We would like to offer our sincere congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the Japan Foundation Awards.

Our Asian Students Cultural Association (which became a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation in 2014) was awarded a Japan Foundation Special Prize in 1975, three years after the inauguration of the Japan Foundation Awards. Our organization’s work involved simple and steady activities: managing dormitories in which young students from Japan, Asia, and other areas fostered friendships through self-governed communal living. I have heard that, at the time, there was bewilderment as to whether we deserved to receive a Special Prize at all. Following this, over the last 50 years, as the activities of organizations related to international students in Japan and overseas have gathered attention, and several organizations have received the Japan Foundation Awards and Special Prizes, it could be said that we were the vanguard, and if that is the case, it is a tremendous honor. Thanks to your assistance, we are now striving to cooperate with relevant organizations in Japan and overseas, and have even expanded into Japanese-language education services, support services for the internationalization of higher education, services providing information about studying in Japan, and more. These outcomes were partially achieved as a result of receiving the Special Prize from the Japan Foundation, and we thank you once again for this.

In our current society, the development of the economy and technology has led to extremely strong bonds that transcend national boundaries in all kinds of fields, and it has thus created a boom in human movement. On the other hand, this has resulted in new and complex divisions and conflicts, and, unfortunately, international confrontations and strife continue. At such a time, I believe that we must strengthen our soft power: persistent cultural exchange that connects people across national boundaries. As we encourage international understanding and aim for world peace, I wish wholeheartedly for the growth of the Japan Foundation and the Japan Foundation Awards may help us to achieve this.

SHIRAISHI Katsumi
Director-General
The Asian Students Cultural Association

(Original text in Japanese)

Awards and Special Prizes: Recipients List 1973 - 1995