Feedback on lecture about Human Trafficking

Posted on November 8, 2015 by jodias

On June 25th we hosted the first ever talk sponsored by the English Department on the topic of human trafficking. It was well attended, with an audience of approximately 250 students and teachers. The speakers, Ms. Mariko Yamaoka (Director of “Not For Sale Japan”) and Ms. Kathy Burton-Lewis (a volunteer with the group), gave a captivating talk and distributed literature on their NPO’s activities.

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Ms. Mariko Yamaoka of the NPO “Not For Sale JAPAN”

After the talk, written feedback was solicited from the students and it is summarized here.

Students…

  • were not aware that a modern day slavery problem exists in Japan.
  • surprised at the problem of forced labor in Japan and how corrupt the internship program is in some companies.
  • astonished that Japan was only on Tier 2 of the placement scale of countries combatting human trafficking.
  • learned that human trafficking comes in many forms and is a major issue globally.
  • had heard the term “human trafficking” and knew there were some trafficking issues but did not recognize the extent of the problem.
  • held the mistaken idea that most women were in the sex industry because they chose to be.
  • realized there was a hidden side of society in Japan that the government must do something about; i.e., stronger crackdown by police of traffickers.
  • believe poverty to be the root of this problem and that must be dealt with by not only the government but by everyone.
  • surprised that even educated and knowledgable people can still be deceived by the traffickers. [They felt terrified by this knowledge.]
  • thought that a system of reporting sexual abuse and/or attempted trafficking must be put in place by police, and that system must not endanger the person reporting.
  • saw a need for more media coverage of the issue.
  • stated that now that they know about this problem, they have to talk to those around them—their family and friends—and spread the reality of this issue.
  • expressed appreciation for the opportunity to attend the presentation and learn about Human Trafficking in all its forms.
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The appreciative audience–made up mostly of IE students and their teachers.

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Live Performance of Rocky Horror

Posted on October 31, 2015 by jodias

The Tokyo International Players invite you to enjoy their production of the musical “The Rocky Horror Show,” to be performed from October 29th – November 1st at Theater Sun Mall 「シアターサンモール」. There will be six performances in total.

This year is the 40th anniversary of this cult classic which features such catchy tunes as “The Time Warp” and “Sweet Transvestite.” Based on a book, music, and song texts by Richard O’Brien, the story of this three-time Tony Award winning play begins in Denton, Ohio where newly engaged Brad Majors and Janet Weiss travel to see the man who introduced them to each other. But they wind up at the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite alien from the planet of Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania. There they meet Riff Raff, Magenta, and Columbia, which leads to doing the Time Warp again! They discover they have been there on a special night; Frank’s creation is to be born!

EVENT: “The Rocky Horror Show,” A play based on the book, music, and song texts of Richard O’Brien,
WHEN: October 29th – November 1st
WHERE: Theater Sun Mall (Click HERE for a map)

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United Nations University Events

Posted on October 18, 2015 by jodias

Just across the street from Aoyama Gakuin University is another university that serves as a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization, the United Nations University. This unique university is meant to serve as a bridge between the international academic community and the United Nations system.


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The UN University frequently hosts public lectures and symposia for the general public on topics of general interest. Recent guest speakers have included the current head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the former president of the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Find out about future events, which are held on an almost weekly basis, at: http://unu.edu/events.

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Tokyo Vegefood Festa 2015

Posted on October 5, 2015 by jodias

The Tokyo Vegefood Festa is a food court style event that takes place in Yoyogi Park every autumn. People from all over the world participate in this festival, as vendors and as customers. All the food offered by the 100, or so, stalls is vegan (made from plant-based ingredients only).

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There are a wide variety of stalls: those representing macrobiotic cafes; vendors offering organic vegetables, fair trade goods, and environmentally-friendly products; and many selling ready-to-eat vegan and raw food delicacies. In addition to the stalls, the event will feature workshops, stage talk shows, and music. There are opportunities to communicate with people from a variety of countries in a convivial atmosphere. You might also consider volunteering on the day of the event to help it run smoothly.

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EVENT: Tokyo Vegefood Festa/ 東京ベジフードフェスタ
WHEN: October 17 & 18 (Saturday & Sunday — from 10 AM)
WHERE: Yoyogi Park, Keyaki Namiki St. (in front of NHK Hall)
SCHEDULE: From 10 AM – 5 PM (until 8 PM on Saturday)

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6th Annual “Gohan (Food) Film Festival”

Posted on October 5, 2015 by jodias

A unique food-focused film festival is back for the sixth time: the “6th Annual Gohan (Food) Film Festival.” It will be held in Shibuya’s Image Forum Theatre, a stone’s throw from the Aoyama Gakuin University campus, and at various restaurants and cafes throughout Tokyo. See the official website for schedule details.

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EVENT: The Tokyo Gohan (Food) Film Festival/ 第6回東京ごはん映画祭
WHEN: Oct 31 ~ Nov 13
WHERE: Image Forum Theatre
LANGUAGE: Various languages with Japanese subtitles
SCHEDULE: http://tokyogohan.com/schedule/

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DISCLAIMER: No mollusks were killed in for the sake of this photograph.

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10th Annual UNHCR Refugee Film Festival

Posted on October 5, 2015 by jodias

EVENT: The 10th UNHCR Refugee Film Festival/ 第10回UNHCR難民映画祭
WHEN: October 2nd 2015 – November 1st 2015 CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE
WHERE: At two venues in Tokyo.
COST: FREE (donations gratefully accepted)


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The 10th UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) Refugee Film Festival will take place from the 2nd of October to the 1st of November at the Spiral Building in Aoyama and at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Tokyo. With the advance of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the various conflicts in Africa, and the troubles in the Ukraine all contributing to the problem, the world now has more than 13 million refugees.

Due to these dire circumstances, the UNHCR Refugee Film Festival, which is held in Japan each autumn, is more relevant than ever. The films on the festival’s program include dramas and documentaries dealing with refugees from such diverse countries as Afghanistan, (South) Sudan, Japan, Nigeria, Syria, Jamaica, Columbia, and Kosovo. Some of the films focus on how the refugees adjust to their places of refuge and cope with day to day challenges.

All the films are completely free. This year 10 films will be screened in total. Click HERE for a PDF of the program.

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Performance Contest in October

Posted on August 6, 2015 by jodias

EVENT: All Japan Student English Presentation Contest
WHEN: Individual presentations (October 15, 2015); Group presentations (October 21, 2015)
WHERE: At the Makuhari Campus of the Kanda University of International Studies
PARTICIPANTS: University and high school students

The Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS — or 神田外語大学 in Japanese) will hold its “All Japan Student English Presentation Contest” in October of this year. You can find out details about it at their Web site: http://www.kandagaigo.ac.jp/contest/. The grand prize is 1,000,000 yen and the US Ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, will make an appearance at the contest to give a short presentation herself. This is an exciting opportunity for you!!!

Find useful advice for preparing your presentation at: https://www.facebook.com/English.Presentation.Contest.

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Talk on Topic of Human Trafficking

Posted on June 16, 2015 by jodias

EVENT: NGO “Not For Sale Japan” (NFSJ) Special Lecture
SPEAKERS: Ms. Mariko Yamaoka (Director of “Not For Sale Japan”) and Ms. Kathy Burton-Lewis (Chairperson of the Wesley Center at United Methodist Church)
WHEN: June 25th (Thursday), 1:20 PM – 2:50 PM
WHERE: Bldg 6, Room 621
AUDIENCE: All are welcome–particularly students in the IE Program

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Not For Sale Japan (NFSJ) is the Japan chapter of Not For Sale (NFS), a California-based anti-trafficking agency. Human trafficking includes labor and sex trafficking. According to this NPO, 30 million people are affected by modern slavery of these sorts. NFS (and NFSJ) strive to protect people and communities all over the world by providing a safe and stable environment for those at risk of trafficking or who have been the victims of it; by nurturing life skills and offering job training; and by helping victims find dignified work.

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Here are some resources related to “Not For Sale Japan”:

Pamphlet on Not For Sale

Not For Sale Flyer

Newsletter


In their talk, the speakers may touch upon these topics:

  • Human trafficking as a criminal “industry”
  • Methods of obtaining individuals for trafficking (e.g., kidnapping, fraud, deception, etc.)
  • Extent of the trafficking problem in Japan
  • Sex trafficking
  • Labor exploitation and Japan’s Foreign Technical Internship Program

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Performance of “The Secret Garden”

Posted on May 11, 2015 by jodias

The Tokyo International Players invite you to enjoy their production of the musical “The Secret Garden,” to be performed from May 14th – May 17th at Theater Sun Mall 「シアターサンモール」. There will be six performances in total.

The story is about an 11 year-old girl named Mary who was orphaned in India. Upon returning to Yorkshire to live with her Uncle Archibald and his disabled son Colin, she is guided through a healing journey by spirits from her past. The play was the winner of three Tony Awards.

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EVENT: “The Secret Garden,” A play based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
WHEN: May 14th – May 17th
WHERE: Theater Sun Mall (Click HERE for a map)

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The Tokyo International Players (TIP) was founded in 1896. Its members have mainly been made up of talent from the Tokyo foreign community, but Japanese cast members and supporting staff have also played key roles.

The organization, 100% volunteer-run, provides quality English-language entertainment for international audiences. Over its long history, many active members have appeared in professional theatre in Japan and abroad.

TIP is always looking for new on-stage talent, directors, designers, and backstage crew, as well as people to support their various front-of-house, fundraising, and promotional activities. They consider enthusiasm, energy, and a fun-loving nature to be more important than experience.

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Deborah Bollinger has passed on some useful links and some activities related to the play that can be used by teachers who wish to take their students to see it. Here is a PDF with cloze exercises for six songs which appear in the musical.

Song lyrics & audio files: http://www.stlyrics.com/t/thesecretgarden.htm

Broadway Musical Home page: http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com/shows/secretgarden.htm

1991 Tony Awards video

Online quiz: http://www.online-literature.com/quiz.php?quizid=828

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Earth Day Tokyo

Posted on April 1, 2015 by jodias

Earth Day takes place every year on April 22nd. It’s a day that’s been set aside for thinking about the earth and for discussing how the environment can be made cleaner and healthier. It started in the US in 1970 and, eventually, it was adopted as an international day for people to gather together and take steps for improving the environment. In Japan, Earth Day-related events take place near Yoyogi Park and in several other locations around Tokyo and in various parts of Japan.

EVENT: Earth Day Tokyo Weekend
WHEN: April 18th (Sat) and 19th (Sun)
WHERE: Yoyogi Park (NHK Hiroba)

As many NGOs gather to promote their activities during the Earth Day-related events, this is a good opportunity for you to learn about what NGOs are doing in Japan and around the world. You can see the program of events by clicking on the “EARTH DAY TOKYO 2015 EVENT PAGE.” In past years, there have been activists working to save the dugong in Okinawa, groups fighting for animal rights, advocates of organic farming, and those who deal in fair trade products that give people living in developing countries reasonable payment for the products they produce. The atmosphere is light and there’s always a lot of food, music, and interesting people to meet.

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