Benesse America Toys Target U.S. Kids and Busy Parents

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［English Edition］
週刊NY生活　SHUKAN NEW YORK SEIKATSU
2012年（平成24年）7月14日（土）
NYクール日本
COOL JAPAN from New Yorkers’ Viewpoints
Japanese Government Delegation
Aims to Employ at U.N.
Over 40 overseas students sat
together on July 2, listening
intently to a guidance session by
the Permanent Mission of Japan
to the United Nations titled
“Applying to the U.N.” The meeting is part of an effort to increase
Japanese staff working in international organizations.
Compared to other United
Nations signatory nations, the
number of Japanese staff in international organizations continues
to be far below the desirable number commensurate with Japan’s
financial contributions to the
United Nations. For instance, only
65 of those working at the New
York United Nations SecretaryGeneral office are Japanese (the
delegation wants between 202 and
273). Japanese nationals number
770 of 30,000 workers in international organizations. As basic job
details and recruitment processes
are not widely known to Japanese
nationals, it is imperative to publicize efforts to inspire young
adults to work in the international
arena.
The guidance session targeted
individuals interested in working
at the United Nations, providing
job-hunting methods and remarks
by current workers. After a greeting by Akira Sugiyama, a U.N.
official, staff members from the
Permanent Mission of Japan and
U.N. workers gave a presentation.
The United Nations Young
Professional Program (currently
accepting applications) has an
annual test held to screen future
United Nations employees.
Candidates who pass the annual
employment examination could
be offered a two-year intern position. Those workers who demonstrate excellent performance in
their initial appointment will be
assigned new positions, giving
them the opportunity to work for
five years in at least two different
locations and fields.
Applications will be accepted
from July 13 to September 12.
The written examination will be
administered on December 5.
Japanese citizens age 32 or
younger fluent in English or
French are welcome to apply. For
further information, visit the
Recruitment
Center
for
International Organizations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web
site (www.mofa-irc.go.jp/apply).
(Ryoichi Miura; Translated by
Kazuya Machida)
Sequoyah Aono’s Outdoor Woman
Greets Riverside Park Visitors
In Riverside Park at 61st St, a
woman of stone and metal looks
serenely out on the Hudson
River. The sculpture, “Watching
Benesse America Toys Target
U.S. Kids and Busy Parents
On June 20, Benesse America
launched their new children’s toy,
WonderMind, a sensory learning
system for young children.
Yuka Fujiwara, Benesse’s chief
editor, explained the goals for the
product: “American mothers are
extremely busy, so we emphasized ways that busy parents can
spend quality time with their children, while still effectively teaching through play in a little amount
of time.”
The WonderMind products,
geared for the ages of one to five
(priced at $29.99), engage all the
senses to teach colors, shapes,
and how to read a clock. The system includes a DVD, activity
books, educational toys, and a
plush doll. The tiger Shimajiro,
the company’s popular character,
was renamed “Teegy” for the
United States. This special and
limited set (only 5,000 available)
is on sale until the end of August.
Since its launch in 1988, more
than 20% of Japanese families
with children have come to love
Kodomo Challenge, a subscription-based teaching system by
Benesse. WonderMind products
will likely also be useful to
Japanese children in the United
States as an educational teaching
tool. Conversely, they may do
well in Japan as gifts.
For inquiries, call 855-8883349 or visit WonderMind at
www.wondermindkids.com.
Their Facebook extension is
/WonderMindKids. Twitter:
@WonderMindKids. (Ryoichi
Miura; Translated by Yo Shin)
Upon the Present,” is by
Sequoyah Aono, a Japanese artist
and one of seven students in the
Art Students League’s Model to
Monument project, sponsored by
the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
and the Aldyn condominium
building. It will stay in the park
until May 2013.
Mr. Aono’s sculpted woman is
170cm tall and crafted of marble,
aluminum, and stainless steel.
Parts of her face and arm have
mosaic marble stone inlays treated with resin. The large-scale
sculptures are located throughout
Riverside Park South between
61st and 69th Streets.
Mr. Aono expressed his hopes
for the work, saying, “I hope it
gives visitors a smile and
becomes a welcoming sight in
the park.” (Yukiko Takada;
Photo by Maria Niro; Translated
by Tomoko Isshiki)
NY COOL JAPAN is the English Edition of SHUKAN NY SEIKATSU
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Editor in Chief: Ryoichi Miura, Associate Editor: Paul Benson, Editor: Makiko Kinoto
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