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By on December 30, 2011
Christmas Candle Act
The Left Behind parents Japan (LBPJ) organized a candle rally in front of the Ministry Of Justice on Dec 22, 2011 in an appeal to Japan’s Ministry of Justice to review their concern on the Sole Custody System that prohibits non-custodial parents from seeing their own child/children during the holiday season.  According to the LBPJ, Japanese family law has no provision for visitation rights and no legal regulations exist for determining the rights of the non-custodial parent.  In November last year, the same group initiated a meeting with Mr. Hakubun Shimomura, member of the House of Representatives, to raise similar concerns.

ETS to sponsor Second Annual TOEFL(R) Scholarship program for outstanding Japanese students in 2012

Walt MacDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Educational Testing Service (ETS), the creator of the TOEFL(R) test, announced recently the launch of the TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan. Created specifically for Japanese students, the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program will award five scholarships valued at a total of US$40,000. Scholarship funding can be applied to either undergraduate or graduate study for the 2012 academic year.  Applicants must be currently living in Japan, scheduled to begin undergraduate or graduate study in 2012 at a college or university listed in the TOEFL(R) Destinations Directory, must hold a grade point average (GPA) of 80 or higher on a 100-point scale or 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, must have a valid TOEFL score, and must return a completed application form including a written essay, TOEFL test scores and an official transcript in a sealed envelope.

For more information regarding the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan, including application materials and eligibility requirements, go to www.ets.org/toefl/scholarships/overview/japan/. Completed applications must be postmarked by April 13, 2012.

Financial Leadership Forum 2011
The Financial Executives International (FEI), in partnership with Robert Half Japan,  brought top financial executives together for a special networking opportunity on November 30, 2011 at the Peacock South Room of the Imperial Hotel entitled “Financial Leadership Forum 2011”.  

Business Continuity Management, Investment for the Future and New Challenges and Priorities for CFOs were the key focus. Among the keynote speakers were Greg Fench, Microsoft Japan’s Chief Finance Officer, Ms. Yasumi Taniguchi, Managing Director of Protiviti, and John Durkin, Bellsouth’s Chief Finance Officer.   The group of panelists were BNP Paribas’s CFP Yaeko Amano, American Express’s CFO John Kawase, Greg Fench of Microsort, Kana Odawara , Vice-President of Stryker, and David Jynius, CFO of Chartis Far East Holdings K.K. Tim Hird, Robert Half’s Managing Director of Asia was the moderator.

Since 1931, the mission of FEI has been to advance the success of senior-level financial executives, their organizations and the profession. FEI is the leading advocate for the views of corporate financial management and enhances member professional development through regulatory updates, career management services, CPE opportunities, in-person conferences and leading edge research. The 15,000 best- in-the-business FEI members participate in the local activities of 85 chapters, 74 in the United States and 11 in Canada. (www.financialexecutives.org)

Michael Jackson Foundation
At a news conference last month held in Tokyo, Katherine Jackson, the late Michael Jackson’s mother, announced that a charity foundation will soon be in place to continue her son’s advocacy for the plight of disadvantaged children around the world.  “The Michael Jackson foundation will be established in Japan, possibly early next year, to support the well-being of children worldwide,” she added.

The foundation will be formed at the Japan Information Center under the Cabinet Office and will help children in northeastern area of Japan hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.  The first to be built is a temporary theater for children in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, one of the hardest-hit prefectures, a senior official of the Japan Information Center said at the news conference.

Teenage heartthrob Zac Efron was in Tokyo a couple of weeks ago for a press conference and special screening of his latest movie, New Year’s Eve.  Zac co stars in this movie with A-listers Michelle Pfeiffer, Ashton Kutcher, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert de Niro, etc. Asked what he wanted to do more in his life, Efron says “I want to be with my family more. Maybe over new year’s, I’d like to take my little brother on a trip somewhere.  I’d like to go somewhere with my dad and I’ve got to take my mom as well because she misses me the most. I miss my mom!”

Japan National Tourist Information Center (TIC) opens in Marunouchi
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has commissioned Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. (Mitsubishi Estate) to operate the new Tourist Information Center (TIC) which opens Jan 2, 2012.  The TIC office has been set up to promote to overseas visitors the global reputation of Marunouchi as the business district, Tokyo, and Japan as a whole.

 
TIC’s new location will be on the first floor of the Shin Tokyo Building adjacent to Tokyo and Yurakucho stations and offers easy access to bullet train and subways.

The second floor will host activities, events, seminars, workshops and art galleries in collaboration with commercial outlets, local governments to welcome foreign guests.  Overseas guests will have access to personal computers, free Internet and a special library of books on travel and tourism.

Shin Tokyo Building 1F
3-3-1 Marunouchi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Open 9am-5pm from Jan 2, 2012

Japan’s reconstruction and recovery supported by top Tomodachi artists and entrepreneurs
On Dec 14, 2011, will.i.am, founder of American pop group the Black Eyed Peas, legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, and CEO of Salesforce.com Marc Benioff were honored as guests at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo to express their support for Japan through the “Tomodachi” initiative. Tomodachi is a public-private partnership forged after the Great East Japan Earthquake, led by the United States government, the Japanese government and the US-Japan Council, a non-profit organization supported by corporations, organizations and individuals from the US and Japan.  To support initiatives that benefit Japan’s short term needs as a consequence of the Great East Japan earthquake,  to invest in the next generation of Japanese and Americans through opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, entrepreneurship, and leadership,  to enhance long-term competitiveness and strengthen bilateral ties between the U.S.A and Japan, are Tomodachi’s key missions.

Charge d’Affaires Kurt Tong hosted the event. Guests included university students who participated in relief efforts after the March 11 disaster.

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