The Activities of the Japan Foundation

The Japan Foundation Asia Center
Arts and Cultural Exchange Programs

Asia Center promotes exchange programs among the people of Asia in a wide range of fields such as art, films, performing arts, sports, grassroots exchange and intellectual exchange. We create a new Asian culture together through interaction, collaboration, and respect for diversity and people's identity.

Condition Report
The Breathing of Maps

The Breathing of Maps was held at Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media (YCAM), based on the past achievements of "Condition Report," a multiyear collaborative art project by curators, aiming to further strengthen the network among the new generation of the Southeast Asian and Japanese art scene.

(c) Photo: Yasuhiro Tani
Courtesy of Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM]

International Collaboration in Performing Arts

Among the number of collaborative projects in the performance field, there were two major productions that achieved significant results with their world premieres in FY2018, following a creative process that lasted several years. Pratthana – A Portrait of Possession, based on the novel of Uthis Haemamool, was staged with script/direction by Toshiki Okada and scenography by Yuya Tsukahara, together with artists and staff from Japan and Thailand. It won the Best Theater Production Award issued by the Thai Critics Association. Dionysus, a Japanese and Indonesian international theatre production directed by Tadashi Suzuki, was chosen for the opening of the Singapore International Festival of Arts 2019, one of the largest theater festivals in Asia.

(c) Sopanat Somkhanngoen

Film Culture Exchange Projects with the Tokyo International Film Festival

In collaboration with the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), film professionals from Asia were invited to Japan and given the opportunity to further enhance a network that connects with Japanese peers. In addition, Asia Center and TIFF co-produced the omnibus film Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2018: Journey directed by three filmmakers from Japan, Indonesia and China. The CROSSCUT ASIA section of TIFF showcased Southeast Asian films highlighting the region's music.

(c) 2018 TIFF

The Japanese Film Festival (JFF): Asia-Pacific Gateway Initiative

With the aim of creating a comprehensive platform for the Japanese film industry that attracts potential clients, Asia Center held Japanese Film Festivals in 11 countries, namely the 10 ASEAN countries and Australia, in FY2018. In order to showcase the diversity of Japanese films and convey the beauty of Japanese culture, JFF screened mainly the latest Japanese films for approximately 800 times throughout the year, attracting roughly 128,000 viewers.

ASIAN ELEVEN: Football Exchange Project between Japan and Southeast Asia

Asia Center, Japan Football Association (JFA) and Japan Professional Football League (J.League) have worked together to foster football talents and promote mutual understanding among youths in Japan and ASEAN nations through football. A total of 86 football-related practitioners were invited and 16 coaches were dispatched. A total of 294 people took part in football clinics that were conducted in cooperation with J.League in the 10 ASEAN countries.

International Symposium
"Shared Values and Democracy in Asia"

Experts from various Asian countries were invited to the international symposium in Tokyo with the theme, "Background to the development of democracy in Asia." The project was initiated at the Japan-India Summit Meeting in 2014 when Prime Minister Abe received a proposal from Prime Minister Modi of India to hold a forum on the religious values behind democracy in Asia, which the two parties agreed.

Exchange with Southeast Asian Muslim Youth (TAMU/Talk with Muslims series)

This interactive project involves dialogue between young Muslims in Southeast Asia and youths from Japan on each other's culture and values with the aim of promoting understanding of Islam in Japan. A total of 10 young Muslim leaders from seven countries in Southeast Asia visited universities and citizen's groups in Japan to convey the social activities and values as Muslims in Southeast Asia while deepening their understanding of Japanese culture, society and the religious views of Japanese.

Exhibition EARTH MANUAL PROJECT – This Could Save Your Life

The exhibition EARTH MANUAL PROJECT – This Could Save Your Life was held at Parsons School of Design / The New School in New York, one of the leading higher education institutions for design in the United States. The exhibition showcases some of the best practices for dealing with disasters at different stages, from preparedness education to response and relief efforts, with a particular focus on ones that use creative design ideas. Experts from Japan who are active in disaster prevention, architecture, design and art introduced the initiatives. It also includes the HANDs! Project initiated by Asia Center and examples of work from countries with frequent natural disasters such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

(c) Ayumi Sakamoto