The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents
Writing News on Japan: With Journalist Elaine Lies

Time: Tuesday, June 23, 2009,

7:00-9:00 p.m.

7:30-9:30 p.m.
Dinner 7:30-8:00; Talk 8:15-9:30 p.m.
(Please note the time change)
Place: Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (go here for a map)
Fee: Dinner and Talk ¥5,000; Talk only ¥2,000
(same for members and non-members)
Reservations required by June 19; email SWET events, or fax 03-3430-1740

Whether geisha or anime, samurai or electronics, Japan still remains a fascinating place for much of the world, and papers will pay for stories. As a 20-year resident of Japan who has been writing about the country for most of that time, both freelance and as a reporter for Reuters news agency, Elaine Lies has a few ideas about what kinds of stories will work, as well as those that might not.

Topics to be addressed include:
*Stereotypes—do you play into them or not, and how much?
*Ideas and where to find them, or, what can your local supermarket tell you.
*Flavor of the month
*Politics: to do, or not to do, that is a question
*Is Japan still relevant?

Elaine Lies studied Asian Studies at Cornell and UC Berkeley before coming to Japan, where she has lived in the rural north as well as in Tokyo. With experience as a general news reporter covering earthquakes, prime ministers, anime, whaling, and just about anything else you can imagine, she has stories to tell and perspectives to share.