Last Chance for the Yankees-Nationals Game !

日米・野球大観戦

The New York Yankees are coming to town, and the Japan-America Society of Washington DC, together with the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Commerce Association, is organizing our 2nd Annual US-Japan Baseball Night.

This game is close to a sell-out, but we still have some upper level infield tickets in Sections 519 to 522.

So join us as Americans and Japanese together celebrate another form of the close partnership between our two countries — yakyuu !

Tickets are $30 each. This includes not only the cost of the ticket to this premium game, but also a chance to win one of two round-trip tickets to Japan, courtesy of All Nippon Airways.

Tickets are first-come, first-served and will be assigned row-by-row in the order your purchase is made. Please order your tickets together if you wish to sit with friends.

There are only a few days left, so check our website at http://www.us-japan.org/dc/programs/2006baseball.pdf or call us at 202-833-2210.

Iemoto Onoe Kikunojo Performs to Full House

The Japan-America Society was honored to sponsor the Washington DC performance of the Grand Master of the Onoe Ryuu School of Dance, the Iemoto Onoe Kikunojo II, on Sunday, June 11 at George Mason University's Harris Theatre.

The Iemoto and his disciples performed before a full house of nearly 300 guests.

The Iemoto plans another tour of the United States in 2007.

Puffy Ami Yumi to Perform in Washington

Japan's hottest J-POP duo, Puffy Ami Yumi, will perform in Washington at the 9:30 club on Sunday night, July 9 at 6:00pm. Tickets are $25 each and are available through www.tickets.com. The 9:30 Club is located at 815 V Street NW.

Ami and Yumi have sold over 14 million records in Japan and have become a phenomenon in the United States since a Cartoon Network show "Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi" debuted in November 2004. The dynamite duo even performed in Macy's 2005 Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In January 2006 Ami and Yumi were appointed goodwill ambassadors to the United States as part of the Japanese government's campaign to encourage tourism to Japan.

Book Signing: US Diplomat and Her Haiku Book

The Japan-America Society and the Japan Information & Culture Center are co-hosting a book discussion and signing with US Consul General Abigail Friedman, the author of a new book on the world of haiku, The Haiku Apprentice.

The gathering will be held on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 6:30 pm at the JICC auditorium in The Lafayette Center III at 1155 21st Street NW.

A chance encounter during her assignment to the US Embassy in Tokyo led Ms Friedman to a haiku group -- and to the "haiku life." This is the author's story of her literary and cultural voyage, and more: it is an invitation to readers to form their own neighborhood haiku groups and, like her, learn to see the world anew.

In The Haiku Apprentice we encounter the real world of Japanese haiku today. No other book in English gives such rich insight into how it feels to participate in haiku writing, Japanese-style. Friedman’s engagingly clear prose also directly addresses many of the questions about haiku that have bothered readers and writers of haiku in English and other languages for decades. . . . For its honesty, accuracy, and the pure pleasure of reading, Abigail Friedman’s book joins that small collection of books about haiku that one can use for ready reference and continuing enjoyment.

The book includes a special appendix on writing haiku in English, starting your own haiku group, and further reading on haiku, plus questions for reading groups.

For reservations, email the JICC at jiccrsvpspring06@embjapan.org

To pre-order the book, please download the order form at http://www.us-japan.org/dc/programs/2006Haiku.pdf and submit it to the Japan America Society.

Sakura Sluggers Win the Ambassador's Cup -- Again !

Not even the superlative pitching of His Excellency the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, also known as Ambassador Ryozo Kato, could keep the Japan-America Society's Sakura Sluggers from winning the Ambassador's Trophy for the second year in a row.

After edging out the Embassy of Japan team 8-7 during the first game of the June 11 tournament, the Sakura Sluggers went on to defeat the "Senators," the electrifying powerhouse team composed of representatives of the various Japanese electric power and energy companies based in Washington DC, by a score of 10-5.

And so -- the Ambassador's trophy remains in its place of honor at the offices of the Japan-America Society of Washington.

Congratulations to the players, coaches and managers of the Sakura Sluggers !!

New Face at the Japan-America Society

Olga Samborska Moroz has joined the Japan-America Society as our Membership and Program coordinator. Olga, who served as the assistant for this year's Japan Bowl, also will be the Society's office manager and the first point of contact for members.

Olga was born in Poland, raised in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and majored in Latin American studies at Connecticut College. A college class in Japanese piqued her interest in Japan, and after graduation Olga went to Japan as a JET volunteer, teaching English at a junior high school on Awaji island for three years.

Olga is fluent in Japanese, Spanish, and Polish.

Japan in a Suitcase Winds Up School Year

The Society re-launched its Japan in a Suitcase program in January 2006. By the time the school year ended at the end of May, we have reached out to a total of 1,651 students in grade 1-3. Our volunteers visited 25 schools (and 41 classrooms) in the District, Maryland, and Virgina and also participated in 6 school international festivals.

The Japan in a Suitcase program will be back in full swing next September.

During the summer months, the Society is working with the Fairfax County Public Libraries to develop and present an entirely new program, "Visit Japan at the Library," which will provide a more intensive introduction to Japanese life and culture for students entering grades 4-5-6.

It's Sake Time

When we surveyed our members earlier this year about what they would like us to do, at the top of the list was "please organize special visits to Japanese restaurants and also sake tastings."

So in response to this popular demand, the Society is hosting a special sake tasting for members and their guests at the Mie-n-Yu restaurant in Georgetown on Wednesday, June 28 from 6:00 pm. The tasting will include 6 different premium sakes and a special menu of hors d’oeuvres presented by Mie-N-Yu’s chef.

Seating is limited to 35 persons. The cost per ticket is $38 and includes the chance to win a Mie-n-Yu dinner certificate, a bottle of premium sake, and a copy of "The Sake Handbook."

For more information and to download the reservations form, go to the Society's website at http://www.us-japan.org/dc/programs/2006sake.pdf

Sakura Sluggers Remain Undefeated

In addition to their victory at the Ambassador's Tournament --

The Sakura Sluggers, our Society's very own softball team, has racked up a 5-0 record in their league competition since the season began on May 11.

The Sluggers play in the International Education League. Other members of the league include the Institute for International Education, Youth for Understanding, the Academy for Educational Development, and the International Research & Exchanges Board.

Kihachiro Kawamoto's Animated Films

The Sackler Gallery will show special animated films by Kihachiro Kawamoto on Friday, June 23, 2006 at 7 pm and on Sunday, June 25 at 2 pm in the Meyer Auditorium.

The films incorporate the traditional aesthetics of Noh drama, Bunraku puppet theater, and kabuki influence. The films feature puppets and paper cut-outs and span the director's career.

Program One (Friday, June 23 at 7 pm): The Trip (1973 / 12 min.), House of Flame (1979 / 19 min.), To Shoot without Shooting (1988 / 25 min.), Briar-Rose or The Sleeping Beauty (1990 / 22 min.), A Poet's Life (1974 / 19 min.), and Anthropo-cynical Farce (1970 / 8 min.)

Program Two (Sunday, June 25, 2006 at 2 pm): Breaking of Branches Is Forbidden (1968 / 14 min.), The Demon (1972 / 8 min.), Dojoji Temple (1976 / 19 min.), and The Book of the Dead (2005 / 70 min.)

For further information, see the Sackler website at http://www.asia.si.edu/

Who Works Harder - Japanese or Americans?

According to the latest issue of Foreign Policy magazine, since 2000 Americans have been working more hours per year than their Japanese counterparts. In fact, Americans workers today log more hours than workers in any other G-7 country.

And vacations? Foreign Policy says that the average Japanese worker takes 5.3 weeks of vacation a year. As for Americans, they take 3.9 weeks a year.

Productivity also is currently higher in the United States. The gross domestic product generated per hour worked is $47.52 in America and $34.80 in Japan. US productivity is not the highest in the world, however. Norway and France have a higher output per worker hour.

Congratulations, Yoko !

Yoko Kamitani, who has been working at the Japan-America Society since January as a program assistant, was graduated in May from the Elliot School of International Affairs of George Washington University.

Yoko was responsible for organizing the two special viewings of the Hokusai exhibit at the Sackler Gallery and also conducted a comparative study of the membership dues and benefits that Japan-America Socieites across the country provide to their general and corporate members.

In addition to her "international affairs" side, Yoko also is a professional musician-composer and will soon be releasing her first CD album.

Hokusai Exhibition Breaks All Records

The Hokusai exhibition at the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery broke all records, attracting over 200,000 visitors.

The Japan America Society was privileged to host two private showings on April 21 and May 4 for 300 of its members and guests.

The Society is grateful to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for allowing us this privilege. We also offer a special thank you to Ann Yonemura, the Senior Associate Curator of Japanese Art, for her introductory lectures before the viewing.

20th Anniversary of ANA's Non-Stop Service

Congratulations to our corporate member All Nippon Airways.

This June marks the 20th anniversary of ANA's non-stop service between Washington Dulles and Narita airports.

ANA has been a great supporter of the Japan-America Society of Washington. Among its many contributions this year, it has provided air tickets for the winners of the National Japan Bowl to travel to Japan -- and it also flew Japanese performers to Washington to perform at the Annual Sakura Matsuri - Japanese Street Festival.

Japan Headed Toward Longest Economic Recovery in History

Japan's economy will achieve real growth in the 2% range this fiscal year, thanks to strong personal spending and capital outlays, according to panelists at an economic forum held May 29 jointly by Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc. and the Japan Center for Economic Research.

They also generally predicted that the recovery will likely be the longest since the end of World War II, surpassing the 57-month Izanagi Boom from 1965 to 1970.

USA Today: Japan is America's Best Market in Asia

USA Today reported on May 16, " For U.S. companies doing business in Asia, fast-growing China and India generate plenty of headlines and hype. But for actual profits, neglected old Japan remains a better bet by far."

U.S. companies earned nearly $11 billion in Japan last year, more than double what they could muster in China ($3.3 billion) and India ($1.2 billion) combined, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Joseph Quinlan, chief market strategist at Bank of America Capital Management, highlighted the disparity in a report last month, labeling Japan 'America's No. 1 cash cow in Asia.'"

PBS Documentary to Feature Japanese High School Baseball

PBS is planning a special one-hour broadcast about Japanese high school baseball, scheduled for broadcast on July 4 at 10 PM.

The show follows two high school teams as they head towards the national high school baseball tournament at Koshien. Four thousand teams from throughout Japan dream of entering Koshien, but only 49 are chosen to compete in the championship that grips the nation for two weeks every August.

"Kokoyakyu: High School Baseball" take viewers inside a world where baseball becomes a proving ground for life's challenges.