Faculty Biographies
A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z   All Faculty
Australia    Guam    Japan    Korea    Kwajalein    Okinawa    Singapore    Thailand    All Areas
ACCT ANTH ASTD ASTR BEHS BIOL BMGT CCJS CHIN CMIS CMST ECON EDUC ENGL GEOG GEOL GVPT HIST HMLS HRMN HUMN IFSM JAPN KORN LANG LIBS MATH MGST MRKT NSCI NUTR PHIL PHYS PSYC SOCY SPCH STAT THET All Disciplines

Discipline: JAPN

Marcia Allen
Location: Distance Education
Ms. Marcia Allen received her B.A. in English with a minor in Asian Studies from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She has taught English composition, literature, and Japanese literature for the University of Maryland University College in the Asia Asian Division She has co-authored an English textbook called Write Into the Future for Japanese high school students as well as created a software product called Marcia Allen's TOEIC Preparation Course. Ms. Allen currently teaches courses in the UMUC distance education program
Christopher Ames
Location: Japan
Dr. Ames earned his B.A. in philosophy from Allegheny College and his M.A. in East Asian studies from the University of Pittsburgh. He received his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of Michigan. Dr. Ames has completed graduate work and certificates in Japanese studies, public administration, managerial economics, and communication, and has completed professional training in a U.S. Government Public Affairs Officer's Course and a Simultaneous Interpretation Course in Okinawa. He has served for several years as Chief of Media Relations with the U.S. Air Force in Okinawa. His publications include articles on Japanese film and on Okinawan history, culture, and education. He has received various fellowships to support his research, including a Fulbright Fellowship for research in Okinawa and has served as a researcher at the Institute for Research in Humanities at Kyoto University. He joined the UMUC Asia faculty in 1999 and has taught courses in Asian studies, history, and sociology all over Okinawa, and more recently primarily in the distance education program. Dr. Ames assumed his current position as the Japan area director in July 2007.
Kisho Azama
Location: Okinawa
Mr. Azama received his B.S. in law from Chuo University and went on to earn both a B.S. and M.S. in political science from Utah State University. He has taken additional graduate work toward the doctorate. Mr. Azama has taught for Los Angeles Community Colleges, the U.S. Army Education Centers in Okinawa, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of the Ryukyus, offering courses in areas including Japanese language and culture, American government, and international political relations. He has contributed to various publications, including a full section in an encyclopedia of political parties in Asia and the Pacific published by Greenwood Press. Mr. Azama joined the UMUC faculty in 1988 and has taught in Okinawa and in the distance education program.
Yuko Brubaker
Location: Distance Education
Ms. Brubaker earned her bachelor's degree from Seijo University in Tokyo and a graduate-level certificate in teaching Japanese as a second language sponsored by the city of Fukuoka in Kyushu. In addition, she successfully completed a simultaneous translation program at the Language Laboratory of Inoue (Fukuoka). Before joining the UMUC Asia faculty in 1998, Ms. Brubaker taught Japanese language for the Sony Corporation and for language institutes in Nagasaki and Taipei, as well as serving as a translator for an international economic conference in Japan. In 1995 the Japanese Ministry of Education awarded her the Takase prize for her work in teaching and translating.
Asuka Dow
Location: Japan
Ms. Hojo-Vanderhyde received her B.A. in French Studies from Seinan Gakuin University and her M.A. in East Asian Studies, with specialization in Japanese Language Pedagogy, from the University of Toronto. She also studied linguistics at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Ms. Hojo-Vanderhyde taught Seinan Gakuin University, the University of Toronto, McMaster University and North York Heritage School. She also has professional experience as an instructor of English working with both adults and children, and as a translator and interpreter. She joined the UMUC Asia faculty in 2005 and has taught in the Tokyo area and in Sasebo.
Hiromi Edwards
Location: Japan
Mrs. Edwards earned her B.A. in Asian Studies from University of Maryland University College and her M.Ed. in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland, College Park, in the program offered in Okinawa and administered by UMUC. She has taught Japanese for UMUC at Iwakuni since 1999. Ms. Edwards is a member of the American Psychological Association, the National Council on Family Relations, and the Okinawa Psychology Association.
Asao Fukuyama
Location: Japan
Mr. Fukuyama received his B.A. in English and education from the University of the Ryukyus and took graduate work in business administration at Michigan State University. He holds a California community college teaching credential as well as a Government of the Ryukyus teaching certification for secondary-level English, and taught in the Department of Defense Dependents Schools. Mr. Fukuyama has several years of experience in the business world as a hotel manager, training coordinator, sales manager, and English teacher, and served as a personnel specialist for U.S. Air Force and Army civilian personnel offices. Before joining UMUC he taught for Los Angeles Metropolitan College in Okinawa. He joined the UMUC Asia faculty in 1984 and has taught courses in Japanese language and culture regularly since then at locations throughout Okinawa.
Elden Johnson
Location: Japan
Mr. Johnson earned a B.S. in transportation from the University of Baltimore, a B.A. in history from Sophia University, and an M.A. in international affairs, also from Sophia University. The title of his master's thesis is ¿Katsu Kaishu and Saigo Takamori in the Meiji Restoration.¿ Mr. Johnson served as a traffic manager for the U.S. Navy for a number of years. He is an active member of the educational community and has presented lectures in Japanese. His principal area of interest is modern Japanese history. Mr. Johnson has taught at Sophia University, and has taught with UMUC since 1970, primarily in the Tokyo area, and also in the UMUC distance education program. Since 1990 he has served as a UMUC academic advisor, working closely with students and planning and coordinating with Education Center Staff.
Yasushi Kakuta
Location: Japan
Mr. Kakuta began teaching with UMUC Asia in 1987, after a successful career as an officer in the Japanese Air Self Defense Force. He earned his bachelor's degree at the National University of Utsunomiya and holds several certificates in meteorology and languages from Japanese service schools. One of his primary responsibilities in the military was to conduct classes for both Japanese and American officers and he was often called upon to play a key part in assisting the latter in learning the language and culture of Japan. Mr. Kakuta has taught at Misawa since joining the UMUC faculty.
Akiko Kanai
Location: Japan
Ms. Kanai earned her bachelor's degree in English literature from Kyoritsu Women's University in Tokyo, Japan, and received a certificate in the teaching of Japanese as a foreign language from the International Education Training School in Tokyo. She completed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test, authorized by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, and administered by the Association of International Education. Ms. Kanai is a member of The Society for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language in Tokyo, Japan. She has been teaching for UMUC Asia in the Tokyo area since 1989.
Yoko Kmetz
Location: Japan
Ms. Kmetz has been teaching Japanese language for UMUC at Misawa since 1980. In addition to her experience with UMUC, Ms. Kmetz has taught at Misawa American High School and at the Sollars Elementary School on Misawa Air Base, and has carried out a number of language programs for various military commands. She collaborated on a book entitled Exploring Tohoku and has translated several works into Japanese and English for the city of Misawa. She holds her bachelor's degree from Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo.
Lisa Mathews
Location: Distance Education
Ms. Mathews earned an M.A. in Asian Studies from Cornell University and a B.A. in history and Asian studies from Grinnell College. Her degree program at Grinnell included a year of study at Waseda University in Tokyo. Ms. Mathews has been a research fellow at the Ryukyu University on Okinawa and has worked as a translator and cross-cultural management consultant. She has published in Okinawa Minzoku Kenkyu (in Japanese) and also in Studies in Continuing Education.
Momoe Miyagi
Location: Okinawa
Ms. Miyagi holds a Master of Distance Education degree from the University of Maryland University College Graduate School and earlier earned a B.S. in business and management from UMUC. Her first baccalaureate was a B.S. in health sciences from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa. She also studied in the United States where she earned an A.S. degree in respiratory therapy from Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. She holds a certification in Japanese language instruction from the International Language Center. Ms. Miyagi has worked as a medical technologist in Okinawa, a respiratory therapist in Tucson, Arizona, and as an instructor in the U.S. Army Head Start Program. She joined the UMUC faculty in 1986 and has taught a wide range of courses in Japanese language and culture in Okinawa, as well as in UMUC's online distance education programs. Ms Miyagi is involved in community activities and is a member of the board of directors of the Okinawa Prefecture UNESCO Association.
Yoko Morimoto
Location: Guam
Ms. Yoko Morimoto took her BA in Japenese literature and education from Tezukayama Gakuin University and her MEd in education from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been teaching Japanese at the secondary and university levels for over ten years. Ms. Morimoto joined UMUC Asia in 2008.
Hiroyuki Nishikawa
Location: Japan
Mr. Nishikawa received his bachelor's degree in language and literature education from Waseda University in Tokyo. He has worked in special language programs for the city of Hachinohe, Japan, and is currently teaching in Hachinohe Technical High School in the same city. He has been teaching for UMUC at Misawa Air Base since 1986. Mr. Nishikawa has been recognized by the city of Hachinohe for his major contributions to cultural understanding and by Misawa Air Base commanders for building cultural bridges between the military and the local community. He has completed several seminars and workshops in language teaching.
Noriko Tanabe
Location: Japan
Ms. Tanabe earned her bachelor's degree in language and literature from the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo, Japan, and received a certificate in the teaching of Japanese from Kokusai Kaiwa Gakuin, also in Tokyo. She began teaching with the Asian Division in 1989 after conducting Japanese language classes at the Tokyo Culture Center and for officers and enlisted personnel at Yokosuka Naval Base. Ms. Tanabe also has experience in teaching Japanese life and culture to members of the Yokosuka military community through base-sponsored programs.
Thomas Thompson
Location: Japan
Mr. Thompson received his B.A. in political science and economics from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and his M.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of Washington at Seattle, where his master's thesis dealt with the Soviet Union and Japanese foreign policy. Subsequently he took additional graduate work in political science at the University of Washington. While a graduate student he was able to spend considerable time in Japan conducting research, and also gained teaching experience at the University of Washington. Mr. Thompson joined the Asian Division faculty in 1981 and has taught in Midway Island, Misawa, Iwakuni, Korea, and Okinawa, and for an extended period in the Tokyo area.