News and Reports Archive

There has been a change in personnel here at the Japan Foundation, London Office with Tsuyoshi Takahashi returning to Tokyo and Kenichi Yanagisawa assuming the role of Director-General.  Please click here to read a farewell message from Takahashi-san and a welcome message from Yanagisawa-san.

Speak to the Future has just launched a campaign calling for everyone to learn 1,000 words of a foreign language – a level that will allow them to hold simple conversations in another tongue. The project is funded by the British Academy and Routes into Languages, and is backed by…

The application forms for the Japanese Studies Fellowship Programme 2014 have now been released.  To receive an application form or to learn more about the programme contact Hal Parker or visit the programme list on our Tokyo site. Application deadline: 2nd December, 2013. Please discuss your eligibility with the Japan Foundation before applying.  

From September 2014 it will be compulsory for all maintained primary schools in England to teach at least one foreign language from Key Stage 2. In response to this, the Japan Foundation, London is planning a series of workshops and events for our Primary Japanese Campaign 2014, to help prepare…

On September 6th 2013, 16 volunteers attended the third training day of 2013 for the Japan Foundation’s Japanese Taster for Schools (JTS) Programme, in which native and fluent Japanese speakers conduct free Japanese taster sessions in UK schools. After an overview for new volunteers about the Japan Foundation and the JTS…

From the 19th to the 23rd of August, 22 intermediate and 15 advanced speakers of Japanese joined the Japan Foundation’s language advisors to refresh their Japanese before the start of the new school year. This year’s attendees were non-native Japanese language teachers from a wide range of teaching backgrounds, from…

The National Curriculum reforms mean that from September 2014, it will be compulsory for primary schools maintained in England to teach a foreign language of their choosing to Key Stage 2 pupils. In response to this, the Japan Foundation have launched the Primary Japanese Campaign 2014, in order to support primary…

We are delighted to announce that from 1 September 2013, the library regulations will be changed to make it even easier for a greater number of people to benefit from our Japanese language education collection. Please click here to view the details of these changes (in Japanese and English) and…

We are delighted to announce that Marugoto Starter (A1), a brand new coursebook created by the Japan Foundation using  the JF Standard for Japanese Language Education, are available in the UK from September. Marugoto Starter (A1) is designed in such a way that Japanese language and culture can be studied…

Japanese language in primary education:The National Curriculum reforms mean that from September 2014, it will be compulsory for primary schools maintained in England to teach a foreign language of their choosing. In response to this, the Japan Foundation are developing a Japanese language education Scheme of Work and supporting materials…

A big thank you to the 2,000+ visitors who came to the Japan Foundation’s stand at the Hyper Japan on the 26th, 27th and 28th July 2013. HYPER JAPAN is the UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture, Japanese cuisine, and Japanese cool. The Japan Foundation London’s stand gave visitors a chance to find out…

On July 4th 2013, the Japan Foundation London Library was delighted to welcome ten pupils and two teachers from Newstead Wood School. The pupils were all in Year 9 and studying Japanese language. The Library and Resources Officer, Miho Takamura, told the pupils all about the library, using simple Japanese…