Be an Author for the East-West Center in Washington’s Japan Matters for America Site!

This program is a partnership between USJETAA and the East West Center (EWC) in Washington to support the center’s Asia Matters for America initiative. Articles by JET alumni contributors will be posted on the Japan Matters for America site to help increase Americans’ understanding of the Japanese culture, economy, language and society; raise awareness about the importance of learning Japanese and working in Japan; and, highlight the experiences of American JET alumni.

Applications 2020: Closed

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should focus on people-to-people connections between the United States and Japan at the state and local levels. Topics should feature an issue, event, project, or business that is important to promoting better relations and understanding between the U.S. and Japan. It should highlight the positive impacts of U.S.-Japan relations on both U.S. and Japanese communities. Articles are selected based on content, writing quality and style, and how well they fit with current issues being prioritized by the East-West Center in Washington.

Application

To apply, please submit an abstract of up to 200 words on the topic you would like to write about and a writing sample that highlights your style. If selected, the final article written for publication should be approximately 400-600 words. Articles longer than 600 will be edited for length by the East-West Center in Washington. These articles are intended to be snapshots highlighting connections between the United States and Japan and therefore should be concise.

The abstract should be in a Microsoft Word file, but the writing sample can take any file format or be a link to an online resource. Include the following information about your time on the JET Program: years (e.g. 2005-2007), prefecture, and position (ALT, CIR, SEA, MEF).

Email applications to USJETAA at contact@usjetaa.org with the subject heading: EWC Contributor Program.

Eligibility

  • You must be an alumnus/ae of the JET Program to apply.
  • You must register as a member of USJETAA (free!).
  • Submitted articles must be original content and not previously published elsewhere.

Remuneration

Authors will receive an honorarium of $250 from the East-West Center in Washington upon publication of their articles.

Deadlines

  • May 15, 2020 – Second application round deadline
  • June 15, 2020 – Contributors notified of acceptance or rejection.
  • July 15, 2020 – Completed articles due to USJETAA.

Suggested Topics

  • U.S.-Japan sister city ties
  • Collaborations between local businesses in Japan and the US.
  • Interesting ties between Japanese companies and Americans
  • The impact of collaborations between U.S. and Japanese universities.
  • Japanese and Americans working together on technological innovation.
  • Social media trends connecting the U.S. and Japan.
  • Collaborations across countries, such as on sustainable energy, business partnerships, or entrepreneurship.
  • The power of the JET alumni network in mobilizing support after natural disasters in Japan.
  • How your personal experience on the JET Program led to you staying engaged with Japan after returning to the United States.
  • Projects or events that highlight Japanese culture in U.S. communities.

Disclaimer

Articles posted on Asia Matters for America may be cross-posted on the EWC in Washington’s Medium page. EWC retains the rights to all content published on the Asia Matters for America website (AsiaMattersforAmerica.org). Articles should not be published elsewhere without written permission from EWC.

 

Published Articles