Fw: [SCMSL] Regarding the 2009 Tokyo Conference

Mon May 11 18:08:13 EDT 2009

Dear Kinejapaners,
As I found this in my spam-box ("URGENT MESSAGE" and exclamation marks, unfortunately, trigger spam filters), I thought I'd better forward it to the list.
Fingers crossed.
Roger
----- Original Message ----- 
From: SCMS Membership List 
To: scmsl at lists-cmstudies.org 
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 9:07 PM
Subject: [SCMSL] URGENT MESSAGE Regarding the 2009 Tokyo Conference!

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to you with news about our upcoming Tokyo conference that requires your immediate attention.  Please forward this announcement to anyone you know who is planning to attend the Tokyo conference.

With the advent of the H1N1 virus ("swine flu"), the Japanese government has issued a travel advisory and is aggressively monitoring the situation. Among the actions being taken are quarantines of anyone who appears to have symptoms of the flu. If a case were to emerge on your flight or among our membership at the conference, anyone who came into contact with an infected person may be quarantined. Quarantine can last up to ten days and you may be required to pay for medical attention if you show signs of being ill. Additional airline change fees may also apply if you were to become ill. On Saturday, three cases of the H1N1 flu were confirmed in Japan. 

Both the National Government and the Chiyoda District Government, where the Josai University-Kioichô Campus is located, have asked Josai to cancel the conference. The Josai University administration has resisted this request and has kindly negotiated conditions under which the conference can take place. These include the following:

1) To monitor the situation and inform conference participants of any outbreak, the government requires information regarding each participant's whereabouts, including hotel location and contact numbers during the conference and for ten days afterward. 

2) Conference participants will have their temperatures taken when they enter the conference each day. Those registering a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will be given an additional test to rule out the H1N1 virus. If the test is positive, there is a chance that conference participants, along with the infected individual, could be quarantined.

3) Participants will need to fill out a health declaration form each day of the conference. The declaration will ask about symptoms (including fever, nausea, dizziness, etc.) experienced during the past twenty-four hours. 

4) Participants will be required to wear surgical masks during the conference.

5) If the World Health Organization raises the alert level to phase 6 (either before or during the conference), or if a conference participant is found to have the H1N1 virus, then we will be required to cancel the conference. This could happen anytime up to and including the conference dates. Any potential financial costs resulting from quarantine and associated delays are the responsibility of the traveler; the Society is not responsible for these costs, and members traveling agree to incur them. 

Although the US Centers for Disease Control and various other health officials have determined that the H1N1 virus is much milder than was originally anticipated, we nevertheless need to alert you to the situation in Japan. We feel it is our responsibility to inform you to prepare for long airport delays and inconveniences, daily health screenings, and paperwork that travelers to Japan are currently experiencing. The cases of swine flu currently in Japan were brought in via air travel. All nonstop flights from the US and Canada will be boarded by health workers in bio-hazard suits and passengers on such flights will be monitored while on the plane for fever and other flu signs.

We ask that you let us know whether, under these conditions, you intend to attend the conference or not. Your response will enable us to determine whether or not the conference should take place. SCMS is unable to postpone or reschedule this event. Please let us know of your plans immediately and no later than 5:00 CST tomorrow, May 12, 2009 by clicking on the following link and responding to our survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Y5nh04W0KpjyzJ8mmEkkqQ_3d_3d.

If you decide to cancel your trip and inform us by 5:00pm CST tomorrow, SCMS will reimburse your registration fees. Those who choose not to attend the conference may wish to investigate their airline's particular cancellation and postponement terms and conditions. Many airlines charge a change fee but will allow travelers to change the terms of their tickets for up to a year.

If you decide to attend the conference, you must provide us with your contact information in Tokyo (and for ten days after the conference), and you must agree to the terms which Josai University has arranged with the Health Ministries, outlined above.

We ask for your understanding of these difficult circumstances, which are beyond the Society's control. 

Sincerely,

Patrice Petro

SCMS President

Debbie Rush

Account and Budget Rep III

Society for Cinema and Media Studies/Cinema Studies

640 Parrington Oval (Wallace Old Science Hall, Room 300)

Norman, OK 73019

Phone:  405-325-8075

Fax:  405-325-7135

Office Hours:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 12pm-5pm

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