"Kawasaki, A City of Japan's Multicultural Vanguard" with Japan-American Society of Pennsylvania, April 28.

via @savvytokyo

The Japan-American Society of Pennsylvania will host Dr. Yoshihiro Yasuhara of Carnegie Mellon University and his talk "Kawasaki, A City of Japan's Multicultural Vanguard."

It has been long since the notion of multiculturalism (tabunka shugi or tabunka kyosei) emerged in the social and political discourses during the 1990s while the “myth of Japan’s homogeneity” was widely challenged by various scholars, thinkers, and business leaders in Japan and abroad since the 1980s. However, there are still issues regarding the diversity, equity and inclusion in Japan, a country where the population is declining and yet the number of foreign residents continue to grow. How is it possible for Japan to reinvent itself in response to the fast-paced global trend of multiculturalism?

To facilitate a discussion of multiculturalism in Japan today, this talk will introduce the case of Kawasaki, a city that “became the first municipality to pass an ordinance that makes hate speech a punishable offense”* and its repercussions.

The talk runs from 6:30 to 9:00 pm at Margaret Morrison Carnegie Hall on the CMU campus (map). Registration is required.

2021 Japanese animated film Pompo: The Cinéphile (映画大好きポンポさん) in Pittsburgh, April 27 and 28.

The 2021 Japanese animated film Pompo: The Cinéphile (映画大好きポンポさん) will play in Pittsburgh on April 27 and 28. A synopsis, from the distributor:

Pompo is a talented and gutsy producer in “Nyallywood,” the movie-making capital of the world. Although she’s known for B-movies, one day Pompo tells her movie-loving but apprehensive assistant Gene that he will direct her next script: a delicate drama about a tormented artistic genius, starring the legendary and Brando-esque actor Martin Braddock, and a young actress seeking her first break. But when the production heads towards chaos, can Gene rise to Pompo’s challenge, and succeed as a first-time director?

Directed by veteran animator Takayuki Hirao and produced by brand-new animation studio CLAP, Pompo the Cinephile is a rollicking, exuberant ode to the power of the movies, and the joys and heartbreak of the creative process, as a new director and his team devote their lives to the pursuit of a “masterpiece.”

It will play play locally at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

2021 animated Japanese film Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (劇場版 呪術廻戦 0) to remain in Pittsburgh through (at least) April 20.

The 2021 animated Japanese film Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (劇場版 呪術廻戦 0), which opened in Pittsburgh on March 17, will remain here through at least April 20. From the distributor:

When they were children, Rika Orimoto was killed in a traffic accident right before the eyes of her close friend, Yuta Okkotsu. "It's a promise. When we both grow up, we'll get married." Rika became an apparition, and Yuta longed for his own death after suffering under her curse, but the greatest Jujutsu sorcerer, Satoru Gojo, welcomed him into Jujutsu High. There Yuta meets his classmates, Maki Zen'in, Toge Inumaki, and Panda, and finally finds his own determination. "I want the confidence to say it's okay that I'm alive! While I'm at Jujutsu High, I'll break Rika-chan's curse." Meanwhile, the vile curse user, Suguru Geto, who was expelled from the school for massacring ordinary people, appears before Yuta and the others. "This coming December 24th, we shall carry out the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons." While Geto advocates for creating a paradise for only jujutsu sorcerers, he unleashes a thousand curses upon Shinjuku and Kyoto to exterminate all non-sorcerers. Will Yuta be able to stop Geto in the end? And what will happen when breaking Rika's curse...?

It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online. Please note, some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Food delivery service Hungry Panda hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for Pittsburgh area.

Hungry Panda is again hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for the Pittsburgh area. As PennsylvAsia noted in Summer 2020, more Chinese delivery options, like Fantuan and Chowbus, are making their way to Pittsburgh.

Job Requirements:

• Must be fluent in Mandarin and English
• Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree and above
• Experience in business negotiation, sales and marketing management is preferred
• Working experience in Internet companies is preferred
• Strong time management and project management skills
• High sensitivity on market trend, high sensitivity on data
• Strong commercial acumen and a desire to work with restaurants, not afraid to be refused, have top-notch people skills
• Excellent teamwork ability, cooperate with different teams to promote business cooperation, and be able to efficiently complete business negotiations independently
• Have a valid driver licence and a vehicle

2021 Japanese film Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (漁港の肉子ちゃん) in Pittsburgh, June 2.

Showtimes were just announced for the 2021 Japanese film Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (漁港の肉子ちゃん), which will play in Pittsburgh on June 2. A synopsis, from the distributor:

From acclaimed director Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea) and STUDIO4℃ (Tekkonkinkreet, Mind Game, Animatrix), Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko is a heartwarming and moving comedy-drama about an unconventional family, based on the popular novel by Kanako Nishi.

Nikuko is a brash, jolly, scattered, and passionate woman in an otherwise sleepy seaside town in northern Japan. She’s also the single mother of 11-year-old Kikuko, who is her opposite in many ways. Kikuko is a string-bean of a young girl, pensive, quietly curious, and methodical in how she approaches life in this small harbor town.

Nikuko embarrasses Kikuko as any mom of a preteen would, but Nikuko’s bold spirit makes her especially well-known in a town where Kikuko herself wants nothing more than to simply blend in. As Kikuko navigates the everyday social dramas of middle school, enhanced with touches of magical realism from her ever-present imagination, a shocking revelation from the past threatens to uproot the pair’s tender relationship.

This one night event will feature an exclusive introduction by director Ayumu Watanabe and Executive Producer Sanma Akashiya.

It is currently scheduled to play at the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, though more locations may be announced when tickets officially go on sale April 29.

Pitt hiring Visiting Lecturer, Chinese Literature and Culture for 2022-2023 academic year.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures is hiring a Visiting Lecturer, Chinese Literature and Culture for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures of the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for the position of visiting lecturer for its Chinese literature and culture program, pending budgetary approval. The appointment is outside the tenure stream and will begin on September 1, 2022, and end on April 30, 2023. The successful candidate must hold a Ph.D. (or be a very advanced ABD) by the time of appointment and is a specialist in either pre-modern/classical Chinese literature or early modern Chinese literature, with additional teaching and research interests in such areas as performing or visual arts, gender, and cultural studies, either limited to Chinese the cultural sphere proper or across cultures, regions of East Asia, or disciplines. The successful candidate will teach six courses per year. The candidate should have experience in teaching Chinese literature at a North American institution of higher education for two semesters or more preferably with in-person classes. Responsibilities will include teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including a course on classical Chinese. Other duties may include mentoring students, normal service duties in the Department, and working with other Asia specialists in the Department and on campus. The successful candidate must show promise of good teaching and service.

More information, and application instructions, is available on the job listing.

Pittsburgh Chinatown historical marker is up.

At a ceremony today, a historical marker was finally unveiled downtown at the site of Pittsburgh's historic Chinatown.

JADED public programming series brings art events to Pittsburgh in April and May, including Chinatown tour, onigiri workshop, Chinese cemetary tour, and more.

The City of Pittsburgh's Office of Public Art will present a series of programs from JADED, a collective of Asian American and Pacific Islander artists, in April and May.

Launching Spring 2022, JADED is a public programming series celebrating the art and culture of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Organized by a collective of AAPI artists and organizers, also named JADED, the programming series builds interethnic coalitions to create more safe spaces of kinship and addresses racial trauma while celebrating cultural heritage. Programming and intimate events aim to reanimate local histories, preserve cherished family recipes and practices, and nurture intergenerational dialogue.

A selection of events:

The following events are free and open to the public:

April 16, 2022: Chinatown Walking Tour with Shirley Yee
12:00pm – 12:45pm. Meet in front of 519 Court Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

April 16, 2022: Performance with Jason Chu, Alan Z, and MC Tingbudong
3:00pm – 4:00pm. In front of Chinatown Inn, 520 Third Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

May 21, 2022: Chinese Cemetery & Squirrel Hill Photo Tour with Leo Hsu & Lena Chen
11:00am – 12:30pm. Meet in front of 1829 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.

Registration is required for the following events. Visit the “Online Resources” section below to register.

May 15, 2022: Book Binding Workshop with Brent Nakamoto
10:00am – 12:00pm. Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

May 15, 2022: Kimjang Workshop with Sunni Park
1:00pm – 3:00pm. Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

May 28, 2022: Onigiri (Rice Ball) Workshop & Picnic with Ginger Brooks Takahashi
Location and time to be determined

Registration can be completed online. Visit the JADED page from the Office of Public Art for additional links, information, context, and resources.

Pitt hiring Visiting Lecturer of East Asian Media Studies.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures is hiring a Visiting Lecturer of East Asian Media Studies.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for a Visiting Lecturer in East Asian media studies, pending budgetary approval. This is a full-time, non-tenure stream position. The initial appointment is for three years and will begin on September 1, 2022. The course load is six courses per year, divided among the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (1 course), the Department of Communication (2 courses), and the School of Computing and Information (3 courses).

The ideal candidate will address the curricular needs in an interdisciplinary area of media studies in East Asia, including issues such as privacy, social, political, and ethical implications of data in today’s society, media and consumer culture, data privacy, and data-oriented courses that may use quantitative methodology.

The candidate will have a Ph.D. degree in hand at the time of application in a discipline, such as communication, media studies, or a related field.

The candidate should possess native or near-native fluency in English and an East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese, or Korean) in all skill areas, as well as experience and interest in teaching at all levels of the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. The candidate should demonstrate energy to collaborate with our existing film studies and media studies faculty and work with other Asianists on campus. The candidate should have experience in teaching for at least three years of in-person and/or remote courses at a North American educational institution of higher learning.

The candidate should present documented evidence of excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and innovative pedagogy, as well as a commitment to curriculum and programming that appeals to a diverse student body. The candidate should also demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice issues.

1995 film Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) at Row House Cinema, from April 29.

The 1995 film Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) will play at Row House Cinema from April 29, part of its upcoming Artificial Intelligence series. A 2014 Telegraph review provides a summary:

Oshii’s film, which was adapted from a manga series by Masamune Shirow, saw everything coming. In its near-future world, countries are like corporations under siege, whose protective walls are slowly being washed away by an ocean of communal data. Hackers are treated like terrorists, while programmers’ movements are restricted as part of a global arms embargo.

Helping to keep the uneasy peace is Section 9, a team of government agents who include Motoko Kusanagi: a cyborg who can plug herself into the data-sea via four jack ports in the nape of her neck.

. . .

We follow Kusanagi on her hunt for The Puppet Master, a hacker who can access the ‘ghosts’, or souls, of ordinary citizens and carry out cyber-crimes by proxy. Now entirely synthetic, her original human body replaced and improved on piece by piece, Kusanagi is unsure whether her ghost still lingers in her man-made form[.]

It will play in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).