By: Grant Tucker,
Japanese Language Major at the School of International Letters and Cultures and AzATJ Intern
Once again, on November 7th ASU’s Japanese department held the Japanese Open House and Job Fair for 2024. This annual event, on hiatus for a few years due to COVID-19, was revitalized last year by its organizer, Associate Teaching Professor of Japanese at ASU Kumiko Hirano Gahan, and continues to hit the ground running with bigger and better turnout each year.
Intending to bring together students with an interest in Japanese language or culture with local or international businesses looking for such interest, the event mixes live presentations with individual tabling, allowing students to both gain a broad understanding of the businesses in attendance as well as ask one-on-one questions. Also in attendance were several student associations with ties to Japanese culture, and of course ASU’s Japanese department from the School of International Letters and Cultures.
The fair started off with opening remarks from Dr. William Hedburg, Associate Professor of Japanese, Dr. Kenro Kusumi, Senior Vice Provost and Dean of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Consul Shunichiro Kitagawa, Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles. These speakers praised the event for its mission and accomplishments, and expressed wishes for the continuation of such strong support for and from the Japanese community in Arizona.
Zachary Williams, a guest speaker from Quick USA, was next, followed by speakers from the seven other businesses attending the event: Asahi Kasei Homes, IRIS USA Inc., Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, Kanken Techno USA, Nippon Express USA, Murukin Foods Co., LTD, and SUMCO Phoenix. While these presentations were on-going, students were encouraged to wait for those they were interested in by completing a scavenger hunt made up of questions relating to each business. Students could go from table to table, asking each business questions to learn more about them as well as complete their scavenger hunt. $3000 worth of Japanese drinks were donated by the event’s sponsors to be given out between the students who completed the scavenger hunt form.
This event owes its success in part to its supporters, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Japanese Business Association of Arizona (JBAA), as well as its sponsors, the Consulate General of Japan Los Angeles and the ASU School of International Letters and Cultures, but couldn’t be what it is without the support of the ASU Professors and Students that gave their time to make this event happen.
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