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Japan-America 150th Anniversary |
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Robert Whiting Tour: The Meaning of Ichiro
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Program Date: |
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April 7 - May 10, 2004 |
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Application Due: |
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N/A |
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Location: |
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18 Cities in the U.S. |
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Program Type: |
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Cultural, Public Affairs |
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Contact: |
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National Association of Japan-America
Societies
Tel: 202-783-4550
Email: contact@us-japan.org
or
Your local Japan-America
Society/Center |
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Program Report |
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| Beginning on April 7, Mr. Whiting traveled 18 U.S. cities
to talk about his latest book, The Meaning of Ichiro (Warner
Book). Along with his previous work, You Gotta Have Wa (Macmillan),
this book provides a detailed account on the influence of Japanese
Major League Baseball (MLB) players on US-Japan relationship.
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| With the support from 18 Japan-America Societies, Mr. Whiting
gave 20 speeches to over 700 people, held 21 book-signing sessions,
and threw 2 first pitches at Minor League games in five weeks.
Moreover, he reached out to thousands of audience through 25
media interviews in various cities (7 newspapers, 15 radio shows,
and 3 TV appearances). |
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| In his talks, Mr. Whiting shared little-known facts (at least
in the U.S.) about Ichiro's childhood and his experience with
the Japanese Baseball League. After the transition to Seattle
Mariners in 2001, Ichiro's success has changed the Americans'
perception of Japanese ball players in the U.S. "Ichiro is the
first Japanese cultural icon in the U.S.," said Mr. Whiting
in his speech in Washington, DC on April 13. "Americans see
'cool' and 'hip' in him. There were many people in Seattle that
didn't know what sushi was 10 or 15 years ago. Now, thanks to
Ichiro, they are eating it at Safeco and yelling 'gambare!'" |
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| Ichiro has changed the perception of MLB in Japan as well.
In these days, even one of the most conservative TV stations,
NHK - Japan Broadcasting Corporation, regularly broadcasts real-time
MLB games. Furthermore, there have been a number of package
travel deals offered by travel agencies in Japan to come and
watch MLB games. As a result, not only teenagers, but also many
adults are now familiar with the names of MLB players. It is
not at all a coincidence that MLB opened its first Japan office
in Tokyo in 2003. |
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| All in all, by utilizing baseball that has rich history both
in Japan and the U.S., there is no question that this program
contributed to further promoting the betterment of U.S.-Japan
relationship. |
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Program Overview |
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Robert Whiting's eagerly awaited book, The Meaning of Ichiro
(Warner Books) was published in March 2004, and he visited 18 cities
across the United States to talk about the book and how Ichiro's
and other Japanese ball players' success in the Major League Baseball
has contributed to US-Japan relations at various programs with the
Japan Society / Japan-America Society in the following cities:
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| Whiting Tour in Articles |
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The
Oregonian
April 11, 2004
Portland,
OR |
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The
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
April 16, 2004
Pittsburgh, PA |
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The
News & Observer
April 16, 2004
Raleigh, NC |
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The
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
May 1, 2004
Seattle, WA
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The
Seattle Times
May 2, 2004
Seattle, WA
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April |
7 (Wed) |
New York, NY |
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12 (Mon) |
Pittsburgh, PA |
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13 (Tue) |
Washington DC |
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14 (Wed) |
Raleigh, NC |
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15 (Thu) |
Lexington, KY |
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16 (Fri) |
Indianapolis, IN |
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19 (Mon) |
Battle Creek, MI |
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20 (Tue) |
Minneapolis, MN |
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21 (Wed) |
St. Louis, MO |
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22 (Thu) |
Little Rock, AR |
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23 (Fri) |
Jackson, MS |
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26 (Mon) |
Denver, CO |
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27 (Tue) |
Los Angeles, CA |
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28 (Wed) |
San Francisco, CA |
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29 (Thu) |
Portland, OR |
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30 (Fri) |
Seattle, WA |
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May |
4 (Tue) |
Honolulu, HI |
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10 (Mon) |
Boston, MA |
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About Robert Whiting |
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Robert Whiting is the author of several highly acclaimed
books on contemporary Japanese culture, especially through the sport
of baseball, including The Chrysanthemum and the Bat (Dodd,
Mead, NY 1977), You Gotta Have Wa (Macmillan, NY 1989), Slugging
It Out In Japan (Kodansha International, Tokyo 1991), and Tokyo
Underworld (Panthen 1999). In both the U.S. and Japan, he has
written for numerous newspapers and magazines, delivered lectures
at universities and other organizations, and appeared in the number
of televeision documentaries. Whiting was born in New Jersey in 1942,
raised in California and graduated from Tokyo's Sophia University.
He has spent 27 of the past 40 years in Japan where he currently resides
with his wife, Machiko Kondo, in Kamakura, Kanagawa. |
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| Tour Sponsors |
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| Warner Books, Japan/Japan-America Societies,
National Association of Japan-America Societies,
The Tokyo Club, and US-Japan 150 Founding
Sponsors: AFLAC, ANA, Pfizer, and Toyota. |
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U.S.-Japan 150th Anniversary
Project Sponsors
U.S.-Japan 150th Anniversary Project and all its programs are made
possible by the generous contributions from AFLAC, ANA-All Nippon
Airways, Pfizer, Toyota, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), Noevir
and SONY.
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