Japan America Society of Minnesota

Transcription

1 Japan America Society of Minnesota The Tsūshin is a membership publication of the Japan America Society of Minnesota August 2013 VOL. 22, No. 08 Lantern Lighting Festival Looms Large on the Horizon The August 18 th date for the Lantern Lighting Festival is just around the corner, and the anticipation for the event is building. JASM, along with the Saint Paul-Nagasaki Sister City Committee and the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, will be co-sponsoring the annual event in Como Park, which is located in Saint Paul. This year s festival will feature Japanese cuisine, martial arts, bonsai, traditional Japanese carnival games, folk dancing, singing, and much more. The festival is open to all those who wish to learn more about Japanese culture, enjoy the summer weather, and have a good time in the process. It will be a unique day that will go outside the realm of a typical American festival, by offering a snapshot of a culture that many people do not get to directly experience here in Minnesota. The many aspects of Japanese culture that will be on display at this event will create an atmosphere reminiscent to similar festivals of Japan. In particular, the O-Bon festival that is held annually in Japan to commemorate the spirits of the deceased will be on display. The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council will be presenting the traditional Bon Odori dance program, a native folk dance that originated as a dance to welcome the spirits of the dead. Also, the day will include Toro Nagashi, or floating of the lanterns, a tradition that once again honors the spirits of the dead by leading them back to their place of rest. This cultural tradition will be commence dusk as the culmination of the festival, with attendees acting as witnesses to the ceremony with the opportunity to watch the lanterns be sent out into the Frog Pond. Please join us for this celebration of Japanese culture on Sunday, August 18 th, in Como Park. It is sure to be an enriching event that will help to broaden understanding between the cultures of Japan and America, and allow those in attendance to be participants in an entertaining and fun filled day for people of all ages. Gearing Up For the Mondale Award and Scholarship Gala The Mondale Award and Scholarship Gala, scheduled to be held on Saturday, November 2nd, is a chance to see the continued effort in fostering a sustaining and mutually beneficial relationship between Japan- America in full force. The event, which pays tribute to the contributions that former Ambassador and Vice President Walter Mondale has made to building a relationship between the two nations, will be highlighted by this year s speaker, current Director of the Department of State's Office of Japanese Affairs, Marc Knapper (pictured right), who also continues to enrich the relationship between the two nations even more so. The Mondale award, which will be presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to fostering the relationship between Japan and the United States, is a very prestigious award that was first presented to Walter and Joan Mondale in 1997 as a recognition of the hard work that they both did as international ambassadors of the United States to Japan. Through their concerted effort, their name has been recognized by this award, and will be given to a member of the community who has continued their tradition of excellence. This year s event will be held at the Oak Ridge Country Club, a private country club located in Hopkins, Minnesota. It is a friendly, family oriented club that will certainly provide a pristine atmosphere for the dinner being held for the award and scholarship presentations. At the event, there will be a live and silent auction that will take place. JASM is asking for any donations that you are willing to make Photo courtesy of the U.S.-Japan Council for the auctions that will be held. The proceeds from the live and silent auctions will go to help fund the Mondale Scholarship, a scholarship that will generously give $1,500 a piece to two well deserving students. For information on how to donate to the live and silent auctions, please contact the JASM office at or us at jasm@us-japan.org. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Keep reading the Tsushin for further updates on the event, as we will have more details about the event itself.

2 Letter From the President A Fun Filled Summer Like cherry blossom season, the short Minnesota summer is quickly passing. This summer has been relatively cool compared to the hot and humid weather that much of Japan is experiencing. The JASM team is busy planning several fun summer events to enjoy the natsu traditions of Japan. On August 6 th, the JASM Young Professional Group will hold its very popular Sushi Social. This is a great opportunity to network with professionals and friends while enjoying one of Japan s great cuisine contributions to the world. The new Tiger Sushi 2 in Uptown will host the event. In preparation for another exciting Lantern Lighting Festival, a Volunteer Orientation and Bon-Odori practice session was held on July 15. More than 30 motivated volunteers joined the event in preparation for our annual summer festival. It is not too late to volunteer for our biggest event of the summer season, so contact the JASM office to sign up as a volunteer. The Lantern Lighting Festival at Como Park on Sunday, August 18th. Last year, nearly 6,000 people attended the event that brings together the Japan related community from across Minnesota. I hope you will join us in celebrating this popular and enjoyable summer festival of Japan. Summer is wonderful to time celebrate all that Minnesota has to offer and to visit with family and friends. We hope you will come to these JASM events with your family and friends and enjoy the opportunity to learn more about the deep and growing relationship between Minnesota and Japan. David Smith, President of JASM Sushi Social Announcement JASM would like to once again announce that the JASM Young Professionals Group will be hosting a sushi social on Tuesday, August 6th at Tiger Sushi 2 in the Uptown district of Minneapolis from 6-8. As an event, the Sushi Social functions as a fun, informal networking session that brings JASM members and non-members together to share their stories and experiences, as well as being able to connect professionally. Bring your business cards, stories and an appetite to the event! JASM is pleased to have the recently opened Tiger Sushi 2 in Uptown as the host of this year s Sushi Social. Tiger Sushi 2 is a branch of the original Tiger Sushi Restaurant in the Mall of America; and has recently become a Corporate Member of JASM. For more information, please call the JASM office at , us at jasm.interns@gmail.com, or visit the JASM website. Volunteers Still Needed For Festival As you probably know, JASM is co-sponsoring the Lantern Lighting Festival which will be held on August 18th in Como Park. This festival is an event that is near and dear to JASM s heart, as it is an event that showcases the culture of Japan, and the relationship that Minnesota has with that culture. However, in order to make this event happen, we ask for volunteers to make sure that our booths run smoothly, in order to ensure that both the volunteers and the attendees of the festival have a fulfilling experience. JASM realizes that without you, its members, we would not be able to exist. With that being said, time and time again, you have come through for us in our time of need, and helped us to further our goals of reaching the community and promoting the cultural understanding that we strive to embody. So, we sincerely ask for you to hear our call again, and consider volunteering for this once-a-year festival that will showcase many aspects of Japanese culture and is sure to be a fun filled event for all. If you would like to volunteer, please call our office at or us at jasm.interns@gmail.com. We greatly appreciate any and every volunteer for this year s Lantern Lighting Festival. Membership News Thanks to the following New JASM Members: Kassie Wilkins, Brandon Ford Thanks to the following renewing JASM Members: Buck McDonald, Michelle Watanabe, Randall Sanderson, Lawrence and Keiko Farrar, Michael McPhee, John Omori, Barbara and Mike Whittington, Maki Kawase, Liz Brailsford, Eiko Naumann, Janet Magree Thanks to our renewing Corporate Members: Origami Restaurant, Proto Labs Inc., DRC Inc., Medtronic Inc., Biobusiness Alliance of Minnesota Thanks To Our Sakura Circle Members: Mirja and Sam Hanson Find us at Facebook (Japan America Society of Minnesota), call the JASM office, or follow us on Twitter (@MNJAPAN) for latest JASM updates

3 Corporate Roundtable Recap: Understanding Decision Making On Wednesday, July 24 th, JASM held their Corporate Roundtable event at Gray Plant Mooty law firm, at the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis. The event was one that was highlighted by speaker Rochelle Kopp, who delivered an excellent presentation about the decision making process of Japanese businesses, and how to deal effectively with the misunderstandings that these differences may cause for American businesses. The audience was very receptive to the specialized information Kopp presented, as many if not all of the thirty-six audience members appeared to have had a strong connection to Japanese business in one way or another. The information presented during the presentation consisted of a nuanced description of the differences in Japanese and American history, Japanese and American child rearing techniques, and how these differences have manifested in the corporate world of our modern day society. Based on this information, Kopp revealed Japan as a culture that has a mindset geared toward risk avoidance, while Americans are more likely to embrace risk taking. This in turn helps to explain the decision making models of each culture, with Japanese more likely to come to a group consensus on a decision, and consequently take much longer to make a decision. However, once a decision is made, Japanese tend to stick with that decision, and implement it very quickly. Americans on the other hand are more likely to make decisions in more of a topdown fashion, and not wait for a consensus to be reached. They are more likely to reach a decision quicker, but take more time to make the idea come to fruition because not everyone is on board with the decision that was made. Overall, the presentation was very informative, and will most likely be a great help to the audience members who listened to the talk, who were able to get many of their own personal questions answered by Kopp. JASM would like to especially thank Rochelle Kopp for her very informative presentation, and the law office of Gray Plant Mooty for providing an ideal setting for the event. Corporate Member Story: Dorsey & Whitney, LLP Since its 1912 inception in Minneapolis, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP has been actively meeting the needs of its clients. As a business law firm with offices on four different continents around the world, Dorsey & Whitney specializes in navigating the corporate law and litigation of our globalized market. Their expertise has given them a prominent face in the legal profession, and has made them one of the most well respected legal firms in the country, as well as the rest of the world. As a firm that has employed a considerable number of notable lawyers, they currently employ none other than former Ambassador to Japan and Vice President Walter Mondale as a lawyer, a person who has done a great deal for the JASM organization, and the relationship between Japan and America at large. Although the headquarters for the company is based in Minneapolis, they currently operate 19 offices worldwide, and employ approximately 530 attorneys. They have earned multiple recognitions for their outstanding performance, including being named the best corporate law firm in Minneapolis for the 8th year in a row in 2008 by the Corporate Board Member Magazine. Their clients include 3M, General Mills, Wells Fargo, Xcel Energy, and other large corporations in a diverse range of industries. This is just one example of the many accolades that Dorsey & Whitney have received. JASM would also like to thank Dorsey & Whitney for its continued support over the last several years as a loyal corporate member, and wishes them the best in their future business endeavors. Please thank our members with your support! Corporate Benefactor Members Daikin McQuay, Inc. Delta Airlines, Inc. Corporate Sustaining Members 3M Company Amano McGann, Inc American Medical Systems, Inc. Andersen Corporation Boston Scientific Corporation Dorsey & Whitney, LLP Design Ready Control, Inc. Fredrikson & Byron, PA Gray Plant Mooty Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson, PC Hubbard Broadcasting Lion Precision Mall of America St. Jude Medical Taiyo International, Inc. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. Vital Images, Inc. Proto Labs, Inc. Leonard, Street and Deinard Corporate Contributing Members Bloomington Sister City Organization Briggs and Morgan, P.A. Compart Family Farms Devicix, LLC Fish & Richardson, P.C. Japan Lifeline Co. Ltd. Professional Instruments Company Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner, P.A. Sysco Asian Foods Wilson Learning Worldwide Satellite Industries Partners in Service Dave Steffens Automotive & Conway Auto Clinic Fujiya Restaurant J&K Trading, LLC Kiku Enterprises Origami Restaurant St. Paul Saints Sakura Restaurant & Sushi Bar Saint Paul Convention & Visitors Authority Suishin Restaurant Tiger Sushi Tomodachi Nonprofit Members Aikido of Minnesota Anime Twin Cities, Inc. BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota Concordia Language Villages JETAA Minnesota JETRO Chicago KCC Japan Education Exchange Macalester College Asian Language & Culture Department Minneapolis Japanese School Minnesota International Center Minnesota Trade Office Mu Performing Arts N-Dimensional Japan US-China Business Connections Winona State Univ. Global Studies Dept.

4 Tom Haeg s Book Review: Transcending Law: The Unintended Life of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution Any analysis of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a daunting task. It requires a thorough grasp of the historical context, a legal background and shrewd insight into the Japanese language and culture. Professor Port possesses all three disciplines. As a result, Transcending does an excellent job of providing the reader with several options on how to approach this controversial Article. Simply put: Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution accomplishes two objectives: to forever renounce war and to forbid maintaining armed forces. Although the Article, -and the whole Constitution, was drafted during the Allied occupation of Japan, it still remains a mystery to this day as to who actually originated the idea of Article 9. Col. Charles Kades, who was selected by Douglas MacArthur to pen the Article, humbly concedes that he is unsure whether it was an American or a Japanese who initially came up with the pacifist idea. Port, a law professor at William Mitchell College of Law, astutely focuses on the language of the Article for a clue to an understanding. He submits two, different interpretations (one an English version and another a Japanese version). This latent ambiguity, perhaps, compromises the Japanese Supreme Court in terms of its willingness to bring closure. As a result, the Japanese have been allowed to maintain armed forces that clearly were not contemplated when the Constitution was drafted. For example, Japan s Self Defense Forces (SDF) are now a modern armed force. Recently, the Stockholm Peace Research Institute ranks it fifth as the world s largest military in terms of annual military spending. Subsequent to the publication of Transcending Law, Shinzo Abe returned as Prime Minister of Japan. Although Abe is more associated with his unique, economic initiatives, he has recently exhibited a strong penchant to upgrade the nation s defenses. He raised Japan s defense budget for the first time in 11 years, - Article 9 notwithstanding. Four days before the July 2013 election of the upper house, he posed near disputed islands with armed troops at an air force radar center and boarded a coast guard cutter for a photo-op. This past spring he made state visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo where military war criminals are still honored for their service to the Empire. But, to the point. Port insists that the Japanese Supreme Court must ultimately resolve the riddle of Article 9. Perhaps. But, let us consider this alternative fact. Japan has the longest enduring constitution in the world that has never been amended. And, that includes Article 9. Maybe, just maybe, their judicial system is more patient and respective of a plebiscite form of government versus judicial activism. Port did a good job of surrounding the issues. However, I would enjoy reading one more chapter that measures Article 9 against our Second Amendment to the United States Constitution,...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Both documents are founded on enlightened and democratic principles, yet the former forbids arms, the latter protects them. Tottemo omoshiroi. Tom Haeg is Executive Secretary of JASM and sits on the Board of Directors Port, Kenneth L.; Carolina Academic Press, 2010, 278 p.; Forward by Walter Mondale. ATTENTION: Are you in need of life insurance? Safeguard Financial LLC Protecting your finances now and for the future. Fixed Index Universal Life Insurance Call to set-up an appointment for free consultation Tom Haeg

5 はじめまして はじめまして 皆さん 初めまして アントニー チゲンニー カレマと申します! 今年 ノースダコタ州立大学で四年生になりました 中学生のころからずっと 日本と日本の文化にとても興味があって 私の街とミネアポリス市周辺で行われている日本のイベントによく参加しました 2011 年の秋学期に 神田外語大学 という千葉にある語学大学で留学する機会がありました アメリカを出発する前に できるだけ日本の文化と社会のことを勉強しましたが 残念なことに日本ではカルチャーショックとホームシックになるのを避けることがなかなか出来ませんでした ミネソタ州に帰ってきて以来 知り合いがこのミネソタ日米協会のことを教えてくれ 留学した間に得た技術をしきりに使いたい私は インターンシップに申し込みました 現在 私は JASM でデータベースとコンピュータネットワークの管理をしています スペシャルプロジェクトコーディネーターとしての仕事は結構大変ですが 簡単に諦めない私はこれから JASM の皆さんと一緒に JASM を応援するため 日々頑張っています どうぞよろしくお願いします Hello everyone, my name is Kigenyi Anthony Kalema. This year I became a fourth year student at North Dakota State University. Currently, my role as a JASM intern is managing the database, as well as the computer network within the organization. I look forward to working hard with my colleagues this summer and supporting the organization as the Special Projects Coordinator. はじめまして スティブン. ゴットサッカーと申します 僕はウイノナ大学でスペイン語とアジア研究を勉強しています 三年間日本語を勉強していて 二週間ほど日本に旅行したことがあります 今年の秋からは 東京へ留学するので とても楽しみです! My name is Steven Gottsacker. My hometown is Lakeville, Minnesota, and I am currently studying Spanish and Asian Studies with a minor in Japanese at Winona State University. My hobbies consist of studying foreign languages, watching movies and television, reading, writing and also playing the piano and violin. During the summer, I enjoy playing tennis with my friends. My interest in learning the Japanese language and culture probably started when I was in middle school, at which time I had taken an interest in reading manga and watching anime. As I entered college, I thought it might be interesting to learn the language I d heard while watching the shows. I always thought it had sounded so beautiful. Since that time, my fascination with Japanese has developed into a passion, and my desire to study the Japanese culture and its customs continues to grow ever increasingly. Farming in Niigata Prefecture: An American s Perspective I recently returned from Niigata prefecture where I spent three weeks volunteering on an organic farm in a town called Tokamachi. Niigata is famous for growing the best rice in Japan, and for their delicious produce. My host family was called Iwasaki. They treated me like family and helped to make my experience a memorable one. The farm is called Yuinosato and it is run and taken care of by local farmers in the town of Tokamachi. Yuinosato grows carrots, tomatoes, pears, and sweet potatoes, to name a few. The farm has a contract with Kagome, a popular produce company in Japan, which buys produce from Yuinosato. This experience gave me the opportunity to learn about organic farming, hands-on, from knowledgeable people such as my host father, Iwasaki-san. I worked six days a week, from 8am to 5pm. The work included trimming plants, cultivating fields, grass cutting, cleaning, and building water tanks for the fields. I learned that it is much more work to farm organically, because in place of where some farmers might use chemicals, we used manual labor. The labor was a challenge for my body and mind, but one that proved to be ultimately rewarding and valuable to me. Though the work was strenuous, being surrounded by nature and knowing that the labor is the cost of producing organic crops, which are better for both people and the planet, made it easier to persevere through the hot summer days. On my one day off a week, my favorite thing to do was to go trekking in the woods of the Tokamachi countryside. There were tons of frogs to catch and other beautiful wildlife to admire. While hiking the forest s paths, I would frequently come upon vast clearings that were covered with rice fields and surrounded by forest. I know I will miss these sights when I return to America. One of the best parts of my experience was meeting the people of Tokamachi. Most of the people on the countryside were farmers, and they were passionate and serious about their work, yet they had a wonderful sense of humor and a liveliness that made being around them an absolute pleasure. I was invited to barbeques and other neighborhood events that made me feel like I was at home in the small and welcoming neighborhood I stayed in. Now that I am back in the city, I find myself missing the mountains, the forests, the farm, and the very essence of Niigata prefecture. Before boarding the train back to Tokyo, Iwasaki-san said to me, someday I hope you will visit us, not as a volunteer, but as a friend. Someday I intend to do just that. My experience in Niigata gave me agricultural knowledge and work experience, began meaningful relationships for me, and enabled me to see a breathtaking side of Japan, far from the bright lights and busy streets of Tokyo. - Former JASM Intern Johnna O Keeffe

6 Jonathan Livingstone Seagull South Dakota の小林珠代さんから帰国しますのでとの大きな本の小包中此の本を持ち帰り読み直した 渡米 6 年後 息子を幼稚園へ届けて夫の働く学校の 7 学年の English に聴講生として座ることを許されて 20 才年下の生徒達は No Speak English の中年同級生に親切だった Tale of Two Cities フランス革命 の Home Work にマリーアントワネットの人形を作った頃 学校の図書館から借りて読んだのが此の本だったと思う 難しかったけれど カモメのジョナサンは毎日生きるために餌をあらそうカモメの群れから離れて たった一人で自己の最高能力を求めて飛行練習したのは印象に残っていた 40 数年後に再び手にしたのは日本語版 此れなら解る ジョナサンは群れから追放され年老いても飛び続け 何時からか何者かが後ろに居る様な気がし 以前よりも速く飛べる様になったら其処は天国という処らしかった やりたい事は常識外れでも気にしない処は私に 似ている と思った だが彼の Motivation は何処から? 私は人生 30 才以前の逆況が肉体的 精神的に私を屈しない人間に仕立ててくれたけれども 餓死した弟妹達と死ぬ 85 才まで 無知女 だった 母親の涙が刺激になっていることは確かだ 私の飢は人間同士の労り 温かさ分かち合いの様な物恵まれている者には考えられない事 持っていたら半分あげて 悲しい人を一瞬でも微笑ませられたらが脳裏を離れない Karaoke For Sale Looking for a way to relive the 1990 s? Are you a huge fan of karaoke but never seem to find the time to do it anymore? Well, then JASM has the perfect piece of equipment for you. Recently, JASM received a donation of a karaoke machine (pictured left). This piece of equipment also came with a bundle of Japanese cassettes and laser discs that can be used with the karaoke machine. A few notes about the product: it has a fully functioning cassette player, laser disc player, and a VCR. The machine is meant for a Japanese audience, as all of the buttons on the machine are in Japanese. The asking price for this one of a kind piece of equipment is $600. However, JASM is open to negotiations for those who are interested in purchasing it. If you would like to contact JASM with any questions about the karaoke machine, please call the office at or us at jasm.interns@gmail.com. Don t miss out on this opportunity to purchase a nostalgic piece of equipment. 只今 Bloomington Ave. Minneapolis には 1993 年 7 月 16 日丁度 20 年前日本人キリスト教会の建物が購入され 2001 年 11 月 1 日に隣接の 7 戸建アパートメントが一部を日本語図書館計画で購入 2004 年 2 月 4 日にその又隣の二軒家が購入された 以来日本語図書館は 9 年目になり 初めは 助け合いの会 2005 年から日本人会は曲折を経て 月例の第二月曜日正午からの集まりには満席の出席者で賑わっております 日本語図書館も 2006 年 2 月 18 日に Cold Country's Warm place と Japan TV の Saturday Special で放送されてから後援者に恵まれ 豊富な本棚は訪問者を喜ばせて居ります 将来は教会も含めた日本人センターに飛躍しミネソタ在住の日本人が広く活用できる処にと計画しております ご意見ご協力をお願い致します Yoko Breckenridge yoko@yoko4home.com

7 Advertise in the Tsushin! Advertisement Rates Style Size Cost/issue 1/4 page 5 x 3.5 in $ /2 page 5 x 7.5 in $90.00 Full page 10 x 7.5 in $ Classified 80 character line $10/ line (min. 2 lines) Ad production and design available in both Japanese and English for an additional charge. Deadline for completed ads and classifieds is the 20th of every month. Questions? Contact the JASM Office Tel: jasm@us-japan.org Japan America Society Calendar August JASM Young Professionals Group Sushi Tiger Sushi 2 - August 6th Como Park Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival - August 18th September TBD Japanese Speaking Club The Japanese Speaking Club is an informal meeting place for those wishing to practice Japanese. We encourage those just beginning the language as well as native speakers to gather at the Espresso Royale Café in Downtown Minneapolis to meet new people, discuss experiences in Japan, or simply to speak Japanese. Come when you can, leave when you must. Date/Time: Every Saturday, any time after 3:00 p.m. Place: Espresso Royale Cafe 1229 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 月例日本人会のお知らせ 毎月日本語図書館で日本人会の昼食会 (Monthly Nihonjinkai ) を行っています 電話などでお誘い合わせの上 お友達やお知り合いとご一緒においで下さい 可能の方はどうぞ料理を 1 品ご持参願います ミネソタ州在住の日本人達で良い事を考え ご馳走と日本語で楽しい時間を持ちましょう 日程 : 毎月第 2 月曜日正午より場所 : 日本語図書館 (4231 Bloomington Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55407) また 毎週土曜日午後 2 時からは 日本語図書館のお手伝いしてくださる方の集まりがあります 是非ご参加ください この図書館には 漫画や宗教誌約 冊や約 2500 本のビデオDVDがあり 希望者にはセルフサービスで日本人会と同じく無料で貸出しています お問い合わせは下記までどうぞ Yoko Breckenridge Cell phone: (612) Yoko@yoko4home.com Nihonjin-kai monthly meeting on 2nd Monday noon at 4231 Bloomington Ave S Minneapolis, MN Become a JASM Member online! Support our mission and become a member! 1. Go to mn-japan.org 2. Click on Membership at the top 3. Select your membership type and read the benefits and instructions. Become a member on your smart phone! Japan America Society of Minnesota O Membership Application O Change of Address O Tax-deductible Donation Name Name (2nd adult of a household membership) Address City State ZIP Phone I would like to make an additional taxdeductable donation of Amount Enclosed: (Please make checks payable to JASM) Japan America Society of Minnesota 43 Main Street SE Suite EH 131 Minneapolis, MN Individual Membership Patron $1,000+ Sustaining $500+ Contributing. $100+ Individual. $30 Student/Senior $20 Household... $50 (2 adults plus children under 18)

8 Japan America Society of Minnesota Riverplace EH Main Street SE Minneapolis, MN Tel: Fax: Tsūshin August 2013 The Japan America Society of Minnesota is a non-profit, nonpolitical association engaged in bringing the peoples of Japan and the United States closer together in mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation. Through programs and interchange, it endeavors to promote an appreciation of cultural, educational, economic, public, and other affairs of interest to both peoples. Membership in the society is open to individuals, corporations, and other organizations interested in furthering its programs. The Japan America Society of Minnesota is a member of the National Association of Japan-America Societies. (Please report any inaccuracies you find in this publication to jasm.interns@gmail.com) Here at JASM, we take pride in the hard work that we do. However, we also find time to have fun in the process. Here are a few photos of us having fun. Below are pictures from the Bon Odori Rehearsal, where Mikaharu-Kai dance group taught us the Bon Odori dance routine. Our interns striking a pose (Left). Here are more beautiful photos that former JASM intern Johnna O Keeffe took while on a walk through the countryside of the Niigata Prefecture during her experience abroad in Japan. Also, a photo from July s Corporate Roundtable.