Pittsburgh Pirates interested in Japanese star Shohei Otani.

Via Japan Times.

The latest reports have Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani (大谷 翔平) leaving Japan after this season and joining a Major League team in 2018, with Pittsburgh able to offer him one of the largest initial signing bonuses. Pittsburgh was one of 13 teams scouting Otani in August, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Pittsburgh has had three Japanese players on its roster before---39-year-old pitcher Masumi Kuwata in 2007, infielder Akinori Iwamura in 2010, and relief pitcher Hisanori Takahashi in 2012---but has never signed a young Japanese player in the peak of his career.

Real estate company hiring Chinese-speaking site manager.

Aishel Real Estate is hiring a Mandarin-speaking site manager.

Job Description

- Manage all aspects of the leasing process including marketing, establishing initial contact with prospective tenants, scheduling appointments, processing applications, ensuring accurate preparation and completion of closing documents including lease agreements, ensuring move-in procedures are followed including collection of security deposits and first month’s rent.

- Responsible for ongoing resident relations, including addressing current resident requests, handling notices, collections, court filings, evictions.

WholeRen (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Chinese-speaking video editor.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) is hiring a Chinese-speaking video editor for a part-time position.

"Camp Konnichiwa" at Carnegie Library in Oakland, September 16, 23, and 30.

"Camp Konnichiwa" will return to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Oakland branch this month for the next three Saturdays.

Konnichiwa is a popular greeting in Japanese. Children will learn some words and songs in the Japanese language during this three-week program.

Each free session is thirty minutes long, from 11:30 am to 12:00 noon. It is presented by Miki Inokuchi of Japanese language assistant teacher at Shaler Area High school, Jayme Whaley of Japanese program volunteer facilitator at the Carnegie library East Liberty branch and many volunteers. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Main is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland.

Each session meets in the Children's room and is free and open to the public. The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map) and is accessible by buses 28X, 54, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D, and 93.

Taolu For Tots fundraiser for Children's Hospital, September 30 and October 1 at Pitt.

The Pitt Wushu club will host Taolu For Tots, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, on September 30 and October 1 at the University of Pittsburgh's William Pitt Union.

Have you always wanted to try wushu, but never seemed to have the time? Afraid that your inflexibility will keep you from being a Kung fu master? Want to do something fun for the whole club?

Never fear! Pitt Wushu is hosting TAOLU FOR TOTS, a joint charity workshop for which the entry "fee" is a donation to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh: a new, unused stuffed animal or children's toy. The team that brings the most donations wins a special prize!

Bring your student organization for a fun day of Chinese martial arts, team-bonding, and all for a great cause.

Workshops include taichi, Drunken Fist, and other super fun things! Come for Saturday morning, afternoon, or Sunday-- or come for as many as you can make!

The required registration is done online.

City of Pittsburgh to engage and inform Chinese-speaking residents (among others) through new Multicultural Liaison Unit.

The City of Pittsburgh announced Monday it will launch a Multicultural Liaison Unit

to help build trustworthy and sustainable relationships between Department of Public Safety workers and members of the city's immigrant and refugee communities.

The unit will translate police, fire and medic materials into several foreign languages, hold educational events for immigrant communities, and provide multicultural training for Public Safety recruits.

One of the five foreign languages identified is Chinese. The new unit will focus on three areas: Communication and Language Access, Outreach and Education, and Multicultural Trainings.

The full press release is available at the City of Pittsburgh's website.

2017 Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival, September 16 through 24.

The 2017 Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival will run from September 16 through 24 at several Pittsburgh-area theaters. This year's iteration includes selections from Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Philippines.

2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) in Pittsburgh, October 22.

The 2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on October 22. A synopsis of the film, opening in the US on October 20, from the distributor:

A deaf elementary school girl, Shoko Nishimiya, upon transferring, meets a boy named Shoya Ishida in her new class. Shoya, who is not deaf, leads the class in bullying Shoko, because she is deaf. As the bullying continues, the class starts to bully Shoya for bullying Shoko. After graduating from elementary school, Shoko and Shoya do not speak to each other… until later, when Shoya, tormented over his past, decides he must see Shoko once more. Shoya wants to make amends for what he did in elementary school and be Shoko’s friend.

The movie will play at 2:00 pm and tickets are currently available online. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

Pitt still hiring Assistant Instructor of Korean.

The University of Pittsburgh reposted for a second time its job ad for an Assistant Instructor of Korean.

English/Korean Language Social Hour September 13 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the English Language Institute will present an English/Korean Language Social Hour on September 13, as a way to bring together Korean ESL students and Pitt students learning Korean. It runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map), and will feature ELI students from Chosun University (조선대학교) in Gwangju, South Korea. Refreshments will be provided, and the Social Hour is free and open to the public.