What We Have Done
Looking Back on the Achievements of the Last Forty Years (Digest Version)
Since its establishment in 1972, the Japan Foundation has introduced leading and established art and culture of the times, continuously developed programs to enrich Japanese-language education all over the world, and created numerous opportunities to exchange wisdom between Japan and other countries.
Note: The years described below indicate Japanese fiscal years (April to March).
- 1.Overview of the Japan Foundation
- 2.What We Do to Engage with People Throughout the World
- 3. How We Support People in Cultural Exchange
- 4.The Japan Foundation's Overseas Offices
- 5.What We Have Done / Looking Back on the Achievements of the Last Forty Years
- 6.How We Keep Step with You
1970's
- 1973
- Started Japan Foundation Fellowship Program
- 1973
- Established the Japan Foundation Awards
- 1973
- Commenced Training Program for Japanese Language Teachers Abroad
- 1974
- Started quarterly publication of Kokusai Koryu (International Exchange)
- 1974
- Published the first issue of An Introductory Bibliography for Japanese Studies
- 1975
- Released the first report of Survey on Japanese-language Education Abroad and found approximately 78,000 Japanese-language learners overseas
- 1975
- Held the first Noh theater performance in the Middle East
- 1977
- Invited French cultural anthropologist and ethnologist Claude Lévi-Strauss
- 1978
- Dispatched a sport team to six Asian countries for the first time, having gathered a total of 200,000
- 1979
- Sent a Kabuki troupe to China – the first cultural exchange project under governmental auspices
Andre Malraux, former Minister of Culture in France invited under the Japan Foundation Fellowship Extraordinary program (1974)
The first Asian Traditional Performing Arts (ATPA) exchange program (1976)
1980's
- 1983
- Started broadcasting of TV skits for Japanese-language learners Yan and the Japanese People overseas
- 1984
- Held the first Japanese-Language Proficiency Test overseas. Taken by 4,473 in 19 cities in 14 countries
- 1986
- Published English version of The Basic Japanese-English Dictionary, followed by multiple language versions
- 1986
- Exhibited "Japon des Avant Gardes 1910-1970" in France. Visited by 150,000
"The Great Japan Exhibition: Art of the Edo Period" as the main event of "Japan in London" (1981)
Training Programs for overseas teachers of the Japanese Language (1981)
1990's
- 1991
- Started Abe Fellowship Program
- 1993
- Published the first issue of Japanese Book News
- 1994
- Held performances of a triple production of Noh, Bunraku, and Kabuki versions of “Shunkan” in Europe
- 1995
- Exhibited "Asian Modernism: Diverse Development" in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand
- 1996
- Organized Japan Pavilion at the 6th Venice Architecture Biennale, having won the International Prize Golden Lion for the best national participation
- 1996
- Launched Asia Leadership Fellowship Program
- 1998
- Published English translation of Shiba Ryotaro's The Last Shougun: The Lite of Tokugawa Yoshinobu
The Southeast Asia Festival '92 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN (1992)
A theatrical production "Lear" with staff and cast from six Asian countries (1997)
2000's
- 2001
- Co-hosted the first Yokohama Triennale 2001
- 2002
- Launched "Future Leaders Forum: Japan-China-Korea"
- 2005
- Invited Afghanistan potters for peace-building through culture
- 2006
- Held a symposium and workshops "A Wild Haruki Chase: How the World Is Reading and Translating Murakami"
- 2006
- Launched Long-term Invitation Program for Chinese High School Students (Chinese text only)
- 2006
- Initiated Japan-US Dialogue for Cooperation in Reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina
- 2006
- Invited young designers from five countries in Asia and held a joint fashion show with Japanese students
- 2007
- Organized performing arts workshops for children in Aceh , Indonesia for peace-building through culture
- 2009
- Held the first-ever Bunraku performance in Russia
- 2009
- Found 3.6 million Japanese-language learners overseas
- 2010
- Released "JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education 2010"
- 2014
- Started the Asia Center Programs
"Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese.", first on TV in- and outside Japan (2006)