Geisha to Perform in Washington

The Visit Japan Campaign and the Embassy of Japan are collaborating to bring a special event to the 95th Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC.

Members of the Japan Culinary and Culture Association along with professional Geisha from Tokyo will appear at the Japan Information and Culture Center ICC on Friday, April 13 at 6pm. The event will include traditional Geisha dance performances and lectures on traditional Japanese hospitality. The event will conclude with a photo opportunity with the delegation at the venue. Bring a camera! The evening is free and open to the public. Reservations are required to attend. To RSVP email your name and the number in your party to: jiccrsvpspring07@embjapan.org

The delegation will also perform a Geisha Dance for the public at the Japan-America Society's Sakura Matsuri - Japanese Street Festival on Saturday, April 14. Please come see them on the main stage on Pennsylvania Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, NW 12:15-12:45 pm. Following that, the geisha will meet with the public at the Japan National Tourist Organization's "Yokosoo Japan" tent.

First Wave of Chinese Teachers Hits US

Thirty-four Mandarin-speaking teachers from China arrived in the United States in January as part of the Chinese Guest Teacher Program. The teachers will be placed in schools in 19 states and will teach at the high school, middle school, and elementary school level.

By 2009, the Program will bring as many as 250 qualified teachers from China to teach in American classrooms for up to three years.

The Chinese Guest Teacher Program is sponsored by China’s Office of Chinese Language Council International in partnership with the College Board. The Chinese Guest Teacher Program seeks to address the shortage of qualified Chinese teachers in the U.S. and meet the growing interest in Chinese among U.S. high school students.

The next group of up to 100 teachers will arrive in August 2007.

In a survey conducted in 2004, nearly 2,400 high schools expressed an interest in offering the AP (Advanced Placement) Chinese course in 2006-07. But many of these schools either are understaffed or have no teacher of Chinese, and many see no prospect of finding the teachers necessary to build their programs.

World to Japan: No "Sushi Police," Please

AP reports that Japan has called off plans to police Japanese restaurants overseas for authenticity. Tokyo appointed a panel of food experts in November to discuss a certification system that would crack down on restaurants abroad that bill themselves as authentic Japanese, but fall short of culinary standards at home.

But the Agriculture Ministry panel now has called off the plan after receiving complaints - some from overseas - that the system was discriminatory.

The plan had been championed by Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who has accused overseas restaurants of using "culinary techniques and ingredients far removed from those of authentic Japanese food".

Executive Gender Gap Is Widest in Japan

According to Reuters, Japan lags behind all countries in addressing the gender gap for top level executives. A global survey conducted by consulting firm Grant Thornton International found that 38 percent of companies worldwide have no women in senior management.

Nearly 70 percent of businesses in Asian countries boast high ranking women, while just over half of European businesses have women in top roles. but Japan came in last place out of the 32 countries surveyed, with just a quarter of businesses reporting women in senior positions.

Japanese Children Not Motivated to Study?

Primary school students in Japan have little expectation for the future, and their motivation to study is low compared with Chinese and South Korean students, according to a survey by the Japan Youth Research Institute.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that the percentage of parents in Japan who tell their children that they will be able to get a good job in the future if they study hard was the lowest among the three countries.

More than 70 percent of respondents in Beijing and Seoul said they wanted to study hard for the future, while 48 percent of students in Tokyo gave the same answer.

According to the survey, nearly 80 percent of the children in China and South Korea said they wanted to perform well academically, but just 43.1 percent of the Japanese children gave that answer.

Visiting the Cherry Blossoms Gets Easier

The District Department of Transportation and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association for will offer "valet bicycle parking" during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

This year the valet parking program has been expanded from one site to two sites due to the popularity of last year's program.

Cyclists can leave their bikes free of charge at secure, staffed areas - at 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW, and at the southwest corner of the Jefferson Memorial - Saturdays and Sundays during the festival.

The program aims to help make cycling more convenient for festival goers and to reduce traffic congestion in and around the Tidal Basin and the District's downtown.