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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.

Grant Program for Enhancing People-to-People Exchange (Special Program in response to COVID-19)

Many projects have been cancelled or postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but we introduced an assistance program for Intercultural Exchange online or in other ways that does not require people to cross national borders, in an effort to preserve our foundation for exchange between people in Japan and Asia.

Photo of the online event

Online event "Living Traditional Performing Arts Exchange: Connections between Yogyakarta and Ishigaki-Jima-Island, Islands Where Traditional Arts Are Alive"

Photo of "Kawasaki Frontale: Dream Team Selection" in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

"Kawasaki Frontale: Dream Team Selection" (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)

Film Culture Exchange Projects with the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival

The "Asia Lounge" Conversation Series with Asian filmmakers, which we held in collaboration with the Tokyo International Film Festival, has been popular, being viewed by a total of some 10,000 people in more than 40 countries around the world, either live or from the archive. We also screened 20 films, including a Southeast Asian masterpiece that Asia Center has restored to 4K digital quality, and conducted online exchanges with Asian filmmakers.

Photo of the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival

(c) 2020 TIFF

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

JFF, which aims to build a comprehensive platform for Japanese films that attracts many visitors, has pursued both real-world and online possibilities to be able to continue delivering Japanese films despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, more than 11,000 visitors attended the film festivals at the cinemas, and the number of views from Southeast Asia and Australia for the online Japanese film festival and other similar events reached over 100,000.

Photo of the Japanese Film Festival (JFF)

Judo Exchange Program "JAPAN-ASEAN JITA-KYOEI PROJECT"

We held our first online seminar primarily for young judo instructors in the 10 ASEAN countries with the aim of fostering high-quality instructors and developing the Judo culture in Southeast Asia. A total of 56 instructors studied Judo using various methods over 50 days, including practical instruction by Kodokan teachers, e-learning with video materials and seminars for children.

Photo of Judo Exchange Program "JAPAN-ASEAN JITA-KYOEI PROJECT"

Online Seminar Series "Asia Center TERAKOYA"

As it has become difficult to conduct exchanges across national borders due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, we streamed online discussions with guests about themes like sports, movies and intellectual exchange, aiming to rethink the significance of international cultural exchange as well as broadly communicate past achievements and future possibilities of Asia Center projects.

Photo of Online Seminar Series "Asia Center TERAKOYA"

(c) SATO Motoi