Anthony Bianchi is the first American-born person to hold public office in Japan. In 2003 he was elected to the Inuyama City Council winning the most votes in history. This unpredictable and surprising event was a culmination of his devotion to community, empathetic nature and his staunch, stubborn sense of justice.

Speaking to Anthony, he isn't what you would expect a politician to be…

Kennedy acknowledged that it took awhile to understand the value of living in two cultural contexts that differed from the context they grew up in. “I think the moment this was most stark is when I moved back to the states and realized that what I expected as natural had changed: I expected people to be on time all the time, to take off their shoes at the door, for trains and buses to work well and be clean…

This May, Japan Society of Boston featured Jessica Smith (Okinawa, 2003-2006), in their JSB meets JET Alumni series. Jessica reflects on her time living in Naha. She shared how the U.S. military presence influenced local cuisine, including Taco Rice, a GI-inspired favorite, and Goya Champuru.

The early 2000s were simpler times. Social media was non-existent, the internet was in its infancy, and innovations like YouTube, AI, and the iPhone were still years away. My only connection to the world beyond Japan was a small flip phone that could send text messages of about 20 characters….

A certain object — one that many people consider outdated nowadays — planted a seed in Adam Lisbon that ended up shaping his life.  “The thing that really made me want to travel and see the world — and Japan sort of filled that gap of where to go in the world — was, believe it or not, CD-Roms,” Lisbon said.

This April, Japan Society of Boston featured Bianca Sanchez Alvarez (Hiroshima, 2016-2018). In their JSB meets JET Alumni series. Bianca reflects on her journey inspired by her great-grandfather’s Japanese roots. She shares insights on Hiroshima’s culture, from okonomiyaki to Peace Memorial Park, and the lasting connections made with students and colleagues.

USJETAA’s Bobby Nawbary took some time to hear how current JET, Michelle Barajas Perez, found herself making sugar skulls with her students in Japan. Michelle’s path to Japan was not typical. With roots in small-town, rural California, her hometown of Los Banos is not a town where its people venture far from in their lives.

For many JETs, Japan is a memorable chapter in their lives—one filled with late-night konbini runs, local festivals, and just enough office formalities to make them fluent in the art of the polite nod. But for Andrew Ou, who is currently the U.S. Consul General in Okinawa, it was just the beginning of his career in diplomacy, though he didn’t quite know it at the time.