The Japan Center at IU Southeast is a resource that few on campus are aware of but provides services that help to connect and promote understanding between two distinct but increasingly intertwined cultures.
Established in 1988 as the Japanese Cultural Center, the Japan Center works to establish “cooperation and understanding” between the American and Japanese cultures, and does so by offering a variety of services for students, families and businesses, according to its Web site.
The Japan Center participates in area festivals, gives cultural presentations at schools, helps teachers who are interesting in teaching Japanese cultures, organizes its Japanese Saturday School program, and acts as a connection for Japanese families new to the area to become acquainted with the culture.
Though a part of the Division of Continuing Studies and headquartered in Knobview Hall, the Japan Center extends the reach of its services to the entire local community.
Keiko Kuwabara, the Japan Center’s coordinator since 1997, said the undertaking of the center is two-fold.
“Our mission is to be a bridge between two cultures, and to try to share Japanese culture with others,” she said.
The center does this through Kuwabara’s services as coordinator of events, organizer of the Japanese Saturday School, and as a liaison between local businesses and schools, and the local Japanese population.
“For the Japanese community, I try to give good information about living and being comfortable here,” Kuwabara said.
Helping to serve the local Japanese community overcome the cultural differences they face upon moving to the United States, Kuwabara said the obstacle they find most challenging is the language, where her services as a translator are useful.
“Language is the most difficult part, and since education is already important to these parents, is can be hard for them to communicate with teachers,” Kuwabara said.
“If there has been a misunderstanding between teachers and parents, I can help translate for them,” she said.
One of the larger projects of the center, the Japanese Saturday School, is a program that helps Japanese students to maintain their Japanese language skills while learning reading, writing, social studies and mathematics for ages pre-kindergarten through ninth grade.
With 38 students and 12 teachers, the goal of the Japanese Saturday School is, Kuwabara said, to prepare Japanese students for the return to their home country.
“Kids going back to Japan in the future to Japanese schools need to maintain their culture and language skills,” Kuwabara said.
Though the Japan Center offers many helpful services, due to funding cutbacks, the center can no longer provide as much to the community, Kuwabara said.
When the already small staff of three was whittled down to only her, Kuwabara said she has felt the change, especially when it comes to the capability of the Japan Center to host events, which is now nearly impossible.
“We used to have more staff and more events,” Kuwabara said. “I would like to do more, but as long as I’m here by myself I can’t do that.”
Still, Kuwabara said she has hopes funding will return but is still able to apply herself to many areas of service without a staff.
“I hope that things get better, so we can hire more and do more, but even though we can’t have big events, I’m able to do things here and there,” Kuwabara said.
As Kuwabara continues much of the center’s work alone, she said she knows that few students on the IUS campus are aware of the Japan Center’s presence, which is something she would like to change.
“[Students] can come and ask me any question related to Japan or for help with research about Japan at any time,” Kuwabara said.
By AMY FAULHABER
Staff Writer
amfaulha@ius.edu