"Opening Night of The CJS's 2008/09 MOVIE NIGHT Season."

The Yakuza

The Canada Japan Society is proud to present, as our opening night of the 2008/09 Movie Night Season, Sydney Pollacks 1974 action - drama starring Robert Mitchum and Ken Takakura in his first major Hollywood role.

The film is masterfully filmed by Pollack in equisite colours, showing Japan in the early 1970s. The story revolves around an ex-GI who is drawn into the shady world of the Japanese Yakuza to fulfill an obligation to an old friend.

After the action settles down, please join us for an all inclusive wine and cheese reception after the film. It's a great chance to talk about the film and mingle with other movie lovers!

*Admission: $10.00 for CJS Members and $20.00 for others *Ticket price covers post-screening reception.

Please RSVP if you are planning to attend: jeff@cjst.org

Time and Place:
Friday, September 19, 2008
6:30pm - 10:30pm
National Film Board Theatre
150 John Street
Toronto, ON

NEW Ichimokukai Location!

The CJS has a new IMK home! Starting in August, we’ll be meeting at Manpuku, an awesome new Japanese restaurant inside the Village by the Grange (across the street from the AGO/OCAD).

Finally, Toronto has a hip, casual eatery to eat takoyaki, curry udon and natto gohan instead of tempura, teriyaki and bad sushi. And if you’d prefer to sip something non-alcoholic, they have Ramune and Calpis.

Read the write-ups in the Globe & Mail, NOW, Chowhound, etc. And try the food for yourself – it’s inexpensive and very tasty.


Ichi-Moku-Kai
Thursday, September 4, 2008
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Manpuku Modern Japanese Eatery
105 McCaul Street, Unit 29-31.
INSIDE the Village By the Grange Building, south of the food court
Thursday August 7,
6pm to 10pm +
$5 for non-CJS Members

MOVIE NIGHT: "Tokyo Tower (Mom, Me, and Sometimes Dad)"

The Canada Japan Society is proud to close its 2007/08 movie night season with the winner of this year’s Best Picture Award at the Japanese Academy Awards: Joji Matsuoka’s “Tokyo Tower: Me, Mom and Sometimes Dad”.

Based on the autobiography of Japanese artist, actor, musician Lily Franky the film traces the relationship between a young man, his loving mother and his bohemian artist father. Starring Jo Odagiri and Kirin Kiki this gentle family drama will have you chuckling and weeping in equal measure.

Date: Friday, June 20, 2008
Time: 7:00pm - 10:30pm
Location: The National Film Board Theatre
Street: 150 John Street
City/Town:Toronto, ON

Admission: $8.00 ($5.00 for CJS members)
Email: jeff@cjst.org

For those of you that experienced the dreaded fire alarm at the "Doing Time" movie night we will be showing the ending of that film as part of this presentation.

Post party to take place after the showing.

“Japan in Transition” – Talk given by the Canadian Ambassador to Japan, Joseph Caron

On June 4, 2008 Canadian Ambassador to Japan, His Excellency Joseph Caron, gave a talk at a luncheon held at the offices of McMillan LLP (formerly of McMillan Binch Medelsohn). Japan Society hosted the event with JETRO, Shokokai, Shinki-Kai and JCCC as co-sponsors. It was a well attended event with close to 90 people.

After a networking lunch, Ambassador Caron gave a talk titled “Japan in Transition: An Update on Political and Economic Developments”.

The Ambassador first talked about the sectors in which Japan is very active – Environment, Petroleum/Energy, Aerospace, Nanotechnology and ICT. He also noted that many Canadian companies are actively involved in the sectors, including companies that are exporting to Japan (e.g. about 50 Canadian companies in the Aerospace sector.)

Japan is also the second largest producer of videogames, holding eight of the flagships in the world - Nintendo Wii being one of them. It was noteworthy to learn that Canadian companies are the suppliers of software to many of them.

The Ambassador outlined some challenges Japan is facing even though it is the second largest economy in the world. One of the challenges Japan has to deal with is the demographic issue of declining fertility rate when a large part of the population is aging.

Fertility/birthrate in Japan is currently at 1.3, with Tokyo at 1.0. At the same time, there are 128 million people in Japan with 25% older than 65 years.

Among other challenges, taxes in Japan are also an issue. Corporate taxes are 11% higher than those of other OECD countries.

In explaining what will aid Japan in responding to challenges to move on from the transitional stage, Ambassador Caron outlined four factors:

• Creativity. Japan has a highly esthetic culture that spurs creativity and is reflected in various areas and forms and it has been the strength in economic growth – e.g. industrial design, “anime”.
• Politics. Government’s ability to coalesce partisan differences in choosing a prime minister, who is more a national leader than simply a leader of the LDP. Also, “Yoshida Doctrine” of placing highest national priority on economic development is still in evidence.
• Response to the evolving international situation. Capitalize on the trends of international politics and situations to increase Japanese influence and standing. US-Japan relations are solid.
• History. Throughout its history, Japan has been highly responsive to changes - Japan can “turn the dime” if it has to.

Written by Grethe Liverud and Eiko Shaul

CJS Board of Directors Looking Forward to Another Great Year!

On May 29th, the Canada Japan Society held its 2008 Annual General Meeting at the elegant offices of McMillan. We would like to thank outgoing board members Lisa Houston, John Le Blanc and Eiko Shaul for their invaluable contribution to the CJS. Returning to the board for 2008 – 2009 are Linda Adachi, Atiq Ahmed, Ken Bole, Sonia Cardillo, Chi Diep, Jeff Harju, Fumiko Shiba and Don Waters. The CJS welcomes Grethe Liverud, Chris McGee and Chiyoko Tomii as new board members.

The board presented CJS’s financial statements, and highlighted some major events held over the past year. Returning president Ken Bole spoke to plans for the upcoming year, which promises to be another productive, activity-filled one for the CJS.

As usual, the “business” portion of the AGM was kept brief, with the attendees enjoying most of the evening with wine, Japanese food, and the wonderful company of fellow CJS members.