91勛圖

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Gary Mukai
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As Stacy Shimanuki delivered her presentation about the Pacific War (194145), I was reflective of the fact that the 73rd anniversary of the surrender of Japan, August 15, 1945, was five days away. Stacy was one of several American and Japanese high school students who were honored by 91勛圖 during an annual event called Japan Day at 91勛圖 on August 10, 2018. The top three students of (fall 2017 cohort) and three students of the (2018 cohort) gave presentations on their course research papers. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) is a distance-learning course on Japan and U.S.Japan relations that is offered annually to high school students in the United States, and Stanford e-Japan is a distance-learning course on the United States and U.S.Japan relations that is offered twice annually to high school students in Japan.
 
For me, Japan Day is not only a day of recognition of students but is also symbolic of the close friendship between the United States and Japan that has evolved from a once-bitter rivalry. Though the six students had met their instructors Naomi Funahashi (RSP instructor; Dr. Rie Kijima taught the latter part of the 2018 RSP course) and Waka Takahashi Brown (Stanford e-Japan instructor) in online virtual classrooms, it was their first time meeting face-to-face. Although they had never met before, it was remarkable to me how the students on both sides of the Pacific seemed almost like old friends by the end of the day.
 
Japan Day opened with comments by the Honorable Tomochika Uyama, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. He stated,  
 
The JapanU.S. alliance is the cornerstone of security, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. As we look at the global challenges we face today, I believe that we must strive to ensure that our special relationship remains strong and vital. One way to accomplish this is by preparing the best and brightest of our young people with the kind of learning opportunities that will deepen mutual understanding. It is my belief that the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan are admirably working toward this goal by providing the knowledge and expertise our young people will need as future leaders in JapanU.S. relations. 
Before the student presentations, Consul General Uyama took the time to speak with each of the honorees.
 
  RSP honorees Stanford e-Japan honorees
  • Grace Rembert, Bozeman High School, Bozeman, Montana
  • Stacy Shimanuki, Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, California
  • Valerie Wu, Presentation High School, San Jose, California
  • Amane Kishimoto, Kyoto Prefectural Rakuhoku Senior High School, Kyoto
  • Yurika Matsushima, Keio Girls Senior High School, Tokyo
  • Jun Yamasaki, Shibuya Kyoiku Gakuen Senior High School, Tokyo
 
The students presented on topics ranging from open innovation, employment and people with disabilities, and the U.S. and Japanese educational systems to language and nationalism, literature on the atomic bombing of Japan, and urbanization in Japan. Brown and Funahashi had high praise for their students. Im always so proud of our e-Japan award winners, stated Brown. Their level of research is at such a high level, and to be able to conduct their presentations in English and with such poise is an amazing achievement for students at such a young age. During the presentations by her students, Funahashi reminded the audience, These are high school students! Without fail on Japan Day, Funahashi hears audience members complimenting the intellect of her students and how articulate they are. 
 
Waka Brown and Naomi Funahashi at podium Waka Brown and Naomi Funahashi at podium
Attendees represented people from the Stanford community and the U.S.Japan community in the Bay Area, including Dr. Takeo Hoshi, Director, Japan Program, and Junichiro Hirata, Visiting Scholar, Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, FSI; and Dr. Kazuhiko Hasegawa, Executive Director, San Francisco Office, Osaka University, Kathleen Kimura, Japan Society of Northern California, and Dr. Yoichi Aizawa, Executive Director, San Francisco Office, Waseda University. Amanda Minami Chao and David Chao were recognized for their many years of support to 91勛圖.   
 
Following the formal program, the students enjoyed a tour of 91勛圖. The 91勛圖 staff and I were left hoping that someday we would see them again as undergraduate or graduate students on campus and more importantly, hoping that they will remain friends to further strengthen the decades of friendship between Japan and the United States. 
 
To stay informed of 91勛圖-related news, follow 91勛圖 on and .

Funding for 91勛圖s distance-learning courses is generously provided by Amanda Minami Chao and David Chao, and Jean Mou and Yoshiaki Fujimori. Funding for the 2018 RSP was generously provided by Gen Isayama, the Center for Global Partnership/The Japan Foundation, and The Japan Fund, FSI. Funding for the Stanford e-Japan 2017 courses was generously provided by the United States-Japan Foundation, and for the Stanford e-Japan spring 2018 course by Noriko Honda Chen, Harry Gunji, Akira Horiguchi, Paul Li, Tomonori Tani, and the Capital Group Companies. 

 
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Sponsored by the United StatesJapan Foundation, the Elgin Heinz Teacher Award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. The award is presented annually to pre-college teachers in two categories, humanities and Japanese language. It is named in honor of Elgin Heinz for his commitment to educating students about Asia as well as for the inspiration he has provided to the field of pre-college education.

91勛圖s Reischauer Scholars Program Manager and Instructor Naomi Funahashi has won the 2017 for her teaching excellence with the (RSP), an online course named in honor of former Ambassador to Japan Edwin O. Reischauer that introduces Japan and U.S.Japan relations to high school students in the United States. Funahashi formally accepted the award at 91勛圖 on November 20, 2017.

In his opening comments, David Janes, Director of Foundation Grants and Assistant to the President, , who hosted the ceremony, praised Funahashi, explaining why she is so deserving of the distinction: Like Ambassador Reischauer, Naomi knows how global education at the high school level can transform kids for life, making them better leaders for the future.

Comments from the Honorable Jun Yamada, Consul General of Japan, were shared by Maiko Tamagawa, Advisor for Educational Affairs, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Consul General Yamada noted, Ms. Funahashi is indeed an extraordinary educator. Her dedication and commitment to inspiring and empowering young Americans to become experts on Japan is an invaluable contribution to the promotion of mutual understanding between our two countries. Consul General Yamada, who serves on the advisory committee of the RSP, also graciously hosted a dinner at his residence in honor of Funahashi in July 2017, shortly after the announcement of the award.

91勛圖 Director Gary Mukai, who nominated Funahashi for the award, commented that Naomi is extremely dedicated to her students, and I hear regular praise from her students, including those who have matriculated to Stanford. Elgin would have rave reviews of her interdisciplinary approach to teaching Because of Naomi, the original RSP goal of creating a new generation of leaders in the U.S.Japan relationship has become a reality.

David Janes presents the 2017 Elgin Heinz Teacher Award to Naomi Funahashi David Janes (United StatesJapan Foundation) presents the 2017 Elgin Heinz Teacher Award to Naomi Funahashi (91勛圖)

Former RSP student and recent Stanford graduate Aryo Sorayya spoke next and thanked Funahashi for extending herself to students far beyond the RSPs course requirements themselves. Sorayya spoke not only about Funahashis careful attention to students work but also her sincere interest in their college plans and careers.

Also in attendance were former Ambassador to Japan Michael Armacost; many Stanford scholarsincluding , , and who contribute lectures, lead online virtual classrooms, and/or serve as principal investigators of the RSP; former recipients the Elgin Heinz Teacher Award Norman Masuda and Saya Okimoto McKenna; and members of Funahashis family, including her mother Jan Funahashi, husband Rich Lee, and three-year-old son Akira, hopefully a future RSP student in 2030.

Funahashi was born in Tokyo and grew up moving between the United States and Japan. Naomi has resided in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2000, joining 91勛圖 in 2005. She is a graduate of Brown University (BA), San Francisco State University (teaching credential), and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (M.Ed.). She has served as Manager and Instructor of the RSP since joining 91勛圖.

Find more information on the Elgin Heinz Teacher Awards online

To stay informed of 91勛圖-related news, follow 91勛圖 on and .

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Rylan Sekiguchi
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91勛圖 Director has been named a recipient of the 2017 Autumn Conferment of Japanese Decorations. On November 3, the government of Japan announced that Dr. Mukai will be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for his contributions to the promotion of friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.

The Order of the Rising Sun is a decoration in the Japanese honors system that dates back to 1875. It was established as the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, and it recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Japan or its culture. It is one of the highest decorations conferred by the government.

I am very humbled by this honor, reflects Mukai. I still find it hard to believe. But as someone who has always cared deeply about the U.S.Japan relationship, this decoration truly means a lot to me. Im just thankful Ive had so many opportunities to be involved.

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After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching credential from UC Berkeley, Dr. Mukai moved to Japan to teach in 1977 and has since worked to promote cross-cultural education between the United States and Japan. Besides working as a teacher in both countries, he has served as a longtime interviewer for the and has been a selection committee member of the United States-Japan Foundations since its inception. At 91勛圖, he has developed numerous curriculum guides on Japan for K12 classrooms as well as overseen the creation of both the and a pair of nation-wide online courses that teach American and Japanese high school students about each others countries.

A date for Mukais formal conferment ceremony has not been announced.

To read the Consulates announcement of the recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, visit .

To stay informed of 91勛圖-related news, follow 91勛圖 on and .

 

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Gary Mukai
Rylan Sekiguchi
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We often speak about U.S.Japan relations in grand terms that focus on links between our countries. But the heart of our connection is personalinnumerable interactions between Japanese and American citizens who recognize the national and the individual benefits of such links This is what gives Japan Day its special significance.

The Honorable Michael Armacost, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan

 

The honored top students of the Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) and Stanford e-Japan at Japan Day 2017an event held at 91勛圖 on August 11, 2017. The RSP honorees were Tuvya Bergson-Michelson (Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Francisco, CA), Mallika Pajjuri (Dublin High School, Dublin, CA), and Evan Wright (homeschool, Greenwood, IN), and the Stanford e-Japan honorees were Reon Hiruma (Waseda University Senior High School, Tokyo), Saya Iwama (Takada High School, Mie Prefecture), Mako Matsuzaki (graduate of Keio Girls Senior High School, Tokyo), and Alisa Tanaka (graduate of Keio Girls Senior High School, Tokyo).

Japan Day 2017 began with opening remarks by the Honorable Jun Yamada, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, who commended the students for their study of U.S.Japan relations and underscored the importance of educational programs such as the RSP and Stanford e-Japan in strengthening cross-Pacific relations. "There is no better investment for the future of JapanU.S. relations," he noted, "than in educating and empowering the most promising of our youth, who will become the leaders of the future."

Stanford e-Japan Instructor Waka Takahashi Brown and RSP Instructor Naomi Funahashi presented overviews of the two programs and recognized the honorees for their outstanding academic performance and research papers. The students then took to the podium one by one to present their research to an audience of over 40 people, which included the Honorable (former U.S. Ambassador to Japan), Ai Hiyama (Advisor for Community Affairs, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco), and Maiko Tamagawa (Advisor for Educational Affairs, Japan Information and Cultural Center, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco).

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Photo caption: Ambassador Michael Armacost with Mallika Pajjuri

The honorees presentations spanned a wide range of topics related to U.S.Japan relations, including immigration, social media, LGBTQ issues, entrepreneurship, politics, cross-cultural education, and the environment. In several cases, these topics coincided closely with the work and expertise of audience members, making for fruitful conversation and welcome synergies. During his presentation on Cross-Cultural Education: An Unconventional Path to Immigration Reform and Economic Prosperity in Japan, Evan Wright spoke about the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and its role in promoting grassroots and cross-cultural international exchange between Japan and other nations. Tamagawa was pleasantly surprised to hear Wrights comments, as she oversees the JET Program at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Wright hopes to participate in the JET Program after graduating from college.

For the students, a major highlight of the day was simply the chance to meet each other in person, after interacting intensively for months in an online-only context. Seeing the students connect with each other in person was also especially gratifying for the instructors. One of the most rewarding things for me, commented Funahashi, is to see the depth of the connections that are established between RSP and Stanford e-Japan students, and how much they learn from one another. In addition to discussing American and Japanese perspectives on various aspects of contemporary society, education, politics, historical memory, and diplomacy, some students develop friendships that last far beyond their participation in these courses. Brown agreed, adding, For my students, having the opportunity to interact with peers from the United States was one of the highlights of the program. To see all the RSP and Stanford e-Japan award winners honored at the same event was extremely rewarding. Ambassador Armacost emphasized the importance of building real person-to-person connections, too. Personal relationships are deepened by a shared knowledge of language, culture, and history. But they depend ultimately on awareness of the value of personal ties, a proliferation of friendships, and a sustained effort to cultivate and maintain them through events such as Japan Day.

Following the formal program, the students and their families took a tour of 91勛圖 campus. Honoree Mako Matsuzaki commented on how much she enjoyed the tour and regrets not having more time to talk with her American peers. She also somewhat jokingly noted, I cant imagine how Stanford students can actually study very seriously with so many temptations! (The good weather, many places to nap, frisbees, cycling, and being close to beaches.) Funahashi and Brown hope that the friendships that have blossomed among their students will continue to strengthen the ties between the United States and Japan.

91勛圖 has received numerous grants in support of the RSP (since its inception in 2003) from the United States-Japan Foundation, the Center for Global Partnership (The Japan Foundation), and the Japan Fund, which is administered by the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at 91勛圖. Stanford e-Japan (since its inception in 2015) has been supported by a grant from the United States-Japan Foundation.

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Tottori Prefecturethe least populous prefecture in Japan known for its seafood and stunning natural beauty, including its iconic sand dunesis now collaborating with 91勛圖. The first kanji character of Tottori means bird and the recent launching of a new online course, Stanford e-Tottori, is helping high school students to gain a birds-eye view of U.S. society and culture with a focus on U.S.Japan relations.

On July 18, 2016, 91勛圖 Director participated in an opening ceremony in Tottori for Stanford e-Tottori. The ceremony included opening remarks by Governor Shinji Hirai, greetings from Superintendent of Education Hitoshi Yamamoto, comments by Mukai, and reflections by Tottori native, Takeshi Homma, Founder and CEO at HOMMA, Inc., Silicon Valley. In his comments, Mukai thanked Governor Hirai for his unwavering support of this collaboration between the Tottori Prefectural Board of Education and 91勛圖, and also made a historical note about Tottori Prefectures relations with the United States by noting, Hajimu Fujii, who was born in 1886 in Takashiro, Tottori, left Tottori for the United States in 1906. Hajimu Fujii became a Japanese-American community leader in the state of Idaho. In the 1930s, Fujii was recognized as the first Japanese pioneer in large-scale onion farming.

Mukai was followed by Tottori Nishi High School student Shue Shiinoki, who read a Resolution Declaration, representing the 36 students who were selected to participate in the inaugural Stanford e-Tottori course. Mukai and Homma had the pleasure of visiting Tottori Nishi High School as well as Seishokaichi Junior and Senior High School during their visit.

The Stanford e-Tottori course instructor is , who is an Instructional Designer at 91勛圖. As of mid-December 2016, Edman has facilitated three virtual classes on the following

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stanford e tottori student
topics: Studying in the United States, Japanese-American Baseball, and The Japanese-American Experience. Studying in the United States was led by Eiko Nakano, an MBA and MA student at 91勛圖 from Tokyo. In addition to attending a total of ten virtual classrooms, students are given assignments and homework and also engage in online discussions with each other through discussion boards.

Edman, an alumnus of the American School in Japan, recently reflected that the rigor of taking a course solely taught in English has proven to be challenging to the Tottori students but that he is clearly noting progress in the students who are willing to take on the challenge. Koji Tsubaki, Teachers Consultant, Tottori Prefectural Board of Education, also recently commented, Students in Tottori Prefecture are full of excitement to learn about the contents of the 91勛圖 Stanford e-Tottori program, accelerating their development of self-expression skills. They are overflowing with questions for deeper understanding.

Recently, Edman introduced Stanford e-Tottori to a delegation of business people from Tottori Prefecture who visited 91勛圖 on November 16. The delegation was led by Tottori Bank, Ltd. Chairman Masahiko Miyazaki. Homma was not only instrumental in bringing the delegation to Stanford but also suggested the initial idea of developing Stanford e-Tottori. Chairman Miyazaki expressed his gratitude to Homma, Edman, and Mukai for making Stanford e-Tottori a reality.

During the delegations tour of 91勛圖, many of the business people expressed hopes that their own children or grandchildren will someday be able to enroll in Stanford e-Tottori. Many also expressed agreement with one of the goals of Stanford e-Tottori, that is, to encourage students in Tottori to study in the United States either as exchange students or as undergraduate or graduate students.

Given Japans national focus on internationalizing the curriculum and preparing students to think globally, the timing of Stanford e-Tottori is ideal. 91勛圖s hope is that someday the Tottori students birds-eye view of U.S. society and culture with a focus on U.S.Japan relationsprovided through Stanford e-Tottoriwill become useful background information for them when they visit the United States as students, as business people, or in other capacities.

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grace_bio-headshotoriginal.jpeg PhD

Grace is a Curriculum Consultant for the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (91勛圖). Prior to joining 91勛圖 in 2012, she worked at a California public school. She taught six different English courses for grades 912. In addition to seven years as a high school teacher, Graces teaching experience includes elementary school, middle school, and undergraduate and graduate level courses. She has been a recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a 2016-2018 Cultivating New Voices Fellow for the National Council of Teachers of English.

Graces academic interests include literacy, language, cultural studies, and twenty-first century pedagogies. She received a BA with a double major in Rhetoric and Art History from the University of California, Berkeley, and a MA in Education and Single Subject Teaching Credential in English from 91勛圖. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented nationally and internationally.

Grace co-authored the 91勛圖 curriculum units, , , and . She is currently contributing to 91勛圖s curriculum unit, Road to Tokyo.  She has presented teacher seminars for the National Council for the Social Studies, St. Louis, MO; Hana-Stanford Conference on Korea for Secondary School Teachers, Stanford, CA; and the National Association for Multicultural Education, Oakland, CA. In 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, she facilitated the annual Hana-Stanford Conference on Korea for Secondary School Teachers held at 91勛圖.

Curriculum Consultant
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