Welcome to the Metropolis Community Pages.

This month, I’d like to highlight some of the educational institutions and universities in Tokyo that serve an important role in the community by providing free open spaces for public seminars, panel discussions and workshop programs. By creating community dialogue on current issues and linking the general public to experts, these universities are showing that they’re more than ivory towers. Alongside opportunities to gain new information, knowledge and skills, these events help build professional networks as they draw audiences from the international and Japanese business, government, nonprofit and academic communities. I hope to see you at one of these events!

Sarajean Rossitto

Public events at universities

Below are just some of the public events organized by Sophia, Hitotsubashi and Temple Universities. These are all free, run in English and open to anyone interested.

HITOTSUBASHI UNIVERSITY

Diversity Dojo is a monthly Monday night workshop series started by Professor Tish Robinson at Hitotsubashi University’s Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy. It aims to empower diverse teams by addressing issues faced in the global workplace. Besides interactive skills-based training, there is ample time for networking.

Theme: Challenging Everyday Sexism

An interactive workshop on everyday gender stereotypes and bias, asking how life might be different if we did not act as if men and women were two different creatures deserving of contrasting treatment, rules and attitudes. Join us for an interactive workshop where we will actively discuss what we can do to challenge gender stereotypes and bias here and now. This workshop is for people from all backgrounds and is not limited to either men or women.

Facilitators: Sara Jean Rossitto, Anna Costello
June 4, 7pm–9pm. National Center of Sciences Building, 7F open space, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku.
For more information please contact DiversityDojo@gmail.com or facebook.com/DiversityDojo

SOPHIA UNIVERSITY

Institute of Comparative Culture (ICC) aims to build global networks of researchers, while the Global Action Program lecture series focuses on connecting the university to the community by featuring nonprofit leaders addressing current issues in Japan. Both are lead by Professor David H. Slater from the Faculty of Liberal Arts.

Making Hygienic Modernity Visible

Knowledge Translation, Everyday Life, and Taiwan in Asia’s “Colonial Modern.” Guest speaker: Hui-yu Caroline Ts’ai.

June 7, 5pm–6:15pm. Sophia University, Yotsuya Campus, Bldg. 10, Room 301. 7-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku.
http://icc.fla.sophia.ac.jp/html/events/2018-2019/180607_Ts’ai.pdf

Global Action Lecture Series

Presentations about the multi-dimensional aspects of social issues by nonprofit leader. This month’s installment will examine poverty with Miku Sano (Big Issue Japan, Tokyo) and Ayumi Kato (Executive Director, Moyai) followed by an interactive discussion on the work they do and how to get involved. Fliers for each event can be downloaded from the Global Action Lecture Series information page.

“From the Front Lines: Nonprofit Leaders Speak Out About…Poverty”

June 13, 6:45–8:15pm. Sophia University, Yotsuya Campus, Bldg. 6, Room 307. Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku.
For more information contact: sophia.Global.Action@gmail.com

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, JAPAN CAMPUS

Lead by director Robert Dujarric, the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies or ICAS holds seminars and discussions on current issues in politics, society and economics.

How Can Japan “Activate” Women? 

ICAS-Showa Women’s University Joint Seminar
In the 2017 Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked 114 out of 144 countries. Imai will look back at the post-war trends in Japanese women’s policies, in which basic notions have changed from protection to equal-opportunity and to fostering their labor force participation. Murakami will explain the difference between Japan and the global awareness of women’s empowerment policies and practices.

Guest Speakers: Akiko Imai, Professor of Business Design Department, Showa Women’s University (SWU); Yumiko Murakami, Head of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Tokyo Center

June 12, 6:30pm–8pm, Showa Women’s University, Bldg. 8, 5F Room 5L44. 1-7-57 Taishido, Setagaya-ku.
RSVP: icas@tuj.temple.edu Find out more: www.tuj.ac.jp/icas, www.facebook.com/tuj.icas

Other Events

June Pub Quiz for TELL

Come flex your brain at our monthly pub quiz! Top teams win prizes, and all proceeds go to TELL to support mental health and suicide prevention in Japan. For more information or to reserve a table for your team, contact outreach@telljp.com

June 6, 8pm–. ¥1,000. Shibuya Hobgoblin, 3F Ichiban Building, 1-3-11 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku.

Coaching for Multicultural Teams

The workshop includes simple activities and tools that highlight challenges and opportunities leaders of diverse teams face. Facilitators introduce basic tools for dealing with day-to-day human relationship issues that can be readily used. At the Italian Chamber of Commerce Japan. RSVP.

June 6, 7pm–9pm. ¥1,000 for ICCJ Members, ¥2,000 for non members. 9F, FBR Mita Building. 4-1-27 Mita, Minato-ku.
https://www.iccj.or.jp/

Resilience Women’s Program

Monthly Theme: Emotional Violence
The Women’s Program is a series of talks on topics related to trauma and abuse. It’s a space for women who want to learn more about these issues, whether or not they have personal trauma experiences. Participants will not be asked to share any personal experiences, but there will be opportunities for private reflection throughout the talks. Registration is not necessary.

June 16, 2pm–4pm. ¥500 per session. Studio R, Omotesando. 4-12-10 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku.
For more information contact Charlotte Goff at charlotte@resilience.jp

World Refugee Day Workshop

Refugees International Japan (RIJ) presents an evening event in honor of World Refugee Day. The workshop will include presentations, debate, music and a guest speaker talking about his personal experience as a refugee. Seating is limited so advanced registration is suggested.

June 20, 6pm–8pm. ¥3,000. Second Half, 3-2-13 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku.
For more information or to register contact nanae@rij-npo.org

Mirai no Mori (charity) Summer Party

June 29, 6pm–8pm. Minimum donation per person: ¥6,000 (early bird till June 18) / ¥7,000 (afterward) New Tomorrow Cafe Minami-Azabu, 4-6-1 Minamiazabu, Minato-ku. 
Final Registration deadline: June 25. For more information visit the Mirai no Mori website: www.mirai-no-mori.jp or email: info@mirai-no-mori.jp

Do you have an upcoming community event you would like listed?

Please send your event information for next month’s events to Sarajean at community@metropolisjapan.com