Events & Programmes Archive

We are proud to support this significant event that commemorates the 80th anniversary of VJ day at The University of Westminster.   This symposium brings together social scientists, activists and practitioners of Second World-War-related studies involving the UK and Japan, to reflect on the legacies of the Second World War and explore ideas of memory, reconciliation, peace and international cooperation.  This event is open to the public, and free to attend in-person and online. Date: Tuesday 6 May, 9:30am - 6pmVenue: Portland Hall, 4-12 Little Titchfield Street, University of Westminster. Livestreaming available.   For full details and to register for the event: Click here.

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here Are you considering applying for funding but aren’t sure about how to go about it? Do you have a project in mind but aren’t sure if it’s eligible? We would strongly recommend that you sign up to take part in our Online Seminar and Q&A session. During this half-hour session, a member of our staff will talk participants through the application process, and then open the floor to questions and answers. We want to make sure the application process is as easy-to-understand as possible. This session will be held twice on 1st May 2025 (Thur) 1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30 2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30 We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session. Attendance is free but booking is essential. If you would like to take part, please sign up 29th April (Tue). This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer. Fill out the application form here  

Institutions can apply for up to £2500 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. Please see the attached documents at the bottom of this page for more detailed information. We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories: Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum Up to £2,500 for projects that promote the introduction of Japanese into the curriculum (or onto the main school timetable) at primary and secondary schools. This grant covers staff costs and the cost of Japanese language books. Projects may take place online or offline. Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses Up to £2,500 for projects that support GCSE or A-level courses. Particularly, if schools/organisations require support to ensure a large number of candidates are able to take formal qualifications in Japanese, they will be able to maintain their project by re-applying the following year. This means organisations will be able to apply for up to a total of £5,000 over two years. (Please note that we do not supplement the salary of teacher(s) already hired by the applying organisation.) Covers staff costs and costs of Japanese language books. Projects may take place online or offline. Category 3 – New Japanese clubs Up to £2,000 for organisations that newly introduce Japanese as an extracurricular activity or enrichment subject. In the case of schools, this is even if this is not within the school timetable. Covers staff cost, Japanese language book cost, some costs for items contributing to Japanese language learning, such as origami and calligraphy materials. Clubs may take place online or offline. Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education Up to £2,500 for projects that strengthen connections between secondary institutions and institutions of higher education and create and/or strengthen networks among pupils, students, and teachers for the purpose of helping to promote Japanese language education in the UK. These projects can be aimed at both potential learners of Japanese and people who already are learning Japanese. This is a recently added category, so please contact us if you have any questions or would like to apply but are unsure as to whether your project is suitable. These projects may take place online or offline. Application deadline: 15th May 2025, 23:59 (Thursday) General Information document LPSP 2025-2026 Grant Flowchart Grant Application Form (Spring 2025) We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.   If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.   Related Event!   Click here to find out about our seminar for potential applications for the Local Project Support Programme!    

Justice (along with the closely-aligned concept of fairness) is one of the fundamental rights of the human being. Sadly though, history and current affairs prove that this right is not always available to all, causing unresolved issues in society. Many creators have expressed themselves through the arts in response to these issues, and cinema is no exception. In Japan KORE-EDA Hirokazu stormed the world with his breath-taking social film Nobody Knows, but, as seen in the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025 (JFTFP25), he was not the last or even the first to bring social voices into films. But what is it that inspires filmmakers to explore the concepts of criminal, social and moral justice in their cinematic narratives, and can films contribute to a public refocusing on the problems citizens might have long turned a blind eye to? Reflecting the theme of the JFTFP25, Am I Right? Justice, Justification and Judgement, and focusing on non-documentary films, a panel of five film professionals from Japan and the UK will discuss how cinema now and then corresponds to the world we live in, while contemplating the role of cinema in changing society.

Three childhood friends now find themselves in their 50s. When one of them stops answering the phone after a break-up with her boyfriend, the others decide to pay a visit to her apartment. Upon their arrival, they discover the place is full to the brim with clutter, and in a comically escalating (yet ultimately fruitless) attempt to create order from this chaos, they lay bare the messes that have been building up within their own lives... Featuring a new translation, these readings of leading female playwright NAGAI Ai's ambitious best-seller Women Who Want To Tidy Up mark the first ever British takes on this laugh-out-loud script, exploring relationships, hoarding, aging, menopause, and many more issues most women will relate to at some point in their lives. Directed by Ria Parry, each of these readings in Oxford and London will also be followed by a post-performance talk with NAGAI Ai herself!

Marking the 14th anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster, this event brings together academics and artists who have studied or documented the tragedy and its aftermath, to explore the cultural, social and emotional impacts of man-made disasters.

We are very proud to support this event, 'Lafcadio Hearn's Japan: from Enchantment to Intercultural Understanding', hosted by Trinity College Dublin's Centre for Asian Studies. This is a one-day academic workshop honouring the life and works of Hearn, recognising him as a person dedicated to understanding across cultures, ambitious in his rejection of bigotry, and sensitive to Japanese life and ethics despite their contrast to the West. Speakers include prominent scholars, diplomats, and politicians from Ireland, Japan, Britain and the USA, including Professor Bon Koizumi, descendent of Lafcadio Hearn. This event is free to attend, but registration is essential. Further details, including the workshop schedule and registration, can be found here: https://www.tcd.ie/Asian/events/tcd-Event-Lafcadio-Hearn/ For more details please contact Dr Lijing Peng (pengl@tcd.ie) or Professor Nathan Hill (nathan.hill@tcd.ie).

We are delighted to announce that the Finals Day of the 20th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students will take place on Saturday 1st March 2025 at Great Hall, King's College London. This contest has been held annually since 2006, and this year is the contest’s 20th anniversary. On the Finals Day, finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges. Join us and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say. Everyone is welcome! Finalists will speak on a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to: the challenges and future of teaching English as a common language used by diverse speakers, Japan's new graduate recruitment system, and Japanese whaling. This event is free to attend but prior booking via Eventbrite is required. Title: The 20th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students, Finals Day Date & Time: Saturday, 1st March 2025   1pm – 6pm (TBC) Venue: Great Hall, King’s College London (Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R 2LS) Maximum capacity: 150 people (spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended) Fee: Free to attend but prior booking is required. Language: Speeches and presentations will be given in Japanese. Speech summaries and abstracts of presentations will be made available in English. Deadline for Registration: Tuesday, 25th February 2025 at 1pm (GMT) Book here Enquiries: speechcontest@jpf.go.jp Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and                      The Japan Foundation, London   This event is supported by (in alphabetical order): British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS), Central Japan Railway Company, Clearspring, Connect Job, Eikoku News Digest Ltd, E’quipe Japan, Ltd., Globe-Trotter, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Airlines, Japan Association in the UK, Japan Centre, JP BOOKS, Nikkei Europe Limited, Ningyocho IMAHAN, Regions, Ricoh UK Limited, Uniqlo Europe Ltd.

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with London Metropolitan University's Centre for Creative Arts, Cultures & Engagement (CREATURE) as they present this insightful roundtable discussion exploring the intersection of film and fabric within a Japanese context. Moderated by Professor Wessie Ling, Rachal Bradley, Dr Nicolas Cambridge, Dr Nathalie Khan, and Professor NARUMI Hiroshi will examine the connections and exchanges between the textile history of northwest England and the Japanese avant-garde fashion of Yohji YAMAMOTO, KAWAKUBO Rei, and Issey MIYAKE, seeking to understand fashion on film as a broader register of cultural exchange and to investigate how subcultures emerge. The discussion is centred around the ongoing work of Rachal Bradley's feature-length non-fiction film, FOLD襞, which is scheduled for national and international distribution in late 2025. The film takes an anthropological look at these iconic Japanese avant-garde fashion designers, and explores how their work resonates beyond Japan, particularly in the northwest of England.

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with theatre company Vanishing Point as their production of Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey, based on the surreal stories by MURAKAMI Haruki and co-produced by Kanagawa Arts Theatre, tours Scotland. Mizuki is a young woman whose life, job, and husband all seem ordinary, until one day she forgets her name. Disturbed by deepening consequences, she seeks solace in makeshift counsellor Mrs SAKAKI, who leads the two on a journey of discovery through both the tunnels of Tokyo and the annals of SAKAKI's subconscious.Bathing amidst the mountains of Japan, a traveller is shocked to discover a talking monkey tending the hot spring. Conversation ensues, and the monkey tells of how he learned ‘human language’, came to appreciate the music of Bruckner and Richard Strauss, and now teeters on the edge of a profound, alarming confession. Featuring performers from Scotland and Japan, human and puppet monkeys, lurking shadows, stunning sound, and a distinctive visual language, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey will draw you into the inimitable, dream-like domain of one of the world’s best-loved living authors. Performed in English and Japanese, with full dialogue captioning built into the stage design.

Calling all secondary school and language school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a seventh Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on resources or exams, and more. The theme this time is: Cultivating Speaking Skills: Effective Teaching Methods to Improve Students’ Speech - Discussing GCSE Speaking and Sample Videos - Foreign language learners must interact with people for various purposes and in various circumstances, and so it is necessary that they have effective communication skills. But how do we increase the speaking skills of learners? How can we teach to improve their speech? During this Konshinkai, we will discuss GCSE speaking exams by watching sample videos. We will also talk together about how to improve learners’ speech skills, in order to deepen our understanding of “cultivating speaking skills”, while discussing effective teaching methods and actual practice. We will also try to conduct a roleplay of speaking exams. About the speakers Mrs Ikuyo Miyamura Ikuyo currently teaches Japanese at Wycombe Abbey and In Toto Ed, with 20 years of experience in language instruction for both young and adult learners in Japan and the UK. Her expertise also includes roles as an educational coordinator, research associate, and director and examiner for language certification exams. Ms Rihae Yuh Rihae has been teaching in Bristol since 1997 in a variety of settings, teaching at the University of Bristol, the University of the West of England, the City of Bristol College and Clifton College before founding YU Japanese Language School, offering evening course to adult learners, and organised with Ms Yuko Hasegawa. Currently, Rihae is teaching Japanese children at the Japanese School in Wales, based in Cardiff, while also giving language instruction to pupils at GCSE and A-Level at Badminton School. Mr Alan Greaves Alan Greaves spoke no Japanese when he arrived on Iki island on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in 1992. He loved Nagasaki prefecture and stayed for 5 years. After working for Honda using his new-found Japanese language skills, he returned to teaching in U.K. schools from 2008 and has been at Charters Comprehensive in Ascot since 2020. He has inspired a love of Japanese culture and language through extra-curricular clubs and courses, days out to Japanese events such as Club Taishikan & Japan Matsuri, and most recently helped organise a school trip to Japan in 2024. Date: 21st February 2025 (Friday), 15:30 - 17:30 (GMT), 17:30 - 18:00* *17:30 - 18:00 (Participants are welcome to stay beyond the end of the seminar to ask questions, exchange exam information, network and so on.) To apply, please click here: https://forms.office.com/r/sagpY94waz Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.) Registration Deadline: 16th February Languages used: English/Japanese (PowerPoint slides and resources will be shown in English.) You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below: It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources. I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information. I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!

Five Japan Foundation offices in Europe are co-hosting an online seminar. The keyword for this seminar is: ‘Engagement’! Professor Suzuki Akiyoshi from Nagasaki University Graduate School will give a presentation entitled ‘“Numaru” Foreign Language Lessons – Design, Tips and Tricks’. ------------------------------------------------- Theme: “Numaru” Foreign Language Lessons – Design, Tips and Tricks Date and Time: Friday 21st February 2025, 10am – 12pm CET (Spanish Time) Lecturer: Professor Suzuki Akiyoshi, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Global Humanities and Social Sciences Co-organisers: Japan Foundation Europe offices (Japan Foundation London, Japan Foundation Cologne, Japan Foundation Paris, Japan Foundation Budapest) Format: Online (ZOOM) The seminar is intended for Japanese teachers residing in Europe, although those from other regions are welcome! ------------------------------------------------- Message from the lecturer: Instead of telling yourself “Just do it!” for motivation, finding meaning and immersing yourself through ‘engagement’ is gaining traction. What are the essentials when stimulating engagement and ensuring long-term and short-term engagement? Let’s reflect together about the key points of engagement and classroom strategies, and how to implement them in foreign language lessons. ------------------------------------------------- Application: Register here! (Deadline: Sunday 9th February 2025) Enquiries: The Japan Foundation, Madrid: nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp We look forward to receiving everyone’s applications!