The Ambassador. Spring, 2013

the ambassador THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN JAPAN • SPRING 2013

writing

history Beate Sirota Gordon 1923-2012

4

contents Head of School’s Message

3

Telling our story.

The Only Woman in the Room

4

The life and times of Beate Sirota Gordon ‘39, who helped draft Japan’s post-War constitution.

Emperor 14 We talk to Eugene Nomura ‘90 about his new Occupation-era movie Emperor.

ASIJ Memories: The Meguro Years

24

Excerpts from our new book of personal memories from the Meguro years.

Table for Tohoku

14

31

Students create new menu items to support relief work in Tohoku.

Voices from Japan

32

Commemorating 3.11 through photographs, poetry and a series of artistic events.

From Student to Sensei

38

We catch up with Leslie Birkland ‘66 on her long association with ASIJ.

We’ve Got a Plan

45

We take a look at ASIJ’s new Strategic Plan and the students who helped write it.

38

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

1

features MESSAGE Editor | Director of Communications Matt Wilce Art Director | Photography Francine Flora Head of School Ed Ladd Director, Center for School-Community Partnership Tim Thornton Alumni Relations | Communications Lucy Williams Data Officer Rina Yoshizu

the ambassador is published by the Center for School-Community Partnership, The American School in Japan.

ASIJ alumni, families, faculty and friends receive the ambassador.

We solicit your comments and encourage you to submit ideas and articles for consideration.

Letters and inquiries may be addressed to: the editor, the ambassador, The American School in Japan, 1-1-1 Nomizu, Chofu-shi , Tokyo 182-0031, Japan.

Tel: 81-422-34-5300, ext.700 communications@asij.ac.jp alumni@asij.ac.jp http://community.asij.ac.jp

Cover photograph Š1987 Mark Stern Cover design by Francine Flora

fundraising report 12-13 ASIJ Leadership Scholarship

47

Honor Roll of Donors

50

Matching Your Gift

55

alumni section Alumni Reception: Los Angeles

56

Upcoming Class Reunions

58

A look at this summer’s reunions and events.

Class Agents

60

In Memoriam

62

features HEAD OF SCHOOL’S MESSAGE

Telling Our Story

I

have always been an avid reader. My earliest childhood memories are of me sitting on my mother’s lap in a rocking chair as she read to me. When I was in second grade, my teacher phoned my mother to tell her that I had lied that day in class. I had been asked to write a list of books that I had read that summer and I had listed over forty books. My teacher thought this was impossible and I was just making it up, but my mother confirmed, rather proudly, that I had, indeed, read all those books! I still like to read. I love a good story. And I believe that one of the best ways to remember things or to teach things is by telling a story. Stories connect us, preserve memories, and capture our imagination.

This month at ASIJ, story telling has been important to us.

Alumna Sara Taber ‘72 revisited campus to tell us about her book, Born Under an Assumed Name. Eric Hipple, a retired NFL quarterback, came to tell his story and the story of his son’s suicide to our students. Our annual musical, Beauty and the Beast is a great story of love and redemption, and everyone, both big and small, enjoying this enchanting tale performed on the stage of the Ricketson Theater. This past week, first graders interviewed different members of our staff to learn what we do and who we are. Each of these student groups returned to the classroom with their iPads to write our stories as they became the storytellers.

Schools create memories and from these stories are born.

This edition of the ambassador is full of stories and storytellers.

Eugene Nomura ‘90’s film Emperor is a great tale, as is the story of Beate Sirota Gordon ’39 and the writing of the Japanese constitution.

At our alumni reception in Los Angeles in February, we had seven decades of ASIJ alums in the room, and each and every one of these alums had stories to tell that connected them to their memories of their ASIJ experience. These stories created an energy in the room as people laughed and remembered together.

As you read about our Strategic Plan in this issue, try to imagine what stories and memories will be created in the future.

Think about how inclusive we are becoming as a school and how our dynamic relation with Japan and Japanese culture will continue to create a unique story that only ASIJ students can tell.

All of this is very exciting. I am especially excited by our ASIJ Leadership Scholarship initiative and how this opportunity can enrich our student body.

ASIJ has a great story to tell, and this issue of the ambassador is yet another chapter.

In closing, I want to share one small story with you. On the final day of school last year, as students rushed to the buses, a tiny little first grader named Rosie came over to me and handed me a card. “This is for you,” Rosie said. I opened the card and inside was a drawing of Rosie and me sitting at a table and next to the drawing, Rosie had written, “ I had fun at 1st grade J I am really sad I am moving L I wish that I could stay at ASIJ longer.”

She gave me a hug around my legs and ran to join her friends on the bus. I keep this card pinned on the wall behind my desk and I see it every day and it reminds me that every day at ASIJ, we create memories and stories for the future.

Warm regards, Ed Ladd Head of School

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

3

features BEATE SIROTA GORDON

the

only

woman in the room Matt Wilce takes a look at the life and times of Beate Sirota Gordon ‘39, author of Articles 14 and 24 of the Japanese Constitution

T

he ballroom on the sixth floor of the Dai-Ichi Building in Ginza is filled with a thick fug of stale cigarette smoke and the click clack sound of multiple Underwood typewriters. Among the piles of carbon paper, crumpled balls of aborted drafts, reference books, library copies of the Soviet and Weimar constitutions, ashtrays filled with discarded Chesterfields and uniformed colleagues sits a young 22-year-old civilian woman. “The family is the basis of human society,” she types as she begins her latest draft before stopping to re-read the US Constitution, a document that she’d first studied at The American School in Japan a few years previously. She switches her attention to the Japanese Civil Code and carefully reads through it with the dictionary at hand. “Woman are to be regarded as incompetent,” Article 4 clearly states.

It is Tuesday February 5, 1946 and week-old snow still lies on the ground in Ginza. In three days time the 20 men and four women sequestered in the ballroom must present their draft of Japan’s new constitution to the Steering Committee. The directive from SCAP last October was clear—emancipation and suffrage for the women of Japan. Gen. MacArthur had not been moved by a sudden surge of feminism though, as he saw women’s rights as a way to bolster the anti-war emphasis he aimed the new constitution to have. “I want to discredit the military. Women don’t like war,” was the terse, pragmatic rationale he’d given his protégé Bonner Fellers. It seemed only natural to those involved that the job of drafting the language that would assign such freedoms in the new constitution should fall to a woman—Beate Sirota ‘39.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

5

features BEATE SIROTA GORDON

All afternoon the constitutionalists, who’d been divided into seven committees the previous Sunday, work away at their assigned articles, cognizant that time is running out. Desks are scattered around the room in clusters. Penciled-in notes and additions transition to newly typed pages that in turn are re-read and annotated further. At the desk adjacent to Beate sits her friend Eleanor Hadley, a talented economist, Asia specialist and future zaibatsu-buster. Eleanor is working on the economic and antitrust reforms that seek to make the distribution of income more equal and the economy more responsive to the interests of the people.

At the suggestion of Col. Charles Kades, Chairman of the Steering Committee, Beate looks again at the 1889 Meiji Constitution, but finds little inspiration there. In turn, she takes up the 1919 Weimar Constitution, which proves to be much more progressive in social welfare policies and equal rights for both sexes when it comes to marriage. Engrossed in her work, Beate barely realizes the time until she looks up and sees that it is dark outside. When she gets up to open the window for some fresh air—and respite from the contrails of cigarette smoke that glide toward the ceiling—the sharp winter breeze hits her face. Across the bombed-out city lie large swathes of blackness. Looking at her watch, she sees that is already 6 o’clock.

Not wanting to miss dinner for the second night in a row, she prepares to leave for the Kanda Kaikan where she is billeted. Col. Kades is still writing as Beate leaves. Across the street and the still waters of its outer moat, the walls of the Imperial Palace loom in the shadows.

On Saturday, they will present the first draft constitution that will forever change the Emperor’s role and lay out a new foundation for the country, but it will take another 50 years before the world at large finds out about Beate and how a recent college graduate ended up with such responsibility.

••••• Born in 1923 in Vienna, Beate Sirota was the only child of renowned pianist Leo Sirota and his wife Augustine. She spent her early childhood touring Europe with her mother and father, a Ukrainian Jew who had fled war-torn Russia and settled in Austria.

Exposed to English, Russian, German and French, she quickly developed a flair for languages and added Japanese to the list once

6

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Top left: Japanese class at ASIJ, Hashimoto-sensei, Maria Munoz, Lily Sagoyan and Beate. Top right: Class of 1939 Baccalaureate Service at Tokyo Union Church. Middle left: A high school dance; at first Beate (center right) felt like a wallflower. Middle right: Eloise Cunningham ‘18 leads the Girls’ Chorus in 1937. Bottom left & right: At the Yokohama docks waving off Headmaster Amos with June Stewart-Scott ‘39 in 1941.

features BEATE SIROTA GORDON

the family moved to Tokyo and Spanish once she went to college.

With growing instability sweeping the European continent and a series of concerts canceled, the family decided that it might be the right time to visit the Far East and Leo Sirota accepted an invitation to become a professor at the Imperial Academy of Music – now Tokyo University of the Arts. Traveling overland by train from Vienna to Vladivostok and then onward by ship, they arrived four weeks later in Yokohama. It was 1929 and their intent was to spend six months in Japan, before returning to Austria, but as circumstances changed they would end up staying 16 years.

Beate started out attending the German School in Tokyo, but over time the family’s Jewish background and the changing political landscape in Germany led to a divergence. Once Beate received a C grade for deportment due to her voicing opinions in opposition to those held by her teachers, who were increasingly influenced by National Socialism, the family decided it was becoming “too Nazified” and that it was time to switch schools.

Beate enrolled at The American School in 1936 and made the adjustment from strict Germanic education, where pupils were still subjected to corporal punishment. At first ASIJ struck her as “a little too informal” compared to the rigors of her old school, but soon she settled into school life. A turning point was when her mother arranged a date for her with a good-looking Russian boy who was a friend of her father’s student. After being depressed that she was reduced to being a wallflower at previous school dances, Beate was delighted to finally have someone to dance with and at last she felt that she “belonged.”

Although she was still only 15-and-a-half, Beate graduated from ASIJ in 1939. Her dream of going to the Sorbonne was thwarted by the imminent war in Europe and so she left Japan for college in the United States. Immigration visas were a challenge, but her parents were able to obtain documentation with the assistance of their friend and neighbor Koki Hirota, a former foreign minister and future prime minister. Beate set sail with her parents for San Francisco to study modern languages at Mills College.

Once she’d adjusted to making her own bed and other household chores that the family’s servants had always taken care of, Beate settled into campus life. Frustrated by having to “learn” Japanese one-on-one with a professor who had never set foot

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

7

Top: Bombed-out Tokyo Station under reconstruction in 1945. Bottom left: Shirasu Jiro (center), aide to the Foreign Minister, with Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida on the far right. Middle: Gen. Courtney Whitney, MacArthur’s right hand man at GHQ. Bottom right: Children warm their hands on the street in Tokyo circa 1947.

8

the ambassador SPRING 2013

features BEATE SIROTA GORDON

in Japan, she consoled herself with daily milkshakes, which she described as “nectar.” The year passed and summer vacation brought a trip back to Japan—fellow ASIJers Jack Curtis ’44 and Barbara Curtis Adachi ‘40, who were on the same ship, provided companionship during the Pacific crossing.

By the time Beate’s parents made their visit to her in the summer of the following year, changing circumstances brought portentious complications. First their ship, the Tatsuta Maru, was denied the right to dock in San Francisco as she was carrying a cargo of silk, which was under US boycott at the time. Although at the end of the trip her mother expressed a desire to stay in the States with her young daughter, Leo Sirota was firm that he should return to Japan to honor his contract with the Imperial Academy of Music. Despite the warnings of friends and the growing tensions between the two countries, the Sirotas bid goodbye to their daughter again. Unfazed even when the officials in Honolulu told them they would require FBI clearance to continue on to Japan. They eventually were cleared to depart and took passage on what was to be the last American ship to Japan. Ten days after they docked in Yokohama, Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor.

During the War, Beate was completely cut off from her parents in Japan. Although she had been frugal with living expenses and her tuition at Mills was relatively low, left on her own in the United States, she needed to find a means to support herself. The FBI, Office of Strategic Services (the precursor to the CIA) and the Office of War Information were all desperate for a Japanese speakers and all came to campus looking to recruit. (Beate would later claim that there were only 60 Japanese-speaking Caucasians in the whole country when War broke out. Her future husband Joesph Gordon, himself a Japanese specialist, disagreed and thought it was higher—closer to 65!) As a non-citizen, a job at the FBI was out of the question, but Beate was offered a position at the CBS Radio Listening Post, which was still under civilian control at the beginning of the War. Tasked with translating Japanese broadcasts, Beate and the other recruits struggled to make sense of the higher-order Japanese and vocabulary such as “aircraft carrier” that they’d never heard.

Unable to find a dictionary, which had all been bought up by the military, Beate set out to make her own word lists as a reference using a multilingual dictionary she found that enabled her to go from

Russian or Chinese into English and Japanese. Her perseverance paid off and she was hired during the two-week test period after correctly translating a broadcast referring to a Japanese submarine in the vicinity of San Francisco that the Listening Post in Portland, Oregon, hadn’t caught. When CBS asked her to stay on full-time once term restarted, she got permission from Mills to no longer attend classes and only submit papers and take the exams. For six months she worked full-time while completing her final three credits of college.

In 1942, the CBS Listening Post became part of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Beate stayed on as the only woman in the San Francisco office. The job enabled her to occasionally glean news of her parents—an oblique reference to a concert of her father’s offering proof they were still alive. After graduating from Mills, Beate transferred to the Office of War Information (OWI) where she scripted propaganda programs in Japanese to be read on air by nisei broadcasters. Ironically, when Beate returned to Japan she never met a single person who had heard the radio shows—possibly because shortwave radios were rarely available, even to soldiers.

Towards the end of the War in the spring of 1945, Beate relocated to New York City and took a job in the foreign news department of Time magazine as a researcher for staff writers covering Japan. She maintained that only men were actually allowed to be writers, even though they were often intellectually inferior to the cosmopolitan and multilingual female researchers who were held accountable for any mistakes published.

Beate continued to look for scraps of information about her parents in Japan, unsure of their whereabouts and safety. She was not to know at the time that like most “alien neutrals” they had been evacuated to Karuizawa in Nagano, where they moved into their summer home. Food was scarce and daily visits from the Kempetai (secret police) kept the aliens and diplomats under close scrutiny. On their July 31 visit the Kempeitai ordered Beate’s father to report to the police station to be held for questioning the following week. After a week of sleepless nights, he woke on the morning of August 6 terrified, but ready to report to the police. Nobody came to arrest him. Nothing happened. At 8:15 that morning, the Enola Gay had dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. A week later Japan surrendered.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

9

features

In New York, the streets were filled with celebration. News of the devastating firebombing of Tokyo and the effects of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki began to filter in and Beate grew increasingly concerned about the fate of her friends and family. It took until October for a Time correspondent dispatched to Tokyo to telex with news that they were indeed safe and alive. After celebrating the good news with Champagne, Beate began to look for a way to get back to Japan. She spent her days off in Washington, DC, investigating leads for possible jobs until she heard that the Foreign Economic Administration was looking for people to work under MacArthur. She applied and as she was now a naturalized US citizen with experience at the FCC and OWI, they snapped her up. On Christmas Eve 1945, she was back “home” in Tokyo.

••••• It is March 4, 1946 and a top-secret meeting is being held in room 602, the conference room on the sixth floor of SCAP headquarters adjacent to General MacArthur’s office. The participants have been told that they will have to stay in the building until the discussions are over, no matter how long that takes. Inside the room the Japanese contingent comprising of the Home Minister Joji Matsumoto, Tatsuo Sato the head of the First Department of the Legislative Bureau, Jiro Shirasu the Deputy Chief of the Central Liaison Office and two translators from the Foreign Office sit at a large round table with the Americans. Gen. Whitney and Col. Kades head up the US side along with Lt. Col. Rowell and Comm. Hussey. A team of translators headed by the quick-witted intelligence officer Lt. Gordon provides support for the officials. Beate Sirota is the only woman in the room.

The meeting opens with Matsumoto handing his latest draft of the Japanese Constitution to Whitney. “This draft has not yet been discussed and approved by the Cabinet. It is nothing more than a preliminary draft, ” he carefully explains. Kades hands his copy of the document over to Beate and Lt. Gordon and closely studies each section that they quickly translate. The Japanese draft is missing the preamble, prompting a sharp reminder from Kades that the inclusion of the “MacArthur preamble” was non-negotiable.

Lengthy discussions about each subsequent article ensue with heated debate between Kades and Matsumoto over many of the

10

the ambassador SPRING 2013

© Ray Fielding

BEATE SIROTA GORDON

Photo courtesy of Steve Sundberg ‘74 Photo courtesy of Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Top: The Dai-Ichi Building in Ginza where MacArthur and the Government Section worked during the Occupation. To its left are the Imperial Theater, Tokyo Kaikan and the Meiji Insurance building where the Allied Council was headquarted.

Middle: Charles Kades, Guy Swope, Colonel Tilton and Frank Rizzo in the conference room of GHQ in the Dai-Ichi Building. Bottom right: University of Maryland Conference—the first and last time the drafters of the Constitution met after 1946. Bottom left: Gen. MacArthur exiting GHQ.

features BEATE SIROTA GORDON

points of divergence between the US and Japanese proposals. The atmosphere in the room is tense and increasingly confrontational.

Kades, hands shake so hard that the table vibrates with his anger.

Matsumoto, shocked that a young upstart like Kades is arguing with him, grows increasingly frustrated and impatient. Not waiting for Shirasu, who is translating, Matsumoto asks exasperately in English, “Have you come to Japan to correct our Japanese?”

Four hours in and virtually no progress has been made. At 2:30pm they break for a dreary lunch of prepackaged C and K rations— canned pork and beans, crackers, chocolate, and cigarettes. Coffee is dispensed from five-gallon urns. Matsumoto thinks that the US army rations taste like he is chewing wax, but eats them anyway.

After lunch he makes an excuse that he has to leave GHQ early to attend a meeting with Cabinet members at the Prime Minister’s office. Worried that a fistfight might actually break out, he decides it is better to leave and plans to send word to Sato later that he won’t be returning due to an illness. Sato is left with the interpreters to continue on through the afternoon and evening. At 8:30pm they began an article-by-article discussion.

During the evening Lt. Gordon notices that the British-educated Shirasu has left a literal translation of the English draft lying on the table. He takes it as a sign that the delegation had come to the meeting prepared to surrender, but with the aim of making a lastditch play for their version. As the evening drags on, the discussions continue with less rancor. It is past 2am that the civil rights section that Beate has drafted comes up for consideration. The Japanese men at the table have no inclination that she is responsible for the language that she now has the job of translating. To them, she is merely at the meeting to translate—admittedly very skillfully. Even Sato makes a note that she understands Japanese well, is sharp, and conveys exactly the meaning of what he is saying.

Everyone is tired and fighting sleep, yet Sato begins to argue against the article’s guarantee of women’s rights as fiercely as he had on behalf of the Emperor earlier. Hearing that he considered her article inappropriate, Beate snaps awake. Ever astute, Kades steps in to remind the Japanese that the “slip of a girl” translating has supported several of their positions and reveals that Beate is actually responsible for the section on women’s rights. “This article was written by Miss Sirota,” he announces. “She was brought up in

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

11

Beate during her 1996 visit to ASIJ.

12

the ambassador SPRING 2013

features BEATE SIROTA GORDON

Japan, knows the country well, and appreciates the point of view of Japanese women. There is no way in which the article can be faulted.

She has her heart set on this issue. Why don’t we just pass it?” This is the opportunity for the Japanese team to repay the kindness and respect Beate had shown earlier and they concede.

The remaining articles are not as straightforward though and with 92 left to discuss at 3am the end of the process is still a long way off.

Negotiations continue as the wintry dawn breaks outside and more C and K rations do little to lift the energy levels and combat the stale air. Bloodshot eyes struggle to continue with the line-by-line scrutiny required. At 10am Beate is fortunate enough to be told she can leave and is soon dead asleep in her billet. The rest of the team continue with the interminable process until 6pm—32 hours after they began.

The following day on the evening of March 6, the revised draft is published as the work of the Japanese government. Gen. MacArthur announces his satisfaction with the “new and epoch-making” constitution making no reference to the work of SCAP behind the scenes in its creation. Beate’s role in writing Articles 14 and 24 is consigned to be secret history for decades to come.

••••• Following her work for SCAP, Beate returned to New York, where her parents had already relocated to, and she was reunited with Lt. Gordon, who she had begun dating. The pair married in 1948. Beate took a number of different jobs before eventually returning to her primary interest, the performing arts.

In 1953, she was invited to work on a special issue of Theater Arts Magazine on Japan, which led to a part-time position at the Japan Society. Later as Director of Student Programs, Beate provided career and job counseling to Japanese students in New York, including Yoko Ono, with whom she maintained a life-long friendship. She also worked with visual artists, arranging exhibits and lecture-demonstrations, including the first American visit of the renowned woodblock artist, Shiki Munakata. In 1958, she was appointed the Society’s Director of Performing Arts and in this capacity, she introduced a number of Japanese performing artists to the New York public, helping to develop many careers including that of Toshi Ichiyanagi, now one of Japan’s foremost composers. In 1960, Beate became a consultant to the Asia Society performing arts program, expanding her activities from Japan to other countries in Asia. She travelled widely looking for

talented performers, bringing everything from Korean shaman and Chinese opera to Japanese court music and Bhutanese royal dancers to the States, and produced the first Asian performances at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

In 1970, she was named full-time Director of the Performing Arts Program of the Asia Society in New York and, in 1987, became the Society’s Director of Performances, Films, and Lectures. Beate was much lauded for her work as an arts producer and a tireless promoter of Asian art forms, receiving numerous awards, among them the American Dance Guild Award (1978), two Dance on Camera Festival Awards (1984, 1985), a Bessie Award (1990), Ryoko Akamatsu Award (2005), and the John D. Rockefeller Award from the Asian Cultural Council (1997) in recognition of her “extraordinary contributions in introducing American scholars, artists, and general audiences to the performing arts of Asia and in increasing the American understanding and appreciation of Asian dance, theater, and music traditions.” Once Beate’s role in writing the Japanese constitution became public in the 1990s, she also received the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Japanese government in 1998.

In April 1996, thanks to the efforts of librarian Vicky Downs (FF 1959-99) and staff member Keiko Auckerman, Beate returned to ASIJ to speak to students and staff about her wartime experiences. She addressed the whole high school student body in a packed Ricketson Theater and also spent time with Japanese and Social Studies classes.

Beate would also often run into ASIJ alumni through her work in the United States. Sakiko Suga ‘09 recalls paying her a visit in New York a couple of summers ago. “Her living room was filled with historical treasures including original cement pieces from the World Trade Center when they first built it— she mentioned that she was going to donate the pieces to the memorial—and a signed photograph of MacArthur. She was such a lovely lady, she offered me sweets and tea and we spoke for about three hours. At the end of our conversation, she spoke to me about her vision of the world. She said that it was far more important to look for similarities among people than differences for different cultures to coexist,” Sakiko remembers. Beate, who spent a lifetime promoting equality, compassion and cross-cultural understanding told her, “We are all more alike than different.”

Beate passed away on December 30, 2012.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

13

features ALUMNI PROFILE

emperor

Eugene Nomura ‘90 on producing a film that brings post-war Japan, and its iconic personalities, to life

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

15

features ALUMNI PROFILE

A

fter opening in the US in March, 2013, the much anticipated historical drama, Emperor, will be released in about 300 theaters across Japan on July 27, 2013 (as 終戦のエンペラー). A gripping tale of love and honor forged between fierce enemies of war, Emperor unfolds the story, inspired by true events, of the bold and secret moves that won the peace in the shadows of postwar Japan.

Matthew Fox joins with Academy Award® winner Tommy Lee Jones, newcomer Eriko Hatsune and award-winning Japanese star Toshiyuki Nishida to bring to life the American occupation of Japan in the perilous and unpredictable days just after Emperor Hirohito’s World War II surrender. As General Douglas MacArthur (Jones) suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation, he assigns an expert in Japanese culture—and psychological warfare—General Bonner Fellers (Fox), to covertly investigate the looming question hanging over the country: should the Japanese Emperor, worshiped by his people but accused of war crimes, be punished or saved?

Caught between the high-wire political intrigue of his urgent mission and his own impassioned search for the mysterious school teacher (Hatsune) who first drew him to Japan, Fellers can be certain only that the tricky subterfuge about to play out will forever change the history of two nations and his heart.

ASIJ alumnus Eugene Nomura ’90, who is a producer of the film, gave us an inside look at the process behind creating this movie based on the resonant, real events of 1945, when General MacArthur took control of a shell-shocked Japan on behalf of the Allied Powers and Bonner Fellers worked covertly to investigate the Emperor’s fate while the future of the nation hung in the balance.

Eugene, a LA-based actor, starring in 笑う警官 (The Laughing Policeman) and 天気待ち (Waiting for the Sun) and a producer for such films as Tajomaru and Surely Someday, visited ASIJ on April 19 and spoke with the Japan Seminar class in the high school. The students have done a lot of research on the Occupation era and were excited to ask Eugene about everything from how he re-created post-war Tokyo for the silver screen, to his opinion on the differences between the film business in Japan and the US.

16

the ambassador SPRING 2013

How did you get started with Emperor?

I produced this with my mother, Yoko Narahashi, who has done casting for films such as The Last Samurai, Babel, Memoirs of a Geisha, as well as upcoming movies like Wolverine and 47 Ronin.

I was inspired to make this film because we have a family connection to the story in Emperor. My great grandfather on my mother’s side was the Minister of the Interior, a position close to the Emperor. My mother heard stories as a child from her uncle about the meeting of MacArthur and the Emperor.

Even Pulitzer-prize winning authors who wrote about the meeting between the two use phrases such as “assuming that…” and “probably that…” because they can never determine what really happened—so much is unknown. We did an amazing—a ridiculous—amount of research on the subject but much of what was actually said remains a mystery.

Did you get into the industry because of your mom?

No, I actually started because of my friend at ASIJ at the time. She went to an audition where they were looking for a kid that could speak both English and Japanese and she gave them my name.

When I realized I could miss school and make money, I was in.

I didn’t go to college—I was too busy acting. When I was 19, Lee Strasberg’s wife came to see a play I was in. After the performance she came backstage and said, “I want to give you a scholarship. Do you want to come to New York?” Right there I said “OK. When?” I quit my agency in Japan and three months later was in New York. Until then I had never really “studied” acting so it was a good experience.

Why did you start producing?

I wanted to change the Japanese system. For an independent film in the US, you create a company, you raise the funds, hire the crew and cast and then you start shooting. In Japan, many companies own a portion of the film. For the people who are actually making the film, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a hit or not.

By producing, I can make it so that if the movie does well, so does everyone who’s making it. I think that motivates the Japanese cast and crew to get creative and push it to the limits of what’s possible.

features Movie stills and location photos courtesy of Fellers Film LLC.

ALUMNI PROFILE

What exactly does a producer do?

A producer raises the funds, hires the director, hires the actors and crew and leads everyone. For Emperor there were about 500 crew and cast members. We created the script and then sent it out to agencies and they think of which directors they would like. Then we meet with the directors.

For Empeor, directors flew in from all over the world with their pitch for how they would direct the movie, having read the script. There is a romance story in this film, mixed in with the historical parts. A couple of the directors wanted to dig deeper into the controversy of the Occupation and cut out the love story. But that’s not how we envisioned it.

Our original idea behind this was based on a true story about General Bonner Fellers, who is played by Matthew Fox in the film. He first came to Japan in 1911 and when he was in college he had a relationship with a Japanese exchange student. We based the script on his personal diaries and the letters they exchanged. The letters show how he began to understand Japanese culture.

How long did it take since you had the idea for the movie until it’s actually in theaters?

About five years. It took about two years to write the script. Once we got the director everything moved pretty quickly. We shot the film from January to March, 2012 and already knew we would bring a five-minute clip to the Cannes Film Festival.

The distributor bought it based on that clip and the script. We also screened it at the Toronto Film Festival and secured distribution for the US and Canada. We were really lucky and we also had a great American producer, Gary Foster, who has worked as a producer for 25 years.

Why did you choose Tommy Lee Jones to play MacArthur?

He’s an iconic American actor. We wanted someone who was a great actor and could fit into the persona of MacArthur. He also has a lot of respect for Japan and really enjoys the crew that he works with to create the popular BOSS coffee commercials.

And he is loved in Japan for the alien character he plays in the commercials.

On the camera test he came walking in with the sunglasses, pipe, hat and that characteristic MacArthur attitude and instantly everyone thought “Oh my God, this is it!”

How did you cast the Japanese Emperor?

He’s a kabuki actor. The Emperor isn’t a normal guy, he’s raised in a different place, and kabuki actors are kind of like that too. When we auditioned Takataro Kataoka, he had the perfect walk. Kabuki actors are good with the way they use their bodies.

He was able to expertly create Hirohito from the outside. He was able to put authenticity into the performance.

18

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Scenes from Emperor with Matthew Fox, Eriko Hastune and Masayoshi Haneda.

Bottom left: Eugene’s son made a cameo appearance in the movie.

Producer Gary Foster, Co-producer Tim Coddington and Eugene.

Eugene and Gary Foster on set.

With director Peter Webber.

20

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Filming at the Imperial Palace: Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi, Eugene, Ryoichiro Yonekura and Yoshitaka Mori.

Director Peter Webber and producer Gary Foster talk with Eugene in front of their re-creation of post-war Tokyo.

features ALUMNI PROFILE

How did you choose the female lead?

We were looking for somone very good but preferably unknown. We didn’t want a star from Japan because most well-known actresses here do a lot of TV work where the acting is very indicative—rather than living the character they try to explain it.

We were happy to find Eriko Hatsune at an early stage in the production. Yoko had worked with her previously in a play and she showed us a tape. When Gary, Peter and I saw it we thought “she’s brilliant!”

How did you re-create 1945 Japan?

We filmed mostly in New Zealand with just two days in Japan. But in fact, Emperor was the first feature length film to ever film at the Imperial Palace. But we couldn’t re-create 1945 Japan here because Japan is not very film-friendly. They won’t block off streets for you and bureaucracy gets in the way. I know because I act here. Tokyo is a big city now and everything is changing, everything is new. It’s hard to build the broken-down 1945 Japan here. So we recreated it in New Zealand. We found a burnt down factory that we used as the back lot. We turned about six places in the factory into different locations in our movie.

What has the reaction to the film been in the US? We did a screening for the American Legion in Washington, DC, including a 92-yearold veteran who was with MacArthur in the Philippines and another veteran who worked with him in GHQ in Tokyo. Some of them had a different point of view. Our film starts with the real footage from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. The reaction of one of the veterans was “We didn’t start the war.” However, we were trying to bring the viewer into 1945 Japan. Our story is about the end of war. It’s about sustainable peace.

We also did a screening for the Japanese American Society in LA and they had an issue with the lack of Japanese-Americans in the story, since they had such important roles as translators at GHQ at the time. Obviously their’s is a whole other story to be told, and one that’s truly fascinating.

These screenings were interesting because they brought up a lot of discussion— including talk about current situations around the world. What happens after a war?

So in many ways I think we’re doing a good deed. The movie is ultimately about peace.

Was there a difference in thinking for creating the Japanese trailer?

The Japanese trailer starts with the Emperor, but in the US version we put more emphasis on MacArthur.

Producers Gary Foster, Yoko Narahashi and Eugene Nomura.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

21

features ALUMNI PROFILE

Did you have any concerns about screening this in Japan?

At first everyone was worried. But I think we balanced the story really well between the American and Japanese side, with respect for both. And we didn’t make any judgments about the Emperor. The story is about trying to understand different cultures. I don’t actually think it will bring up any issues. The Japanese distributor, Shochiku, started screening it in April to select groups including about 400 newspaper writers and TV producers and we’ve had positive feedback.

One of the surprising things from the pre-screenings we did in Japan was that the older men were the most moved—more so than the women—they were teary-eyed. I think there’s something deep down inside people that comes to the surface when they relive this era in history. It was a different reaction from what we had in the States.

Has the possible reaction of the nationalists in Japan been a concern for you?

Actually, I had visited a right wing organization in YoyogiUehara when I was younger for a different project. I was researching for a role I was playing of an extremely right wing character in a yakuza film. I mentioned that I was interested in doing a film about the story in Emperor and they said, “Well, you better do it right.” But I think both the left and the right, when they see this film they’ll understand why we made it.

Most producers must have to put a lot of trust in the translator when subtitling their film, but were you able to check the subtitles for the Japanese release?

Shochiku was nice enough to show us the subtitles in advance.

We requested a few small changes, but the translation was very well done. Perhaps because the subject involved the Emperor, they were very, very careful.

Japanese cinema is highly regarded throughout the world and movies like Departures and Spirited Away have won Oscars, and yet very few films make it overseas. Why do you think that is?

In Japan, films aren’t really an international industry yet. They are mainly aimed at domestic audiences. And of course, films are in Japanese which is a language understood by such a small population in the world and limited mostly to this island.

Do you think it’s hard for Asian actors to make it in Hollywood?

I can see some Chinese and Korean actors who are on the edge of making it big soon. But in the case of Japanese actors, many of them don’t have the opportunity to study English from a young age. They don’t have the advantage of attending a school like ASIJ. But I think that will all start to change. I’ve

22

the ambassador SPRING 2013

features ALUMNI PROFILE

noticed an increase in the last ten years of the actors studying English and becoming more international, which will be good for Japan’s future. Good luck, Japanese actors!

It looks like most of the summer blockbusters this year are sequels or remakes of some kind. Do you think that Hollywood is getting less creative and just going for a “sure thing”?

In a sense, Hollywood hasn’t lost its creativity because people come from all over the world with new ideas every year. I wouldn’t say these blockbusters are any less creative, but it is a business and it makes sense to go for a sure thing. On the other hand, independent films are doing better. For example, The King’s Speech, a little independent film, captured a lot of interest. For an independent film like Emperor, we raised the funds and we maintained full creative control.

What do you think of movies in 3D? I think it depends on the film. Emperor wouldn’t have worked in 3D—no one wants MacArthur jumping out at them. It takes a lot more time to shoot in 3D—the camera is different, there’s a lot of digital work—and of course it costs more money. But sometimes it’s worth it for something fantastical like Life of Pi. What’s the next project you would like to do?

There’s a story from my father’s side of the family that I am working on turning into a film. My grandfather ran a company called the Nomura Organization in Romania, and was actually a spy during WWII. My grandfather married a Romanian woman and thus my father was born in Bucharest. My family came back to Japan in 1946 and I’m interested in going deeper into that history. But after one more historical movie I guess I should do some comedy or something!

Do you still stay in touch with people from ASIJ? I really loved this school. It’s all these different students from all these different cultures and yet their relationships are so strong that they keep going after we’ve parted. I enjoyed catching up with friends and former teachers like Mid Squier (FF 19692004) at the LA Alumni Reception in February. I think there are about 30 alumni from the Class of ’90 in the San Francisco area and it’s like they’re still living the ASIJ life. I’ve kept in touch with Ken Sasaki, Sandy Watt, Zeno Leinfelder and Jinly Zee—we’re like family. When we meet it’s just like the days when we were hanging out in Tokyo.

Top and above: Eugene visited ASIJ on April 19 and spoke to the Japan Seminar class.

Middle left: With Japan Seminar teacher Kathy Krauth.

Bottom left: With classmate Yasu Nakayoshi ‘90, ASIJ’s maintenance manager.

For movie trailers and more information: (US) http://www.emperor-themovie.com (Japan) http://emperor-movie.jp

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

23

The students who attended ASIJ when it was located in Meguro from 1927-63, lived through war, the Occupation, and a rapidly changing society. Sidney Oltman Ferrell ’57 and Gabriel Ireton ’57 set out to capture their stories. With submissions from 73 alumni, ASIJ Memories: The Meguro Years, should be on every alum’s bookshelf. Here we preview a story each from the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s.

To read more great histories, get your copy: http://community.asij.ac.jp/memories

features ALUMNI PROFILE

George Shimizu ‘39

I was born on June 24, 1920, on a nondescript farm on the outskirts of Long Beach, CA. In 1935, our entire family moved from Los Angeles to Tokyo. I recall my parents often discussing their dream about “returning to Japan” and it finally came true. We boarded the MS Tatsuta Maru of the NYK Lines in August 1935, and set sail to the country of their birth. On board the ship were about a dozen kids my age. I later found out that they were students at The American School in Japan (in Naka-Meguro). And, to my good fortune, I spent the next four years of my life at ASIJ. The main reason I wound up at ASIJ? I owe everything to the Foote family. On board were Dave ‘37, Fran ‘40, Miriam Mimi ‘42 and their mom and dad. Fran, especially, encouraged me to further my education at ASIJ. My two older sisters, Martha and Kazu, took me to the Naka-Meguro campus and Principal Harold C. Amos was happy to admit me as a freshman in the Class of 1939.

My Class of 1939 was always small in numbers—seven of us graduated in June, 1939. My classmates included Richard “Rick” Moss, Ernie Carlson and Bob Riecks, who left after his sophomore year. I still keep in touch with Rick (Quito, Ecuador), Ernie (a retired medical doctor in Santa Paula, CA), and Bob (West Palm Beach, FL). I knew that Beate Sirota Gordon lived in New York City. Frank Hinokuma was killed in the Philippines during World War II; to this day I do not know whose side he was on. I have lost touch with June Stewart-Scott (one of my all-time favorites) and Thomas Goedicke .

At the time of Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), I was a junior at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. I was devastated by this sneak attack. Then in early 1942, I received a letter from Col. Kai Rasmussen, US Army. He was the Commandant at the Army’s Military Intelligence Service (MIS) Language School at Camp Savage, MN. Col. Rasmussen wanted me to attend the Language School after our Class of 1943 graduated. The entire campus went to accelerated classes during the summer of ‘42 so we graduated six months early in December. Col. Rasmussen and I had known each other when I was a senior at ASIJ. His children—Ann and Kai—were also students in grade school back in 1939. It was Captain Rasmussen at that time. He was part of the Military Attaché unit at the US Embassy along with Joseph Dickey, Archie Stuart and Virgil VerBeck.

And that is how I arrived at MIS. My date of voluntary enlistment was December 15, 1942. Four days later after being

sworn into the Army at Fort Snelling, MN, I reached Camp Savage. Col. Rasmussen had sent his personal driver and car to pick me up!

And where were you in September,1945?

It was in early September, 1945 that I was admitted into a small 24th Division base hospital near Davao (Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines) with a raging 103.8 fever. My bed was in a bombed out church building. WWII had ended on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito, over the radio, had unconditionally surrendered. Four days after being admitted I really thought I was a goner when a Major stopped by my stretcher and said, “George, you don’t have malaria. You have severe infectious hepatitis and we can’t handle you here. We’re sending you by hospital plane to a huge General Army Hospital on Leyte Island.”

The next day, our six stretchers were being loaded on to a converted C-47 hospital plane at a nearby make-shift airstrip, I could hear an air crewman holler, “Hey, who’s the VIP prisoner of war? That’s a first for our plane.” Then one of my buddies spoke up, “That’s no POW. That’s George Shimizu. He’s a Sgt. in the US Army. He’s an expert in the Japanese language. His parents came from Japan, but George was born in California. He’s one of us. He’s one of the good guys.”

I was in the ICU at the 42nd Army General Hospital for over three long months. The Army and the nurses really took excellent care of me. Upon my release in December from the 42nd, I found myself six days later at the “Repple Depple” or Replacement Depot in Tacloban and several days later 4,000 happy GIs boarded the SS President Monroe. We spent Christmas of 1945 on the high seas, en route to San Francisco then on to Camp Stoneman in Pittsburg, and finally to Camp Beale (just north of Sacramento, CA) where we all received our discharge papers. After being overseas for 25 months, I was finally home in Los Angeles with my wife, Mary “One.” What a blessing when the war came to an end. Every GI was just plain exhausted. Our planes dropped thousands of “surrender pamphlets” on the known Japanese positions. Our Filipino Scouts were great—they knew exactly where all the enemy forces had back-tracked into the mountains and valleys of Mindanao. When the bedraggled Japanese soldiers began to surrender, I never felt such sympathy for any group in all of my life. They came out to surrender their weapons, along with hundreds of civilian personnel from Japan who worked for the Japanese army. For them, it was a war of attrition—clothes in tatters, hardly any shoes, no supplies from the homeland for months and months.

And when they saw a Japanese face like mine who spoke Japanese, I recall they were surprised and happy. I treated all the enemy—military and civilian—with respect, compassion and fairness. And since I was a non-smoker, they also received my ration of cigarettes.

Every GI in the area had to give up a set of khakis plus one blanket. And every outfit went on short rations… that happens

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

25

features ALUMNI PROFILE

when an extra 11,000 mouths have to be fed and the sick taken care of. I explained to all of them that they were “lucky” to be surrendering to US forces. Later reports from Manchuria and certain areas of China substantiated how truly lucky they were.

I discovered that the city-bred Japanese troops were happy to surrender. The country soldiers felt they were bringing shame and disgrace to their families. I told them that WWII was over, and America was going to return them to their families in Japan, and it was up to them to regain their health, work hard, and speed Japan’s recovery. During WWII, Japan was our worst enemy. Today, Japan is our staunchest ally in Asia. No doubt about it…

My best friend and companion Mary Takai and I attended The Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies in early November, 2011, in Washington, DC honoring the war-time nisei veterans of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and The Military Intelligence Service (MIS).

Believe me, it was an honor and privilege to be there, and an absolute awesome experience for the ages. Mary’s daughter, Debi, was her guardian and my daughter Anne’s husband, Alan Furuya, was my guardian. We all stayed at the Washington Hilton Hotel, and Southwest Airlines paid my round-trip airfare under their Honor Flight program.

Mary received her Gold Medal on behalf of her husband, Roy T. Takai, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Retired, who died on February 6, 2006, due to a heart condition. Roy served in China, Burma and India, while I started out from Australia and was on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines when World

26

the ambassador SPRING 2013

War II ended on August 15, 1945. Roy and I were both MIS. It was an emotion-packed three days. I estimate 360 veterans— some in wheel chairs, many employing canes (like Mary and me) enjoyed truly VIP treatment. About 2,500 family participants in all came to DC. Everyone joined in honoring the nisei veterans—on the Southwest Airlines flights to and from DC, on the buses to the World War II Memorial with a police escort! And strangers came up to us in various airports—hugs, thank yous and congratulations brought many a tear to a lot of our eyes.

A highlight of our visit to DC was having dinner with Jean Mayer ‘38. Imagine, it was the first time in 73 years that we were together.

Jean lives in Bethesda, MD. During the war, she was at the US Navy Intelligence Language School in Boulder, CO. Jean retired as an Intelligence Analyst for the Navy Department.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the nation’s highest civilian honor, and was bestowed to the nisei soldiers in recognition of their outstanding and invaluable service to the United States during World War II. The 442nd RCT was the most highly decorated unit for its size and length of service in United States military history. The MIS and ATIS (Allied Translators and Interpreters Service) received their Presidential Unit Citation for valor and services rendered between April, 1942 and September, 1945 in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The heroics of the MIS soldiers were unknown until passage of the Freedom of Information Act in 1974. At time of discharge, those of us in the MIS were ordered not to discuss our wartime duties due to their sensitive and highly classified nature.

Today, Mary “Two” and I live in Walnut Creek, CA and I spend a lot of time on the golf course!

features ALUMNI PROFILE

Rudy Pariser ‘41

This biography is taken chiefly from an interview of Dr. Pariser conducted by representatives of the Chemical Heritage Foundation and from his own comments for ASIJ Memories.

Far left top: The 1937-38 basketball team with George second from right. Far left bottom: Ernie Carlson ‘39, Joyce Carlson and George Shimizu ‘39. Left: George and Mary Takai. Top: Students and staff gather at the docks to wave goodbye to headmaster Harold Amos in 1941. Middle: Headmaster Harold Amos about to depart Japan on the Hikawa Maru on April 17, 1941.Bottom: Class of 1941.

My home was in Harbin, China, where I was born in 1923 to an Estonian mother and a German father. At the time in 1937, ASIJ was the closest qualifying school that my parents considered for me.

I lived in the dormitory of The American School in Japan, and the teachers, for the most part, lived there also. They were young recent graduates from the US. Most of them had master’s degrees, and some of them had PhDs, though in those days many were not trained teachers. They just went there for a couple of years, usually for the experience of living in Japan. One of them was Jim Rasbury who had a law degree from the University of Michigan, who went to Japan to teach physical education. He was a tall fellow, and he lived in the dormitories. I liked him, and we became close.

While I was at ASIJ, we were given two or three weeks of Christmas vacation, but there were no commercial airplanes, and it took about three days to get from Japan to Harbin by boat or train, which would chew up most of the vacation. As a result, my parents would come over from Harbin, and we would spend vacation in some resort in Japan. Over the course of several visits, they got to know Jim Rasbury because he lived in the same dormitory as I did.

Sometime in late 1939, Jim Rasbury disappeared from the school, and rumors spread that he had been fired. The rumor was that he had been carrying on with a Japanese geisha, or a bit below that probably, which was unbecoming of a teacher.

Although the school was not a missionary school, there was a certain degree of religious influence because missionaries’ children attended. It had become very secular because many of its supporters came from the embassy and business crowd in Tokyo whose children were students at the school. There was no chapel as there had been in my previous missionary school near Peking. Anyway, Mr. Amos, the school’s principal, was approached by the students and asked about Jim’s disappearance. Mr. Amos didn’t give a clear answer, so we assumed the rumors were true.

And then, that summer—I guess it was in 1940—Jim Rasbury appeared suddenly in Harbin and made a call on my father. He stayed with us for about three or four days, and the two of them had long private discussions. Then he left, and my dad would not talk about it. Sometime later, he told me that Jim had been an American spy in Japan and that the Japanese had caught on to him.

They expected him to try to escape back to the US by ship, so

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

27

features ALUMNI PROFILE

Rasbury decided to run the other way, into Manchuria. He took a chance calling on us, because he had met my parents. My dad helped him go from there to Russia. At that time, Russia was not yet in the War. I understand he got to Vladivostok, a Russian port, boarded an American freighter and went back to the US. But, I ran into him again when I least expected it.

Tension had been growing between Japan and the United States, so that by the summer of 1941 there were very few students left at ASIJ. The American Ambassador, Joseph C. Grew, had urged people to leave. We had a quickie graduation in Ambassador Grew’s embassy, since by that time there were only five or six of us left. I was class president. At that point, my parents decided to send me to the US with my mother. As immigrants, we were allowed into the US under the ‘Chinese Quota’ which was based on the number of Chinese people already in the country. At the time, only ‘nonyellow Chinese’ were allowed in the country. But we qualified with our German passports.

The plan was that she would place me into some kind of college and then return to China. But, while we were in California, Pearl Harbor was bombed, and she couldn’t return. We had about $7,000, which was probably worth nearly $100,000 by today’s standard, so it was substantial.

My mother bought a small apartment house with it, and we rented out apartments. We lived in one of them, and I enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley. The strange part was that we were classified as enemy aliens because our passports were German.

And to the US, a German passport was a German passport. We had curfews, restrictions and the like. The United States government had already deported and relocated all the people of Japanese descent even though they were American citizens.

At the same time, my mother and I were seeking some kind of employment because we needed money. Even though I was going to school, I wanted to help. I saw an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle that said, “Russian translator needed.” So, I thought, “This is perfect.” After all, I was fluent in Russian having been born in Harbin, a very ‘Russianized’ city at the time. I reported to the place, which happened to be the FBI office in San Francisco. As I waited for

The Meguro Campus circa 1950

28

the ambassador SPRING 2013

my interview, I noticed the name ‘J. T. Rasbury’ printed on the door.

I thought, “My God! Is this the same guy?” I asked the secretary, “Has Mr. Rasbury ever been to Japan?” She said, “Yes, sir. He is our Chief.” I said, “I knew him in Japan.” She replied, “I’m sure he’d want to meet you.” She got him out of the office, and it was Jim! That was a godsend because I got the job and later on he helped get me a much better paying job at the shipyards in Richmond, CA. He got us special identification cards too, so we didn’t have to obey the curfews and restrictions. He also helped my mother get a very good job at a swanky store in San Francisco, which is now a Neiman Marcus. At the time, it was called ‘City of Paris,’ and she became in charge of the jewelry department.

I served in the Army for the remainder of the war and obtained my bachelor of science degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1944, the same year I became a naturalized American.

Using the GI Bill, I received my doctorate in physical chemistry at the University of Minnesota in 1950. Thereafter, I spent a scientific career at the DuPont Chemical Company Central Research Department where I became Director of Advanced-Materials Science. In that capacity, I coauthored several papers in the mid-1950s that provided important new theoretical methods in the area of quantum mechanics applied to organic molecules, now famously known as the PPP (Pariser-Parr-Pople) theory. It was an unexpected turn of events because the subject, dealing with behavior of electrons, was far removed, but it was inspired by the original intent of the experimental research that dealt with dye chemistry.

I was married to the former Margaret Louise Marsh on July 31, 1972. Upon my retirement from DuPont, I formed my own consulting company. My story that began as a ‘white’ child from China and progressed to a scientific career in the postwar United States illustrates the key role of ASIJ as a pivotal point of my life. In particular, I wish to recognize my inspiring science and math teachers: Randolph Gardner, David Misner, and of course, Jim Rasbury. Beyond that, it was sheer good luck and happenstance that my future of a scientist began there and continued at Berkeley and DuPont.

The Lee Family in Tokyo, 1939. Left to right: the family maid, William, uncle, Martha, mother, Betty, Paul and father.

Betty (Lee) Kuo ‘55

My father left northeast China (Manchuria) in 1917 to study at Keio University.

The warlord Chang Tse Lin sponsored two students from each county in his territory to study in Japan. His vision was to modernize and industrialize northeast China. In 1927, after graduating from Keio, my father went back to northeast China and married Chin Hwei Lang who would become my mother. In 1930 he established a modern flour mill using equipment imported from Germany, and in 1940 founded a long distance bus company with buses shipped from Japan.

Due to business, my father had to travel between Japan and northeast China frequently. He also built an apartment building complex for Chinese students in Japan, because he remembered how lonely he was when he first went to Japan. Following the Manchurian Incident in 1931, northeast China was totally controlled by the Japanese via the Manchurian puppet government. Under the system, educational opportunities for Chinese youth were limited, and most young men were drafted into the army. For these reasons, my father decided to have all his children born and raised in Japan.

Thus between 1928 and 1941, my four siblings and I were born and raised in Tokyo.

Like my siblings, I adopted a Japanese name and mingled with Japanese children as one of them. My father always felt it was important to learn English, so he sent my two older brothers and sister to pre-war ASIJ until it was closed during World War II. Later

we all attended Japanese schools. We spoke only Japanese as it would be considered an anti-Japanese act to do so otherwise.

As the war went on, food became scarce. For my family of seven, one week’s rations consisted of half a cabbage or equivalent. My mother spent most of the day looking for food. Instead of attending classes, my brothers were sent to factories to assemble weapons.

My older sister was taught to fight with a bamboo stick. The first small-scale US air raids started in 1942, and my parents knew more bombings were imminent.

Thus in 1944, except for my father and two older brothers, my family left Tokyo for northeast China. My father was still afraid that my older brothers would be drafted right away by the Kwang Tung Army upon their arrival in northeast China. They lived through most of the destructive air raids and left Japan in June 1945, two months before Japan surrendered. By then, my father’s flour mill had been confiscated by the Japanese and the bus company was running with a Japanese manager. My home was in my father’s bus company.

Two weeks after the Japanese surrender, a Russian army unit came and took some of my father’s buses and machines. This was followed by numerous see-saw battles between the Nationalist Army and the Communist Liberation Army. In the interim, my two older brothers were sent to Peking (Beijing) and attended the American School in Peking (ASIP). In 1947, during one short period when the city was occupied by the Nationalists, we decided to abandon what little was left of the bus company and escape southward towards Beijing to join my older brothers.

About six months later, we arrived in Beijing and led a refugee life for about a year. However, the Liberation Army was approaching Beijing quickly. In the late spring of 1948, ASIP was forced to close the school, and my brothers were given early high school diplomas. The Liberation Army made a triumphant entrance to Beijing on January 31, 1949. My family’s situation was at its

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

29

Left: Helen Dewey (FF1952-56).

Top: Betty’s exit permit from China.

lowest point. Months earlier my father had written a letter to MacArthur’s Headquarters in Tokyo, stating that he had real estate in Tokyo and requesting a landing permit for his family in Japan. He had not heard anything from Tokyo and now the mail delivery was completely disrupted. There was nowhere to go, our funds were running out, and there was no hope of any income to feed our family of seven.

On January 3, 1949, my brothers decided to go back to ASIP to look around. The school was closed and there was nothing to do. They found the school campus strewn with garbage, papers and piles of undelivered mail. Among the piles of mail, they found one envelope addressed to my father. He had used ASIP as our return address. It was a letter from MacArthur’s Headquarters allowing my family to land in Japan. It was the happiest day for my family and a major turning point in all our lives. At that point, my father had to obtain an exit visa to leave communist China. He felt the only choice was to go directly to the People’s Liberation Army Command Headquarters and request an exit permit. He was prepared to face whatever consequences this action might bring.

The officials at the Headquarters were completely baffled by the request. They had not had any requests like this in the past.

My father and eldest brother were told to return the next day.

Needless to say, they did not sleep much that night. To their surprise and relief, on April 4, 1949, they were told the permits would be granted for the whole family. Looking back, our timing was just perfect. The Liberation Army’s treatment of civilians was still in the honeymoon period. We left China from Tianjin on June 29, 1949, and arrived in Yokohama on July 10.

Initially, we were not allowed to disembark. When we showed the letter from MacArthur’s Headquarters to a naval officer, he was so surprised that he let us through. We eventually landed without

30

the ambassador SPRING 2013

incident. Our house in Nakano-ku, Tokyo, was completely intact, and our new lives began. Our older brothers, who were fluent in English, Japanese and Chinese, worked for the Occupation Force as translators. My sister and I attended a Japanese school for a short period. Anticipating we eventually would be heading for the US, we enrolled in ASIJ in 1953.

It was just about the first time in my life that I received a peaceful, uninterrupted education. There is no question that the teacher of my life was Miss Helen Dewey (FF 1952-56). Given the chaos of life during the war, I had not really bonded with a teacher until I had Miss Dewey. She was not just a great math teacher, she had charisma and interacted with each student in a uniquely positive way. Her students not only gained knowledge in her class, but really enjoyed being there. Her concerns for her students were way beyond classrooms.

When she learned my visa to the US was denied, she was furious.

The next day, like a goddess-warrior with me trailing behind her, she literally stormed into the US Consulate and confronted the vice consul. Needless to say, my visa was granted.

After graduating from ASIJ in 1955, I came to the US and attended Vassar (class of ’59), married Richard Kwang Lin Kuo in my junior year, and then went to Albany Medical as the mother of a six-month-old boy. I practiced until 2002 as a pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist. Richard was an engineer and also a CPA. In 1994, he established a medical device company in Beijing which is currently run by our son. All together we have a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren. I have been living in Long Island, NY since 1955 and reside in the same house since 1968. We are, however, planning to move to the San Francisco area to be close to our three children. Hopefully, I will get to see more of Mei Sun Li (ASIJ ’56, Vassar ’60) and other ASIJ alumnae in California.

features STUDENTS

Tohoku table for

Senior Mariko Kanai explains the origin of a student-led project to send fresh vegetables to earthquake effected Minamisoma with funding from special cafeteria items at ASIJ

S

hortly after March 11, 2011, we were swept up in a sense of helplessness and frustration while all we could do was watch continuous footage of the tsunami engulfing innocent people. We wanted to contribute to the disaster relief, but our options were limited as high school students; missing school was not an option and the evacuation zones encircling the nuclear plants prevented us from reaching the most needy. So we shifted gears and examined our surroundings to see if we could do something from Tokyo.

We recalled coming across the Table for Two program, which is already implemented in colleges and offices across the United States and Japan. “Saving the world with each healthy meal you take” is its motto and it collects twenty-five cents per meal to fund a meal for children in Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, and South Africa. We altered the program to fit our sole interest in Tohoku relief and created Table for Tohoku. After gathering a group of six high school juniors, we proposed the idea to Mr. Marty Tromburg, the business manager, and Ms. Sanae Ishihara, the cafeteria manager, and started to brainstorm how to involve the ASIJ community.

Collaborating with Mr. Tromburg, Ms. Ishihara and the rest of the cafeteria and kiosk staff, we sold four “Table for Tohoku” menus—burritos, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and yakitori—one each quarter on Mondays through Wednesdays every week. At first ¥20, and later ¥40, of each menu’s price went to the Table for Tohoku fund and was donated to the Save Minamisoma Project to send fresh vegetables to Minamisoma families in temporary housing.

Since January 2012, Table for Tohoku has sold almost 5,000 servings, raising ¥100,000. The program has been praised by the Save Minamisoma Project, so starting from this school year the ASIJ Japan Relief Fund has been matching Table for Tohoku donations. August Hergesheimer, ASIJ parent and one of the founders of the Save Minamisoma Project, remarked “I simply don’t have the words to express our gratitude for continued concern and support for Save Minamisoma Project by these wonderful ASIJ students.”

We would like to thank Mr. Tromburg for his guidance and support from the very beginning, and for arranging for ASIJ to match donations, providing an additional ¥20 which raised our total donation per item to ¥40. We’d also like to thank Mrs. Ishihara and the cafeteria/kiosk staff for putting together these meals and making them available to ASIJ students.

Finally, thank you to the students and faculty who purchased the meals and made this club possible.

We are often overwhelmed by the scope of things when we think about the processes and the people needed to address global problems. But all we really need is some imagination. We learned that help is always needed somewhere; we often do not realize that the place may be close by because we do not look close enough. And we found that it is relatively easy for individuals to take on their responsibility as the global citizens that we strive to be.

Since all six original members—Mariko Kanai, Mary Kim, Hannah Rosenfeld, Alison Klemencic, Ashley Steinlauf, and Kay Degraw (who left Japan in 2012)—will be graduating this year, we are in the process of expanding the organization by appointing new leaders. Our hope is that ASIJ will continue to support those affected by the March 11 disaster by feeding the victims as well as ourselves, and to always remember the tragedy through the existence of this program.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

31

voices from ASIJ, 3.11, community and connections

Japan

features SERVICE

High school teachers Kyoko Inahara, Kathy Krauth, Karen Noll and Sarah Sutter share the story of how they brought the Voices from Japan exhibit and a series of events commemorating the anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami to ASIJ.

I

n the summer of 2012, an exhibit of tanka was displayed in The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan.

The tanka were written by survivors and witnesses of the 3.11 disasters. Each poem had been selected for publication in various Japanese newspapers. Kyoko and Isao Tsujimoto of the Studio for Cultural Exchange were moved by the imagery and meditations in the poems, and motivated by the idea that this writing could help others understand the hearts of the Japanese people. A visionary couple with long-standing connections between the United States and Japan, the Tsujimotos made the exhibit happen. We decided to bring their vision to The American School in Japan.

The tanka, in their searingly honest conveyance of the profoundest of human emotions, connected us with the people who wrote them—these tanka affect everyone who reads them.

Deciding to engage our students in the unique opportunity provided by the Tsujimotos, we travelled with our students to various locations in Tohoku to interview and photograph six of the poets. One of the interviews also took place here in Tokyo. In creating a totally new ASIJ exhibit, we worked with the tanka of the original exhibit but added more recent tanka. We also added photographs taken by ASIJ students and excerpts from the student interviews of the poets. We wanted to offer our own version of those voices we heard in the tanka in tandem with the voices we heard when talking to the poets. The result was the ASIJ Voices from Japan, a teacher- and student-generated exhibit held in the Ricketson Theater lobby from March 4-16, 2013.

In conjunction with the Voices from Japan exhibit, we also planned a series of events we called 3.11—In Focus. Two film screenings added further depth to the event, while the Sendai-based M’s Japan Orchestra taiko group contributed an inspiring rhythm.

A panel discussion with three prominent scholars of 3.11 allowed us to contemplate and process the events from two years ago.

Finally, on March 14, the high school hosted 200 US high school

津波引け after the tsunami has receded 日は暮れかかる the sun begins to set 高台に over the high ground 家族の名をば where family members 呼び合う光景 call out each other’s names 加藤 信子 Nobuko Kato Iwate, March 2011 students through the Japan Foundation’s Kizuna Project. Initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Center for Global Partnership, the Kizuna Project promotes understanding of Japan’s recovery after 3.11, encourages greater understanding between the youth of Japan and the US, and fosters long-term interest in one another by providing first-hand experiences. Also during In Focus, middle and high school students wrote tanka and other types of reflections about their own experiences of March 11. Elementary students visited the exhibit and engaged their own memories

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

33

features SERVICE

through talking and writing. Through the events, we hoped to engage the entire ASIJ community in revisiting our own experiences of the crisis and rekindling our commitment to the reconstruction of spaces and lives that were changed on 3.11.

Particularly noteworthy in these series of events was the March 11, 2013 commemorative event held on the Chofu campus.

We hosted all of the seven poets who were interviewed and photographed by ASIJ students for the creation of the exhibit. On this second anniversary of the triple disasters, these seven remarkable people travelled from as far away as Kuji in northern Iwate to ASIJ for the evening, in some cases with family and friends. Each of the poets recited one of their tanka and the ASIJ speech team students movingly recited those tanka in English.

Also travelling from afar was Professor Laurel Rodd from the University of Colorado, Boulder, one of the three translators of the tanka into English (with Amy Heinrich of Columbia University who accompanied us on our tours and interviews in Sendai and Joan Ericson of Colorado College) who talked about the history of tanka and her important voluntary translation work on the project. Together we marked that day with sadness and grief, but also a renewed sense of energy and hope.

The ASIJ Voices from Japan exhibit and 3.11—In Focus program have clearly been about people: first and foremost the people in Japan who have lost too much and who have had to grieve too deeply. But the entire experience generated from these tanka have also provoked unanticipated and unexpected joyful connections between many people and offered all of us at ASIJ new opportunities.

ふるさとは my home place 無音無人の has become a town 町になり without voices, without humans 地の果てのごとく it is as distant 遠くなりたり as the end of the earth. 半杭 螢子 Keiko Hangui Fukushima, May 2011 34

the ambassador SPRING 2013

喘ぎつつ panting as I climbed up the incline 坂登り来て I sighted 避難所の my mother’s back 廊下に見つけし in the hallway 母の後ろ姿 of the relocation center 三船 武子 Takeko Mifune Iwate, May 2011

Our high school students stepped up in ways we could have never imagined before this project. The students at ASIJ who participated in the interview sessions have represented our community so well; they displayed genuine respect, sincerity and humanity to everyone we met including the poets, their families, friends and communities.

Many other students as well have volunteered their time and made significant and meaningful contributions to the Voices from Japan project. Students dedicated much time to translating the interviews from Japanese to English. The student literary club Daruma with their leaders Andrew Deck, Jihee Nam, and Abigail Sneider, helped create the 60-page exhibit booklet of the poems, photographs, and interviews. Senior Baileigh Gibson coordinated the logistics for the two-week events. Students provided music for the opening reception and the commemorative program on March 11. Hands On Tokyo students hosted the exhibit and acted as ushers for all events. Many high school students gave up their free periods to host and teach the visiting American students.

But it wasn’t only the students who came to our aid and with whom we made lasting and meaningful connections; we were helped and graciously assisted by the incredible alumni, staff, faculty, and administration of ASIJ. For example, Jane Yamano ’83 and Tina Nishida ’85 graciously hosted a Stu Levy film and the Sendai taiko group at Yamano Hall. ASIJ alumna and current ASIJ parent Maya Moore ‘78 volunteered her incredible talents and experiences as a simultaneous interpreter for the March 11 commemorative event.

In keeping with ASIJ’s Japan Relief efforts, Deputy Headmaster

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

35

Top left: M’s Japan Orchestra perform at the March 8th screening of Pray for Japan. Top right: Daniel Aldrich, David McNeil and David Slater speak at the March 13 panel discussion on Post 3.11 Japan. Middle left: Karen Noll, Kyoko Inahara, Kathy Krauth and Sarah Sutter at the opening of Voices From Japan. Middle right: Senior Baileigh Gibson with Head of School Ed Ladd at the opening event. Middle: Students interview one of the tanka poets. Bottom left: Kyoko Tsujimoto. Bottom right: The opening of Voices from Japan.

features SERVICE

Tim Thornton constantly exhorted us to think big and constantly supported us in equally big ways. At every turn, the community of ASIJ stepped in and did what they could do, and the result was a reconnection with Japan and Tohoku in new and meaningful ways.

Our new friendships with members of the ASIJ community, with Isao and Kyoko Tsujimoto, with the poets, and with each other—all as a result of the exhibit and all based on the tanka of 3.11—made the entire experience a hopeful embrace of the possibilities for the future of Japan. We hope to somehow continue our connections between the tanka poets, the areas of Tohoku still affected by the triple disasters of 3.11, and the ASIJ community, and we hope to do that through the Voices from Japan exhibit. Portions of the ASIJ Voices from Japan have since been successfully displayed in San Francisco and at Colorado College. Because we feel ASIJ is uniquely positioned to educate others on the events and continuing aftermath of March 11, 2011, and we can achieve this education through this particular Japanese literary form of the tanka and its ability to effectively convey the commonalities of human emotion, our goal is to exhibit ASIJ’s Voices from Japan wherever and whenever possible. Please consider how you, as a member of the ASIJ community, can help us continue ASIJ’s Japan Relief efforts through Voices from Japan.

わが仮家 the first time これほど客を for me to receive 迎えしは so many guests 初めての事 at my temporary dwelling­— 家族の如し like family. 加藤 信子 Nobuko Kato Iwate, December 2012

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

37

sensei

from student to

Leslie Birkland ’66, who retires

from teaching this year, on how

she found her way back to ASIJ (twice!)

M “

y first time in Chofu was a field trip to one of the dairy farms that used to cover much of the area. I ate hand-churned ice cream and drank fresh milk,” Leslie recalls of the first time she stepped foot on the grounds that would one day house ASIJ’s campus. At that time she was a student at ASIJ’s old campus in Meguro. Her parents, both nisei from the West Coast, spoke English at home and an American education was their natural choice while her father’s business brought the family to Tokyo in 1955.

The move to Chofu happened her sophomore year. “It was the year we took the Far East Championship in basketball and that was a big accomplishment since we didn’t have a gym!”

As a student, Leslie was already considering teaching as a career. Her teachers inspired her, especially Bill Ricketson, who was her English and drama teacher, before he became headmaster. Leslie remarks, “He had a big impact on my senior year and that was the reason I majored in English literature in college with the goal of becoming an English teacher.”

In 1972, just two years after graduating college, she found herself back at ASIJ but this time as a teacher—the Kindergarten assistant to Dorothy Yamashita (FF 1968-72). She felt barely older than the high school seniors at the time and remembers thinking, “there’s no way I’ll ever teach high school!” The next year she taught fourth grade, remembering fondly Constie Downs ‘81 and Tina Yamano ‘85 among her students. But just as her career was getting started she had to leave ASIJ as her husband was transferred to Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

Unable to hold back her desire to teach, she began offering a Japanese language class for adults in Rabaul. But in 1975 she decided it would be best to return to Japan as she was expecting her second child. At the time ASIJ had already filled all teaching positions for the year, but a fifth grade teacher was unable to return at the last minute and Leslie was a perfect fit.

38

the ambassador SPRING 2013

features FACULTY

features FACULTY

Two years later Leslie headed for Seattle where she worked in the computer industry. But when it looked like the fledgling Japanese language program at the local high school that her children would be attending was unable to go forward without a teacher, Leslie was called back to education.

At the time, Japanese language wasn’t offered in many schools but was on the edge of major growth. In fact, research by the Japan Foundation shows that from a mere 127,000 students in 1979, the number of people studying Japanese as a foreign language increased to 3,650,000 in 2009. When Leslie first began teaching at Lake Washington High School, she noticed that much of the attention to Japanese language was based on increasing economic ties between the two countries. “There was a perceived advantage to studying Japanese for business,” she explains. But she realized that interest from students alone wasn’t enough to necessarily convince schools to launch or continue Japanese programs, especially below the university level. Chinese language was also being offered at many of these trail-blazing schools, but the programs often failed within only a few years.

“I think the biggest reason for that is because the Japanese teachers formed organizations and were supported by the local consulate and Japanese government,” Leslie believes. She was the founder of the Washington Association of Teachers of Japanese and used this network to advance the programs offered at local schools by taking advantage of the generous grants offered by the Japanese consulate. “Japanese teachers are often the only one in their district or in their school and can be very isolated. So by forming an association, we were able to get together and combine all of the activities, worksheets and materials we had developed. The Washington state superintendent supported us and paid to have our collection published and gave every Japanese teacher a copy.”

The Chinese teachers did not have this kind of support available at the time. However, now the Chinese government has seen the advantage that language teaching can have for increased cultural understanding, tourism and business and is strongly backing up its teachers overseas. Leslie sees the same kind of terrific growth in Chinese language learning now as she saw for Japanese decades ago. Also, offerings at the high school level naturally lead to more students studying the language at the college level and at a higher proficiency, which only accelerates the spread.

It was at this point that Leslie crossed paths with ASIJ again—this time as a consultant on the Japanese language curriculum review from 2005-2007. Coming backs, she says “reminded me of the Japanese folk tale Urashima Taro,” in which a fisherman spends three days in the underwater kingdom of a dragon god only to find 300 years has passed when he returns to his village. “When I walked down the halls I could distinctly remember walking the same paths as a student, and yet everything was so different.”

In fact, there had been no separate middle school building when she was last here but the year she began consulting there was a celebration for the middle school building’s 20th anniversary.

40

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Top left: Leslie teaching at ASIJ in April 2013 Center: 1966 student council—Polly Phillips (FF 1965-67), George Inana, Don Worth, Leslie, Paul Pratt and Bill Ricketson (FF 1961-77) Bottom left: Carl Sundberg ‘77, Leslie and Bob Neff ‘65 working on the reconstruction of the iconic mustang mural Top right: Leslie and Mid Squier (FF 1969-2004) on a field trip to Fukushima in 1972 Bottom right: Leslie, second from the left, in the 1966 performance of Brigadoon

features FACULTY

When her work as a consultant finished, she was invited to join ASIJ as a full-time Japanese teacher. “It was a big adjustment because until that time I had been the only Japanese teacher at my stateside school with full reign and control of the Japanese program—and no one to blame but myself if something went wrong!” she laughs. “But working with the amazing faculty at ASIJ has been so rewarding and eye-opening. The one thing that didn’t change at all was the high caliber of the students. ASIJ has always upheld its good reputation.”

In recent years, Leslie has introduced some innovative final projects to her classes. Her first-year students are assigned to a non-teaching staff member at the school who is a native Japanese speaker. The students write to the staff member in Japanese to request an interview, then develop questions to ask them. They compile the information from the interview into a report as well as a poster and give a presentation to the class. Finally, they invite the staff member to a year-end party where the students each give a speech and present the staff members with a shikishi to thank them, not only for their cooperation with the project, but also for all they do “behind the scenes” at ASIJ. The project is a perfect culmination to the first year of Japanese because it incorporates reading, writing, listening and speaking all in a variety of settings as well as being an uplifting experience for everyone involved.

And if that doesn’t sound challenging enough, Leslie’s fourthyear students need to come up with their own project. “It can be anything, as long as they feel passionate about it,” she explains. The students identify a part of society where they feel they can make a difference, and develop a project from the ground up. Leslie’s role is only to facilitate and guide the students. Last year the projects ranged from organizing a clean-up of the streets downtown with students from a Japanese school to reporting on the current state of Japanese orphanages.

Though the students were free to choose their own area of focus, Leslie made it clear that they had to think about the broader impact of their project, not just the actions they would take. For one group that proposed to work with a local NGO that feeds the homeless, Leslie told them, “handing out onigiri is thoughtful, but it only makes a difference for one day.” So in addition to volunteering, the students took the project a step further by interviewing the homeless they were helping and wrote an article on their findings.

“By talking to the homeless, students learned what they really wanted other people to know about their situation,” she says.

Not all of the projects worked out as the students planned. But the focus of this challenge was not the end result, but rather the ability of the students to plan, follow through and document the process they went through. Any setbacks were seen as opportunities to use their Japanese ability in a real situation with actual consequences. “At the end of the project I had students tell me ‘I never thought I could do this much in Japanese.’ They felt they had accomplished something and learned something about themselves.”

42

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Top left: Leslie, Ki Nimori (FF 1960-2002) and her sister Jerrie Okada Kydd ‘67 Top right: Leslie and Ray Downs (FF 1959-91) at the 90th anniversary reunion in Seattle Top center: At the centennial celebration in 2003 Center right: Leslie with her sons Jeffrey, Douglas and Michael Bottom: The Class of ‘66

features FACULTY

Other changes in Leslie’s classes in the past years have been the result of the increasing incorporation of technology into the classroom, especially after ASIJ’s move to a 1:1 laptop program.

“We used to spend a lot of class time doing one-on-one oral assessment, but now I can give the students a prompt and have them record their oral exams on their computers all at once, then give them individualized feedback orally through the same program,” she gives as one example of how technology creates a more efficient use of class time. It also allows opportunities for more one-on-one interaction with other students. For example, students are able to upload projects to VoiceThread and other students in the class leave a voice comment. And when students do give presentations in front of the class, they are able to video it directly from their laptop for later review—clearing up questions about the assessment they receive.

However, Leslie is clear about using technology as a tool for learning, not a replacement. “There are a lot of programs out there that help you learn a language but I find there is no substitute for having a teacher. To really know how to communicate, there is no substitute for another human being,” she says.

This is especially true for Japanese, where the most common mistakes by non-native speakers are not just grammar or pronunciation errors, but confusion over what is appropriate in different situations. The different levels of formality depend on the time and place as well as the relationship hierarchy of the people speaking and that of whom they are speaking about. Leslie admits, “Even I am not always sure what the level of formality should be. When I talked to the Japanese Consulate General in Seattle I always used English to avoid the risk of offending.” Even for first-year students at ASIJ, who have not yet started learning the complexities of keigo, Leslie says that ‘good Japanese’ isn’t as simple as saying the right thing. “Sometimes their body language doesn’t match what they’re saying. For example, my first-year students will say the correct polite phrases but instead of bowing will be standing there with their hands in their pockets.”

So what is the best way to become proficient at Japanese? It only takes Leslie a second to answer: “spend time in Japan!” She expounds, “You can only get so far by studying the language. You also need to be involved with the culture, because so much of the language is tied to the culture.”

Of course, our opinion is that having a teacher like Leslie would be another good component! It goes without saying that she will be greatly missed at ASIJ. We asked her what she would most miss about Japan when she returns to Seattle as she retires this June. “I don’t think I even need to say ‘the food’ since everyone knows I’m such a food person!” she laughs. Then with some melancholy she admits, “I’ll really miss all of the friendships I’ve made here—the wonderful teachers, students, and all of the people who support me. I know whenever I come back here it will always feel like coming home.”

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

43

we’ve got a

plan

The student members of the Core Planning Team: Thomas Grespan, Lia Camargo, Joey Yamada, Madhi Fariss.

44

the ambassador SPRING 2013

features STRATEGIC PLAN

Taking a first look at ASIJ’s new Strategic Plan and the students who helped create it

I

n the fall of 2012, parents, students, alumni, teachers, staff, Board members, Trustees and administrators came together to start the process of developing a strategic plan for ASIJ’s next six years. Guided by consultant Teresa Arpin from Transformations Systems, who specializes in leadership development, strategic planning and organizational transformation, a core planning team of 37 community members worked together to look at the school’s mission, student learning outcomes (SLOs) and to develop strategic objectives.

At the beginning of the strategic planning process the core planning team was asked the question: To what extent does our current Mission, Vision and Values continue to guide our school towards excellence? The consensus was that while the current Mission statement was formed almost 25 years ago, that the statement was still powerful and aspirational for our school. The team felt that in the context of our current needs the Mission, Vision and Values were still relevant. Two action teams developed 12 action results that must be completed to fulfill our strategic objectives, while the measurement team set about designing rubrics, which will help us determine the success of our programs in achieving our strategic objectives.

Four students—eighth grader Thomas Grespan, sophomore Madhi Fariss, junior Joey Yamada and senior Lia Carmargo— were members of the core planning team and provided a unique perspective on what students really want from their school. “Right

off the bat we realized we were part of the conversation,” says Lia. A major consideration in embarking on the Strategic Plan was to ensure that our programs continue to meet the changing needs of our learners in a rapidly changing world. “An emphasis change is what we need. Not a change in the school’s atmosphere or beliefs but a change in the emphasis,” says Madhi. “I think students change, teachers change and technology changes and you have to adapt to different times.”

While the bulk of the work of implementing the plan is yet to come, some changes are already in process. Come August, the school day at ASIJ will be 20 minutes longer with the aim that this will allow some of the strategic objectives, such as daily Japanese classes in the elementary school, to be realized more easily. In middle and high school the extra time will allow for more opportunities for students to engage in activities, projects, events, and programs intended to make progress on the strategic objectives and vision directions of the strategic plan. A new sixth grade Creative Design program starting next year will kick off a new focus on design thinking and design technology that will eventually extend across the curriculum school-wide.

“I’m very excited by our new plan and the more I talk to educational leaders around the world in both progressive schools and in creative organizations, I’m convinced we have a great plan for ASIJ and for our students into the future” says Ed Ladd, Head of School.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

45

features STRATEGIC PLAN

ASIJ Strategic Plan 2013 – 2019 Mission: Our mission is to Develop Compassionate, Inquisitive Learners Prepared for Global Responsibility.

Strategic Objectives Students at ASIJ will: • become adept at identifying problems and using innovation and collaboration to design and evaluate solutions.

• take risks, explore passions, develop their strengths and pursue their personal paths with resilience.

• develop the capacity to understand diverse perspectives.

Vision Direction 2: develop the means to continue and enhance ASIJ’s tradition of excellence given the changing context within Japan in line with our Mission, Vision and Strategic Objective(s).

Measurement To help understand how we are meeting our Strategic Objectives, we will measure our progress through using: Rubrics; Capstone Projects; Portfolios and an Annual Review Process

1. We will have a sustained, comprehensive marketing plan using the most current strategies that positions ASIJ as the school of choice.

2. ASIJ’s strong ELL program supports students’ success and attracts families.

3. ASIJ’s strong Japanese program attracts families.

4. A strategy has been employed to ensure that all parents, students, and teachers have a common understanding of ASIJ’s Mission, Vision, and Values and are encouraged to actively participate in supporting them.

5. We have expanded “eLearning” opportunities for students.

6. We have established “mentorship” opportunities that students are accessing to pursue their personal passions.

Vision To be an exemplary international learning community that nurtures each student’s full potential.

Strategic Delimiters Strategic delimiters are the boundaries or limitations the organization places upon itself.

To achieve our Vision, we will...

1. We will not adopt any new program or initiative unless it is: • aligned with and contributes to our Mission, Vision and Strategic Objectives • accompanied by the resources needed for its successful implementation • accompanied by a plan to assess its effectiveness over time • balanced by an effort to reduce current programs or initiatives

Vision Direction 1: incorporate instructional practices, programs and align our structures so that all students embody our mission and strategic objective(s).

1. All teachers will have a shared understanding of design thinking and are beginning to use elements of design thinking as part of their instructional practice.

2. A prototype design technology program has been developed for students at a variety of grade levels.

3. Strategies are being used to embed design thinking dispositions and skills into the curriculum across all grade levels.

4. Partnerships that enrich and extend learning resources have been established worldwide.

5. Each division uses a portfolio framework that responds to the rubric for strategic objectives.

6. The knowledge, skills, and dispositions for achieving all strategic objectives have been unpacked and are integrated.

46

the ambassador SPRING 2013

2. We will not allow our view of our current success to be a barrier to change Core Values Students; Excellence; Environment; Honesty and Integrity; Heritage; Service; Community, remain unchanged.

Student Learning Outcomes The Student Learning Outcomes: Effective Communicators; Literate Individuals; Critical Thinkers and Problem Solvers; Self-Directed Productive Learners; Constructive Community Members, remain unchanged.

ASIJ Leadership Scholarship

S

ince 2002, the ASIJ community has generously donated approximately ¥1.5 billion to enhance ASIJ’s facilities. Our parents, alumni, alumni parents and former faculty consistently play a major role in contributing to ASIJ. Past, current and future students have and continue to benefit each day from those who have made gifts to the school in the past. With the completion of our facilities master plan, we now move our fundraising efforts into a new and different form of enhancement. As Chair of the Development Committee of the Board of Directors and President of the ASIJ Alumni Council we ask you, as alumni of ASIJ, for your help in supporting the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship Fund, which will be the thematic strand of our Annual Fund for the next two years.

The goal of the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship, which was launched this March, is to help lower the cost barrier for otherwise qualified students wishing to have an ASIJ education. This will include children of ASIJ alumni. Currently there are 69 children of alumni attending ASIJ. The Leadership Scholarship program is distinct from the existing annual ASIJ Scholarship Program in that the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship is for the purpose of attracting new, qualified students to the school, while the existing Scholarship Program is for current students requiring short-term financial aid.

Our objective is to raise ¥100 million over the next four years to be used entirely to fund scholarships to attract new, qualified students of all nationalities who may not be able to otherwise afford an ASIJ education. Fundraising for this initiative will target alumni, corporations, and current parents.

The fundraising portion of this program has successfully started, with the receipt of pre-launch pledges totaling close to ¥20 million. With your support, no matter at what level, we hope to reach our goal of ¥100 million as quickly as possible. We believe ASIJ is the pre-eminent international school in Japan and the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship program will help us to continue attracting talented potential leaders to the school.

All donations to the Annual Fund and the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship Fund are tax deductible in either Japan or the United States based on your preference.

I hope you will join us in supporting this exciting new initiative.

Sincerely, Marc Merlino Chair of the Development Committee Board of Directors Rei Suzuki ‘84 ASIJ Alumni Council

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

47

Supporting

F

Scholarships

or over a century, The American School in Japan has educated “compassionate, inquisitive learners prepared for global responsibility.� As the leading nursery to grade 12 international school in Japan, we are uniquely able to deliver this mission. To increase the opportunity for more students to benefit from this exemplary education, we are launching the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship program.

With Japanese corporations expanding their overseas operations and the wide spread use of English in international boardrooms, there is a growing need to develop students with the academic, language and creative skills to succeed in Japanese and international settings.

We strongly believe that ASIJ already develops such well-educated, multilingual, multicultural graduates and the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship is designed to further attract talented potential leaders.

The world of business has become global. To be successful, future employees of Japanese corporations will need to be

48

the ambassador SPRING 2013

international. The ability to speak English fluently, to understand different cultures and to take risks, are all becoming essential employment attributes for Japanese and multi-national corporations. Many companies in Japan have already begun to realize that their current and future employees must be able to work effectively both in Japan and worldwide and in order to do that they will need a new skill set. ASIJ is one of the few schools in Japan that can, and does, educate students in preparation for them to be successful leaders in a fast-changing global economy.

We are producing the next generation of fluent Japanese and English speakers with leadership experience, and innovative thinking, who are not afraid of taking risks.

Universities around the world recognize our student’s academic achievements in honors courses and the Advanced Placement (AP) program. ASIJ graduates annually matriculate to leading universities in the United States and around the world including

Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Many ASIJ graduates, after finishing university, return to Japan or work for leading multinational and Japanese companies. Our alumni are successful in a variety of fields and exemplify the difference an ASIJ edcuation can make.

Supporting the ASIJ Leadership Program helps us reduce the cost of an international school education, which can be expensive. Providing an innovative curriculum taught by highly qualified teachers with small class sizes and world-class facilities comes at a premium and international schools receive virtually no government financial support. The ASIJ Leadership Program is designed to bring the cost of tuition down to a level similar to that of a Japanese private school.

ASIJ Leadership Scholarship Students meeting the admissions criteria of ASIJ are eligible to apply for one of the following merit/need-based scholarships:

Early Learner Scholarship Open to any student applying to ASIJ who meets the school’s admissions criteria and whose parent is employed by a company or organization that does not begin payment of school tuition and fees until kindergarten. This program is designed for families who will be receiving corporate/ embassy tuition support from kindergarten age, but not for the nursery and pre-kindergarten programs.

Scholarship offers, once approved, are for the nursery and pre-kindergarten program. Scholarship amount will be based on parent financial need. If the employer company guarantees payment of one-time fees from kindergarten, it may be possible to defer one-time fees.

Nursery -12 Learner Scholarship Open to any student applying to ASIJ who meets the school’s admissions criteria. This scholarship will be awarded for a period of up to four years from the initial admissions date, pending annual reviews of financial records and academic and non-academic performance. At the end of each scholarship award period, the family would be eligible to re-apply for an additional scholarship of up to four years.

The ASIJ Leadership Scholarship program is currently only funded for an initial four-year period of time beginning with school year 2013-14 through 2016-17. However, our goal is to continue the fund indefinitely through on-going fundraising efforts.

How to Support the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship Fund • In the United States - Individuals and corporations can make tax deductible donations to the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship Fund through our 501c3 foundation Friends of the American School in Japan.

• In Japan - Individuals and corporations can make tax deductible donations to the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship Fund under the Tokutei Koeki Zoshin Hojin (Tokuzo) status.

• To make an online gift with a credit card, please visit the Support ASIJ section of the school website. Although the gift amount should be entered in US$, credit cards of any currency can be used to make a gift.

• You can also give using the attached gift envelope included with this magzaine. Please make your check payable to “Friends of The American School in Japan.”

• Gifts of stock or property can also be made to the School.

Please contact the Center for School-Community Partnership for more details.

If you have any questions regarding the ASIJ Leadership Scholarship and our associated fundraising, please contact the Center for School-Community Partnership at donate@asij.ac.jp.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

49

fundraising report

12-13

Donations listed here were made in the current school year between July 1, 2012 and April 15, 2013. If your name is not listed here and you would like to make a contribution this year, there is still time. Our Annual Fund year will end on June 30, 2013.

Gift Clubs ASIJ’s Gift Club program recognizes the support of its most generous contributors. The objectives of the Gift

Clubs are to strengthen the annual giving program and to help build an enthusiastic group of parents, alumni and friends who feel a particularly close association with ASIJ. Special recognition is given to members of these clubs.

The Second Century Circle : ¥5,000,000* or more in gifts within the current school year.

* or US$ equivalent

The 1902 Society: ¥1,000,000–¥4,999,999* in gifts within the current school year The Headmaster’s Circle: ¥200,000–¥999,999* in gifts within the current school year.

The Black and Gold League: ¥100,000–¥199,999* in gifts within the current school year.

The Mustangs Club: ¥50,000–¥99,999* in gifts within the current school school year.

The Decade Club: Members who have donated consecutively for the current and previous nine school years regardless of the total amount.

The Double Decade Club: Members who have donated consecutively for the current and previous nineteen school years regardless of the total amount.

The Triple Decade Club: Members who have donated consecutively for the current and previous twenty-nine school years regardless of the total amount.

Gift Club Members The Second Century Circle O’Bryant, Allan E. & Tina Ryu, Jin R. ‘77 The 1902 Society Cannon, Alan & Kitakado, Fuyumi Folsom, Richard L. Hatakeyama, Maki & Yasu Higa, Ernest M. ‘70 & Aya Howe, Christian J. & Francesca P. Kawabata, Keiichi & Nana Kent, Eric A. & Yasuko Kim, Yosup J. & Yamamoto, Harue Latimore, Timothy W. & Chieko Miller, Anthony M. & Melin, Cecilia B. Murakami, Yumiko & Moses, Todd Nishida, Tina Y. ‘85 & David A. Noddin, Robert L. & Janette I. Porte, Thierry G. & Tashiro-Porte, Yasko Seltzer, Theodore S. & Yuen-San Shah, Rajul & Sachin N. Toppino, Jon-Paul & Stephanie H. Tsusaka, Miki & Jun Yonamine, Paul K. & Lynda S. The Headmaster’s Circle Border, Michael S. & Linda C. Conner, Christine J. & Clinton L. Downs, Vicky Ehrenkranz, Andra K. ‘83 & John Eto, Batara & Midori

50

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Fukuda, Tomio ‘82 & Kami K. ‘84 Ishibashi, Kenzo & Seiko Iverson, Chad M. & Rumi K. Jager, Karin & Garita, Gus Koll, Jesper J.W. & Matsui, Kathy M. Kong, Raymond & Megan Ladd, Edwin V. & Carol W. Laughlin, Morgan A. & Rumiko S. Marquez, Christopher & Adonica McGuire, Matthew E. & Abe, Michi Merlino, Marc & Lotta Mizuno, Toshizumi & Junko Morgenstern, Frederick N. ‘83 & Kendra Nelson, Laura G. & Michael J. O’Brien, Jeffrey M. & Willcut, Deborah L. Piez, Catherine A. ‘82 Zee, Jinly K. ‘90 Zolkewitz, Michael A. & Kramer, Michelle L. The Black and Gold League Balian, Razmik & Anush Bernier, Jeffrey S. & Seiko S. Black, Jerry & Sayuri Bohm, Michael & Diana Brandt, Daniel B. ‘92 Brown, Mark S. & Lynn G. Chamovitz, Sam & Fumi Chitani, Yinsei Chang ‘68 Conrad, Andrew J. & Chitose S. Cox, William G. ‘62 & Joyce Doyno, David & Judith M. Forster, Brendan P. ‘07 France, Robert & Lori

Fujishima, Julie K. ‘84 Gibson, Kurt E. & Joey M. Gregor, Eugene C. & Barbara T. Grice, Todd & Wendy Hall, Larik M. & Katherine A. Hotta, Kay & Ken Johnson, David & Stephanie Jones, David G. ‘76 & Mayumi Kamano, Hiroyuki & Harumi Lavender, Warren & Julie M. Lin, Victor H. & Susan S. Liu, Andrew & Ishida-Liu, Maki McDonald, Kathleen & Timothy Mera, Yuhka ‘81 Mohamed, Emi & Iku Okada, Hikaru & Yoshiko Piscopo, Kara & Al Robinson, Andrew S. & Elizabeth L. Rossetto, J. Karen Sun, Shulin & Imamura, Mica J. Thornton, Timothy L. & Ash, Josephine C. Witt, Eugene W. & Janet M. Yu, Tong & Jung, Joo-Young Zumba Ladies The Mustangs Club Becker, Darrow L. & Komiyama, Hisako Block, Jason Boatwright, David ‘73 Davis, Gregory & Townsley, Susan Drabkin, Mark T. & Miwako S. Elkareh, Oliver & Linda Fujita, Kenji & Tamaki

2012-13 FUNDRAISING REPORT

Gish, George W. & Yoko F. Hofmann, Peter A. ‘77 & Ana B. Hyman, Gary & Weiss, Efrot Joyce, Matthew D. & Kristen R. Junius, David & Hyson, Rosemary Kawada, Tadahiro & Susan LaScala, Russell J. & Sheryl A. Lebrun, Laurie & Kenneth Lury, Richard R. ‘65 & Gemma Magnan, Jacques E. M. R. & Mariko N. Mallat, Mary Margaret & Deck, David D. Martino, William L. ‘63 Moss, Carolyn M. ‘73 & Daniel J. Nagata, Paul ‘74 & Susan Nakayama, Tetsushi ‘84 Norris, Margaret ‘65 & Charles Rude, Michael & Reisner-Rude, Sharon Schipper, David ‘71 Schrepfer, Jeffrey S. & Ikuko K. Simmons, Brian D. & Toni A. Treves, Alexander & Baek, Eun Ju Tromburg, Martin & Miki Turner, Sally A. ‘66 Wakat, Barbara M. ‘88 Williams, John S. ‘87 & Heidi Yasutomi, Wayne K. & Nakamura, Keiko The Triple Decade Club Burkart, Edward I. ‘48 & Pauline A. Davis, Jenny Skillman ‘72 Downs, Vicky Fielding, Raymond E. ‘48 & Carole Glazier, Kenneth C. ‘67 Haines, Andrew L. ‘60 & Elizabeth Lank, Dannette L. ‘69 & Avi Nicol, Joanna ‘52 Nielsen, Jeannette A. ‘59 Pariser, Rudolph ‘41 & Louise Pietraszek, Henry T. & Margaret Shimizu, George ‘39 Thede, Gaius W.’43 & Ann L. The Double Decade Club Adams, Jim D. & Nancy Boatwright, David ‘73 Bragg, G. Mark ‘75 & Debra Brooke, George M. ‘63 & Jane Bruns, David R. ‘68 Bruzek, Patricia A. Carlin, Christopher D. & Donna K. Chitani, Yinsei Chang ‘68 Cox, William G. ‘62 & Joyce Crandall, Leslie G. & Aiko K. Fattal, Leon ‘57 & Suzanne Fisher, Carl M. ‘51 & Miriam Ford, Gregory R. ‘72 & Maita, Toni Fox, Eugene A. ‘50 & Chantal Francischetti, Mark P. ‘72 Gibson, Margaret G. ‘40 & Wallace Hand, Richard A. & Yumi

* Alumni Parents

+ Former faculty/Staff

Harnik, Peter L. ‘69 & Yoko M. Harte, Norman F. & Esther L. Hermann, Kenneth W. & Beatrice A. Higa, Ernest M. ‘70 & Aya Honaman, Andrew M. ‘77 & Mary C. James, Larry G. & Sharon Kidder, Paul M. ‘76 & Terry P. Kobayashi, Albert S. ‘42 & Elizabeth Kurahashi, Nancy ‘65 Leybold, Sandra L. ‘73 & Dennis Livingston, Jerry K. ‘81 & Bonnie Lund, Andrew E. ‘81 & Denise Lury, Richard R. ‘65 & Gemma Magnuson, Jody ‘73 & Clark E. Markley, Harrison M. ‘48 & Elsie Martenstein, Thomas B. ‘50 & Carolyn T. McCoy, William L. ‘59 & Lynne V. McKee, Craig L. ‘60 & Kathy McVeigh, Thomas R. ‘70 & Rebecca B. Morgenstern, Frederick N. ‘83 & Kendra Moss, Carolyn M. ‘73 & Daniel J. Nagata, Paul ‘74 & Susan Pierce, Lucia B. ‘68 Shorrock, Hallam & Yasuko Smith, Tara L. ‘78 & McSwiggen, Patrick Squier, Middleton P. & Carol L. Tunis, Jeffrey S. Vehanen, Martin J. ‘61 Wakat, Barbara M. ‘88 Walsh, Robert R. ‘81 White, Ruth ‘49 Wierman, Albert & Ineke Yanagihara, Kaworu The Decade Club Bailey, Mark E. ‘78 & Denise Berkove, Ethan J. ‘86 & Kyra Blizzard, Jan M. ‘71 & D. Craig Clark, Matthew R. ‘93 Coopat, E. Thomas & Cheryle P. Dirkse, Ronald L. & Miki T. Duke, Christopher K. ‘88 Duke, Susan N. ‘83 Ehrenkranz, Andra K. ‘83 & John Fujishima, Julie K. ‘84 Fukuda, Tomio ‘82 & Kami K. ‘84 Fukuma, Lalaka ‘93 Gish, George W. & Yoko F. Gregor, Eugene C. & Barbara T. Greig, Katherine H. ‘94 Hastings, James E. ‘53 & Constance Hayase, John K. ‘85 Huo, Eugene J. ‘96 Huo, Jeffrey S. ‘94 Jones, David G. ‘76 & Mayumi Kamano, Hiroyuki & Harumi Kirby, Kyoko O. ‘80 & Peter S. Kuroda, Mitzi ‘77 & Elledge, Stephen J. Mallat, Mary Margaret & Deck, David D. Marini, Nina M. ‘88

Repeat donors listed in bold

Meller, Louise S. ‘63 & Lukowski, Jay D. Mera, Yuhka ‘81 Miller, Scott M. & Mary E. Nishida, Tina Y. ‘85 & David A. Porte, Thierry G. & Tashiro-Porte, Yasko Sanders, Michael ‘87 Sanoden, James P. ‘71 Schlichting, Richard D. & Cynthia M. Snell, Richard T. & Francine J. S. Stokes, Paul A. & Rose Sult, Nathan ‘75 Turner, Sally A. ‘66 Witt, Eugene W. & Janet M. Yamazaki, Fusae Yao, Alejo & Lusan Yasutomi, Wayne K. & Nakamura, Keiko

Honor Roll of Donors Parents and Alumni Parents *Adams, Jim D. & Nancy *Akiyama, Kenichi & Tammy Balian, Razmik & Anush *Barber, John F. & Susan C. Becker, Darrow L. & Komiyama, Hisako Bernier, Jeffrey S. & Seiko S. Black, Jerry & Sayuri *Blizzard, Jan M. ‘71 & D. Craig Bohm, Michael & Diana Border, Michael S. & Linda C. Brown, Mark S. & Lynn G. Cannon, Alan & Kitakado, Fuyumi *Carlin, Christopher D. & Donna K. Chamovitz, Sam & Fumi *Chitani, Yinsei Chang ‘68 Conner, Christine J. & Clinton L. Conrad, Andrew J. & Chitose S. *Coopat, E. Thomas & Cheryle P. Davidson, Mark J. & Kuniko Davis, Gregory & Townsley, Susan *Dirkse, Ronald L. & Miki T. *Downs, Vicky Doyno, David M. & Judith M. Drabkin, Mark T. & Miwako S. Elkareh, Oliver & Linda Estrada, David E. & Haruko Eto, Batara & Midori Folsom, Richard L. France, Robert & Lori *Fujishima, Julie K. ‘84 Fujita, Kenji & Tamaki Fukuda, Tomio ‘82 & Kami K. ‘84 Gesling, Russell W. & Anita J. Gibson, Kurt E. & Joey M. Gish, George W. & Yoko F. Gokhale, Ajit & Gouri J. *Gregor, Eugene C. & Barbara T. Grice, Todd & Wendy Guttenfelder, David W. & Cassandra C. Hall, Darrell C. & Motegi-Hall, Miki

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

51

2012-13 FUNDRAISING REPORT

Hall, Larik M. & Katherine A. Halverson, Jennifer & Mark *Harte, Norman F. & Esther L. Hatakeyama, Yasu & Maki Hattori, Hitomi ‘83 & Seikou *Hayase, Kiyoshi & Susanne *Hermann, Kenneth W. & Beatrice A. Higa, Ernest M. ‘70 & Aya *Hotta, Kay & Ken Howe, Christian J. & Francesca P. Hudson, Nicole & Christopher S. Hyman, Gary & Weiss, Efrot Ishibashi, Kenzo & Seiko Ishida-Liu, Maki & Liu, Andrew Iverson, Chad M. & Rumi K. Jacobsen, Ayako & Eric A. Jager, Karin & Garita, Gus *James, Larry G. & Sharon Johnson, David & Stephanie *Jones, David G. ‘76 & Mayumi Joyce, Matthew D. & Kristen R. Junius, David & Hyson, Rosemary Kawabata, Keiichi & Nana Kawada, Tadahiro & Susan Kent, Eric A. & Yasuko Kim, Yosup J. & Yamamoto, Harue Kirby, Kyoko O. ‘80 & Peter S. Kochhar, Rakesh & Priti Kohri, Lisa & Shinichiro Koll, Jesper J. W. & Matsui, Kathy M. Kong, Raymond & Megan LaScala, Russell J. & Sheryl A. Latimore, Timothy W. & Chieko Laughlin, Morgan A. & Rumiko S. Lebrun, Laurie & Kenneth Lin, Susan S. & Victor H. Magnan, Jacques E. M. R. & Mariko N. Mallat, Mary Margaret & Deck, David D. Mark, James D. & Stephanie H. Marohn, Steve P. & Teresa L. Marquez, Adonica & Christopher Mayer, Ray & Robin McDonald, Kathleen & Timothy McGuire, Matthew E. & Abe, Michi Merlino, Marc & Lotta *Michels, William C. & Mary S. Mies, Michael J. & Eiko I. Miller, Anthony M. & Melin, Cecilia B. *Miller, Scott M. & Mary E. Mizuno, Toshizumi & Junko Mohamed, Emi & Iku Moore, James A. & Claudie M. Morgenstern, Frederick N. ‘83 & Kendra Muir, James T. & Kanai, Miwa *Munter, Steven D. & Miriam Murakami, Yumiko & Moses, Todd Nakayama, Mayumi ‘93 Nelson, Laura G. & Michael J. Nishida, Tina Y. ‘85 & David A. Noddin, Robert L. & Janette I.

52

the ambassador SPRING 2013

O’Brien, Jeffrey M. & Willcut, Deborah L. *O’Bryant, Allan E. & Tina Okada, Hikaru & Yoshiko *Pietraszek, Henry T. & Margaret Piscopo, Kara & Al *Porte, Thierry G. & Tashiro-Porte, Yasko *Proctor, David M. Ras, Andrew A. & Mariko H. Reidenbach, Frederick & Ito, Yoko Robinson, Andrew S. & Elizabeth L. Rude, Michael & Reisner-Rude, Sharon *Schlichting, Richard D. & Cynthia M. Schmidt, Matthew L. & Lisa H. Schrepfer, Jeffrey S. & Ikuko K. Seltzer, Yuen-San & Theodore S. Shah, Rajul & Sachin N. Shorrock, Hallam & Yasuko Simmons, Brian D. & Toni A. *Snell, Richard T. & Francine J. S. *Squier, Middleton P. & Carol L. *Stokes, Paul A. & Rose Studebaker, Jeff & Snyder, Melissa Sun, Shulin & Imamura, Mica J. Sun, Yongchin & Nahoko *Takada, Yuko Toppino, Jon-Paul & Stephanie H. Treves, Alexander & Baek, Eun Ju Tromburg, Martin & Miki Tsusaka, Miki & Jun Tulk, Karen L. J. & Howard *Tunis, Jeffrey S. *Wallingford, R. Douglas ‘74 White, Kevin & Melissa *Wierman, Albert & Ineke Wilmoth, Michele L. & Roy L. *Witt, Eugene W. & Janet M. *Yanagihara, Kaworu *Yao, Alejo & Lusan Yasutomi, Wayne K. & Nakamura, Keiko Yeskel, William H. & Murai, Noriko Yonamine, Paul K. & Lynda S. *Yoshii, Shigeharu & Kirby W. Young, Alex S. & Rachel Yu, Tong & Jung, Joo-Young Zolkewitz, Michael A. & Kramer, Michelle Zumba Ladies Current/Former Faculty & Staff +Adams, Jim D. & Nancy +Arnote, Alison T. ‘99 & Rimsnider, Ryan ‘98 +Bruzek, Patricia A. Chitani, Yinsei Chang ‘68 +Crandall, Leslie G. & Aiko K. +Dirkse, Ronald L. & Miki T. +Downs, Vicky +Duke, Christopher K. ‘88 +Fee, John F. Gesling, Russell W. & Anita J. Guttenfelder, David W. & Cassandra C. +Hand, Richard A. & Yumi

Hatakeyama, Maki & Yasu +Hayase, Kiyoshi & Susanne Ladd, Edwin V. & Carol W. Lavender, Warren & Julie M. Mallat, Mary Margaret & Deck, David D. O’Brien, Jeffrey M. & Willcut, Deborah L. +Pietraszek, Henry T. & Margaret Rossetto, J. Karen +Shorrock, Hallam & Yasuko +Snell, Richard T. & Francine J. S. +Squier, Middleton P. & Carol L. Tanaka, Mariko Thornton, Timothy L. & Ash, Josephine C. Tromburg, Martin & Miki Wick, Erin E. Wilce, Matthew D. Witt, Eugene W. & Janet M. +Yamazaki, Fusae Yoshii, Shigeharu & Kirby W. Friends Block, Jason Kamano, Hiroyuki & Harumi

Alumni Donors Class of 39

Shimizu, George

Class of 40

Gibson, Margaret G. (Noss)

Class of 41

Pariser, Rudolph

Class of 42

Kobayashi, Albert S. Thede, Gaius W. (in memory of)

Class of 48

Burkart, Edward I. Fielding, Raymond E. Markley, Harrison M.

Class of 49

White, Ruth (Hayward)

Class of 50

Fox, Eugene A. Martenstein, Thomas B. Tucker, Gordon L.

Class of 51

Fisher, Carl M.

Class of 52

Nicol, Joanna (Strother)

2012-13 FUNDRAISING REPORT

Class of 53

Schipper, David

Morgenstern, Frederick N.

Class of 56

Class of 72

Class of 84

Class of 73

Class of 85

Hastings, James E. Harkness-Nelson, Sarah (Wheeler)

Class of 57 Fattal, Leon

Class of 59

McCoy, William L. Nielsen, Jeannette A. (Elsener)

Class of 60

Haines, Andrew L. McKee, Craig L.

Class of 61

Vehanen, Martin J.

Davis, Jenny (Skillman) Ford, Gregory R. Francischetti, Mark P.

Boatwright, David Hoagland, Melvin R. Kleinjans, Constance Leybold, Sandra L. (Colville) Magnuson, Jody (Kroehler) Melnick, Mark Moss, Carolyn M. Weaverling, Lenard

Class of 74

Class of 62

Cox, William G.

Allen, Edith A. (Woods) Nagata, Paul Wallingford, R. Douglas

Class of 63

Class of 75

Brooke, George M. Martino, William L. Meller, Louise S.

Bragg, G. Mark Sult, Nathan

Class of 65

Jones, David G. Kidder, Paul M.

Kurahashi, Nancy (Nagase) Lury, Richard R. Norris, Margaret (Tsukahira)

Class of 66

Turner, Sally A. (Noll)

Class of 67

Glazier, Kenneth C. Kurata, Winfred

Class of 68

Bruns, David R. Chitani, Yinsei (Chang) Pierce, Lucia B.

Class of 69

Harnik, Peter L. Lank, Dannette L. (Hill)

Class of 70

Higa, Ernest M. McVeigh, Thomas R. Tsai, Linda L. L. (Yen)

Class of 71

Blizzard, Jan M. DeBarr, Sally J. (Hedeen) Johnson, Steven Kuhnau, Teresa L. (Trackwell) Sanoden, James P.

* Alumni Parents

+ Former faculty/Staff

Class of 76

Class of 77

Hofmann, Peter A. Honaman, Andrew M. Kuroda, Mitzi Ryu, Jin R.

Class of 78

Bailey, Mark E. Smith, Tara L.

Class of 79

Fujishima, Julie K. Fukuda, Kami K. (Inoue) Nakayama, Tetsushi Hayase, John K. Little, John Nishida, Tina Y. (Yamano) Wax, William

Class of 86

Berkove, Ethan J.

Class of 87

Sanders, Michael Williams, John S.

Class of 88

Duke, Christopher K. Marini, Nina M. Wakat, Barbara M.

Class of 89

Swanz, Sarah P.

Class of 90 Zee, Jinly K.

Class of 92

Brandt, Daniel B.

Class of 93

Clark, Matthew R. Fukuma, Lalaka (Ogawa) Nakayama, Mayumi

Class of 94

Shimogori, Yujiro

Greig, Katherine H. Huo, Jeffrey S.

Class of 81

Class of 96

Livingston, Jerry K. Lund, Andrew E. Matsubara, Kathryn (Wakamatsu) Mera, Yuhka Walsh, Robert R.

Class of 82

Fukuda, Tomio Piez, Catherine A. (Mera) Pachler, Colleen A. (Soulis) Taguchi, Mamiko (Taguchi)

Class of 83

Duke, Susan N. Ehrenkranz, Andra K. (Bowman) Hattori, Hitomi (Wakita)

Repeat donors listed in bold

Huo, Eugene J.

Class of 98

Rimsnider, Ryan M.

Class of 99

Arnote, Alison T. Clyne, Meghan L. Hayase, Naomi D. Hayashida, Shintaro Laabs, Eve M. ‘99 Nishiwaki, Yukiko (Miyauchi) Seta, Christopher T. Steele, Matthew W. Tanaka, Daisuke Wissel, Deborah L. P.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

53

2012-13 FUNDRAISING REPORT

Woods, Robert F.

Class of 00

Choo, Yoon Suk Hastings, Paul D. Hattori, Shusaku Joslyn, Andrew P. Lee, Lindsay Lombardo, Leo A. Takashima, Mirei Watanabe, Natsumi Endo, Kaoru Sato, Sho F.

Class of 01

Thomas, Sarah

Class of 02

Harris, Emmy S. Kido, Shino O’Brien, Kelly B. Tokita, Emi B.

Class of 04

Taffel, Max W.

Class of 05

Lombardo, Lisa C. Woods, Steven T.

Class of 08

Adams, Seira A. Goto, Ryan R.

Class of 11

Hattori, Enna K.

54

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Corporate Donors 37 Frames Photography A Cut Above adidas Japan K.K. Akariya Kanaru-sha Allied Pickfords Japan Amway American Express International Amit Trading Co., Ltd. Amway Japan Ltd. Ancre Co., Ltd Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas Andre Bernard Salon Appex Arata Restaurant Asian Tigers ATV Outfitters Hawaii Aveda Barber URA x RA Beauté Abolue Be Yoga Japan Blue Lotus Borei Angkor Resort and Spa Botejyu/Tokyo Food Corporation Canyons Carpet Doctor Chez Vous Co., Ltd. Club Med Kabira Beach Coach Japan LLC Coca-Cola Japan Co, Ltd. Corning Holding Japan GK Craft Hands Beer and Wine Daniel Kelly Studio Del Benson Photography Delta Air Lines, Inc. Dhillon-Marty Wines Discover Japan Disney Resort Anaheim Domino’s Pizza Elana Jade Elbex Japan Enterprise HUGE Co., Ltd. Evergreen Outdoor Center Foreign Buyers Club Forest Engineers Co., Ltd. Frijoles KK Fukushima Garo Fuji Torii G Insolite GAP Japan K.K. Garden Clinic Hiroo Gilt Groupe Gliese

Global Dining Good Morning Tokyo Co., Ltd. Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hai Cheese!

Hakuba Sports Hotel Terry Hanwha Japan Co., Ltd. Haruna no Mori Country Club Higa Industries/Wendy’s Japan Hilton USA Hilton Odawara Holiday Inn Phi Phi Hotei Wines Hyatt Regency Kyoto IBM Japan Ltd. I Can Gymnastics Interior Collection K.K. Ito-En Co. Ltd. Iwama Violin Coaching Kanei Brewery Kasumisou Gallery Kato Gallery Kawada Technologies Inc. {KEEN} Performance Training Kidzania Kirin Brewery Company, Limited Laurent Perrier LEGO Japan K.K. Lenovo Let’s Party Tokyo LINC Media, Inc. Little Green Lunches Longleage Lotus Blanc Resort and Spa M. Archie International Malkit Singh Major League Baseball Make a Friend Co., Ltd. Mar Samba Mathis Pfohl Foundation Miele Moana Surfrider Mori Building City Air Services Mori Building Co., Ltd. Mugen National Azabu Nihon Harmony Resorts Nike Japan Corporation Noble House NuSkin OPI Japan K.K. Orca Intl. Cellar Club Otterbox Hong Kong

Pan Pacific Yokohama Park Hyatt Tokyo Peninsula Hotel Tokyo, The Prince Resorts Hawaii Priya Restaurant Restaurant-I Roey’s Cookies Roppongi Hills Club Royal Copenhagen Japan SALA Resorts and Spas S and J Lifestyle Shangri La Macatan Island Cebu Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel Sin Den Small Luxury Hotels Sogetsu Foundation Sports TMC Ltd. Suji’s Swimfriends Tokyo American Club Tokyo Fitness Tomoe Collection Co., Ltd. Toni and Guy Japan Toriizaka Art Toys R Us Japan Trump Hotel Waikiki Two Rooms Bar and Grill TY Express Unique Collectionn United Dental Office United Airlines, Inc. Vale, The Wally Yonamine Co., Inc. Walt Disney Attractions Japan WDI Corporation White Beach Hotel Woodsmans Village Yamano College of Aesthetics Yoga Tree YCAC Zee Foundation

2012-13 FUNDRAISING REPORT

Matching Your Gift Matching gift programs allow donors to double or sometimes triple their gifts to ASIJ. The companies and their foundations listed here have matched individuals’ gifts to ASIJ’s US foundation, Friends of The American School in Japan. If your firm does not appear, please help ASIJ increase the list and gain further support by checking with your personnel officer about matching gifts. Matching gifts are credited toward qualification for ASIJ’s Gift Clubs.

Abbott Laboratories Fund, The

Fidelity Foundation

Mobil Foundation, Inc.

Adobe Systems Incorporated

The Field Corporation Fund

Morgan Stanley Group K.K.

Allied-Signal Foundation

First Hawaiian Bank

Morgan Stanley Matching Gifts Program

American Express GivingExpress Program

GAP Foundation, The

Motorola Foundation

American International Group Inc.

GE Foundation

Nike, Inc.

Amherst International, Inc.

GlaxoSmithKline Foundation

North Star Reinsurance Corporation

Amoco Foundation, Inc.

Goldman Sachs

Northrop Grumman Int’l Inc.

Associated Dry Goods Corporation

Google Matching Gifts Program

Norton Company Foundation

Atlantic Richfield Foundation

GTE Foundation

Owens-Illinois (Asia) Ltd.

Avon Products Foundation, Inc.

Hewitt Associates LLC

PepsiCo Foundation Inc.

Bank of California N.A., Tokyo Branch, The

Home Depot, The

Pfizer Japan Inc.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi-UFJ, Ltd., The

Houghton Mifflin Company

Prudential Foundation, The

Bankers Trust Foundation

Hughes Aircraft Company

Raytheon Engineers & Constructors

Baxter Allegiance Foundation

IMC Fertilizer, Inc.

RJR Nabisco Foundation

Bell & Howell Foundation

International Schools Services

Rohm and Haas Company

BOC Group, Inc., The

ITT Corporation

Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation

Boeing Company, The

J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation, The

Sanofi Winthrop, Inc.

BP America Inc.

JK Group, Inc.

Security Pacific Foundation

Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP

Johnson & Higgins of Japan Inc.

Signet Banking Corporation

Cabot Corporation Foundation, Inc.

Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc.

Sony Corp.

Capital International K.K.

Jostens Foundation, Inc., The

Sony Corporation of America Foundation, Inc.

Cardinal Health

Kemper National Insurance Companies

SPS Foundation

Charles Schwab Corporation Foundation

L.L. Bean, Inc.

Sun Microsystems Foundation, Inc., The

Chubb Corporation, The

Legg Mason

Sundstrand Corporation Foundation

CIGNA Foundation

Lehman Brothers

Tandy Corp./Radio Shack

Cisco Foundation

Lucent Technologies Foundation

Thomas J. Lipton Foundation, Inc.

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Manhattan Life Insurance Company, The

Torrington Co., The

ConocoPhillips Company

Manufacturers Hanover Foundation

Towers Perrin

CoreStates Financial Corp.

MasterCard Matching Gifts Program

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Corning Incorporated Foundation

MasterCard Worldwide

UBS

CPI Corp.

May Stores Foundation, Inc., The

Verizon Foundation

Dana Corporation Foundation

McGraw-Hill Foundation, Inc., The

Yahoo! Inc. Matching Gifts Program

Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation

MediaOne

Young & Rubicam Foundation, The

Digital Equipment Corporation

Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc.

Electronic Arts Inc.

Merrill Lynch Japan Incorporated

Ethyl Corporation

Microsoft Corporation

ExxonMobil Yugen Kaisha

Mitsui USA Foundation, The

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

55

This Year’s

Alumni Reception

ASIJ’s annual Alumni Reception which was held February 16 in Los Angeles, CA this year was a huge success. About 200 alumni, alumni parents and former faculty representing seven decades from the Class of ’42 through the Class of ’12 came together for a delightful evening.

(Photos courtesy of John O’Leary)

Daniel Brandt ‘92 and Jikja Chung ‘92

Vicky Downs (FF 1959-99), Roberta Eckel, Baldwin Eckel ‘42 and Gordon Tucker ‘50

Sandy Jacobsson (FF 1972-96), Sarah Jacobsson Purewal ‘05, Ron Purewall and Bill Jacobsson (FF 1975-2008)

56

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Darius Zolnor, Regina Sieber ‘98 and Head of School Ed Ladd

Marguerite Arnote (FF 1989-2005), Alison Arnote ‘99, Roark Jay Rimsnider, Ryan Rimsnider ‘98, Jay Arnote (FF 1989-2005)

John O’Leary (FF 1978-2010), Hiroko O’Leary (FS 1997-2008), Susanne Hayase (FS 1986-2002), Carol Squier (FF 1976-1993) and Mid Squier (FF 1969-2004)

Mark Protacio ‘97, Laurie Protacio ‘99, Brent Shiohama, Norene Protacio ‘04 and Nora Protacio (AP 1994-99)

Judith Hunt (FF 1986-95), Nannette Dalgleish O’Donnell (FF 1989-94) and Eleanor Loeliger (FF 1981-94)

Mark Ledbetter, Phaedra (Onuma) Ledbetter ‘81, Miki Springsteen ‘82 and Anthony Grande

Hinano Akiyama ‘09, Hannah Turk ‘09, Cheri Ryu ‘09, Marisa Luck ‘09, Arisa Murai ‘09, Michelle Dove ‘09, Tiffany Kindred ‘09 and Stacie Hettrick ‘09

Bruce Howard (FF 1978-86), Aya (Oka) Reitzas ‘80, Dean Kunihiro ‘80 and Yujiro Shimogori ‘79

Daniel Green, Erika Yamashita ‘06, Stacie Hettrick ‘09, Cody Mizuno ‘06 and Justin Dove ‘09

Bill Manuel ‘74, Shirley Shimojima, Chris Shimojima ‘73, Lenard Weaverling ‘73, Cynthia Fukuda Idell ‘73, Mark Melnick ‘73 and Paul Idell

John O’Leary (FF 1978-2010), Jay Thesier ‘89, Gary Tateyama ‘88 and Tanya Tateyama ‘89

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

57

upcoming

Class Reunions August 10-11, 2013 (tentative) New York, NY

class of

‘08

Contact Tomoyo Nakamaru <tomoyo.nakamaru@gmail.com> or Dolores O’Connor <oconnor.dolores@gmail.com > or Kay Takamura <ktakamura@alumni.stanford.edu> Join us for our 10 year reunion in the Big Apple. Come enjoy the city with your Class of ’03 buddies and let’s catch up! Plans are still tentative so please get in touch if you are interested in attending.

August 9-11, 2013 San Francisco, CA and September 27-28, 2013 Tokyo

class of

‘93

10

years

20

years

Contact Katie Sakuma Moore (SF) <ktsakuma@yahoo.com> or Mayumi Nakayama (Tokyo) <mayumi_kathi@hotmail.com> Our main reunion will be held in San Francisco, CA. There will be a combination of adults-only evening events as well as daytime family-friendly outings. Join us for fun events like an Alcatraz Tour and SF Giants game. We will also be organizing a mini-reunion in Tokyo, Japan during Spirit Week (formerly known as Homecoming Week). This event will include a Friday visit to ASIJ to catch up with faculty members, lunch at the cafeteria, and walking around the campus. On Saturday, cheer on the Mustangs at their Homecoming game. Additionally, a dinner reception will be arranged for that evening in Tokyo. up! Plans are still tentative so please get in touch if you are interested in attending.

class of

‘83

58

June 28-30, 2013 Las Vegas, NV Contact Jiro Okochi <jiro.okochi@reval.com> Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since graduating and five years since our last reunion. So Las Vegas here we come! We have selected the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, which is centrally located and has 87,000 sq. ft of pool space including a wave pool, lazy river, volleyball courts and cabanas. We also will have a reception one night and will look to organize fun events for adults and kids.

the ambassador SPRING 2013

30

years

class of

‘68

class of

‘63

class of

‘60

June 7-9, 2013 Rancho Santa Fe, CA

45

years

Contact Marty Honda <martyhonda19@gmail.com> The reunion will be held at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, in the beautiful rolling hills just north of San Diego, a couple of miles inland from the coast and within easy access from the Los Angeles area and all Southern California airports. The Inn boasts exceptional greenery, hiking trails, swimming, golf and tennis, and just a short drive to all that San Diego has to offer. The reunion will begin on the afternoon of Friday, June 7th with a welcoming barbeque under the stars that evening, through to Sunday brunch, June 9th. Saturday evening will be a traditional banquet.

October 18-21, 2013 Monterey, CA

50

years

Contact Nancy Wu <nancy@nancywu.com> or Paul Sa <paul.sa@att.net> The Class of ‘63 will be holding their once-in-a-lifetime 50th class reunion at the Portola Hotel & Spa in beautiful Monterey, California. The classes of ‘61-’65 are cordially invited and we sincerely hope you will join us to make this event that much more enjoyable and meaningful. Monterey is close to scenic Big Sur, Carmel-by-the Sea, 17-Mile Drive and the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links. The Portola Hotel & Spa has been chosen as it is set in historical Old Monterey and is “a relaxing waterfront retreat surrounded by unique shopping, fine dining, spectacular coastal trails and beaches”. Best of all, we are negotiating a special group rate but those interested in attending must let us know as soon as possible to get the best rates. The reunion will start with a reception on Friday evening and a dinner event is being planned for Saturday. We are also planning other optional group activities, including an excursion to the aquarium on Saturday and an informal Sunday brunch.

Details are yet to be firmed up but we wish to stress the importance of contacting us ASAP as attendance numbers are critical in our planning process. There will be plenty of time to get together in smaller groups and renew old friendships and discover new ones. Monterey is easily accessible by car from the San Francisco Bay Area and is 53 miles from the San Jose International Airport.

September 13-15, 2013 Lunenburg, Canada Contact Ivan Carey <icarey@ns.sympatico.ca> Join us for a gathering in Nova Scotia! Our main hub will be the Lunenburg Arms, known for its down home cheer and true maritime tradition.

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

59

alumni

Class Agents 1945

Mrs. Martha Kipp Barber martedbar@yahoo.com

1950

Col. Eugene A. Fox gene.fox@verizon.net

1951

Mr. Carl Fisher cfisher@carolina.rr.com

1952

Mr. William L. Brunckhorst brunckhorst@gmail.com

1953

Col. William B. Seely bseelys7@live.com

1954

1962

Mrs. Katherine “K.C.” Clarke kcbclarke@gmail.com

1963, 1964,1965 Class agents required

1966

Mrs. Annie Nichols Campbell campbell.annie@gmail.com

1967

Mrs. Grenda F. Penhollow Moss grendamoss@yahoo.com

1968

Dr. Masahiro “Marty” Honda hondam@pacbell.net

1977

Mr. Carl E. Sundberg carl_sundberg_ja@yahoo.com

1978

Mrs. Deanna Adams Smith smithgang5@cableone.net

1979

Mr. L. Dean Kistler skierdean1@aol.com

1980

Mrs. Julie L. Froude froude14@gmail.com

1981

Mrs. Sherry Davis Tighe tighezoo@sbcglobal.net

1982

Mr. William H. Curtis captskayc@aol.com

1969

1955

1970

1983

1956

1971

1984

Ms. Mei Sun Li meisunli@comcast.net

1972

1985

1973

1986

Rev. William L. Cryderman wcryderman@comcast.net Mrs. Sandra McIver Thompson sandra.thompson3@comcast.net

1957

Mr. Charles C. Wu wu57@gmail.com

1958

Class agent required Mr. Daniel Garnitz dangar46@yahoo.com Ms. Kathy K. Kobata kkobata21@gmail.com Mrs. Karin Jaegel Flynn kflynn@vedderprice.com Mr. J. Chris Reid jchrisreid@gmail.com

Mr. Andrew W. Blum innofthe5thwheel@gmail.com

Mrs. Pamela Backer Channell pchannell@me.com

1959

1974

Mr. Knight D. Farwell PO Box 1074 Morehead KY 40351-5074 USA

1960

Mr. David E. Bergt dbergt@comcast.net

1961

Mr. C. Stuart Bennett angus-coyle@hotmail.com

60

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Mrs. Mirja Karikoski Hanson mirjah@aol.com

1975

Ms. Reiko E. Niimi rniimi@gmail.com

1976

Ms. Elizabeth Yanagihara Horwitz liz@lizhorwitz.com

Ms. Lisa Bastick omalasq@mac.com Mr. Jiro Okochi jiro_okochi@reval.com Mrs. Yuriko Takahashi Young yurikoyoung@gmail.com Ms. Jennifer A. Krouse jen@jkrouse.com Mrs. Diane E. Stewart Wack diwack@msn.com

1987

Mr. Robert L. Sharp III robert@robertsharp.com

1988

Mr. Sergei P. Hasegawa sergei@purekitchen.com Ms. Kathrine L. Schmitt Simon schm0495@gold.tc.umn.edu

1989

Ms. Linnea M. Hasegawa tamagomeshi@yahoo.com

alumni Mrs. Diana K. Chang Stuhrenberg dcheng1@hotmail.com Mrs. Samantha Fritz Hurd samf@austin.rr.com

1990

Ms. Kacie (Rosenberg) Leviton kacieleviton@yahoo.com

1999

Ms. Naomi D. Hayase naomidhayase@gmail.com

Mr. Kentaro K. Relnick krelnick@me.com

Ms. Tamina M. Plum tamina_plum@yahoo.com

1991

2000

Mrs. Nicola M.Watkin Britton nicola.britton@gmail.com

1992

Mrs. Jikja Chun Frank jikchun@gmail.com Ms. Beth J. McGregor Vergidis beth@devstudios.com

1993

Mr. M. Thomas Homer Reid homer@homerreid.com Ms. Katherine (Sakuma) Moore ktsakuma@yahoo.com

1994

Mrs. Margaret McCallum Hartley maccallummr@gmail.com Ms. Midori “Mimi” Kano mxkano@hotmail.com

1995

Ms. Sarah M. Suzuki sarahmeg@optonline.net Ms. Yuki Pearl Vos pearlvos@hotmail.com

1996

Mr. H. Sunny Shimizu sunny_shimizu@hotmail.com

1997

Ms. Amy M. McIntire amymariemc@yahoo.com Ms. Alyssa K. Murphy alyssam@gmail.com

1998

Ms. Rose E. Hastings rosehastings@gmail.com

Mr. Gary T. Yamada gtyamada@gmail.com Ms. Aimee F. Singer aimeefrancine@gmail.com

2001

Ms. N. Joy Mita nagarekawa@hotmail.com Ms. Kim Lyons kathrynlyons@gmail.com

2002

Ms. Anna L. Tuttle annalynnosu@gmail.com Mr. Mitsuhiko Tsukimoto moonbook@gmail.com

2003

Ms. Aileen N. Kurobe aileennaomi@gmail.com Mr. J. Chesley Burruss chesley.burruss@gmail.com

2004

Mr. Jason C. Mothersill jasonmothersill@gmail.com

2007

Ms. Rosalind E. Onions rosalind.onions@gmail.com Ms. Carly N. Baird baird.carly@gmail.com

2008

Ms. Mariko C. Funai funai.mariko@gmail.com Ms. Jemil M. Satterfield jemil_55@hotmail.com

2009

Ms. Caitlin E. McHose caitlinmch@hotmail.com Ms. Elicia M. Cousins cousinel@carleton.edu

2010

Ms. Janet Kanzawa janet.kanzawa@gmail.com Mr. Alexander Vergel vergela@ucla.edu

2011

Mr. Philip Tseng ptseng15@cmc.edu Ms. Hannah Siegel hannahtsiegel@gmail.com

2012

Mr. SJ Sung sjsung94@gmail.com Ms. Aya Tange ayatange94@gmail.com.

Ms. Arisa M. T. Goldstone arisa.goldstone@gmail.com

2005

Mr. Tatsuya Izumi tatsizumi@gmail.com

2006

class agents!

Mr. Andrew Tai Dirkse vaio2006@gmail.com

Classes of 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1969 need someone to be their class agent—if you’re interested let us know!

Ms. Mana (Sasaki) Kalohelani mkalohelani@gmail.com

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

61

alumni

In Memoriam

Louis Alfred Nipkow ‘33

Al passed away on March 8, 2013. Always a gentleman, he will be missed by his family and all who knew him. Al’s son, Stephen A. Nipkow, shared his father’s story for the ASIJ Memories book (see page 24).

I was born in Yokohama, Japan, on February, 24, 1915, the only child of Louis Paul Nipkow and Louisa Russell Nipkow. Born of both Japanese and Swiss citizenship, I later became a naturalized US citizen in 1943. My Father, known as Paul Nipkow, was Manager and a Partner of an old established Swiss silk import/export firm, SulzerRudolph & Company, with offices in Switzerland and Japan. My Mother was of Japanese ancestry, her Mother’s name was Saito Moyo and her Father’s name was Maurice Russell. My ancestors had an extensive and privileged history in Japan, and my parents and I were survivors of the 1923 earthquake that devastated Yokohama, setting the bay on fire and leveling much of Yokohama.

I was only 8 years old, and I survived because our beloved family butler rescued me from under a pile of bricks that had been the kitchen fireplace in our home overlooking Yokohama Bay. I attended kindergarten and grade schools in Yokohama and then entered The American School in Japan in the early 1930s, graduating from the Rockefeller Institute High School in Tokyo. Known by most as “Al,” I remember fondly the good times spent with my ASIJ classmates, including Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland, sisters who became famous actresses.

Ms. Fontaine, who also lives in California, and I have remained lifelong friends and we frequently talk on the telephone.

I lived with my Mother and Father in Japan until 1932 when I went to Switzerland for a period of time before moving back to Japan to continue my education with a major in Business Administration with a private tutor from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. I lived a very comfortable life with my family in Japan, and represented schools and athletic clubs, including the Yokohama Country Club, in swimming, tennis, and track and field, where I was a ranked tennis player.

When I completed my education, I entered the firm Sulzer-Rudolph & Company, and spent two years in Japan learning all phases of importexport and the silk yarns business. I was one of two who had the honor of being trained in

62

the ambassador SPRING 2013

Tom with his wife Jane and their children

Al receiving the Congressional Gold Medal

Al, in uniform, in 1946

the official Japanese silk conditioning house, where silk yarns were processed and graded, the worldwide accepted standard of buying and selling silk yarns. From there I transferred to offices in New York City and Zurich, Switzerland, and then to affiliated offices in France and England.

In 1937, on a winter ski holiday in St. Moritz, Switzerland, I met my future bride, Evelyn Winifred Jurs. Evy’s father, Louis Jurs, was Senior Vice President of Tidewater Assoc Oil Company.

Having left her family home in Piedmont, California, to study opera singing in Paris, France, she was on a ski holiday with her brother.

Although our initial meeting was memorable, it wasn’t until we accidentally met again in New

With son Stephen

York City, that I realized Evy was the woman I would marry.

In 1938, I decided California was the land of opportunity and where I wanted to make my life (also Evy lived there). I joined the camera firm of Bell & Howell in Hollywood, spending time in various departments learning the business. In 1939 I moved to San Francisco to be closer to Evy and took charge of the duplicating machines department of Schwabacker-Frey Company. The same year, we were married in October, and our first son, Stephen, was born in September 1940.

Our daughter, Mary, was born in 1943, and our second son, Robert, was born in 1947.

In 1943, I volunteered for service in US Army

features

alumni MESSAGE

Intelligence and attended an intensive 18- month Japanese language and officer training course at the University of Michigan. This was the longest course of any given by the three branches of the military. I came out commissioned a Lieutenant in the US Army Military Intelligence Service (MIS).

Stationed at Camp Tracy, California, my job was to interrogate high ranking Japanese prisoners of war. The camp was only one of two highly secret interrogation centers in the US, the other located in Virginia. I worked along with the Nisei at the camp developing valuable information from the prisoners that helped the war efforts and arguably assisted in shortening the war with Japan.

Later I was one of seven chosen to go to Washington, DC, to help interrogate the Japanese Ambassador to Germany and his entire staff who were captured by the US in Germany.

This was one of my most interesting experiences because the ambassador reversed the tables on us interrogators and interrogated us as to just what the A bomb was. Most of the information our company collected had to do with naval operations and helped to more fully understand how the Japanese Navy functioned. Not much was known about Camp Tracy because of the very secret nature of the location and of what went on there.

After WWII, I joined my father’s firm, Nipkow-Wherlin & Kobelt, Inc., in New York City.

These were former members of Sulzer-Rudolph & Company, who had formed a separate corporation during the war years. Foreign trade was at a standstill and communication with offices in Japan, China and parts of Europe was impossible. After a little over a year in New York City helping to reorganize the business, I returned to the west coast, representing Eastern Lines and Nipkow-Wherlin & Kobelt, Inc. In 1954, I went out on my own and opened Alfred Nipkow & Company, selling high quality men’s and women’s clothing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Evy and I have loved our community and have made many long-standing and wonderful friends. During most of my career, I was a member of the Olympic Club in San Francisco, the oldest athletic club in America.

Around 2007 or so, some of the declassified information about Camp Tracy was released, both in the US and Japan. High-ranking military officers and congresspersons researched the declassified information. In the process, I was contacted and a team of military officers made several trips to California to interview and film my recollections about my military experience at Camp Tracy. The interrogation process at Camp Tracy has been carefully studied by today’s US military. It has now become known that prisoners at Camp Tracy were treated with the utmost

respect with the result that they became very cooperative and revealed helpful intelligence. The Nisei also played a key role in the process and were the initial contact with the POWs. I have been interviewed for and appeared in a film about these experiences, entitled “MIS – Human Secret Weapon,” written and directed by Junichi Suzuki and produced by Shigeto Terasaka (www.mis-film.com). This is the final film in the trilogy of the Japanese-American history documentary series following “Toyo’s Camera – Japanese American History during WWII” and “442 – Live with Honor, Die with Dignity.” I never expected to be able to talk about my experiences at Camp Tracy because I have faithfully kept every detail secret over all of the years since WWII. With declassification and renewed interest by so many, I have finally been able to share some of my experiences. I am glad to be of service at this stage in my life while I can still recollect and share my memories and stories.

Since 2007, there has been a great deal of continued interest in Camp Tracy and the MIS personnel who served there. On November 2, 2011, the US Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to Japanese-American soldiers of the MIS at award ceremonies in Washington, DC, and in San Francisco, CA. I was greatly honored to be personally presented the Congressional Gold Medal by Democratic Leader of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi along with a live televised tribute by President Barack Obama. I am deeply honored and flattered that Congress would bestow such a tribute after so many years. In fact, my family believes this has kept me energized and lively even at my old age.

My wife and I remain happily settled in Northern California with our three children, seven grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and one great great grandson. Both Evy and I have made it into our 99th years, and we are still living in our home of 50 years in Walnut Creek, California.

Susan Beth (Van Wyk) Benedict ‘64 passed away February 21, 2013 at age 66. Sue was born in Hartford, CT. She graduated from ASIJ in 1964 and then received her bachelor’s degree from Hope College in 1968. Following college, she taught English abroad in Japan. Sue most recently was a tutor at the Midlakes Schools.

Sue was a member of the Park Presbyterian Church in Newark and was involved with the choir and bell choir. She also sang with the Canaltown Chorale. Quilting, gardening and crafts were just some of the things Sue enjoyed. Sue was a member of the Breast Cancer Support Group and a past volunteer of the Victims Resource Center.

Sue was predeceased by her loving husband

Gerard on May 12, 2012 and their son Brendan in 1977. She is survived by sons Todd, Jason and Ian; daughters Shannon, Jana and Cara; grandchildren Nolan and Braylan; brothers Jud Van Wyk ’64 and Jim VanWyk ‘78; sisters Nancy (Van Wyk) Phillips ‘66, Pat (Van Wyk) Bartlett ’69 and Julie (Van Wyk) Clough ‘73; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Herbert Campbell (AP 2000-04) passed away peacefully in Germany on August 25, 2012 at age 63. He is survived by his wife, Kristin Kirkhoff and children Jenny ’04 and Katie ‘10. Dr. Campbell was a psychiatrist for the United States State Department for 14 years and served on ASIJ’s Board of Directors from 2003-04 during his time in Japan.

John Eills ‘46 died on May 19, 2012, at home in New York City. Born in Nagasaki on November 4, 1927, he attended Japanese grammar school before entering ASIJ. He always remembered the words from his primer: “Sakura, sakura, yayoi no sorawa …”

After attending ASIJ from 1935-40, he left for California and received his high school diploma from Ojai Preparatory School while serving in the United States Navy Submarine Service (19431948). He honed his skills in celestial navigation as

SPRING 2013 the ambassador

63

features

alumni MESSAGE

quartermaster aboard submarines in the Pacific.

John studied French literature at Harvard College and received an MBA from Harvard Business School (1954). He was a portfolio manager on Wall Street until two months before his death.

An accomplished yachtsman, he participated in a number of offshore races and cruised widely aboard his sailboats “Invictus” and “Echo,” including a circumnavigation (1998-2001) with his wife.

He was a member of the Cruising Club of America, the New York Yacht Club, the Corinthians, and the North American Station of the Royal Scandinavian Yacht Clubs and Nylandska Jatklubben, as well as The Center for Inquiry.

John enjoyed ocean passage-making, and he enjoyed going fast enough to spend time on islands, especially those where he could speak French. He might be heard, at the helm during a rough passage, singing Simon and Garfunkel, but during his midnight watches he also pondered the wonders of the universe, star formation, galaxy collisions, eternities, and infinities.

He is missed very much by his wife, Nancy (Brewer) Eills ‘53 (a freshman at ASIJ in 194950); son, Andrew, daughter, Amity; and six grandchildren.

Elizabeth “Betty” (Billingsley) Hill ’51 passed away November 7, 2007 due to an accident in Ocean Shores, WA, at age 73 years old. Betty was born in Washington, DC, in 1933. She was the daughter of Brigadier General John Dabney and Margaret Billingsley. As an Army Officer’s daughter, she was raised in different parts of the east coast and graduated from ASIJ in 1951. During college she met William “Bill” Hill, a Naval Academy graduate and they were married in 1954. Their wedding was the first Naval wedding at the West Point Cadet Chapel in New York.

64

the ambassador SPRING 2013

While Bill was stationed at Pearl Harbor, they had their first child, Barbara, and when they returned to the mainland, they had their second child, Janet. Betty was very involved in charitable organizations throughout her life.

The things Betty truly loved were spending time with family and friends, watching her children show horses and attending swim meets. She is survived by her husband, Bill; daughters, Barbara and Janet; brother John; and beloved grandchildren.

Lois Jacobson (FF 1976-77) passed away February 5, 2013 at age 81 after a full and rewarding life. She was born in Beresford, SD, on August 27, 1931 to Louis and Mabel Wilson. She is survived by her son Douglas, daughter Kimberley and grandchildren Sarah, Katie, Zachary, Sean, Taylor and Colby. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Roger; son David, older sisters Marion and Arlis, and younger brother Louis.

It was in the small town of Beresford that the seeds were sown for Lois’ adventurous life. Having grown up during the Great Depression, Lois told her children colorful stories of gypsies camping on the outskirts of town, the hobo jungle down by the railroad tracks and the many wonderful characters in her small town. Her family owned the local clothing store and was actively involved in the Danish Lutheran Church. She graduated from Beresford High School in 1949 and headed off to Iowa State University where she earned a BSc degree in child development in 1953. Shortly after graduation, Lois married Roger and the following year they set off for India.

Over the years, Roger’s career took them to many places around the world: Canada, Japan (twice!), Switzerland, Illinois, Ohio, and finally to Texas and New Mexico for retirement. Lois absorbed and appreciated each culture in which they lived, and her beautiful homes were a reflection of the eclectic world in which she lived. In Illinois, she founded a school for preschoolers with developmental disabilities. In Tokyo, she served as director of the NurseryKindergarten and later the Director of the Office of Development at ASIJ. She was a published author and a gifted artist as well, excelling in the Japanese arts of bonseki and ikebana and painting in watercolor and oils.

Through her travels and her years of working with families and children, Lois’ infectious smile, easy elegance and gracious warmth touched the lives of people all over the world.

Robert E. Riecks ‘39 passed away December 1, 2012. Born in Detroit in 1921, he attended ASIJ from 1935-37, and graduated from the American School in Paris in 1939. He received a BA from Colgate University in 1943 and was appointed as a 2ndLt in the USMCR and designated a Naval Aviator, flying the F6F Hellcat in the Pacific Theater as “Admiral Nimitz’s Eyes”. After marrying his wife, Marilyn Bard, he received an MBA from Columbia University. He and Marilyn moved to Cincinnati, settling in Indian Hill in 1957, where they raised their family. Robert worked at Ford’s Auto Transmission Plant in Cincinnati, was a partner in the E.W. Brock Co, and owned the Robert Riecks Co. selling machine tools. He retired to Singer Island, FL, in 1978 and was predeceased by his wife, Marilyn, in 1997 and son, Peter, in 2006. He is survived by daughters, Karen and Lauren; daughter-in-law, Debbie; six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

William Winkler passed away suddenly on April 12, 2013. At the time he was working at AIG Star Insurance in Tokyo and his daughter, Margaret Winkler ’15, was a sophomore at ASIJ.

The Chochin Goes Digital!

As the pages of the Chochin in the ASIJ archives, dating back to 1918, have begun to show their age, we embarked on an important project to preserve them by digitalizing each yearbook.

After the most complete version of each book was chosen, it was sent to an historical text archiving specialist to be scanned and then the completed files were processed and checked.

The entire project took several months, but now a high quality PDF of each Chochin from 1918-2010 is archived and is available for alumni to download online. We hope that you will enjoy stepping back in time and seeing how our school has developed through the ages.

Thank you to the ASIJ Alumni Council who contributed funds towards the project.

Check out the digital archive online at http://community.asij.ac.jp/chochin

the ambassador

Center for School-Community Partnership The American School in Japan APO AP 96328-5000 Address Service Requested

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN JAPAN â&#x20AC;¢ SPRING 2013