Consulate-General of Japan in New York
在ニューヨーク日本国総領事館

Vol.25
August 2009

House of Representatives Dissolved: General Election to Be Held on August 30
Following the July 21 dissolution of the House of Representatives by Prime Minister Aso's cabinet, on August 18, the 45th general election was officially announced to take place on August 30. A midsummer election campaign has thus begun. The period of 40 days from dissolution to voting is the longest permitted by the Constitution. More than 1,300 candidates are scheduled to run in the 480-seat House of Representatives election, which is the fifth since the present electoral system combined single-seat constituencies and proportional representation.
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First Japanese to Complete Extended Stay on the International Space Station
The Space Shuttle Endeavour landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on July 31. On board was the Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who successfully spent 137 days in space on the International Space Station (ISS). As part of the longest mission ever for a Japanese astronaut, Wakata's duties included the assembly of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) called "Kibo", or "hope" in Japanese. Kibo is Japan's first manned space facility and the first contribution by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the ISS program.
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Farewell Reception for 2009 JET Participants
On July 24, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) Farewell Reception 2009 was held at the residence of Ambassador Nishimiya. This year, 106 participants from the New York area departed for Japan to assume positions as Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) and as Coordinators for International Relations (CIR) in various locations throughout Japan. The reception was held the night before their departure. Ambassador Nishimiya congratulated the participants' acceptance to the program and wished all members the best of luck and much success in their new positions.
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World Heritage Sites in Japan: Yakushima
Yakushima is a round-shaped island situated approximately 37 miles south from the southern end of Osumi Peninsula in the southern part of Kagoshima prefecture. One fifth of the island is registered as a natural heritage site. There are as many as 6 mountain peaks over 5,900 ft high including Miyanoura-dake (6,348 ft above sea level), the highest mountain in Kyushu, and this is what gives the island its other name, the "Alps on the Ocean".

Netsuke - The Art of Utility
One of the phenomena of Japanese culture is its tradition to imbue beauty into everyday life. In any other culture, the beautiful miniature sculpture that we call netsuke would have been a simple unadorned button. The Japanese æsthetic demands that this simple button becomes an art form - art born of utility.

In September, a number of important events will take place in and around New York, including the United Nations General Assembly, and a high level UN meeting about climate change, an issue with which Japan has been actively involved as a leading nation. Also, the G20 Summit Meeting will be held in Pittsburgh,...

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