CEPEX

Interview with IDYL intern Yodai Tanaka:

How was your time interning at Sojitz?

Although this internship is really different from what I wanted, I still learned about how to write summaries. I think that my English has improved professionally. When I first started, it would take me around a week to write a summary but now it only takes me around a day to complete it. I was also given the chance to do my own research which was nice.

What activities did you do that aligned with your passions?

I am interested in the topic of human rights, but that’s a topic that isn’t related to what I was doing for my internship, so I often went to events outside of work. If there was a think tank discussion on something related to my interests, then I would do my best to attend them align with other events around DC.

What was the most difficult part of your internship

For me, writing summaries was something that was especially difficult for me because for the language barrier and simply lack of knowledge on some of the topics. I overcame these challenges by rewatching the streams of the think tank events so that I could go back and listen more carefully and write down points that I had missed. I am now able to turn in reports faster than when I first started so I think there has been improvement.

What kinds of cultural activities did you do?

I volunteered at Shinshun Matsuri in DC. I have 10 years of experience with calligraphy so that was one of the things that I did to show Japanese culture and also put my skill to use. I also met with Korean students in Asan Academy who are basically doing the same things that I am, but they aren’t part of a government program. I wanted to make a connection with them since there is an emphasis on relations between US-Japan-Korea.

What will be your fondest memory of DC?

This was in Maryland, not DC but close enough, but I went with my roommate to a football game. I went to Ohio State University and that’s where I gained in interest in football and would often watch their games. Ohio State University’s team came to play against University of Maryland which is the University that my friend attends so we went to watch it together. It was a close game and really fun to watch so I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed experiencing Thanksgiving. I went to my friend’s house and it was really nice being able to spend the holiday with their family. I got to do the wishbone tradition and it was a lot of fun.

What things should other interns expect to encounter in the US?

There’s lots of things to be aware of when talking to people such as tone and body language. When introducing yourself and meeting people, you will have to shake hands. It is also important to maintain good eye contact. There is also a difference in what is considered taboo to talk about in the US vs in Japan.
What advice would you give to incoming IDYL interns?

People in DC are very open so if you are interning here then definitely have informational interviews. People are are more likely to communicate with you and are open to let people know what they are doing. It’s something that I think is very different from Japan and even other parts of the US.

Since there is a difference in taboo topics in the US, I think Japanese people need to be aware of this and careful so that they don’t cross any lines or accidentally come off as rude. Be careful of being too straightforward.

My name is Aimee Kustar, I am currently a Sophomore at The George Washington University studying International Business and Japanese. My family is from Slovakia so growing up I learned both English and Slovak.

I found a passion for learning about other cultures and languages since I was really young. In high school I had taken Spanish and studied abroad for 7 months in Tokyo to study Japanese. When I first came to GW, I had thought that I would only study Japanese but when I found the the course was full, I decided to expand and start other language. I had heard that Korean was similar to Japanese so I decided to try it out and ended up loving it. I hope to incorporate languages and traveling in my future career.

I look forward to gaining new skills and experience and learn to incorporate my interests into my work. I am so grateful for this award and the opportunity it has given me.

よろしくお願いします。

エイミー • クスター

The CEPEX Hokkaido Branch includes a volunteer team of Nitobe College Students at Hokkaido University. Pictured below is CEPEX Hokkaido Representative Ms. Yukari Kasahara, with Ms. Taki Shimada, Ms. Yuuha Okubo and Taiga Takahashi.

The CEPEX Hokkaido branch is actively engaged in regional promotion and internationalization issues through creating policy proposals of “Hokkaido Model”, which seeks to utilize JET Program participants. Did you know that Hokkaido has the second largest population of JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program participants after Tokyo? In 2017-2018 there were 263 JET Program participants in Hokkaido, compared to 391 participants based in Tokyo.

Participants in the JET Program come from 44 countries, although the majority are from the U.S., UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Ireland. JET participants have little control over their placement in Japan and often face a variety of challenges, such as loneliness in isolate regions, issues navigating everyday life in Japan, cross-cultural misunderstandings and questions about the future. CEPEX Hokkaido wants to not only directly support ALTs, but also explore mutual theme which would enable ALTs to work with students in the classes.

Last year the Hokkaido team proposed “Plan for Interactive Community House with ALT ” (see here). This year, they are working on new efforts to actively collaborate with local communities and students with the theme of “Planning for Regional Development with JET Program Participants” which also takes into consideration how to deal with natural disasters such as earthquakes.

My name is Yodai Tanaka, I am a senior at Hokkaido University in Japan. I am majoring in Law and Political Science with a concentration in International Law and American Politics. I was born and raised in Hokkaido Japan, but studied abroad twice in the U.S.  From August 2011 to August 2012, I was a Rotary exchange student in New York. Desiring an even greater global perspective, from August 2017 to May 2018, I returned to the U.S. to study at the Ohio State University. I am also a member of Nitobe College Program at my university to develop leadership and communication as well as improving my mindsets and skillsets to participate in the global society in the future.

I am currently in Washington, DC as a Japan Internship for Development of Young Leaders (IDYL) program participant. IDYL Program was designed by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State in order to cultivate future leaders of the U.S.-Japan relationship. I am extremely grateful that I can work and exchange opinions with professionals in the field of U.S.-Japan relationships, gaining more expertise and wider views through this program.

Besides professional skills, I’m eager to learn about the deeper culture of the U.S. including its history, social issues, and values. Of particular interest are topics which the greater public in Japan doesn’t recognize yet. During my internship, there’ll be many opportunities such as celebrating American holidays that can help me understand U.S. customs and politics from an intimate perspective. I also want to break down stereotyped ideas and images the American media associate with Japan. Japanese culture is often see as a novelty in other countries; but it’s so much more than sushi and anime — It’s about Omotenashi (extreme Japanese hospitality) and Hanami (cherry blossom viewing)… These are sacred traditions — central to a Japanese identity, yet have been long overlooked. I’m sure there are many more aspects of the Japanese identity that could be clarified. So beyond gaining professional skills in the U.S., I’m hoping to discuss Japanese customs with people in the U.S.