62nd Japan-America Student Conference

Thank you

2010-08-23T04:01:00.003-04:00

So ends the yearlong journey of the EC that began on August 19th of last year in Kyoto. It's difficult to believe that 2 days have already passed since JASC 62 ended at San Francisco International Airport. As everybody adjusts back to life after JASC, the days will probably start passing by even faster as school work, everyday relationships and... just work catch up to us. In reality, within a few months many of us may not even remember how strongly we felt about JASC 62 on August 21st or how close we felt to one another as a delegation. We all have our own lives, and we all have to move on.

But as the ECs already know, this doesn't have to mean the end to the personal relationships we built during the conference. JASC 62 has truly been an amazing ride; even though it might be difficult to remember what JASC meant to us or see exactly how JASC has influenced us, there will likely be times when these things become apparent to us through the friends and connections we made at JASC. So JASCers, live strong and look forward to that day when we'll relive these experiences we shared over this past month!

Please forgive me for moving on to some more personal notes... To the AEC- I still remember that day last August when Naoki drew the "omikuji" for the entire new EC and got us a "daikichi" (great fortune). The fortune could not have been more true. Somehow, through all the groping in the dark over emails and telephone calls and despite all the dropped details and mistakes, we were able to make JASC 62 come together at each of the four sites. Along the way, it has really been a privilege for me to work with you guys. I remember how lucky we were to see each other at fall meeting when the rest of the 61st was still all over the globe; I remember grudgingly attending the 61st hokokukai event at Columbia but leaving feeling really glad that I went; I remember frantically trying to learn about my RT topic from Mike Auslin, Hugh Patrick, and Evans Revere among others at the Japan Society event in New York; I remember cleaning my room but forgetting to arrange for enough bedding for the two guys that stayed over for spring meeting at Princeton (and not reading all of the applications in time...). Despite all of the personal issues I had throughout this year, preparing for JASC 62 has really been the time of my life, and I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone in this respect.

To my fellow Indiana site coordinators Diane, Natsuki and Shuta, thanks for all of your hard work and for putting up with me! Thanks to my liaison comrades Natsuki and Azusa for doing a hell lot more work than me and being a good bridge between the two ECs. Thanks especially to David, Hiroki, Toru, Yuri and Mari for hearing me out when I really needed to speak honestly to somebody. Thanks so much to my RT partner Mari; I know you put in an incredible amount of effort and preparation for Security, and I can't quite express how grateful I am to have had the chance to work with you this past year. Thanks to the entire EC for making this JASC happen; I love all of you guys, and I wish every one of you the best in your remaining years as students and beyond. I hope that one day we'll all be able to see each other face to face again!

Until then, here's the oldest AEC (22) signing out. Thanks for reading.

Yudai Chiba

June 10th - 10 days before it begins again!

2010-07-10T21:21:00.004-04:00

Here we go again,

Here comes the next ride on this roller coaster we like to call JASC...

I am excited and nervous at the same time.

There is so much to do with only a few days left to spare.

I have been working on this conference for a whole year now with my AEC partner, Ikuno Naka,
securing food, hotels, speakers, and all sorts of crazy things I never would have imagined.

My experience leading my round table will reveal whether a whole year of hard-work was worth it.

So far, I think it was.

I love speaking with my RT delegates - their eagerness and willingness to ask questions that deeply probe into today's social issues inspires me. Fuels me in the wee hours of the morning...

Right now, I am brainstorming the field trips I will be taking my delegates on.
We recently met to discuss their interests.

My round table, Social Entrepreneurship, is meant to expose Japanese and American students to the a rising field and offer them the tools to assess and one day, influence enterprises in their respective countries.

I have an exciting array of opportunities lined up for them all ready, and I can't wait to begin.

2 weeks to go!

2010-07-09T13:26:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,

If you've been following this blog, I'm sure you've noticed that... well, there's a lack of things to follow. The AEC has become increasingly busy with work, travel, and above all, JASC preparations. I can honestly say that I've loved working with every member of the EC and ISC, and have thoroughly enjoyed the (intence) experience of planning the 62nd JASC... it is a venture that should only be undertaken once, and I'm glad to have been able to do so. No sigh of relief will come until all delegates are safely on their flights away from San Francisco, with 16 of them planning the 63rd JASC... what bittersweet relief that will be.

No need to even think about the end of JASC 62, though, as it hasn't even begun... although, one might say JASC 62 began last August as a vision in all of our minds. Ohh, how that vision has evolved... and so have Japan-America relations, which have been going on much longer than this 76-year-old conference.

To summarize, here is a small list of events that have taken place between Japan and America during the past year--each of them blogworthy in their own right, but the other AEC have more expertise in politics and history. I just like to read the news, and spill my text about how great JASC is going to be.

Japan-America Relations '09-'10:

The Toyota safety crisis... Millions of Toyota vehicles are recalled in late 2009 due to a safety issue with the gas pedal. As one who does not drive, I can accept your apology, Mr. Toyoda... although I can't speak for those affected by the mishap.

February 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the US-Japan treaty of mutual cooperation and security--a major part of this year's JASC theme. Where do we stand now?

March 2010 also marks the 150th anniversary of the Kanrin Maru's voyage from Japan to San Francisco--where this year's JASC will conclude.

Okinawa falls victim to politics, again, and Hatoyama steps down as Prime Minister, as Naoto Kan fills the position shortly thereafter.

Of course, that isn't everything that happened between Japan and the U.S.--both countries are under considerable political and financial pressure as two of the world's leading economies. The United States has also recently accepted aid from Japan for the Gulf oil spill cleanup, a sign that we are still very much reliant on one another, and a relationship like this is never one-sided.

The trust, friendship, and cooperative nature of JASC are powerful enough to strengthen this bond as our generation transcends to become world leaders and global voices. In recognizing the past accomplishments towards peace and security between these two nations, JASC brings us together at a pivotal time for our partnership.

If you have more to add, or other noteworthy news stories, please leave a comment! I would add a picture, but I'm not at my computer... ><;

2 weeks to JASC, start packing! Take care everyone, and have a relaxing summer.

AEC Update: 10 weeks to JASC

2010-05-14T17:36:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone! Summer is here... for some of us, at least. The AEC will be all over the globe this summer, including Korea, Japan, England, NY and DC. If any JASCers (past and present!) are nearby, any of us would love to meet up!

The last time we all saw each other was during Spring Meeting, in March, at Princeton. We arrived Thursday and stayed up all night reviewing applications... then stayed up the next night discussing RTs... finally, on Saturday night, running on about 4 total hours of sleep each, we shot some video to introduce ourselves to the 62nd Japanese Delegation (this occurred after midnight.)

We all left each other on Sunday, traveling back to our respective universities and heading into Spring Break... JASCing never pauses, though. We were sent into the second half of the semester, doomed to be even more tired than the first... Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad.

Meanwhile, the JEC was busy preparing for Spring Orientation with the Japanese delegation, which took place between May 3-5 in Tokyo. During these few days, delegates met with alumni, had a session with English-speaking students, and had roundtable discussions--photos of RTs will be posted soon!

For those of us in the US, as our finals come to a close, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and continuing to work towards the 62nd Japan-America Student Conference, aka, the best summer you'll ever have.

On that happy note, time to get to know your AEC!

Intro videos for the AEC are below; the second video is the one we shot for Japadeles, in which we're in a zombie-like state... maybe the JEC can prepare a similar video for us to show everyone during American Orientation!

Introducing... Hiroki Takahashi!

2010-04-22T20:32:00.002-04:00

After much ado, allow me to introduce my most wonderful RT partner for the Environment Roundtable... the honorable Hiroki Takahashi!

I asked him some very important questions in order to gain some insight into his interesting persona. Here are his creative responses:

Where do you want to live in the future, and why?

I want to live in New York. When I was a junior high school student, I had a trip to America and visited New York city. There are soooo many energetic office workers who I have never seen in Japan. Since then, I have admired them and want to be like a powerful and intelligent worker in NY.

If you could be a type of food, what kind of food would you be?

If I could be a type of food, I would be an unripened grape. If you find a grape that looks nice, you try to eat it, but this type of grape is so sour...

That is to say, I am seemingly normal student, but my inner self is not normal or mature...><

(Author's note: Untrue--I think if you bit Hiroki, he would not be sour at all. He's quite mature :) )

What was the funniest moment of the 61st JASC?

The homestay was soo fun in the 61st JASC. My homestay partner was David, as you see, he is one of the AEC. My host family were grape farmers, and they lived in the Japanese traditional house.The most impressive event in this Homestay was meal of traditional food, including the bugs...><>

What are you looking forward to in the 62nd JASC?

I am looking forward to having the Homestay! I do not know the American lifestyle, because I have not lived in the USA. What foods do they eat in normal life? How do they spend their Holidays? ....these questions can be answered by my real experience during Homestay. If this sort of Homestay can be realized, I can understand the American culture deeply.

What is the meaning of your name?

My name is Hiroki Takahashi.

My family name is Takahashi. Takahashi means "high bridge", it does not have much implication in it.

My name is Hiroki. Hiroki is expressed in Kanji, 央樹. It means "central big tree."

This origin is simple. My city has a big tree located in the center of city.

The big tree is loved by city's people, so my parents wanted me to be like this tree which is loved by anyone, and so they named me Hiroki.

--------

As you see, there is a lot going on inside of Hiroki's head... I can't wait to see him again during JASC 62, and for those of you attending this year's conference, you, too, can understand what it is like to be friends with the great Hiroki Takahashi!

Take care,

Leah

Introducing Toru Omiya!

2010-03-21T11:20:00.000-04:00

Hello All! I hope everyone is enjoying the arrival of lovely spring these days. I am currently making a sweet escape to California for my spring break, and the weather is awesome as expected☺ !

Today, I would like to introduce my Japanese counterpart, Toru Omiya, to you all. We will be leading the roundtable of Sustainable Regionalism: How can urban cities and rural communities coexist?. To give you his brief background, Toru is a junior at Tokyo University, majoring in City planning, and he has a great sense of music. (he used to be a leading singer in his band!) Here are some answers I got from him about himself. Enjoy!

1. Why did you apply to JASC last year?

There were two main reasons why I decided to apply to JASC.

The first one is simply because JASC seemed to me interesting and attractive.
Before applying, I had joined another international exchange activity as well, which made me find myself loving to exchange my idea with people from different background and eager to know different culture and language.

The second is because I wanted to understand what is “real” America.
To be honest, although I didn't have any friends from the U.S nor any experience of visiting the U.S, I felt like that I didn't like this country at that time, which I think is because I was working on some project as volunteer staff at a NGO which dealt with environmental issues in the developing countries. They always strongly insisted the sins of the U.S government policy for global warming. Then, this kind of way of thinking might affected me.

On the other hand, I felt I should have more communication with people from the U.S, because I am a person who doesn’t like to say something without precise understanding.
At that very moment, I happened to know JASC from one of my best friends, who was engaged in this conference as one of JECs. She proudly explained me about JASC, and said, “Toru, you should apply! I 'm sure that JASC must be a life changing experience for you.”
With her words, I finally made up my mind to apply to JASC last year.

2. What were the most memorable, meaningful experiences you got out of JASC?

It is really difficult for me to choose only one experience out of JASC....
Although so many memorable experiences come upon my mind, I think visiting Japanese local city with Amedeles was one of the most interesting experiences for me.
As third site of 61st JASC, we visited one small rural city, Obuse in Nagano prefecture, where about only 10,000 people live.( This is smallest population in Nagano )

As for me, the scenery in Obuse was normal. Of course, people there welcomed us warmly and there were interesting effort and projects to survive as an autonomous community. Except of that, there was nothing particular that stood out for me in this Japanese rural city.
As for most Amedeles,on the other hand, this experiences in Obuse seemed really moving.
This made me surprised and gave me a chance to rethink the question, “What is the uniqueness of Japan?”

Even now, majoring in Japanese city planning at my university, I still have this question in my mind.

3. What are your favorite things to do?

I love listening to music, watching movies, reading books, taking pictures, talking with friends ....etc...
maybe I like to do.....EVERYTHING! haha

4. What is your vision for the 62nd JASC?

There are two vision for the 62nd JASC.

The first is to make this program like a cafeteria.
JASC is such place that we can talk everything we want, so I'm happy if I could be a kind of bond for each person and make JASC kind of a place where delegates feel at ease to talk with each other.

The second is to make a particular conclusion in my Sustainable Regionalism roundtable.
Our RT topic is really vague and there will be some gaps among members towards the discussion.
So it will be hard to decide on one direction, therefore it must be meaningful if we could do that.
With my greatest buddy Marie, I want to make my RT the best ever.

5. Please give your special message to potential JASCers!:)

Even though there is a quite close relationship between our two countries, it seems most people don' t have any occasion to communicate with each other in person.
JASC must be a really great opportunity for you to know “what Japan is”, “what the U.S is” and “who you are”. I want to persuade you strongly to apply to 62nd JASC!

Hurry up if you want to change yourself :)

1st Japanese Executive Committee Introduction!

2010-02-11T10:46:00.003-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Naoki here. The application deadline is less than two weeks away...exciting! Anyway, I'd like to introduce the AWESOME chair of the Japanese Executive Committee, Koichiro Yasukawa. He's currently a senior at Waseda University in Japan. Check out the answers to some (interesting) questions below~

Introduce yourself in two sentences.
Oldest among All ECs. Looks truly old. lol

Why did you apply to JASC 61?
Acutually I applied to JASC 59th, but unfortunatelly I counldn't join
it. So 61st was my second time applying to JASC. I truely interested
in the discussion with foreign student, especially with the student in
America!

What was your favorite moment of JASC 61?
Laundry trip: During JASC we sometimes hang out for finding
Laundry lol and the moment we are on the way for the Laundry is good
time for us to have a lot of casual talk!

If you had an RT what would it be about?
It would be about International Law

What are you looking forward to most in the US
Ummm, to meet a great American delegates and also 62nd AECs !

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
It would be precognition, I really wanna know about the final exam!!!!!!

Message to the delegates?
Let's have fun!

Here is the 8th AEC!

2010-02-04T23:48:00.004-05:00

Hello Everyone!

My name is Marie Watanabe (the left one on the picture with my lovely JASC friend, Svet:)) and, yes, I am the last American Executive Committee (AEC) member of 62nd JASC to be introduced on this blog. (I apologize for my rather late appearance...)
I am currently back at Wellesley Collge starting the second semester of my sophomore year. As one of the eight AEC members, I work as a secretary, delegate selection, and a New Orleans co-site coordinator. I will be leading Sustainable Regionalism roundtable with my Japanese counterpart, Toru Omiya aka my "buddy".

To tell you about myself, I will start from my brief background. I was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in the warm weather until I was 6. Then I moved to LA, California, and Tokyo, Japan, and went to a Japanese school in Tokyo until my sophomore year in high school. Because of these years in Japan, I am fluent in Japanese and familiar with Japanese cultures. (I LOVE everything about Japanese food... can't live without it!) I then moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, and graduated Greenwich High School and came to Wellesley College in Massachusetts. My parents moved back to good old Houston, so now I am back to my roots in the south:)

As a Japanese-American, I lived about half of my life in Japan and another half in the US. In that sense, I feel that I am perfectly bi-cultural and bilingual as I respect and embrace both countries. It is always hard to answer when people ask me questions like "which country do you like better?" or "where is your hometown?" simply because I like both countries and I feel like I have multiple hometowns. (Although I must say that I sometime wish if I could bring the Japanese food and convenient life in Tokyo and the chill, relaxing vibe of Texas and vast areas of space in the US all together...my ideal world)

Participating in 61st JASC was an eye-opening experience for me because it gave me a chance to connect with other intelligent, interesting student delegates as well as prominent leaders in business, government, journalism, and other fields. Most of all, JASC helped me to re-discover Japan through a month-long series of field trips and activities. Before going to JASC, I had an arrogant view that I already knew about Japan enough since I lived in Tokyo for many years and often went back to visit my relatives and friends. BUT, after visiting places that I had never been and seeing and hearing things that I had never known about Japan before, I felt that I had only known a few dimensions of Japan.
This shocked me in a good way. The feeling of ignorance and a sense of admiration to the diversity and richness of Japanese cultures truly inspired me to learn more about Japan. Not only the country, but the people I met through JASC became an invaluable source of inspiration. Some of the 61st delegates had extraordinary backgrounds and stories from the past, and just by listening to them and exchanging ideas with them motivated me to learn more from them.

As a 62nd AEC in the American year, I hope that I could assist this year's delegates to have a memorable, special experience in the US. I hope that both American and Japanese delegates will take something valuable away from the conference and learn new things about the US.

I recently made a trip to New Orleans this past month and got really excited about planning events and schedules for JASC in New Orleans. The city of NO has a lot to offer ranging from Post-Hurricane Katrina situation and historical an cultural aspects, and I think delegates will definitely enjoy the real jazz music and Cajun food in French Quarter:)

Anyway, I hope you consider applying to JASC!
The deadline is approaching soon so hurry up!:P

Japan-U.S. Security Treaty 50 Years On

2010-01-23T13:24:00.001-05:00

This past Tuesday marked the 50 year anniversary of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. The last 50 years has seen our (American) relationship with Japan change multiple times and today we may again be in a transition period.

Four of the AECs including myself had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by the Japan-Society in New York City on the day of the anniversary in their building between 1st and 2nd on 47th street. As part of an audience of 60 or so other members, many from businesses and governmental organizations, we were able to see an intergenerational panel discussion about the current and future relationship between the U.S. and Japan. We heard from three speakers who have had an impact on US-Japan relations the past, as well as three younger speakers who look to contribute to the relations in the future.

Some of the talk revolved around the current Futenma issue, but the panelists stressed that the relationship is beyond Futenma. A particularly interesting comment was mentioned by Mr. Evans Revere who proclaimed that the U.S. can only go so far in pressuring Japan and that in the end it is Japan's territory. Although the U.S. Defense Department may not be extremely happy, he again pointed out that our alliance is larger than Futenma. That in itself displays some of the misunderstandings between the two sides since it seems like the Japan side is stuck pondering the implications of the actions they want to take, fearful of how the U.S. may react.

All of the panelists agreed that Futenma is just a bump on the road of our long relationship. A few pointed out that in the past we have had much bigger issues come between our two countries and we still have persevered. Another panelist exclaimed that these bumps were actually indicative of an excellent relationship between our two countries; the turbulence is a result of the high expectations on both sides from each other and the rest of the world.

All in all, I left the event looking forward to the future of the two countries. Although JASC has an incredibly diverse delegate/alumni base, I'm hopeful that we'll be making contributions to the relationship in the future in one facet or another.
:)

You can see the official information (Who the panelists were, etc.) about the event here!
http://www.japansociety.org/event_detail?eid=66675a80

Another Introduction!

2010-01-04T10:01:00.004-05:00

(me with my friend Taishi Asano from JASC)

Hello !

My name is Mariama Holman and I am another one of the American Executive Committee members for the 62nd JASC. I am the publications director of JASC. Right now I am a sophomore at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. I am leading the San Francisco Site with my super-fabulous partner, Ikuno Naka. Also, I am the American leader for the Social Entrepreneurship Roundtable, which I co-lead with the "Incredible" Shuta Takada.
I was born in Chicago, Illinois, but I have spent a larger portion of my life in Georgia, therefore, I officially consider myself a southerner. However, I definitely enjoy visiting my family in New York and Chicago during the summer and reacquainting myself with my birth city. Right now, my home is in Atlanta, Georgia, and I am loving it. It has the most INCREDIBLE weather, and I feel sorry for the other AEC’s that are situated in the rust-belt and cannot enjoy a lovely 60 degrees spring...

My interests outside of school and career are dominated by the arts, especially painting and drawing. During my high school years I often drew caricatures or painted faces and bodies at fairs, festivals, and charity events. I especially liked to travel to nursing homes or hospitals and create portraits while being entertained with lively conversation.
Besides the visual arts, I REALLY enjoy music and poetry. I am the host of a Jazz show on my school’s student radio station. You can check out my show times for the upcoming semester at radio.wfu.edu. Additionally, I love to attend spoken word poetry slams at my school and in Atlanta. I have even read a poem or two of my own a few times…

ANY WHO,

I applied to JASC because I am just a naturally inquisitive person… Ha ha ha… Honestly, I thought JASC was a great opportunity for me to travel abroad and meet people from a different background from my own. Since I spent a huge chunk of my life in a small, isolated area of the South- I didn’t often engage in a diverse community. My “international experiences” were pretty limited before JASC. Besides a bathroom break at a gas station on the Canadian border when I was 6, I really hadn’t seen the outside world much…

After taking an incredible class on East Asian History and a Social Problems course in college, I realized that I had a strong interest in the study of globalization and its impacts on economics and society. During my Asian History course I was especially interested in the 1960’s of Japan and the expansion of the economy. This really piqued my interest because my folks raised me on stories about “back in the day,” which often times consisted of their first encounters with Japanese products and culture. I remember hearing about the first Japanese product on the American market- tiny Japanese transistor radios given to all good little boys and girls on Christmas. Or, tales of Speed Racer, Astro Boy, and other early forms of Japanese cartooning.

Back then, I thought it was incredible that Japan became an international economic leader in technological and pop-culture trends that hugely impact daily American life. Experiencing Japanese culture and society first-handedly and making friends from across the world further cemented my interests.

Today, I am still astounded at the great experiences I have had and friends that I have made through JASC. JASC was a great opportunity for me, and I don’t think I have learned half as much in any other month of my teenage life. If you all are looking for an adventure where you learn about yourself as well as the international community, JASC is definitely the place for you to be this summer!

Happy New Year

Peace and Deuces...
Mariama

Happy New Years! (Late) AEC Intro

2010-01-01T21:01:00.008-05:00

Hello, this is the blog administrator. It has come to my attention that the people who have been given permission to post on this blog are the JASC 62 executive committee members "Naoki, Leah, David, Diane, Ikuno, Mariama and 62nd JASC AEC." While "62nd JASC AEC" may (or may not) be a fitting author for administrative announcements, it is unfortunately being used at the cost of the administrator's own name and email address. Astonishingly, the administrator is actually (a) human.
My name is Yudai Chiba. I am a senior at Princeton University majoring in East Asian Studies and getting a certificate in musical performance (violin). My JASC duties include cross-cultural liaison (or alternatively, AEC/JEC liaison) and technology = maintaining this blog. Lessons that I've learned (or am afraid I will be forced to learn soon) include A) communication gaps don't get bridged when you don't communicate and B) blogs don't set themselves up and entries don't write themselves. My New Year's resolution includes a clause about being a more responsive and responsible AEC member... orz Sorry everybody :(

In terms of other AEC responsibilities, I am also one of the site coordinators for the Richmond, IN site at Earlham College. I also happen to be an Indiana native so I'm very excited about this site...! I would have never guessed that JASC 62's first site would be in Indiana. To be perfectly honest I grew up in Indiana thinking it was the most boring place on Earth, and it's strange because I'm now trying to think of how I can convince others from thinking the same f(^^;) Really, though, I'm glad that JASC is coming to Indiana this year, and I can only hope that we can make our stay in Richmond (IN) a worthwhile one. Right, Diane...? ;)

I will also be co-running the roundtable (RT) "Security, Military and Peace: The US and Japan," which will focus on discussions of the Japan-US Alliance. Both my JEC partner, Mari, and I hope (I think??) to make it an engaging discussion in the spirit of the Alliance's 50th anniversary!

My hobbies? Ha, you'll find out if you apply to JASC~ >∀< Well, for one thing I play violin and have been since I was 4; I have been a member of the university orchestra since my freshman year. But that's not all! Teehee.

My plans after graduation? Haha, you'll, find, out, if, you, apply, to, JASC...?

For now, "doron!" (*The sound effect when ninjas disappear. Poof!)

me intro

2009-12-31T13:52:00.006-05:00

Hello friends!

My name is Ikuno, and I'm currently a sophomore at Wellesley College. I am the Public Relations and Promotions/Recruitment coordinator for JASC. I will also be organizing the California site with Mariama! During the 62nd JASC, I will be leading the roundtable discussion on the role of National Identity in the Globalizing Society with my Japanese counterpart Yuri.

Last summer I participated in the 61st JASC, which was one amazing experience. In just one month, not only did I learn more about my heritage country, but I also met 72 wonderful JASCers and had tons of interesting adventures on the way.

Alittle bit more info about me:

I'm a nomad. I've been moving around, living in many different countries from day 1. Interestingly, although I am Japanese by nationality, I've never once lived in Japan. I guess, this was one reason for my interest in participating in the 61st JASC. But perhaps more importantly, the fact that JASC was a completely student-run, student-focused conference that challenged students to think about their role in global issues was something that truly excited me!

Currently at Wellesley, I'm studying History. I'm currently really fascinated by 15th to 18th century Latin America history. But I've also taken some really great classes on Asian American-Japanese American History.

Well I think that's about it for me! I wish you all a wonderful HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hoorah for the coming year of 2010! And horrah for the coming 62nd JASC!

I hope you all apply!

(*o*)

Towards Global Awareness: Celebrating 75 Years of JASC

2009-12-22T22:25:00.004-05:00

Naoki here, hope everything is going well for everyone out there! Now that finals are over or are just about wrapped up, you all (and us) finally are free for winter break ^^. Unfortunately for me...mine will end soon since I'll be back in Ithaca in less than a week ><.

But..in my short time home on Long Island, I was able to attend an event that was organized in New York City last Friday (12/18) by two of the AEC members from the 61st JASC. It was a small but exciting celebration of 75 years of JASC. A quick history reminder, JASC began in 1934, after the Manchurian Incident. One of the main reasons JASC is such an amazing experience is because of the people that you get to meet both during and after the conference!

We had two former JASCers, Ms. Margaret Haas (President, The Haas Associates, Inc. JASC 21, 22, 24) and Ms. Nancy Silverman (Assistant Vice President, Executive Risks. JASC 49, 50), attend and speak for a short period of time. Both offered their own experiences on how JASC changed them and how it affected their careers. It was exciting to hear that some of their closest friends today were still JASCers from their own delegations.

Afterwards, we had a panel of 61st JASCers (Summer 2009), Jose Pulido (sophomore at GWU), and Yudai Chiba (another one of our 62nd AECs!) and myself. Each of us were able to talk about why we applied to JASC and what we were able to come out of JASC with. Personally, I feel like JASC has fostered my own development as a student leader, encompassing even my activities outside of JASC.

Its only been 1/3 of a year since JASC61, but it still feels like just yesterday... I'm going to see some more JASCers tomorrow, and can't wait ^^.

Happy Holidays and have a good New Year!

-Naoki

Finally a new AEC Intro >.<

2009-12-08T14:28:00.004-05:00

Hello~! My name is Diane Lee. Currently I'm a Junior at Smith College (same as Leah!) double majoring in English and Government. I'm currently leaning towards pre-law. I attended the 61st JASC last year and had a blast and now I'm the promotion/PR/Indiana site coordinator!!! I will also be leading the Education RT with the lovely Azua who you guys saw in the photo below with Leah. As Naoki said all the AEC are working hard to take the 62nd JASC a great year!!! So....APPLY!!!!!!! ^^

I found out about JASC through a school newsletter and decided to apply 2 weeks before the deadline! >.< but I don't regret it. I applied because I've never been to Japan and really wanted to go and thought it would a great experience both academically and for pure fun. I met tons of friends, got to explore Japan and learned a lot. But what is most memorable I think are the times spent with all the JASCers and all the new friends you make. It is really unreal how close everyone gets within a short period of a month. I was always interested in Japan culturally (including food...keke although I don't like raw fish! gasp*) and became interested in it academically as I took a class on Japan Foreign Policy last year which was the semester before JASC started. I'm also taking a class on Japanese Government right now which sustains my academic interest in Japan. I have to say...it is quite interesting...LOL. I also have always wanted to learn Japanese due to the interest in culture and also the similarities it has with Korean. I decided to learn Japanese after JASC and am taking Japanese I right now. It's quite fun~ So a little background information on me: I was born in Seoul, Korea. I moved to the U.S. in second grade and have lived in NY ever since. I love NY! I still go back sometimes but not as often as I'd like. I still speak Korean often with friends and family. On my free time I love hanging out with friends, go singing at nrb/karaoke, eat different foods, watch Korean dramas...haha well that is all I can think of. Oh and I love dogs!!! Please check out the ISC website and apply to JASC. You won't regret it! It'll be one of the most memorable summers you'll have.

-Diane

Another AEC member arrives...

2009-11-01T18:24:00.004-05:00

Hullo all,

My name is David Myers. I'm the 62nd AEC treasurer/Washington DC site co-coordinator/a bunch of other different roles during the conference.
I'm a political science sophomore (soon to possibly be asian studies minor) at the State University of New York at Geneseo (its a bit of a mouthful). During the 61st JASC I was a delegate in the Public Interests vs. Private Rights roundtable and I will be co-heading: Empowering Today's Youth: Overcoming challenges in society, round table with my co RT leader Natsuki Sakata.

A little more about myself:
I'm a native of Queens, NY and I've lived there all my life. I'm quite prideful of New York City (best place ever) and although I don't have much of an accent, I've been known to try and pull of the New York voice. In addition, I'm a bit of a political science nerd/an all around dork.

I've always had an interest in Asian cultures and I have a particular soft spot for Japan; from the culinary (Japanese food ranks pretty high in my list) to the artistic (I'm a nerd when it comes to anime/I have a thing for Japanese architecture). I'm also trying to get myself more acquainted with Japanese politics and the political system which is truly unique.

I originally applied for JASC purely based on my interest and desire to go to Japan but it turned out to be more then that. I've met some of the most interesting people, done stuff I never thought I would ever get to do and had an amazing time. I hope that everyone that reads this blog gets a good idea of JASC/seriously considers JASC/and ultimately applies for JASC.

We're trying to plan what we hope to be will be an amazing conference and an amazing month that everyone will enjoy and remember. Trust me. It will be pretty awesome.

For now, Tchuss!

Another introduction...

2009-10-18T00:52:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

I'm Leah Flake, the vice-chairperson of the 62nd American Executive Committee for JASC. I'm a junior at Smith College in Massachusetts, majoring in Engineering. Last year, I attended the 61st JASC as a delegate of the Environment and Sustainable Development Roundtable.

Next summer during JASC, I'll be leading a roundtable (with my Japanese counterpart Hiroki), again with an Environmantal focus, entitled "Spreading Environmental Awareness in Industrial Developing Nations." I'll share more about this RT later on, but part of the idea behind the roundtable is to assess international involvement (especially from the US and Japan) in the development of environmental policy and increasing environmental consciousness in the industrialized developing world.

Besides my role in JASC, I love Japanese culture and language, and am attempting to learn Japanese at Smith... it's a nice break from the harsh engineering curriculum. This summer was my first time in Japan, and my interest in the country and its lifestyle was solidified during this amazing travel experience. During this past summer's Japan America Student Conference, we traveled to four areas of Japan and became best friends along the way--I can honestly say I've never had an experience like this before, regardless of the country I was in.

My friend Azusa and I at a Japanese restaurant

For five years, my family has lived near London, England, which is where I attended high school. Before moving to London, I lived in New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin. While each of these places is meaningful in some way, the place I call home right now is London--despite the fact that I am basically 0% British and do not, unfortunately, have any trace of an English accent.

That's all I have to introduce about myself, really... I'm excited to continue working towards the 62nd JASC, and am literally counting the days until all the preparation will finally end--which will mark the beginning of the 62nd Japan-America Student Conference. :) Have a great day, everyone, and I hope you like the blog!

--Leah

First AEC Introduction!

2009-10-17T22:36:00.005-04:00

Hey all!

My name is Naoki John Yoshida, and I'm the chairman for American Executive Committee (AEC) for the 62nd Japan-America Student Conference (JASC)! The AEC is working hard all year round to prepare the 62nd JASC and make it into a reality. I'm going to start off with a little introduction about myself and my thoughts about JASC :).

I'm currently a sophomore at Cornell University up in Ithaca, NY where it just snowed for the first time this winter season a few days ago ><. I'm studying Engineering Physics (BEST MAJOR EVER) and Economics. Really different areas of study, but I enjoy both of them and am looking to establish some sort of connection between them. Academically outside of the class room, I'm involved in research, studying the effects of nanoscale materials at low temperatures, trying to determine their thermoelectric properties. To be honest, I bet that explanation doesn't make sense for most people (I'm not really sure if I fully understand it either yet), but the final goal is to develop a material that'll be able to efficiently convert wasted heat into reusable energy (thermoelectrics is the effect of a head difference to create a voltage difference/current). To broaden my interests in economics, I am involved in both the Microfinance club and the Cornell Investment Club. I'm a strong believer, among other things, in the power of microfinance supporting sustainable entrepreneurship to help solve alleviate poverty in developing countries.

I also try to enjoy as much as my free time as possible!! I follow pretty much every major sport, and am an avid soccer/football fan. I love talking/watching/playing these sports. In high school I swam, played water polo and ultimate frisbee. Unfortunately, once I went off to college, I wasn't able to pursue any of my sports I did previously.........and that's because I DANCE!

I've been dancing for over four years now, and its been a great form of exercise and relaxation for me. I enjoy all sorts of kinds of dance, but I am a bboy, someone who breakdances. We practice at school 5 days a week, but we have a family atmosphere, and no matter how much work we have, I'm ALWAYS excited to go to session :). I've been dealing with several injuries recently, but thankfully I've been recovering pretty well!

Check it out, I'm the one on the left in the Ichiro jersey:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1162648109479&subj=1326120441

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Anyway, I and the rest of the AEC hope to covey to you all what the JASC experience is like and how we are working during this year to make sure the delegates have an unforgettable time. I'm going to focus on a particular aspect, the bonds that you form with your counterparts, especially the Japanese delegates. For me, as a Japanese-American (I was born in Virginia, moved to New York at 2 months old, went to high school in New Hampshire, and am now back in New York), JASC last year was an amazing opportunity for me to mingle with people from different kinds of perspectives. From discussions within our own round tables (which are discussion groups made up of the delegates considering one of seven topics) to just talking with them over lunch, I was able to learn all of the time. It wasn't just academic topics; I still found lots to discover in our cultural exchanges. I made friends that I plan on staying in touch with for the rest of my life, and could not have asked for anymore. Keep checking our blog to see more dimensions about JASC! Each of the other AEC members (there are 7 more!) will be posting their introductions soon, and we'll also update with a summary of our fall meeting, the first time the entire E.C. was able to get together ever since the conference ended.

Until next time!

-Naoki

Welcome to the 62nd JASC AEC blog

2009-09-18T02:32:00.000-04:00

Hello! This is the blog of the 62nd Japan-America Student Conference American Executive Committee. It's not yet in full swing but will be shortly with more information and a new look!

For information on what JASC is please see the link at the side (or just click on the one below):

www.iscdc.org

This is the website of JASC's umbrella organization, International Student Conferences.