bottles as souvenirs. Additionally on our tour, we got to view the rooms that the Emperor stayed in during his visit. The Japanese Emperor was a big part of our time in Yamanashi. The Emperor had stayed at the same hotel as we did. We viewed replicas of the Emperor during various tea ceremonies. And now we stood in the room that they built for him to stay in. Learning about the lengths that people went through to please the Emperor is fascinating since we live in a non-monarchical society in America. To learn about the level of intricacy in the design-especially the wooden doorway carvings of the Seven Samurai-was also a great treat for us. To end the tour of our time in Yamanashi at the sake factory was a perfect ending. As we toasted with our cups of sake at dinner, we grew closer as a team and community. We created memories that would last us for a lifetime.
Personal Reflection
By: Tali Bar-Or I would like to express my deep appreciation for having been given the opportunity to be a part of the Luskin School of Public Affairs Japan Trip 2015. It was a life-changing, transformative experience for me, and I will cherish the memories of what I saw and learned, traveling with my fellow UCLA classmates, for the rest of my life. I was stunned by the random acts of kindness and the humility of the people in Japan that seem to be so deeply embedded in the culture, something I will always respect and admire. It was inspiring to meet all of the students, teachers and community members who reminded me of the importance of advocacy and why I’m studying Social Work. Currently, mental health services offered in the Japanese school system are limited. I learned that the Yamanashi Prefecture for instance only has two social workers for thirty-one schools. We asked the members of the Board of Education if they thought the mental health needs of their students were being adequately addressed, and their response was that they do need more social workers but the school system nurses and counselors are the ones who are expected to support those students who may be struggling in school or experiencing stressors at home. What I really admired in Japan’s collectivist mindset was the phrase “All for one, and one for all” that seemed to embody everything that I admired in the system I traveled so far to discover. Of the many fascinating encounters I had, our group visits to Shiobe Kindergarten, Honcho Elementary School, Kofu High School and the University of Tokyo had to be the most profoundly moving. It was such a privilege and honor to visit each school, meet the Board of Education, as well as the students and teachers. I enjoyed learning about the differences between Japan and California’s education system. Both have their strengths as well as areas where there could possibly be room for improvement. California provides a student-centered approach where students are expected to participate in class and think critically, whereas Japan embodies a teacher-centered approach where teachers lecture and students listen. While visiting the Board of Education and the Ministry of Education, they expressed their vision of the future of Japan’s education system which, they indicated to us, will incorporate more critical thinking and interactive lectures in order to encourage the students to become more involved. The entire Japan trip was incredible. I loved being immersed in the Japanese culture, learning about their education system, eating the superb food, learning some of the language, and trying on kimonos while staring in wide-eyed wonder at the majestic Mt. Fuji. My trip would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the organizers, funding from UCLA, alumni, and other generous supporters to whom I will be forever indebted. I would especially like to thank Yoshiha Yamakawa and Toru Yoshida. I was thoroughly impressed by their outstanding ability to organize and plan the Japan trip while attending UCLA as full-time students. They were unbelievably humble, kind, and inspiring leaders. Thank you to them, and to everyone who made this trip possible.
By: Dorothy Chien I was ecstatic for the opportunity to go to Japan because Japan has always been a country I wanted to visit. Going on this trip, I expected to learn about the Japanese education system and I could not have asked for a better way to learn than learning through experience. Not only did I have the opportunity to learn through engaging in meaningful conversations with educators and leaders in Japan, I also had the opportunity to experience the education in Japan by interacting with students from kindergarten to high school. A unique distinction that contributes to the success of the Japanese education system is its goal to provide equal opportunities to students and develop independent thinkers. The more knowledge I gained about the US and Japanese education system, the more I realized there is a lot that we can learn from each other. I was proud to discover how positively the leaders, educators, and students in Japan viewed the American education system. I came to admire the dedications that the Japanese teachers have to foster students’ academic and social emotional development. I also came to appreciate the respect that the Japanese community has for teachers. Similarly, the leaders and educators in Japan have expressed their admiration for the US education system because of our value for diversity and the development of students as critical and independent thinkers. It is through the dialog that I had with the leaders and educators in Japan that I was able to gain more appreciation for the strengths that we have in our education system. I also came to realize that we face the same challenges when addressing gender inequality, LGBT issues, and mental health. However, I am hopeful that both countries can work towards preventing and treating these issues with more awareness and improved policy. My trip to Japan was one of the most transformational experiences I had in my life. This trip has truly exceeded my expectation and I enjoyed every moment that I spent there. Throughout the trip, there were many pleasant surprises along the way including the peaceful walk through the beautiful garden at the National Diet, the impressive presentations by the students at Kofu High School, and the spectacular performance by the kindergarteners at Shiobe Kindergarten. Not only did I learn about the education system in Japan, I was able to immerse myself in the Japanese culture by keeping an open mind and adopting the local customs. Japan has a fascinating and multifaceted culture that is deep in its traditions yet modern through its advanced technology and education. I was able to experience traditional Japanese culture through tea ceremonies, calligraphy writing, and visiting shrines. In addition, I was able to experience modern Japanese culture through its shopping, nightlife, and cuisines. I enjoyed almost every aspects of the Japanese culture. I am repeatedly amazed by the amount of hospitality that the Japanese culture has to offer. I learned that there are certain manners and etiquettes to follow in Japan including the practice of gift giving to hosts or visitors and the custom of taking off shoes before entering a residence. I have grown tremendously not only as a student but as a person. As a first generation Chinese American, there were many similarities that I found between my culture and the Japanese culture including its value for respect and modesty. Similar to my culture, I found that the influence of shame is also strong within the Japanese culture. Shame is a negative emotion that can decrease self-worth and sense of competence. However, 29
shame can also serve to encourage self-evaluation, self-reflection, and self-improvement. The role that shame plays in the Japanese culture should be explored more closely and used more constructively or paired with praise and positive feedback. In conclusion, this trip has taught me to take a strength-based approach when examining our education system while identifying areas of improvement. This trip has also taught me the value of respect for other cultures, cultural competence, and cultural humility. Moreover, this trip has intensified my passion and interest to study international education. The knowledge and experience that I gained from this trip will definitely continue to shape my future career goals and endeavors. By: Patrick Allan Co Boys and Girls Be Ambitious! My Return to Japan The 2015 trip to Japan was a trip I wasn’t sure I would go on, even though I helped in organizing it. Unlike other participants, I had already lived in Japan for two years, and figured that I shouldn’t take the space of people who may have not been to Japan. But everyone who applied was able to get in, and I was reassured that there was enough space. So I went. In any case, being that I was the only participant who had been to Japan and had taught at schools there, I had a perspective that involved not only learning new things about Yamanashi and Tokyo but also seeing how Japan had changed since I left. First of all, my focus was on education and so I helped with the education trip, but there are some things about Japanese society, culture, and organization that people should consider when comparing Japan and the U.S. in general. Japanese society is considered ethnically and culturally homogeneous. Overall, there’s a stronger sense of belonging to a single group, as well as adhering to a culturally proper order and harmony. This is reflected in daily life as well as in Japan’s policies; one can see this just by walking through the streets. People address each other depending on the closeness of their relationship and seniority. Commuters line up naturally when waiting for the bus. And it’s unacceptable to be late, so all the trains and buses are on time. Overall there’s a strong sense of adherence to authority and seniority. In school, the deference to authority as well as the acceptance of cultural homogeneity is evident in parents’ acceptance of the moralistic education curriculum: children are taught by the school system the proper way to behave in society. And the central government is the main source of authority for curriculum. This was something I hadn’t thought frequently about during my previous time here. We visited an elementary school, high school, kindergarten, and university. I was impressed with the students in those schools, as they were generally outgoing and open to communicating with us in English. It seemed like English had become even more of a focus since I left. The school facilities were also brand-new and clean. This all reinforced to me once again the value placed on education by Japanese society, which again, was very impressive. What took the cake was how the kindergarten class performed “Aladdin” in English! Additionally, besides the schools, I identified with and admired other aspects of Japanese policy and society as well. One is the focus on the preservation of culture and historical trades. Japan 30
as a society seemed to do more than American society in preserving traditional practices, such as, for example, different ways of making samurai ramen, making Edo-era handkerchiefs, and supporting 300 year-old sake breweries. In the U.S. society, do we as a society promote what food was eaten during the Revolutionary Period? Or continue to sell items made in the same way as they were during the early 19th century? Perhaps we in the U.S. had let traditional trades and practices die because they were financially “inefficient,” but these can add character to our society. Not only does Japan preserve its past culture, but it also is open to and continuing to create new forms of culture. Coming back to Japan after many years, I saw many changes, not just new buildings in Tokyo, but new practices. For example, English is now being spoken during the announcement of every train stop. Women are starting to have more of a say in marriages (at least as I heard). And everyone seems to have a smart phone—even the young Shinto priest who gave us the tour! With these changes I actually feel that Japan has remained the same as when I left—because like before it is always working on the next development, willing to take things from the outside world and make it part of its own. One thing that surely hasn’t changed is the attention to detail that people have towards their tasks, hobbies, and lives. For example, we attended a graduation ceremony wherein elementary students were making the same movements and pivots during their walk to receive their diploma. It must have taken many practices for the students to successfully perform this! In general, the schools and teachers also try to focus on each aspect of a student’s development, which includes the arts, music, and especially physical fitness. It is perhaps the emphasis not only on academics but also on creativity and physical fitness that I would like to bring over more to the U.S. educational system. Overall, I thought that Japan still has many hurdles in spite of all the positives. While the focus on tradition preserves culture and fosters social character, this has also led to a slower change in norms such as gender roles and rights. There is more gender inequality on average in Japan than in the U.S. The focus on adherence to a certain pattern of behavior or way of thinking can, as one of the education officials we met on our visit to the education ministry said, limit decision-making and innovation. Indeed, Japan, despite having the third-largest economy in the world and the second-largest population in East Asia, has more to do in order to improve its diplomatic leadership potential. I’m personally happy and thankful to see Japan again, even though I was sad to leave just as the cherry blossoms were beginning to bloom. What I saw in Japan and Japanese people were some of the values I identified with most and regarded most highly: kindness, honesty, the desire to understand others, and the desire to improve. To my colleagues at Luskin and UCLA, I hope you can see both the good things Japan has to offer as well as the things it can improve, while also not forgetting the examples other countries can offer. Let’s continue to learn from each others’ countries to keep improving this world. In the end, I’ll leave you with some words I finally heard again after many years (with a few minor changes). “Boys and girls be ambitious!”
By: Juliet Doris During this eye opening and once in a lifetime trip to Japan, I learned a lot about myself through this foreign culture. I did not know what to expect or how I would feel as an African-American woman in a foreign country. I was grateful to be part of the Education team, we were allowed to visit, meet, and speak with so many prestigious people, whom we would have probably never met on our own. Initially, I was worried if I would be accepted in this county, and my fears were put at ease by such graciousness. This trip would not have been possible without the generous donations from the Terasaki Foundation. I was granted the opportunity to visit the University of Tokyo, Shiobe Kindergarten, The National Diet, Kofu 1st High School and meet with the Yamanashi Prefecture Board of Education. Additionally, I had the opportunity to travel to Gion, Kyoto, Shinjuku, Mt. Fuji, Harajuku, Ikebukuro and several other beautiful cities. I admired how humble the residents in Japan were, and their concerns for the students’ success. At Kofu 1st High School and Shiobe Kindergarten, it was heavily emphasized on the importance of being humble, having a good, and being a good person. I feel that the residents of Japan equated riches and wealth by how nick and kind you are to others. Putting someone else’s needs before your own displayed acts of selflessness. This framework of thinking seems to have been embedded into the child’s psyche from birth. During each site visit, the staff, trip organizers, and participants made sure that we were always comfortable. I also admired graciousness and the respect that the Japanese culture had for others. I will be forever grateful to Yoshiha and Toru who took the time out of their busy lives and schedules in order prepare and organize this trip. Their attitudes are reflective of what true leadership encompasses and requires. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible, words would never be able to capture my gratitude. By: Rebecca Durant Passport The Japan trip was a once is a lifetime sort of experience. Without this opportunity that UCLA provided I would have never explored another country. It’s life changing; even the air is different out there. It’s interesting to be in such a homogenous place since Los Angeles is the opposite. Whoever has the opportunity and is mature enough to leave the country and represent Bruins should embark. This trip also allowed me to learn so much about myself. While on this trip I learned that although there are many differences in our cultures, our nations have shared values. Japanese culture seems to follow a collectivist approach to community. For example on escalators or subway terminals all walking traffic northbound stayed to the right side of the wall. This allowed people who were in a rush to get where they were going faster. My first day in Narita was interesting to say the least; a woman named Yucca picked me up by the City Hall. I was looking at the directions on this billboard next to City Hall but of course could not read the language. Yucca stopped and asked if I needed help. She then bought us both white bean traditional breakfast treats and dropped me off at the Narita Temple. It amazed me how polite this woman was and her excitement to share her culture with a tourist. Most people in Japan were extremely polite and helpful
throughout my trip. I want to spread that sense of community that I learned in Japan to all of the U.S. It seems California is entirely different from the places I visited in Japan. Here in the states people are much more individualistic. In subway terminals or escalators there are not any walking specifications for pedestrians to stay to the right or the left. It’s more of an implicit rule that every person for themselves. Another major difference between the countries is that all toilets in Japan for the most part have the seat warm. It’s wonderful to think that someone thought of such a small detail that would make people more comfortable. In the States the toilets are mostly cold without much consideration paid to the user. This trip was amazing and has encouraged me to be more worldly. By: Selene Estrada-Villela Traveling with Luskin to Japan this Spring Break was the first time I had traveled anywhere in the world beyond the North American continent. Before I was selected to join this trip I had hoped to immerse myself in the culture more than just being a tourist. I had the opportunity to travel all over Tokyo and Kyoto eating dinner with my peers from Luskin at places where no one spoke any English. I expected to learn more about the mannerisms, traditions and norms in Japanese culture, which I only got a glimpse of. I was also impressed by the planning and scheduling that went into the Luskin Trip that offered a wide array of opportunities to explore the city. With respect to the culture, I had never met a group let alone nation of people who are so humble, kind and respectful. I felt warmly welcomed by strangers on the subway, students at the high schools and administrators at the university. We often hear about what others are like in different regions of the world but it is much different to experience it yourself. There was a recurring theme throughout the trip from the presenters many of whom were born in a foreign country. The teachers at Shiobe Kindergarten, for example, shared that they traveled to around the world but found no other place like Japan. I realized what many of our presenters alluded to as Japan has a rich culture that is unlike anywhere I have ever traveled. The experience I enjoyed most was specifically at the Shiobe Kindergarten in Yamanashi Prefecture. I have a passion for working with children and their families so the experience at the Kindergarten reminded me of this. I was in awe of the way these kindergarteners embraced us so openly with their smiles, laugh-
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ter and excited, “Good Morning!” I had never seen or witnessed children that are so polite, kind and attentive in my entire life. I believe it was this event as well as the entire experience that was transformative for me. Prior to the trip I did have an interest in education policy but it was not an area of focus in my MSW program. I found that this trip helped me engage with my peers from public policy in a discussion around education as it relates to our careers. I also enjoyed learning about the education system and the ways the Japanese government views individuals as an investment in their society. I felt privileged to hear about the experiences working in a branch of government by several of our highly recognized presenters. Overall, I felt this trip was a once in a lifetime experience that would not have been possible without the support from the Luskin School as well as the Terasaki Foundation
By: Dulcemonica Jimenez Japan was a life-changing experience! It was an adventure that I will always remember and share with many individuals throughout my life. Prior to going to Japan, I really did not know what to expect—I knew our cultures were different and that I would be immersed into a different world, but I did not expect it to have the impact that it truly has. Since I was a part of the education track, I expected to be exposed to this culture through an educational lens, which is highly respected throughout the world. My Japan experienced has really made me think about both the American and Japanese educational system critically— both have their strengths and areas of growth and by speaking to many stakeholders, such as the minister of education, school board members and students, I have gained a unique insight into not only how the Japanese educational system functions, but its impact on the families and communities within the prefectures and the country as a whole. Although my concentration is within the field of health, I have always had a passion for education and this experience has inspired me to look outside of the American educational system for research and lessons learned. The educational track allowed me to analyze and understand the Japanese educational systems from all levels. By visiting the Diet we were able to understand decision making at the highest levels of government. Our visit with the minister of education really opened up my eyes in terms of how the system impacts the country as a whole and I was surprised at the minister’s responses and how he recognized the areas of growth within their own educational system. Lastly, the visits to 32
the schools, universities and the discussion with the school board members really allowed us to understand the system at a local level. Overall, this experience has motivated me to look beyond the American educational system and study other countries’ systems when thinking of our own policies. By: Tae Wook Kang A Week in the Land of the Rising Sun Without a doubt, my time in Japan was one of the best weeks of my life. Everything that I hoped for out of this trip was fulfilled. Everything I could have expected out of this trip was surpassed. Now that I am back in the States, I cannot stop thinking or talking about my Spring Break in Japan. I cannot stop raving about my experience there meeting such wonderful and hospitable people. I cannot stop praising the beauty and efficiency of the country to anyone I have a chance to talk to about it. I cannot stop reflecting on what I have learned and gained in my too-short time there. I know that my experience in Japan via visiting Tokyo and Yamanashi through the Education Team will impact me for many years to come. I went to Japan with three points of view. I was born in South Korea and there has been centuries of history between Japan and Korea. I have lived in America for most of my life and am a proud American. I have served as a teacher at both the High School and Middle School levels. It is these three perspectives that I wish to reflect on here. As a former teacher seeking to delve deeply into Education policy, I was immensely interested in seeing and learning more about the Japanese Education system. A major point of persuasion for me to come on this trip was the incredible level of access that we would be getting on this trip. Our organizers set up meetings with some prominent officials and it was an honor to have some discourse with them. I believe that I entered each meeting and encounter with an open mind humbly seeking to learn more about the Japanese way of education. I wanted to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of each system in a respectful way-a way that promotes fruitful dialogue and respect. A way in line with the values and culture of Japan. A way that allowed us to find common ground between our two great nations. It is one thing to see the rankings and scores that Japanese students achieve each year and it is another to walk into a classroom or work with students on a presentation. It is one thing to have the perception that the Japanese are too strict and restricted and it is another to witness and be present to the fruits of their dedication and hard work. Thus, I knew the opportunity that we had was incredibly special and I am honored and humbled to have been part of it. I gained so much from this portion of the trip and know that it will help shape my policy decisions in the future. As an American, it is easy to adopt the mentality that we are the greatest and most blessed people on Earth. It is ingrained in us from our youth that we are the world’s superpower and that we are #1 in everything. And to be honest-I have often had this mindset as my pride and love for this country can be overwhelming. Yet, every time I travel to another country; whether it be Italy or India; I am humbled and gain fresh perspective. This is true of my time in Japan as well. By the time we had to leave Japan to
return to the states, I found myself wanting to stay. Throughout the trip, many of us constantly said, “It is so much better here.” The metro system was so clean and impeccable. The streets were pristine. The food was so delicious and each meal I was the happiest person at the table. Everyone looked so professional and treated us with so much hospitality and politeness. Tokyo was an idealized vision of what New York City should be. As Thomas Friedman of The New York Times writes in Hot, Flat, and Crowded; if you brought people to New York City and Tokyo and then asked them which country they thought won World War II; most would say Japan because of the superiority in infrastructure and livability. It is just absolutely a beautiful and truly impressive country. As a person of Korean descent, I have long heard about the mutual history and animosity between Japan and Korea. It is something that my grandparents and my mother would talk to me about at the dinner table. While my father had a great admiration and love for the Japanese culture especially of the Samurai code and way of life, I did not grow up with that similar fondness. Growing up, I had friends who were Japanese and enjoyed eating Japanese food such as udon and Tonkatsu. I played video games or watched shows that originated from Japan. And of course, I have been blessed to form such amazing friendships with the Japanese students in our cohort. Thus, I wanted this trip to be an opportunity to learn more about Japan, form my own opinions, and perhaps be a bridge between our two cultures. I found that there was a lot of overlap between Japanese and Korean cultures. As long as I showed respect through bowing and deference, I could go a long way. My familiarity with the cuisine and certain cultural, Asian norms were quite useful on the trip. And while there were some moments of internal struggle like when we had to bow to the dolls of the Emperor, I did so out of respect to my fellow classmates and just attempting to show respect the entire trip. I joked that my Ko-
rean ancestors were probably rolling in their graves, but I believe it is essential to grow in forgiveness in this new century. An experience that encapsulates these three perspectives was when we visited Shiobe Kindergarten. Of course as a teacher and an uncle of two nieces at a similar age, I loved seeing the kids and getting to play and interact with them. As a child who grew up on Disney films, my eyes welled up and I was amazed by their performance of Aladdin. And when we had a chance to talk with and teach the students some songs and dance moves; three boys repeatedly followed me around and spoke to me in Japanese. My cohort joked that I could be their father. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest things I had to do in a while. When I spoke to people before leaving for Japan, I would repeatedly say that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Thanks to the generous Terasaki Foundation and Department of Public Affairs, I was able to go to Japan for a fraction of the cost that others would pay. At this stage of my life, I would only have to pay for myself and not a family. How could I pass this up? However, I was partially wrong about my earlier comments. After visiting Japan once, I know that this could not be a once in a lifetime trip. It is a journey that I will happily and hopefully make again. It is a journey that has greatly impacted me in the type of man, educator, and decision maker that I want to be. When I got back, I immediately told my friends in the program who unwisely chose to do other things for their Spring Break that they must go next year. Having seen all of our pictures and social media posts throughout the trip, they readily agreed. In fact, I am seeking a way to return on next year’s trip if possible. Thank you to all who helped to organize and fund this trip. I am truly grateful for all that you have done. Words are not fully enough to capture our level of appreciation for all that you have done to make our experience in Japan one of the best weeks of our lives.
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By: Karla Stephanie Landin
The Luskin School of Public Affairs Japan Trip 2015 was amazing and is now the best experience I have had in graduate school thus far. I had heard about the Japan trip from students who had gone in previous years and I am grateful I was able to be a part of it, especially to be a part of the education team. Yoshiha and Toru did a phenomenal job putting together such a well-rounded trip that showed us the Japanese education system from different angles. We were able to meet with the Ministry of Education, the Board of Education, as well as meet students, administration, and staff at the Shiobe Kindergarten, Honcho Elementary, and Kofu First High School and see all of them in action. Interacting with the students from different ages was my favorite part of the trip. I used to work at a high school and I love mingling with the students because they are so lively and have brilliant ideas. At the Shiobe Kindergarten we were able to see how even the young children are very respectful, very humble, and very intelligent! We were able to participate in an Easter egg hunt with them, sing, dance, and play with them, as well as enjoy their outstanding rendition of Aladdin the Musical in English. It was different to see how the children share the role of each character so that all children have equal stage time and so that it can be easier for them to remember their lines. This was definitely an idea that I am bringing back to Los Angeles and sharing with my colleagues that still work in the afterschool setting. What I also loved about the kindergarteners was the respect they have for each other, for their teachers, and even for their food. We were able to spend lunchtime with the children. During this time they sat calmly and ate the entire food that their parents had packed for them. Then, they came to us when they were done eating and asked, “Is this okay?” before packing away their containers. It was so adorable! The teacher explained to us that the children usually show an adult their empty containers to show that they ate all of their food. If they cannot finish the food their parents sent them, the children must apologize to the food before tossing it, but this hardly ever happens since the children are encouraged to eat all of their lunch. Once we were done at the school, we walked over to the owner of the kindergarten’s home across the street. We were greeted warmly and were able to experience a traditional tea ceremony, eat some sweets, and play with handmade wooden toys that were gifted to us. I loved being able to get a glimpse of the Japanese culture during this trip. We ate delicious food every day that included 34
fresh fish, fried chicken, ramen, different types of noodles, different soups, and the softest bread ever! I even improved my chopstick skills! We had hot green tea before meals, and even tried many things in green tea flavor such as Poki sticks, cake, pastries, and ice cream. We were able to dress up in traditional kimonos and see the breathtaking view of Mount Fuji. I also rapidly became accustomed to taking off my shoes upon entering most locations and changing into slippers. I was impressed at how clean and organized the streets are and how people walk to the left side of the yellow tiles on the floor. I was able to also ride a bullet train, take the metro, and walk through the streets of Japan. I loved meeting the UCLA incoming students from Japan at our networking event too and seeing how excited they were to attend and showing them our school spirit!
By: Daniel Lee My personal experience in Japan was foreign, familiar and comforting all at once. The notion that stuck with me most throughout the trip was the spirit of reverence and respect that appeared to encompass all realms of Japanese culture. I approached the trip with some trepidation as I tend to personally eschew the formal in favor what is most direct, right and just. I am incredibly blunt. Often in situations of injustice observing formality and tradition serves to perpetuate injustice. Silence is consent. Neutrality in the context of oppression is choosing the side of the oppressor. I was not certain that my basic analysis of life and my mode of being would jive well with Japanese customs. But, I found that my penchant for directness and the Japanese tendency for respect overlapped in very direct and self-supporting ways. The respect that I observed in many settings on the trip seemed to come from a vision that accepts the inherent worth of each individual and each individual’s right to respect and dignity a core tenant of social work theory and practice. In the end I did not end up offending in any of the ways that I thought I might.
The most stark differences that we observed in the education leg of the trip revolved around how the US and Japan focus the focus of education. Many times we were informed that in the United States the focus was much more on the student focused and on developing their ability to engage with material and think critically. Historically, we were informed that Japan was primarily focused on the instructor and their ability to produce students that have a firm grasp of the subject matter being presented. Because of these differences in the focus of education Japanese students have often far outpaced American students on standardized tests and tasks that seek to demonstrate a certain level of mastery. However, multiple officials mentioned that in many ways this has left Japanese students at a deficit. While they may be able to complete discrete tasks when assigned and this skill transfers to later employment they often lack creativity, initiative and confidence. This is an interesting contrast as in the US students though our students consistently rank towards the top in the world in terms of confidence we have been consistently sliding in terms of physical achievement. Because we had the opportunity to visit preschools, elementary schools and high schools the purported Japanese lack of creativity and initiative, in my own personal experience, was one that did not bear itself out in the interactions that I had. At the preschool, Elementary and high school levels I encountered students with a startling and impressive understanding not only of the English language but of many elements of American culture. Shortly after my return to the US I received an email from one of the students that I was assigned to work with at the high school and our correspondence has continued since and the students we met at the preschool in Tokyo appeared to be exceedingly erudite and conservative for their young age. Thus the question that plagued me through the trip was that if Japanese high school and college graduates lack creativity and initiative where is it that this drive is lost? The students that we encountered in all grade levels were excited and motivated (no doubt by the visits of foreigners to some degree). If they are to be taken as example then the future of Japan is unbelievably bright. The overall experience of going to Japan, particularly with access that facilitated a deep cultural learning, was extraordinary. The fact that both Yoshiha and Toru are officials in the Ministry of Education provided us with a level of cultural insight that the standard traveler would be bereft of. To truly foster an understanding of the global nature of the world and our concerns I would recommend this trip to any and all future Luskin students. Not only did we learn about Japan and the context in which it sees itself compared to the rest of the world but we learned more about how the rest of the world sees the US. This type of understanding is essential when working or engaging with constituencies from a varied amount of places around the world. The experience itself was invaluable and is sure to have a profound impact on the way that I interact with and approach people from other cultures for many decades to come.
By: Michael Loeser The planning and execution of the 2015 Japan Trip was superb and professional with a busy yet flexible schedule that was consummately managed. I personally participated on the Education branch of the trip led by Toru Yoshida and Yoshiha Yamakawa, with their guidance I feel that my understanding of not only the Japanese system of education but Japan as a whole has been greatly deepened and many of my initial assumptions were either disproven or enlightened. Previous to this trip, my impression of Japan was informed by a stereotypical assumption about the nature of discipline and the relative homogeneity of Japanese society being a barrier to interpersonal feeling and individual expression. From my experience of visiting schools throughout Japan, from kindergartens to Tokyo University, as well as meeting with the School Inspector of Japan, Mr. Ota, I learned that there is a fundamental richness to Japanese traditions and expectations for education that upon reflection could only have been impressed upon me through personal experience. Education in Japan holds a position of national respect that I have seen nowhere else in the world. Not only is graduation from elementary school an extremely formal affair with teachers in suits wearing large boutonnieres, but classrooms have elegant floor plans which open to wide hallways, each class exhibiting an ornately drawn chalk blackboard drawing that I can only compare to some of the great street art one might see walking Venice Beach. The final ceremony was formal and dignified with the Principal decked in full tails before a large podium; such events are even broadcasted on TV as I later saw upon returning to our hotel. At Shiobe kindergarten we saw a playground complete with over 40 miniature unicycles and 3 year old children so polite that although there was much discussion over the cartoon character attached to my Orangina at lunch, each child waited happily and respectfully until the one I finally gave it to looked so profoundly honored it was hard not to smile. We later were shown a full theatrical production of Aladdin, with the limited number of characters split between groups of children who each learned portions of the lines. Not only was the production highly enjoyable but there was something profoundly comforting to see such young children enjoying a story so close to the heart of any American who grew up with Aladdin as a child. Not only was it impressive to see the equity in the method of stage management but the content felt truly global and completely disarming. This is not to say that the pressure of older life did not weigh heavy on our trip, after visiting Kofu’s Super Global High School (designed by one of our gracious team leaders, Yoshiha Yamakawa) and talking to the National School Inspector, Mr. Ota, it was clear that testing in Japan has been both a boon and a curse. When we arrived at Kofu High School we were treated to an excellent presentation by students on what it was like to be a high school student in Japan. The presentation was lively and full of character and humor but also outlined the tremendous amount of work students endure to remain competitive for the college entrance exam which is a traditional feature of Asian educational systems inherited from Confucianism, which was the first in the world to place meritocracy at the heart of eligibility for government. The character of the kids felt as if, though they work hard, they have strong connection and respect for their teachers who work equally hard. Building on the strengths of this system while 35
recognizing their weaknesses, the National School Inspector, Mr. Ota, later explained that the Japanese higher education system is hindered by burnout of high school students once they reach college. He impressed upon us the importance of quality of life generating a life of learning rather than a sprint to the finish. Although topics such as the curriculum of history classes or gay rights remained opaque the subtext was that such topics were political decisions, Mr. Ota seemed to be aware that such reforms were likely to come in the future. As a former English teacher, Mr. Ota made his point that much of learning is about connection, stressing that internationally critical skills such as English language are an opportunity for otherwise highly disciplined students to make personal connections, which improved their overall character. Current students are discouraged to make any mistake (It could cost them on tests like the College Entrance Exam), appearing to make a mistake in front of others could be perceived as a weakness, until the topic turns to “What’s your favorite animal?” English language breaks the tension of a world in which they have simply forgotten how to be wrong. Language and arts classes allow students to open up to their peers in ways that generate genuine bonds of community. It is indeed programs such as the arts, drama and language that do not hold a strict focus on test scores but value the virtues of culture. Mr. Ota’s view of education was highly enlightened. It is exciting to see how education in Japan will change as it continues to promote internationally critical curriculum such as the language and arts. By: Clarissa Manning My story begins on the early evening of March 29th when I arrived at the hotel, hungry and absolutely thrilled to get to see the city. Up until this point, I had only seen highway signs and the inside of the airport at Narita. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting upon landing in Japan, but I definitely did not expect for the country to feel so familiar right away. This changed quickly. I left the hotel in search of dinner with a friend, neither of us having much knowledge of Japanese. As we turned the corner, it was as if the entire city had lit up and there was an audible buzz about. We eventually made our way to a ramen shop where someone kindly helped us order. Following this, we explored the part of Tokyo we were in a while longer. I finally felt that I had landed in a foreign country but I was ready to face the adventures that lie ahead. On our way to the Honcho Elementary School, I had misplaced my train ticket and was slow exciting the station. It was in the following moments I began to realize how truly lost I was in a country where I did not speak the language and could not read the written characters on any signs. Even prior to visiting a single school, I had already begun to feel the power of the education system in Japan, so different from that of the U.S. A Japanese student of high school age, upon exciting a train station in the U.S., would certainly fare much better finding his or her way to the destination than I did. Although I didn’t know it in that moment, the coming days would bring to me several valuable lessons. As we fast forward, I had now arrived in Yamanashi at the Kofu First High School. While I had heard about the curriculum from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, it was here that I was able to see its implementation. 36
The first suggestion that I was about to meet some truly outstanding students was in first walking around the school and surveying the art they had displayed. There was so much being said in each piece and so much creative talent kept in this one school. One piece caught my eye in particular. The background was of the American flag, but where each star would have been, there was a skull. In the foreground was face of the Statue of Liberty and hanging from one spoke of her crown was a person. It was a stunning piece of work, both for its beauty and commentary. While I never did quite figure out what the student intended to convey in painting the piece, it has stuck in my mind quite vividly. The opportunity we were given to meet with the students and work on a project alongside them gave me insight into the value of high expectations. These students had high expectations of their work and were interested in putting their best ideas forward. It was very apparent how hard they had worked. Seeing this, I found myself reflecting on the work-ethic of students at the high school I had previously attended. By no means would I have been capable of producing a written report of the caliber I had seen at this high school in a foreign language when I was their age and I certainly would not have been capable of collaborating with foreigners and expanding upon my ideas to ultimately give an outstanding presentation. But here, these students were confident and capable of doing just that. Clearly, the raising of expectations on students, while certainly controversial, was proving to be highly successful in Japan. Overall, the visit to this high school was one of my favorite events on the trip to Japan. Shortly after this, we found ourselves taking on breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji. Seeing this and imagining what the view we had must have looked like thousands of years ago before any industrialization occurred was outstanding. It was a clear day and we could see all the way to the top of the snow-capped mountain. While seeing it from afar and being able to take in its entire beauty, I personally enjoyed being at the Sengen Shrine. To hear the stories of the many travelers that had come before us and actually climbed Mt. Fuji was really amazing to me. I am a bit of a wandered and found myself at the rear of the shrine looking up at what appeared to be an entry way. I learned that this was an entry way and that many hikers begin their ascent of Mt. Fuji along this path. I found myself wondering what it must be like to make that climb and decided that I, too, would like to make that climb someday. I chose to write about these three events because they seem to have had the greatest impact on me. The entire country was so welcoming and so hospitable, and yet, I found myself constantly lost. It was not because there wasn’t clear information for me to get around in English in most places. Instead, I found myself wanting to know more; I wanted to know what the signs in Japanese read. To have the opportunity to learn another language is truly a gift, and I was very impressed by how the students at the Kofu First High School embraced this. Their work ethic is unmatched and quite admirable. The students there demonstrated the power of setting high standards for students because they appeared to have adopted those levels of expectations of self-expectations and were wildly successful in the execution of their presentations. Finally, given the opportunity to reflect on what the hike to the top of Mt. Fuji must be like was an inspiration to me. Many people have succeeded in what I had naively thought
was an impossible task. I found myself reflecting on other tasks I deemed impossible and began wondering if maybe they were quite possible to complete but that I was discounting my personal strength. I have since returned to the United States with a sense of hope and determination to do better in all aspects of my life. My experiences in Japan were truly unforgettable and I cannot wait to return someday. By: Raul Meza Japan is known throughout the world as the land of the rising sun. It is a name given to it by outsiders, but after this trip I have new understanding as to why people would be inspired to refer to it as such. Apart from the breathtaking views of the sunrise that we were able to witness as the sun began to peak over the horizon near the coast in Tokyo, or as the first rays of daylight reached the peak of the toweringly magnificent Mount Fuji in Yamanashi, Japan also inspires thoughts of rising majesty and powerful elegance through its culture, its people, and the country’s approach to the future. Walking through the busy streets of Tokyo it was hard not to notice many glaring inconsistencies with what I saw and what up until now was my archetypal concept of a large, crowded, metropolitan city. The streets were incredibly clean, I was hard pressed to find even a aberrant scrap of paper or a cigarette butt lying aimlessly anywhere we went. The people were incredibly organized walking along designated areas (usually you stay to the left hand side much like traffic on the roads) without pushing or shoving. Individuals were also incredibly thoughtful, polite, and helpful. Anytime we found ourselves lost or confused, some kind soul walked up to us and asked if we needed help. The extensiveness and efficiency of the train and subway systems was impressive. It was possible to get virtually anywhere in the city quickly and easily without a car. I was dazzled by the modernity and the use of technology in everywhere from building design, to doors, to billboards, to bathrooms (I still miss Japanese toilets desperately). Yet throughout all this modernity airs of traditional Japanese influence remain, and pockets of the old world still stand intact throughout the city. All of these evoke the sentiment of the rising sun, something old, something that has always been, rising up and bringing something new. This same concept was reflected in many ways through-
out much of the culture, ideas, and institutions we were able to observe on our trip. There is a strong ideal of strength within society. The concept that a nation or a people can only succeed if they all succeed together was something that echoed throughout Japan. It was subtle in many ways because to people in Japan it is such a simple truth that they didn’t really feel the need to elucidate it for us. It became most apparent to me when one official was reflecting on what they acknowledged as a weakness within their educational system. He reflected that failing to meet the needs of even one child is a failure of all of society. He didn’t relegate it to a failure of the particular system, a mistake of individuals, or even an anomaly that can happen by chance. He felt it was a failure of Japan as a whole if even one person was left behind...As I saw the nodding heads and verbal consents of every single one of the other Japanese officials in the room, I realized what the concept of succeeding really means in Japan. Either they all rise together, or they all fail. Observing their educational system it is clear to me now that this concept is permeated throughout their national policy and each individual school we visited. The emphasis of the Japanese educational system is K-8. Elementary and middle school education is free and mandatory for every Japanese child. These schools are held to very high standards of education and every school must strictly follow a national curriculum. Essentially the effort is to establish a high and equal baseline for all citizens. Every child is able to receive a strong educational foundation in order to pursue anything they want in the later stages. High school education is not mandatory in Japan, yet nearly 100% of Japanese children attend high school, and less than 2% of students that attend high school drop out. These numbers are staggering when compared to certain areas in California where up to 40% of students may drop out from high school. The US is known to have some of the greatest higher education institutions in the world. UCLA is a name known across the globe. Yet our primary and secondary education system has consistently underperformed when compared to other developed countries, and even on simple objective measures of success. A 60% graduation rate is a failing grade by nearly any standard.
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Of course there are many barriers to introducing the same rigorous primary and secondary education system Japan has in the US. For the scale of change is orders of magnitude larger in the US. California alone is larger than Japan. Furthermore the US educational system does not have the same strict national policy that Japan has. States each have differing standards, and different willingness to accept a national standard or curriculum which to abide by. The funding strategy for schools is also drastically different. In Japan schools are all funded equally from a single source, the federal government. In the US school funding varies vastly between individual schools because funding is a combination of federal, state, and local sources. Therefore the amount of money a school receives can be altered greatly depending on the affluence of the community it resides in, resulting in often greatly disproportionate funding for schools that may only be a few miles apart. While the US system focuses highly on equality, the concept of equity is left behind. It is natural considering the importance of equality to the US. However it is sometimes necessary to disproportionately distribute resources from more prosperous systems to less successful ones in order to establish equity between them. We need to understand that prioritizing equity in the short run can actually lead to greater equality in the future. The most important lesson I took away from this trip is that it is possible to keep traditional ideals and values while still rising strongly and inventively into the future, rising anew like the sun each day. By: Juliane Nguyen I am a second-generation Asian American female, who was born and raised in California. I spent my entire life in California. My parents are Asian refugees and growing up, I heard their stories about Asia. My parents are also traumatized from the war and my entire family fled to America. As a result, I do not have any relatives in Asia nor did my parents have any desire to return to Asia. I also grew up in an Asian American community; I majored in Asian American Studies. I basically thought I was fairly knowledgeable on Asian (American) culture and thought I would transition quickly once I arrive in Japan. I never really had the opportunity to travel outside of the country before due to monetary constraints, family issues, war trauma, etc. Going to Japan was the first time I have ever been outside of United States and although Japan is neither my parents’ home country nor is Japanese their ethnicity, it was still meaningful for me to visit Asia. As soon as I arrived to the airport, I was quickly exposed to culture shock, language barriers, time zone differences, meeting new people, etc. I soon realized how sheltered and egocentric I have been. I also realized that I knew basically nothing about Asian culture. I learned so much about Japan’s culture, lifestyle, and education system. I even learned a couple of new phrases and made some new Japanese friends. One of the hardest thing that I experienced was the language barrier because I did not know any Japanese. The first thought that came to my mind was this is so frustrating and my second thought was I am impressed by my parents as well as any other non-English speaking immigrants to come to America and forced to learn English as well as adapt to American culture. I was fortunate enough to have the internet, a map, and a mini Japanese translation book as well as be of Asian 38
descent, so everyone assumed I was Japanese and they were more than willing to help me navigate around Japan, but my parents arrived to America with limited knowledge of America, less than a high school education, and no English skills. They experienced racism, (war) trauma, and all sorts of hardships that I will probably never have to experience. Being in Japan has allowed me to learn about myself professionally, academically, personally, and most importantly I learned about how much I did not know about Asian (Japanese) culture. There were also a lot of similarity as well as differences between my family’s (Vietnamese) ethnic background and the Japanese culture, such as the common value of family and education; however, the differences in approach, political climate, and available resources were different. I believe that the most important lesson that I learned was the struggle of adapting to a new country, not understanding the culture, as well as not speaking the language, which many people migrating to America often encounter. This was an experience that I cannot gain from a classroom setting. With this knowledge, I will most definitely take into consideration when I graduate with my Masters of Public Health and Social Welfare, such as when I am working with an individual or community that is experiencing culture shock and communication difficulties. This trip has taught me the virtue of patience and being more culturally competent outside of readings, textbooks, workshops, etc. Overall, this trip was an opportunity of a lifetime, especially thanks to UCLA, the Terasaki Foundation and the Japan trip organizers. The Japanese organizers played a key role in this amazing experience because I was able to meet with people I probably never would have been able to talk to on my own, such as meet with board of education staff, spend an entire afternoon with Shiobe kindergarteners, and many more wonderful events. I was able to learn and live in a different country as well as experience their daily routines, such as transportation methods, school activities, graduation ceremonies, etc. Most importantly I learned to be more open-minded and I have gained more appreciation for other cultures and lifestyles outside of America. This trip only gave me a thirst to travel and learn more about other cultures. In return, I know this will not only help me grow professionally, but also personally as an individual because I will be exposed to and learn about other lifestyles so that I may become more (internationally) culturally competent, which will help me become a better health care provider in the near future.
By: Cindia Velasco I learned so much from my short time in Japan. I learned how to say “Hello” and “Thank you” in Japanese. I learned how to maneuver my way through the extensive transportation system. I learned how to properly introduce myself by presenting my business card. More importantly, I learned about Japanese culture and the wonderful Japanese people. I learned what it looked like to have continuous high expectations for students inside and outside of the classroom. Walking through Japanese schools throughout the country really illuminated what high expectations for students meant and looked like. In the United States, teachers are constantly told that they should hold high expectations for students in order to impact academic achievement. Some teachers succeed at doing this, but most fail. Studies and research continually conclude that students who are in classrooms that are held to high expectations are usually more successful, and U.S. teachers always want to know how to do this and what this looks like in practice. I would tell any teacher to go to Japan. I observed children as young as three years old meet the expectations that a seven year old in my second grade classroom could not meet. I observed high school students discuss in detail and in a second language research that they had been working on for the entire school year. I was impressed and amazed at how all students met their academic goals because of the Japanese culture of expectations. While in Japan, I constantly asked, “What would it take for our country to have a culture of expectations like this?” A culture of expectations nationwide would potentially get students from low income areas to close the achievement gap and be successful. While it is easy to yearn for such culture, there are many barriers that would prevent the U.S. to reach it. The U.S. is vastly different from Japan. Japan is largely homogeneous. As I walked through the streets, I questioned whether there was racism or not in the country. I believe that many of the problems that the U.S. faces in regards to students in low income areas are due to racism and systematic barriers that have intentionally been created to prevent students from succeeding. The U.S. would have
to break down these systematic practices and institutions in order to create a united culture of high expectations and achievement. This saddened me during the trip, although I would like to say that someday this occurs is near, I do not see it happening in my lifetime. Although systematic barriers do not allow the U.S. to have a high culture of achievement, the U.S. does foster other positive behaviors for our students. While the culture of high expectations does propel Japanese students to be successful, it does not allow for students to question authority, gain self-confidence, and ask questions. I believe that this is a big gap within Japanese education. Innovation usually is a result of creativity and thinking outside the box. If Japan wants its students to remain innovative, it must find a way for its students to be self-confident and to pursue their own thoughts and beliefs, regardless of what adults in their academic institutions believe. I believe that if Steve Jobs would have been born in Japan, he would have never dropped out of his university and would have gone on to be the founder of Apple. His intelligence would have been fostered, but he would have not broken the rules that led him to create breakthrough technologies that advanced the world. Overall, visiting Japan was an extraordinary experience that I would recommend to any Luskin student. You get to learn more about yourself, the world, and how other people live their lives. It truly has been a life-changing experience. I view education differently, and I am excited to get to incorporate things that I learned through this trip in my future endeavors.
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TRANSPORTATION & ECONOMY
Group Organizer: Ko Kawaragi (MPP ’16) Keisuke Matsumoto (MPP ’16) Takehiro Suzuki (MPP ’16) Yasunori Takizawa (MPP ’16) Glenn Yamada (MPP ’16)
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Group Members: Meghmik Babakhanian (MURP ’16) Mayte Cruz (MPP ’15) Shane Howarter (MPP/JD ’16) Edith Medina (MPP ’15) Radhika Mehlotra (MPP ’15) Andrew Pasillas (MURP ’16) Priya Saluja (MPP ’16) Natalia Sifuentes (MPP ’16) Brett Thomas (MURP ’15) Vicky Wu (MURP ’15)
Itinerary Date
Plan
Place
3/23 Mon.
National Diet Tokyo Bus Tour Tea Ceremony Experience
Tokyo
3/24 Tue.
The Bullet Train Operation Center of Center of Central Japan Railway Company Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Tourism Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry
Tokyo
3/25 Wed.
Transfer to Nagoya by bullet train SCMAGLEV and Railway Park Transfer to Kyoto by bullet train Mini-Kyoto Tour
Nagoya
3/26 Thu.
Kyoto City Office Traditional Town Houses Kyoto Tour
Kyoto
3/27 Fri.
Tamanohikari Sake Brewing CrossEffect, Inc. Transfer to Kyoto by bullet train
Kyoto
Kyoto
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DAY 1 Japanese National Diet
By: Shane Howarter One of the first places we visited in Tokyo was the National Diet of Japan. The Diet Building is where the Japanese legislature meets to enact laws, approve international treaties, amend the Constitution, and designate the Prime Minister. Construction on the building began in 1920, and lasted for sixteen years. It took around two and a half million workers to complete, with a cost of 25.7 million yen (at the time). Unlike the U.S. Capitol Building, where the House of Representatives chamber is much larger than the Senate chamber, the chambers of both houses in the Diet Building are exactly 743.81 square meters. Each house of the Diet, the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives, has its own separate entrance on either side of the Diet Building. The Central Entrance remains closed most of the time, and is only opened on special occasions such as a visit by His Majesty the Emperor. One such occasion is the Opening Ceremony to mark the beginning of a legislative session. At this time, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and His Majesty, the Emperor, give speeches. Ordinary sessions occur
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once a year, starting in January and last 150 days. Once the Diet is in session, an open ballot is used to vote on the national budget and other important bills. Diet members vote using wooden cards with their names printed on them—a white card is used to indicate approval, while a green card is used to indicate opposition.
DAY 2 The Bullet Train Operation Center of Center of Central Japan Railway Company
By: Meghmik Babakhanian, Vicky Wu On the morning of March 24th, 2015, dressed in formal attire, our group headed to the Central Japan Railway (JR) Company office in Tokyo. For most of us transportation fanatics, this would turn out to be one of the most exciting and informative visits in Japan. We were greeted by the General Manager, International Corporate Plannning Division, Masahiro Nakayamaand a few other JR employees, who explained the operational facets of the company. We watched a short informational video about JR, after which Mr. Nakayama provided more details about the JR and answered some of our questions. During our question and answer period, he explained that the public transportation system is valued much more among the Japanese citizens than is the public transportation system in the United States. Thus, there is less political opposition to building public transit systems than in the West. Furthermore, the financial structure is self-sustaining, without needing any government assistance. Later, we toured the control room and learned about the system that JR uses to track the location of the cars and the protocols executed in case of an emergency. The efficiency and accuracy of the work, as well as the professionalism of the employees, left a lasting image in our minds. It is no wonder the Japanese transportation system is considered one of the best in the world.
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism By:Mayte Cruz, Priya Saluja During the second day of our Tokyo tour, our group was happily met by one of our very own Luskin MPP alumnae, who comprehensively explained the vision and initiatives of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism. Japan lands 27th in the world for visits by foreign tourists, but is climbing in Asia, ranking 8th. In recent years, and with Tokyo games looming in 2020s future, the Japanese government has set targets for visits by foreigners in coordination with the Ministry, and in coordination the Japanese National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and increased their focus on tourism initiatives and supporting those with other land use and transportation initiatives. Currently, the agency is analyzing the rapidly growing tourism trend to design its future policies. Last year, approximately 13.4 million foreigners visited Japan. The majority of foreigners come from the Asian countries that are closest to Japan. By 2030, the agency hopes to increase tourism to 30 million visitors. Due to Japan’s declining population, the agency has focused on foreigners to maintain the country’s economic viability. The Ministry’s aim in doing so is not only to make Tokyo, and Japan as a whole, a more talked about world destination, but to build momentum and travel excitement around the Olympic games. By gearing travel toward foreign nationals, the Ministry seeks to grow consumption by foreigners, where in the current market, 66+% of consumption is solely by Japanese people. With tourism to Japan on the rise, reaching over 13 million visits by foreigners in 2014, the Ministry’s 6 initiatives and coordination with JNTO can go a long way into preparing for the influx of visitors for the 2020 Olympic games as well as develop Japan as the worldwide tourist destina-
tion. These initiatives include: - Promote tourism in light of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games - Create more businesses and regulate inbound tourism - Relaxing visa requirements (such as reducing immigration procedures by 20 minutes by 2016) and target Southeast Asia and China - Attractive world class/promoting a golden route - Improvement of environment for accepting tourists (increasing tax-free shops) - Invitation and promotion of Meeting (corporate conferences), - Incentive (corporate training and incentive travel), Convention (by international organizations and academic groups) and Event/Exhibition (including exhibitions and trade shows) (MICE)
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry By: Edith Medina, Radhika Mehlotra In our visit to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), we learned about the current status and direction of Japan’s future development for content industry. Japanese content mainly includes animation or comic, T.V. shows, music and movies, which are portrayed through content-related products or events such as toys, beverages, apparel or accessories, events and education. The goal is to expand Japanese content to major parts of the world through these content-related products. We learned that Japan’s animation and comics have greater popularity in major Asian cities and in Western cities than their music or movies. Japan has a global strategy to expand their content. Their strategy is to distribute and broadcast media content overseas, make profits through stores, event venues, malls, restaurants and supermarkets, and also promote consumption in Japan from tourists. Japan has several policies that are supported by different funds. We learned about each of the policies and how funds cover for certain costs. For example, J-LOP has a budget of $155 million which provides localization (via T.V. channels, animations and comics) and promotion (via trade fairs, events and sales promotions) support. Cool Japan Fund, another fund, supports in establishing Japan channels via overseas media so that media can be widely broadcasted. CoFesta supports events and conferences that promote Japanese content. Japan also has a project aimed at strategically reducing piracy by “deleting” pirated copies, swerving fans from piracy sites to legitimate sites and raising awareness concerning piracy issues everywhere. 43
DAY 3 SCMAGLEV and Railway Park By: Vicky Wu, Andrew Pasillas Dedicated to showcasing the history and future of rail in Japan and operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), the leading passenger rail operator between Japan’s major metropolitan cities, the Railway Park museum displays 39 rolling stock, all of which were the fastest operating rails of their time. Currently, the fastest operating passenger rail is the Series N700 Shinkansen, with a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h (185 mph) between Tokyo and Osaka. Members of our team were fortunate enough to experience the Shinkansen Train Driving Simulator, in which they acted as conductors of the train. The newest technology advancement in rail operations is the Super Conducting Magnetically Levitated Vehicle (Maglev). Developed in 1995 (with a test run in 2003 reaching speeds of 531 km/h), the Maglev train is the future of high-speed rail in Japan. It operates using superconducting magnets, which levitates the train 10 centimeters off the ground, requires no conductor, and is designed for safety and comfort. JR Central hopes to operate Maglev trains in Japan by 2027. Overall our visit to the museum taught us about the Shinkansen railway’s impact on Japan’s society, economy, culture and lifestyle. As the busiest high-speed rail line in the world, the Shinkansen plays a key role in connecting the economies of both Tokyo and Osaka. The various exhibits, demonstrations, and simulations at the museum demonstrate how continued focus on developing even more efficient railway systems will enable Japan to remain at the forefront of such technology.
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Kyoto
By: Natalia Sifuentes Following our visit to the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park, the Transportation & Economy group hopped on another Shinkansen, the bullet train, and continued east to Kyoto. Arguably one of the most valuable benefits of participating in the 2015 Luskin Japan trip was having our fellow student leaders as guides, and this was especially the case in Kyoto, where our group leader, Yasunori, had been an undergrad. Our first destination within Kyoto was Sanjusangen-do, a Buddhist temple founded in the 12th century. While we had known that Kyoto was a city where the traditional meets modern, we were still delighted to see historic Japanese architecture sprinkled amongst high-rise apartment buildings along our walk. Upon arriving at the temple, also known as Rengeo-in (Hall of the Lotus King), we donned some slippery slippers and entered a Wayo-style hall that houses 1001 golden figures of the deity Kannon: 1000 life-sized statues standing at attention and one giant statue of Kannon sitting. The standing Kannons are surrounded by 28 guardian deities, who protect Kannon and those who believe in Kannon. No photos were allowed inside the building, and while we had been documenting the trip, I ultimately was grateful for that policy; although I would have enjoyed a keepsake, my memory of the serene experience is priceless. The serenity of the temple was further complemented by its garden, where we excitedly encountered cherry blossoms for the first time! Fortunately, this was only the beginning of blossoms, impressive temples and other learning opportunities in Kyoto.
DAY 4 Kyoto City Office By: Edith Medina, Brett Thomas The City of Kyoto consists of 319 square miles located in the center of the Kyoto Basin. The Basin is surrounded by rivers on the north and south and enclosed by mountains on the east and west. With a Metropolitan Area population of 1,470,000 Kyoto has only 4% of the population of Tokyo but holds much importance and significance to many Japanese people and the city’s residents. Kyoto is the historical capital of Japan and is currently home to some of the country’s most celebrated historical sites. There are fourteen United Nations World Heritage Sites located in the city. Throughout the city are traditional homes, businesses and other buildings as well as locals and visitors clothed in traditional Japanese dress. The civic pride of city residents is visible at the Kyoto City Offices. Kyoto’s origins date back to 794 AD when the city became the seat of Japan’s Imperial Court. Since that time the city maintained a relatively compact form. It was not until 1909 that the city began to experience growth on its periphery. By 1995 the city had quadrupled in size, and many of the historic building stock in the core began to be replaced with more tall and dense development. The city of Kyoto reacted and now there is four development zones (map) allowing for historic preservation along the hillsides where most of the intact historic sites and structures remain; regeneration (redevelopment and restoration) in the core where many of the traditional structures have been altered, removed or otherwise derogated; and creation south of the station where much less development has traditionally occurred and many tech industries are now locating. The city acknowledges that buildings are private property but it views land use, and the realm between buildings as public assets. The city seeks to maintain and develop a human scale town. One of the ways Kyoto works to preserve Kyo-Machiya or historic and traditional townhouses is by the process of real estate securitization that obtains several assets of townhouses and transforms those assets through a security. Started around 2004, this has been made possible by the collaboration and coordination between the Kyoto City Municipal Office, Kyo-Machiya Renovation Committee, Kyoto Landscape and Townbuilding Center, and the Kyoto Prefecture Real Estate Properties Consulting Association. It is key that such collaboration exists because investors risk investing on Kyo-Machiyas because the structures of these traditional homes are vulnerable to fire and earthquakes. However, with regulations and planning from other organizations and City agencies, securitization can be made possible. The city government of Kyoto encourages securitization as one of the ways to preserve Kyo-Machiyas since about 954 of houses are demolished each year.
Experiencing the Kyo-machiya By: Shane Howarter, Meghmik Babakhanian The Kyoto Traditional Townhouses, or Kyo-machiya, have a spiritual connotation and an important impact on the lives of people living in Kyoto. It is estimated that around 48,000 of these buildings are found in the city. Although there are several different forms that the buildings can take, there are several distinctive characteristics of Kyo-machiya that are common to all. One of these major characteristics is that the eaves on the roof of each house are parallel to the street below. This design is intended to give the street a sense of unity. Another exterior feature are wooden lattices (koshi), which are designed to allow light and air to pass into the building while also maintaining the privacy of the inhabitants. The interior of the townhouses are similarly distinctive. Each house has a workplace (misenoma), kitchen or dining space (daidokoro), reception or guest room (zashiki), and an earthen corridor, which runs through the house (toriniwa). Many machiya also have a small garden, either in a courtyard or behind the house. One of the key features of Kyo-machiya is that the living and working spaces are integrated with one another. While the material and design of interior fixtures may be varied, the straw mats (tatami), which cover the floor of each room, are always the same size—approximately 1.73 meters in height.
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DAY 5 Tamanohikari Sake Brewing Corporation By: Andrew Pasillas, Mayte Cruz The Tamanohikari Sake Brewing company has been in operation for over three and a half centuries, having been founded in 1673. In our visit and tour, we learned about the process of making sake. We were fortunate enough to have been guided by plant director Tsujimoto, who has over 45 years of experience working for the corporation. Today, there are about 1200 to 1300 brewing companies in Japan. Unlike the majority of sake brewing companies, they take pride in the fact that they only use rice and do not add alcohol to their sake. The ingredients to make sake include: rice, water, Koji (which is used to make sugar from the starch in sake rice), and yeast. The polishing of the rice can take about 32 to 48 hours to complete. The more polished the rice, the higher the quality of the sake. We learned that one of the keys to
CrossEffect, Inc.
By: Radhika Mehlotra, Brett Thomas Cross Effect holds residence in an unassuming small office buildiCross Effect holds residence in an unassuming small office building located in the Kyoto City Office mandated Creation Zone of the southern portion of Kyoto. The company has a google like atmosphere with a well-rounded mix of administrative staff, creative staff and production staff working hand-in-hand and sharing the same building and space. Despite the laid back friendly atmosphere of the company and it indescript location the people here are working on the cutting edge of technology developing and utilizing 3 dimensional (3D) printing technologies. Despite the vast array of uses for 3D printing technology the passion of the company and its president seem focused on development of 3D models of human organs to be used in pre operating procedure practice runs. Currently the largest market of these 3D human organ models is the human heart. The company obtains CT scans of the heart of an individual with a heart disorder and uses the scan to realistically produce a Pre-optive Cardio Simulator that is used by surgeons to practice surgery in a pre-operation setting. After practicing with the Pre-optive Cardio Simulator the surgeon is able to operate on the patient’s real heart 46
their success as a brewery is the attention to detail in their operations, as every part of the brewing process is executed to a precise measurement. Their operations are perhaps not entirely different from manufacturing operations in the U.S., but seem to differ in historic value. Throughout the tour it was emphasized how sake brewing is very traditional to Japan and the corporation’s approach to quality has not changed since their founding. This has allowed them to remain an economically dominant presence in the sake industry and to maintain their reputation as one of the top sake makers in Japan.
in a more effective manner. The goal of Cross Effect is to increase operation success rates while at the same time reducing the mental and physical stress experienced by surgeons. Cross Effect further specializes in building Pre-optive Cardio Simulators for infants and young children. 1% of all babies have congenial heart disease. Time is a major factor when developing tools to increase the success rate of heart operations in people with increasingly severe heart disorders. It takes one week to scan, develop and build a Pre-optive Cardio Simulator for a patient. The cost of the simulator is $3,000 dollars. 3D technology along with the material used is rapidly developing. As Cross Effect continues its research and development it foresees that within 10 years the company will develop a synthetic heart that is transplantable in living humans. This development is dependent on the continued development of Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. iPS cells are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells.
Personal Reflection
By: Meghmik Babakhanian Since the beginning of the urban planning program at UCLA, I have heard many people speak about the amazing transportation system in Japan. Naturally, my intention of traveling to Japan was to study their infamous transportation system and how it has contributed to the country’s economic success. Sure enough, the public transit system was extremely clean, on time, orderly, and well connected with other transit networks. It allowed the residents to be well connected to their homes, jobs, places of leisure, as well as places of trade. Our visit to the Japanese Railway headquarters gave us an inside perspective on how detailed their transportation system management is and how much effort they put into ensuring that the system is efficient and reliable. Overall, it was clear to see the importance that the transit system has had, and continues to have, on the local and national economy. However, the most valuable lesson I learned while on the trip was that the success of a nation depends on the unity of its people. This was evident in every city, neighborhood, community, house, and business center in Japan. The polite gestures, welcoming remarks, hospitality, and feeling of safety was the result of all Japanese doing their individual part. I fell in love with their manners, disciple, willingness to help, and constant desire to improve everything. What I concluded was that Japan’s biggest asset is its people. It is the people that have a constant desire to learn, improve efficiency, do good to others, welcome tourists, create a safe country, and allow their actions speak for themselves on the global platform. Furthermore, I was impressed by the strong family and cultural values that the Japanese people have. One afternoon, the Transportation & Economics group that I was a part of received a lesson on the cultural and traditional importance and etiquette of the Japanese tea ceremony. We learned that not only was the tea ceremony a gathering, but also a way to demonstrate respect through grace and good etiquette. To go along with this, the informational lecture about preserving and renovating the traditional Japanese townhouses confirmed the importance of tradition and culture in the Japanese culture. There is great effort being put into preserving the architectural and functional aspects of the traditional Japanese homes and the group who is spearheading this effort also interviews owners and potential investors to understand and confirm their intentions of keeping the homes. Overall, Japan amazed me with its hospitable and honest people, continuous desire for improvement, cultural and traditional values, and ability to create a more equitable society using its efficient transportation system.
By: Mayte Cruz It only took a ride on the monorail from Haneda airport to Hamamatsucho and a transfer to the JR Yamanote Line to Ikebukuro to arrive at the hotel. Because Edith and I arrived to Tokyo so early, the metro stations and streets were empty, which was convenient given the luggage we had with us. This was only the start to our week long adventures in Japan. I was amazed by the Japanese culture’s attention to detail. For instance, at Doutour pastries were carefully packaged and we were given small tea coasters for our tea bags. After checking our luggage in at the hotel, we headed to the National Diet with the rest of our group where we learned and toured Japan’s bicameral legislature. Later that day we went sightseeing and participated in a tea ceremony. I was surprised when we were told that it takes years to become a tea master. After our first night in Tokyo, I noticed how clean the city was (e.g., no gum stains on the concrete) despite the fact that there were no trash cans in sight. Our group leader, Yasu, explained that in Japan it is rude to eat food while walking and that Japanese carry their trash with them. Moreover, we were told that after the September 11 attacks in the United States, Tokyo removed trash cans from all subway stations to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack. The following day we visited the JR Control Center where we learned about the evolution of high-speed rail in Japan. I was amazed by JR’s commitment to giving the best service to its customers. For example, commuters that use high-speed rail can change their ticket time up to five minutes before the scheduled trip at no extra cost. Additionally, JR operates until midnight and from midnight to 6am maintenance workers work on fixing the railways. In terms of transportation policy, one of the key differences between Japan and the United States is that while the United States’s government is heavily involved in funding the transportation system (whether it be federal, state or local government), Japanese government is rarely involved. In Japan, there are six Japan Railway regional companies that are privately run, making it significantly easier to implement projects. In Nagoya, we were able to have traditional Japanese dishes. My favorite dish we tried was the Miso-Katsu pork. A few of our group members were brave enough to try one of Nagoya’s delicacies - horse meat. Among the cities we visited, Kyoto was my favorite. More specifically, Arashiyama was mesmerizing. The beauty of the Bamboo forest and the serenity in the area were truly memorable. Overall, this trip was an eye-opening experience in which I got the opportunity to learn more about Japan’s culture, state of the art transportation, and economic development. I will definitely visit Japan in the near future. By: Shane Howarter It would be extremely difficult to fully convey all of the cultural and political knowledge I gained during the Japan Trip. Moreover, many of the best aspects of Japan—such as the immense and imbedded respect for public spaces—would unfortunately be nearly impossible to bring to the United States. I will therefore try to focus on a few features of the Japanese transportation and economic systems that I believe have the potential to improve future policymaking in this country. The first characteristic I observed was standardization. This feature was particularly evident when we visited the Control 47
Room of the Central Japan Railway Company in Tokyo. Through the company presentation and our questions, it became clear that JR Central strives to use standardized parts for all of its train cars (both exterior and interior) as well as its tracks. This ensures that any replacements that need to be made can be done quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, JR Central technicians and repairmen can be trained simply and dispatched to solve any problem that may arise. Standardization also maximizes the flexibility of JR Central’s operations. Because all of their passenger cars are the same, the company can respond to changing demand for seats by simply adding or subtracting more cars to the end of a particular train. This provides a tremendous benefit to both the company and the consumer—it allows the company to maximize potential revenue, and it means that the price of a train ticket for consumers remains the same regardless of how high the demand gets. I was extremely impressed by this innovation, and the combination of simplicity and great benefits should facilitate its adoption by public transit systems in the United States. A second characteristic of Japanese public transportation is convenience and ease of use for the consumer. This feature is important if we are going to improve the public transit system in Los Angeles because commuters will not abandon their cars for the subway unless it is easy and simple to use. It was clear that one of the great benefits of taking the subways in Tokyo and the bullet trains between cities is that it was convenient and simple to do—and there are a number of key aspects, which make Japanese public transportation so nice. One feature is the frequency and precision with which the subways and trains run. In Tokyo, it seemed that every time we passed the ticket booth there was another train waiting for us to board. We were told that in many places the trains come about every two minutes—an incredible rate. Additionally, both the subways and the bullet trains always run on time. This combination of frequency and precision makes Japanese public transit extremely easy to use for commuters, and we would need to replicate this convenience in Los Angeles to have any hope of getting car drivers to switch over to public transportation. A related feature is the location of train stations. The subway and bullet train stations were often merged into one location, and the subway stops in Tokyo were frequent. Furthermore, the stations were packed with shops and places to eat which made taking public transportation much more convenient for the consumer. These aspects of Japanese train stations should also be implemented in Los Angeles to increase the likelihood that commuters will adopt public transportation. By: Edith Medina My trip to Japan will probably be one of the most unforgettable trips I have taken in my life. The fact that I did not want to leave at the end of the trip told me that as different as Japan’s culture and values are from mine, Japan left a huge impression in my mind and heart. I was impressed by so many things such as how welcoming the country is, how Japan’s cultural values are so ingrained in their everyday lives and influenced Japan’s policies, its remarkable and efficient transportation system, as well as how dynamic the experience of eating different types of food was. I was impressed by how welcoming the country is to a 48
foreigner like me. Not knowing how to read the Japanese characters or speak the language, I remember being afraid about Mayte (my other teammate) and I getting lost on our way to the hotel in Tokyo from Haneda airport at 5 a.m. in the morning. Though it took us a little over an hour longer than it would have normally taken, witnessing the sunrise from the train, switching to metros, witnessing people get to work early in the morning, and walking down the streets to the hotel was a warm welcome to Japan. I did not feel lost thanks to the maps, the friendly staff in the metro stations, and how easily Mayte and I were able to figure out how to get around the metro stations. I think what also helped was seeing how clean and organized the streets, the metro stations, even how the amenities were particularly placed. What I saw in Tokyo, unlike other major cities I have been in, was that there was order. The streets were not chaotic and thus I was not overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity. Getting tickets for the metro was not confusing. Finding the train that will take me to the next destination was surprisingly straightforward. Japan is certainly one of those countries where if you choose to just wander off by yourself, you will not get lost. Another thing that fascinated me the most about Japan is seeing how the country’s cultural values have shaped what Japan is today. It was clear that the Japanese people live by a way of life that everyone is familiar with. I do not think I have been in a country where everyone abides by a set of social rules, especially when observing the way people live, eat, and interact with others in private and public spaces. I gained this insight when I witnessed the tea ceremony on my first day in Japan. I was amazed that such a ceremony could be so relaxing to witness because of how graceful the tea master handled the tea tools to make matcha. That manner of handling made me see how the Japanese’ view of their surroundings are with humility, respect and simplicity. I admire these qualities because you could see how the Japanese take care of things around them, like keeping the streets clean or placing plates and bowls in a particular order on the table. I can see how the culture and values make it easier for the Japanese people to live so close to one another since almost everything seemed smaller than the U.S. (i.e. rooms, cars, and streets). I would think that you would need to. Otherwise, if you have a country without these sets of social rules, then you would not enjoy living so close to your neighbors. I was amazed how the Japanese culture and values carried on to how the policies were designed. The transportation policies fascinated me. I was marveled by the efficiency of the Shingansen services. It was evident that the focus of services was in being reliable for their consumers, an aspect of transportation that is difficult to achieve in large cities because you could expect long delays or a malfunction of the trains. Hence, the transportation system respects consumers’ time to get around the city. I was even astonished by how the people relied on public transportation more than cars which I thought was convenient because the Japanese can get from Point A to Point B faster than if they drove themselves. I also thought that the people’s reliance on transportation is convenient for a small country like Japan to reduce traffic. I respect and admire the Japanese’ view of food. When my teammates would ask why there were no trash cans around, we learned from Yasu (our team leader) that the Japanese do not eat or drink on the streets while they are walking to and from
one place to another. Food has a time and a place. Food also is eaten differently; from the way the chopsticks are placed on your hands to the way food is combined with different ingredients. Food is also respected in Japan and eaten in a particular way that many times I have found myself worried that I was disrespecting the culture by not eating them properly. For example, when we had shabu shabu (similar to Chinese “hot pot”), the plates and bowls placed on the table were each set-up for a purpose and the empty bowls and tools unused were going to be used in an orderly manner. I learned that the two empty bowls in front of me were there so that I could fill them in with one type of sauce, no two sauces could be mixed together in the bowl (which I accidentally did). Also, as much as I wanted to eat the noodles first, I couldn’t until everyone, and I mean everyone was done eating the mean and the vegetables that were cooked in the hot pot. Also, only one person served these ingredients on the bowls (mainly the host). It was interesting to see how the Japanese waiters of the restaurant slightly wince when we were not following the rules who reminded our team leader how it had to be done. This cultural experience in eating Japanese food was mind-blowing and I do not think I will have such an experience like this elsewhere. These societal rules that the Japanese abide by challenged me. I would ask myself, “Why can Los Angeles not be as clean as Tokyo or Kyoto? Why cannot the people with racial differences follow social rules to respect each other with humility?” Part of me imagined taking all Angelenos to Japan so that they could learn how a country so small with a large population is able to respectfully share space with one another. At the same time, my trip to Japan gave me hope for cities like Los Angeles. Japan helped me see that cities have the potential to have efficient infrastructures to meet the needs of the population. Even though the U.S. is diverse, I was influenced to be part of the transformation that our country can be in the future. I am really grateful that Japan revived a hope for the cities that I love. Japan has a lot to offer to the world, and I hope more students will go to Japan in the future to be changed the way this beautiful country changed me. By: Radhika Mehlotra In echoing all of my other teammates, my visit to Japan was a transformational experience. The trip gave us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture, history, and traditions of a country that once seemed so distant. I embarked on the eleven-hour journey with limited knowledge and few expectations. I had heard from family and friends about the kind-natured Japanese people, but little beyond so. I had also expected technological innovation to be ubiquitous, and in that arena the country certainly did not disappoint. It is difficult for me to find words to define my experience in Japan, since each part of the trip excited and overwhelmed me. My initial trepidations about not speaking the language were diminished the very minute that I tried to navigate my way outside the airport. I had expected kindness; what I had not expected was the way in which people extended themselves to help, even at a cost to them. I also sensed this pattern amongst everyone I interacted with—including our group organizers. While I have many takeaways from this visit, the Japanese warmth and kindness have left a lasting impression. Japan is a country where strangers give you a sense of belonging. Our
every query was welcomed and responded to with the utmost respect. Because such qualities are so deeply embedded in the Japanese way, it may be ludicrous for me to expect a cultural shift to occur in the United States. However, emulating the politeness on an individual level is certainly achievable. Of all that I was exposed to and learned about in ten short days, I hope to carry this reminder with me throughout my life in endeavors personal and professional. By: Andy Pasillas Leading into the Japan trip I had a much different perception of the country than what I found throughout my ten-day visit. I had envisioned a country of a pure technology, overcrowding, and people who kept to themselves. These characteristics were true in some instances as technology was prevalent in almost everything and overcrowding was common during rush hour or at some of the busier transit hubs. But I’ve never encountered such polite, welcoming, and assistive people. This culture proved beneficial throughout the many times I was lost, and has served to change my perspective of how I should interact with people in public spaces. Tokyo is like no city I’ve traveled to before and its functioning far exceeded my expectations. I’ve never felt so overwhelmed by a city, yet still much in control of how I wanted to navigate the built environment. I had experienced moderately sized transit networks before visiting Tokyo, but nothing truly comparable. Its accessibility was liberating. I had the ability to travel anywhere within Greater Tokyo Area at a quick pace and low cost. This has changed my perspective on the significance of what an expanded transit network for the Greater Los Angeles Area will mean in the future. It confirms that current direction and pace of transit expansion in in the region is a good start, but perhaps more should be done. Another aspect of Japanese work ethic and culture I learned was impactful on the success of its transportation and economy was emphasis given to simplicity and efficiency. Leaders from the Central Japanese Railway Company (JR Central) indicated that one of the keys to their ability to operate so efficiently over the past few decades is due to a framework of simplicity. The tie between their ability to operate as a private transit company and to provide public services is not a common practice in the U.S. This brings into question how transit infrastructure is developed in places such as Los Angeles, and whether or not development, agreements, and allocations of funding are done with the best interest of the public in mind. My understanding of how simplicity can be used in such cases has grown, but I think it’s a tough mindset to instill within planning culture, or just American culture in general. Additionally, learning about JR Central’s success with high-speed rail (HSR) and experiencing first hand the type of travel experience it enables has convinced me of its utility in California. I have been skeptical about HSR in the state because of its high cost and construction timeline. I now think that if the state can replicate a similar experience and overall success like that of JR Central’s HSR it will be a worthwhile investment. It will provide a valuable alternative transportation mode for people traveling throughout the state. After experiencing the sensory overload of Tokyo, it was a nice change of pace to visit a city such as Kyoto. Its shorter 49
building heights enabled better orientation, while it still maintained a feeling of density similar to both Nagoya and Tokyo. One of my favorite characteristics of Kyoto was its cultured feel and opportunities to engage historic temples and streets. I also appreciated hearing from the Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration and their perspective on historic preservation of machiya homes. Their efforts to preserve these structures through preventing quick purchase, demolition, and the construction of modernized and ill-placed structures reminds me of issues common throughout the U.S., including the Greater Los Angeles area. The issue described by the Collaboration was not explicitly defined as gentrification, but among our cohort we generally perceived it to be an accurate description. They introduced the Kyo-machiya Fund as one of the primary tools used to preserve the Kyoto’s historical townscapes, which was a complicated multiple-component funding strategy I was unfamiliar with. I found this interesting and plan to further investigate its use as a strategy to deter the destruction of historic structures. Overall I would convey to Luskin students who did not attend the trip that the built environment of Japan exemplifies a nearly ideal place in terms of how convenient, accessible, efficient, orderly, and aesthetic both its public and private spaces are to users. I would never say that any city or built environment is perfect, because this type of evaluation is entirely subjective. I would say that from my own perspective, it has been one of the easiest foreign countries that I’ve been able to quickly adapt to. One of the most transferrable takeaways that I gained from the trip would be for other Luskin students to try and always to adopt a mindset of simplistic and holistic resolution in everything that they do. This way of thinking is a valuable asset for urban planners, policy makers, and social workers to adopt. It’s a way to reorient how the public feels about the way cities are designed, political efforts are constructed, and how services are provided in their interest. By: Priya Saluja Thinking back on my spring break trip to Japan, I have several thoughts; my first is how to possibly recount and retell a story of every thing that amazed me because I could probably fill a book, my second is how unbelievably surreal it all seems now being back in the hum-drum of every day LA life, and third, how I am so utterly stimulated to go back to experience the country and the culture all over again. Not only was the cultural insight I gained from the trip unimaginable, as I was fully able to immerse myself in the short time I had, but the innovative and ingenious ideas that govern their transportation networks, and the opportunities I had to meet some of the greatest minds was priceless. Experiencing Japanese culture was a fresh breath in a cloud of opaque smoke; although I value the diversity that characterizes our life in America, the shared culture beyond that of food and sport culture, to keeping tradition alive in simplicity, humility 50
and respect for time-honored traditions. Participating in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony gave me an insight into these simple, disciplined, respectful and modest characteristics inherent in this culture. I believe this completely added to my experience. Where Americans can sometimes be regarded as rude and burly, there were so many kind and helpful people, my experience was rightly that much more enjoyable. I also believe this inherent respect and discipline spills over into characteristics that help their transportation system function so efficiently. As a self-diagnosed (and happily so) transportation enthusiast, I was ecstatic at the opportunities to visit JR Central and learn the history of Japanese Rail at the SCMAGLEV Railpark. The 220 meter full scale diorama of the scenery along the Shinkansen in Japan was one of the most amazing displays I have ever seen. Considering I want to have a future career in transportation related fields, I have so much interest and respect for the advanced technology and work exhibited in the efficiency and success of Japanese Rail. I was especially surprised to meet another MPP graduate out in the field; at JR Central, the Manager touring us was an MPP graduate from the Harvard Kennedy School in the 80s. It was inspiring to witness the success of an MPP alum, especially in a field so near to my heart, and in the country setting the standard for rail and transit systems. Learning from his firsthand
how JR Central considers retrospective rider data to forecast the day to day availability of trains is an anomaly to me; furthermore, the idea that the company operates fully independently of government subsidy since 1995 is awe inspiring…if only the CAHSR could even BEGIN to compete….we can’t even begin. I also was able to understand the flurry of amazing technology coming out the JR system; MAGLEV or magnetic levitating, and SCMAGLEV, super-conducting magnetic levitating technologies are propelling the Japanese fleet onward and at faster speeds than ever. I was amazed to learn the first rail cars and lines in Japan were developed in 1964 and have been able to stay so current. To me, these were invaluable and enlightening experiences that I can bring to my future research and work. Another aspect of the Japanese Rail network was the efficiency. In LA, if I want a train from Civic Station, the station service City Hall and central downtown, I will wait between 15 to 20 minute intervals depending on peak status; the idea that people can adjust and meet 4 minute train intervals is astounding. What’s more interesting, is that even with the frequent intervals, demand and capacity for public travel is not decreased. At least some times, the LA subway cars are running at very little to no capacity,
and yet there is no regulation or change. Many transit systems can take notes from the Japanese system in terms of this, and I wish to explore the possibility of it more. While I could say much about the technologies I saw that are truly placing Japan at the forefront of the 21st century, and slowly bringing the rest of the world along, I could not fully represent my inspired experience without mentioning the abundant beauty throughout the country. Cherry blossom season was just beginning as our trip began and my journey through Nagoya and Kyoto allowed me to see every stage of their excellent beauty. The interwoven aesthetic of the canals from the Kamo river, with the historical culture in Kyoto really brought the city alive. I was surprised and delighted to see beautiful, albeit small, individual potted gardens along my walks throughout the city. With the stark contrast to California’s hot-hot climate, I wasn’t expecting as much flora in the cold weather but was pleasantly surprised that it added a whole other sensory feature to my trip. I was also lucky during my trip to witness a community celebration of the cherry blossoms opening. While the beauty and richness of the blossoms is extraordinary on its own, the sheer communal feeling and community experience really allowed me to appreciate my trip, the moment, the place, Japan. At the same time, almost fortuitously, we heard the rhythmic and disciplined tempo of taiko drummers, just below us at the river’s side; all my senses were awake and fully immersed in the glory of Japanese culture and beauty. I could not quantify just how much this trip has meant, nor can I capture every moment that made this trip so worthwhile, but I do know I am utterly grateful for the opportunity. By: Natalia Sifuentes Visiting East Asia has long been a dream of mine, having studied the region as an undergraduate, but the 2015 Luskin Japan trip blew my expectations out of the water. Although I always gained valuable insights from trips abroad, the week spent in Japan has resulted in many more memories, lessons in transportation & economy, and a deeper understanding of Japanese culture than I ever could have hoped for on my own trip. From Tokyo, to Nagoya, Kyoto and back, I was constantly learning- whether it was from a presentation, the kind people we encountered or simply my environment. While jet lag at times made the rigor of our schedule challenging, I was motivated by the fact that we were meeting with JR Central senior staff members, touring the Japanese Diet, holding 3-D printed hearts, and learning from Kyoto City Officials. Because there is not nearly enough space for the detail that could be included in this piece, I will focus only what I considered to be the most valuable and academically relevant experience, learning about Japan Rail (JR) Central. Being a part of the transportation and economy group, I was ecstatic about the level of accessibility we had to learn about Japan Rail (JR) Central’s operations and business philosophies. Visiting both the Operations center and the SCMAGLEV & Railway Park are definite highlights among my experiences in Japan, not only because of the graciousness of our hosts in obliging our incessant questions, but also considering the company’s outstand-
ing, continued success: 0.9 average yearly delay, 0 injuries or fatalities in its history and daily ridership of approximately 410,000 passengers. I was fascinated by the efficiency of the current high speed rail and the evolution of the railway stock and train technology since 1964, when rail lines were established in Japan to boost economic productivity, in comparison to the development of train systems in California. JR Central’s proactive sensitivity to market demands, via the frequency of technological improvements, etc, has undoubtedly contributed to its high levels of ridership and the cultivation of an increasingly profitable mass transit culture within only 50 years of its establishment. Because JR Central is a privately owned company, however, it is unsurprising that it has more flexibility, a greater variety of fiscal resources, concentrated authority and decision-making capacity than a government agency or commission might have. I found this to be evidence of potential future implications for transportation funding in California, but the idea is still difficult to imagine in any immediate situations. Nevertheless, I think that JR Central’s example clearly demonstrates the importance of consistency and accessibility in attracting consumers to mass transit. By: Brett Thomas More so than Los Angeles, Tokyo is a polycentric city with no defined center. Trips to Shibuya, the so called busiest intersection in the world, did not present the same intensity as seen in the core of Western Cities that I have visited or lived in such as London or New York. However, what Tokyo is lacking in monocentricism it more than makes up for in its vast landscape of uniform high density which can be staggering to the western viewer. From the moment you step foot in the streets of Tokyo you start to feel the culture of Japan. The vast majority of passers bye are in dark suits hustling from location to location in a wave of uniformity. The Nationalism and pride of the Japanese People is apparent and one gets a sense that the success and brand of the country of Japan as a whole is as important if not more important than the success of the individual. Kindness and hospitality rule and bowing is a form of subtle communication. Signs of the meticulous and industrious nature of Japanese culture are evident in even the most mundane aspects of the Japanese transportation infrastructure. Permeable pavement allows water to seep in to the ground instead of ending up in streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean leading to higher levels of water pollution. Many throughout the Western World are fighting to implement permeable pavement on their streets. Throughout Japan permeable pavement was very common and almost all new pavement observed is permeable. The United States’ Americans with Disabilities Act requires plastic inserts to notify the blind of an impending intersection. This same material is found throughout Japan’s sidewalks at all locations to notify the direction of the sidewalk. Red pavement at intersections and curves in the road 51
notify Japanese drivers to proceed with caution. Many elevators observed notify passengers when they are at their weight limit. Bicycle trendiness appears to have not skipped over japan. Several stores observed had displays of bicycles in their windows similar to those found in Los Angeles. Similar to Holland most bikes are public style bikes with wheel locks and step through frames. This is presumably a relic of the days of traditional Japanese dress, in which step through frames would be necessary with kimonos. Unlike in the United States where streets limit automobile use with expensive and cumbersome cement diverters the Japanese diverter is a simple steel bar in the middle of the street that makes passage by automobile impossible. One thing not observed in Japan but increasingly common in Western cities is Bikeshare. Only one bikeshare kiosk was observed and that was in the City of Kyoto. There is no on street bicycle infrastructure on the streets of Japan. Instead bicycles ride on the sidewalk unless there is a uniform “no bikes” symbol painted on the ground which was observed throughout the cities visited. At intersections bicycles are separated from pedestrians and have their own lane through the intersection. Police kiosks line the sidewalks of Japanese cities and police use bikes to meander the narrow urban streets. When visiting the Japanese Diet several politicians were observed on bicycles. Tokyo’s 35 million residents are served by two primary rail companies: Japan Railway (JR) and Tokyo Metro. Combined they carry 8,000,000 daily riders, the same number of passengers as the New York City Subway. The rail network in Tokyo acts on a similar premise as European networks with an S-Bahn reaching deep in to the suburban hinterlands and a U-Bahn serving the urban core. The older chunkier JR acts as an S-Bahn bringing commuters in from the far flung suburbs of Tokyo. It is electrified from an overhead wire, elevated and has operating speeds and a feel similar to Metro Light Rail though its network is much more expansive. The Tokyo Metro operates as an U-Bahn serving the urban core with underground service. It is significantly older and slower than LA Metro’s Heavy Rail Red and Purple Line rolling stock but has an expansive network A combination of paper tickets and smart card technology are accepted on most Tokyo rail Systems which allows one time users to not invest in smart card technology. Fare adjustment machines allow for easy use of Zone Based Fare Structure. On Board notification signs notify passengers of their location on the line similar to the New York City Subway and London Tube, but something that LA Metro has yet to adapt. The Japanese culture is highly consumptive. Most items are wrapped in plastic and shopping seems to be a national pass 52
time. This fact is not missed on rail culture. Kiosks providing snacks, cigarettes and alcohol serve passengers waiting on train platforms. Retail stalls line the space below elevated rail lines and Japan’s sprawling rail stations function similar to American shopping malls. The main stations along the Yamanote JR Line which circles the urban core of Tokyo are like vast underground cities with miles of bustling passage ways. These underground cities include Ikebukuro Station, Shinjuku Station, Shibuya Station, Shinagawa Station, Tokyo Station and Ueno Station. These underground cities are so busy that they often feel to have higher pedestrian intensity that the surface streets above them. Japan began operation on the world’s first High Speed Rail (HSR) network, the Tokaido Shinkansen, in 1964. The United States is still struggling to implement an HSR system with similar operating speeds and service quality as the 1964 version in Japan. It is no wonder that the Tokaido Shinkansen is the busiest HSR line in the world. The line, currently operated by JR, connects Osaka to Tokyo in 2 hours 22 minutes, down from 4 hours in 1964. The line carries 410,000 Daily passengers. The current rolling stock is N700A with a maximum operating Speed of 200mph, though much higher speeds are capable. One of the strengths of the Shinkansen network is that schedules change daily. The Shinkansen has similar headways to American subway and light rail networks, which give the line a commuter feel. Headways can be as low as 4 minutes and 10 minute headways are the average. Every night “Dr. Yellow” rides the length of the track to check for inconsistencies. 0 fatalities since 1964! Currently JR is testing a magnetically elevated line to parallel the existing Tokaido Shinkansen at an increased price. The vehicle rolls on rubber tires until it reaches a speed of 93mph at which point magnets kick in and the wheels retract. The vehicle then elevates 10cm above the ground. A magnetic field is produced which propels the vehicle forward by the attractive force of opposite poles and the repulsive force of same poles. Revenue Service is slated to begin in 2027. The top speed tested thus far is 621mph. The lines operating speed will be 320mph, cutting travel between Osaka and Tokyo to little over an hour. Interestingly, the travel time on rail between the center of Tokyo and Narita International Airport takes an hour and a half. This may be a perfect show of the inward looking nature of Japan: that connecting its two major cities and economic engines is more important than a connection to the outside world.
By: Vicky Wu If I could describe my experience in Japan with one word, it would be intensity – intensity of sensations, opportunities, and community. I went to Japan with a limited knowledge about the culture, economy, and landscape. All I knew was from the information that was provided during the pre-trip informational sessions, a few conversations with friends who had visited Japan, and frantic internet searches that culminated in having tens of browser windows open. After a week of exploring Japan, I have learned an immense amount – not only about transportation and the economy, but also about the history and rich culture that the people and landscape of Japan exudes. [Sensation] Tokyo was sensory overload. I was fortunate to have traveled to Tokyo a few days earlier than the rest of the trip members. During those days, I explored a multitude of districts, each with its own distinct style and culture. One of the most memorable experiences was in Shibuya, where I witnessed a “pedestrian scramble,” a four-way crossing and diagonal crossing. It was amazing and mesmerizing to see the continuous outflow of people from Hachiko Station. The amount of people pouring in and out of the station is a testament to the transportation network in Tokyo. The closest thing to the Shibuya crossing in the United States might be in New York City, but the intensity of people is nowhere near as high. Something else that stood out was the amount of advertising in Tokyo. Advertisements were everywhere, especially on trains and in stations. Advertisements are a form of economy, and it made me wonder whether plastering the trains and buses in the United States could be used as a form of revenue to the deeply subsidized systems.
it, or indirectly to the businesses and economy that benefits from quicker transportation between major metropolitan cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. The major hurdles in California (specifically in terms of building the high speed rail) are the people and how the law has transformed since the enactment of CEQA/NEPA. Any person has the right to sue over insufficient environmental assessment, through the citizen suit provisions. Putting this in context of what the speaker said, the major hurdle is that we in the United States do not already have a transportation network that shows how efficient and easy traveling could be via public transportation. What we do have, at least in Los Angeles, is a transportation system that of freeways and a heavy reliance on automobiles as the main form of transportation. I went to Japan with a limited knowledge. During my trip, I learned so much more than I thought I would have. It is truly a place that cannot be experienced through pictures or websites. You truly do not know Japan until you can experience it for yourself. For that, I am very appreciative to have had this opportunity, and would like to thank all of the organizers, Dr. Terasaki, and Dean Gilliam for all of their contributions.
[Opportunities] From what I learned and observed on the trip, metropolitan cities in Japan have a robust economy. I remember having a conversation with another member of the trip at the airport. Unlike some of the airports in the United States, like LAX, the line through security was extremely efficient. I attributed it to the amount of employees the airport had – there was a specific duty for everyone there. The same can be said about the train stations; the system was easy to navigate when lost because there was always an employee there to help. While I have not come to any conclusions on whether this is efficient in terms of profitability for a company, I believe that it creates job opportunities, which can be a societal benefit. [Community] I went to the Transportation and Economy trip with an environmental lens and was curious to learn how the built environment interacted with the natural landscape. At the JR Central visit, I asked how Japan does its environmental assessments when considering a new project, such as building the MAGLEV rail. I learned that environmental assessments were done during the project as opposed to in California when they are done pre-project in conjunction with the planning of the project. The speaker said that the big difference between the United States and Japan is that people in Japan understand the need for the transportation system, so they do not fight it. The transportation network is something that benefits all – either directly to the people who ride 53
Editor’s Note During our time in Japan, we were at times asked by people what the motivation was for organizing the trip. People were curious about why we devoted as much time and energy into the trip as we did. We simply felt that our contributions were a natural extension of the efforts that preceded us in the last three trips from the Luskin School. In 2012, one year after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake hit the Tohoku area, the first trip to Japan was organized by our colleagues to educate Luskin students about Japan’s Reconstruction activities. Over the next two years, our Japanese cohorts continued to make preparations for students to visit and experience Japan from a unique public policy perspective. This year, we were fortunate enough to have ten students from Japan in our class, and there was no question we would continue a tradition set by our predecessors. Although our individual reasons for helping with the trip may not be identical, we are all bound by a common passion to educate Luskin students about our country’s culture and policies. Most of us have been sent by Japanese government agencies or corporations with a mission to bridge the cultural divide between the U.S. and Japan, in addition to learning about US public policy. It was our pleasure to expand the scope of the trip this year to include 41 participants and three policy areas: Reconstruction, Education and Transportation & Economy. We hope that the 2015 Luskin School Japan Trip will ignite a desire in Luskin students to learn more about our country and will serve as an incentive to expand their own personal and professional horizons.
Luskin School Japan Trip 2015 Organizers Patrick Allan Co Takahiro Asaoka Ko Kawaragi Rie Kudo Noriko Magara Keisuke Matsumoto Nozomi Ohno Takehiro Suzuki Yasunori Takizawa Glenn Yamada Yoshiha Yamakawa Toru Yoshida
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