Overseas Office Initiatives in 2023

In collaboration with the Italy-Japan Foundation, established to promote modern Japanese literature in Italy, the Japan Cultural Institute in Rome hosted a talk event with MATSUDA Aoko, the second winner of the “Tokyo-Rome: Words in Transit” award, and translator Gianluca COCI (University of Turin). Dacia MARAINI, a leading contemporary Italian writer with deep connections to Japan, joined the event as a special guest. Occasional applause erupted from an audience of 250 people, who provided positive feedback for the dialogue between women writers.

© june ueno

In 2023, the 60th anniversary of the sister city partnership between Cologne and Kyoto, the Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne worked to organize various cultural and artistic exchange programs centered on the “5th Kyoto Day,” which was mainly organized by the Consulate General of Japan in Düsseldorf, and “border/less,” a group exhibition featuring contemporary Japanese and German artists connected to both cities. The events were supported by the City of Cologne, the City of Kyoto, the Goethe-Institut, the Japanese-German Society of Cologne, and the Tenri Japanese-German Cultural Workshop, among others. We also cooperated with JETRO and JNTO to highlight business exchange and tourism promotion.

Co-organized with the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, this exhibition highlighted three traditional Japanese wooden architecture elements: temple/shrine carpentry, sukiya architecture, and wood joinery. It featured innovative displays, including a tea room skeleton, numerous carpentry tools, extremely thin wood shavings, and an area where visitors could experience the scent of wood. The exhibition’s success, displayed in long lines of visitors waiting outside the building, reflected France’s many DIY devotees and high environmental awareness.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of opening the door to Japanese culture in Korea in 2023, the Japan Foundation, Seoul, co-organized a symposium with Incheon National University’s Institute for Japanese Studies to reflect on the history of Japan–Korea cultural exchange and consider its future direction through the keywords “subculture, nation, public, and democracy.” Professor KIM Sungmin (Hokkaido University) and Associate Professor FUKUSHIMA Minori (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies) were invited from Japan for a discussion with Korean researchers. Videos of the event are available on the YouTube channel and website of the Japan Foundation, Seoul.

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Japan Foundation, Beijing, we invited poet and novelist ITO Hiromi and her Chinese translator LEI Ke on a lecture tour that covered ten venues, including bookstores and universities, in four cities: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Tianjin. During reader exchange sessions, Ito answered life advice questions from young readers and deepened connections by joining them in Zumba dancing. At a Japanese Studies fellowship exchange meeting, she discussed how sekkyobushi (sermon ballads) influenced her creative work.

In March 2024, the Japan Foundation, Jakarta, held a seminar in Surabaya on the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education (JFS). Over 70 Japanese language instructors from across East Java gathered to participate in workshops to understand JFS through its concepts and teaching materials, such as Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture and Irodori: Japanese for Life in Japan. While textbooks based on JFS have become increasingly widespread in recent years, this seminar provided a valuable opportunity to understand its underlying principles.

The Japan Foundation, Bangkok, invited author KAWAGUCHI Toshikazu to the Neilson Hays Bangkok Literature Festival, where we held a talk session and screened Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a film adaptation of his work. Additionally, in a special lecture co-organized with Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Arts, Kawaguchi engaged in a dialogue-style presentation with Japanese-language students, discussing his journey to becoming an author and the thoughts behind his works.

Initially canceled due to COVID-19, the wadaiko drumming group YAMATO’s performances were held with private sector support, marking the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation. The performances, featuring 14 performers and over 1.5 tons of Japanese drums, captivated more than 4,100 spectators in Manila and Davao. Afterward, drums were donated to the Manila Japanese School and Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku (Mindanao International College), invigorating local taiko clubs and creating lasting memories for many people.

As part of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, the Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, co-organized an event with ComicFiesta (Malaysia’s largest game, anime, and manga event organizer) and the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, inviting anime song artists ASCA and spira spica. The event was highly successful, with 1,500 people attending the meet & greet on Saturday, December 23, and approximately 2,900 attending the live concert on Sunday, December 24.

This event introduced and offered hands-on experience with traditional Japanese New Year activities and customs, including mochi (rice cake) pounding, kakizome (first calligraphy of the year), fukuwarai (blind face-drawing game), and karuta card games. The venue was filled to capacity with participants. Since the political changes in Myanmar, opportunities for casual enjoyment have been limited, and various events organized by the Japan Foundation, Yangon, not only provide enjoyable experiences for many people but also offer valuable opportunities for the rapidly growing number of Japanese-language learners to experience Japanese culture firsthand.

The JFIPP program, which focuses on human resource development and networking to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), launched in FY2023 with a Research Fellowship primarily involving India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan. To encourage active discussions on shared challenges with participation from outstanding intellectuals and practitioners from India, a crucial FOIP partner, the Japan Foundation, New Delhi, conducted institutional and researcher surveys and held roundtable discussions across India featuring key members, including first-term fellows.

© Document Photography

From September 2023 to February 2024, the Japan Foundation, Sydney, presented Ai Sasaki: Wayfinder’s Passage. Curated by ISEKI Yu from the Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito, the exhibition featured a royal icing mural by contemporary artist SASAKI Ai, along with her drawings, paintings, and sculptures. After the exhibition opening, we publicly showcased the creation process of a mural depicting the Latham’s snipe, a migratory bird that travels from Hokkaido to Tasmania, and hosted a children’s royal icing workshop with the artist.

Co-organized with the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion, this exhibition showcased 68 sports-related posters representing the diverse development of graphic design within this genre since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Curator KITAZAWA Eishi from Japan introduced the genealogy of Japanese graphic design. Events during the exhibition period included a sumo talk by former ozeki Baruto; a lecture by Japanese jockey FUKUMOTO Daisuke, who is active in Canada; and performances by breaking athletes YAMASA Konatsu and Onton SEE. These activities introduced Japanese art and sports culture to many visitors through the universal theme of sports.

The Japan Foundation, New York, together with Columbia University’s Weatherhead East Asian Institute, co-organized a book talk by Dr. Mireya SOLÍS (Director of the Center for Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution), an expert in Japan’s foreign economic policy, for her new book Japan’s Quiet Leadership: Reshaping the Indo-Pacific. Following her talk, which explored how Japan emerged from the “lost 30 years” to become a crucial actor in the Indo-Pacific region, a discussion was held with Dr. Gerald CURTIS, Professor Emeritus at Columbia University.

Tea Time, a conversation salon bringing together native Japanese speakers and learners, has been a popular regular event at the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, since 2012. Divided into four levels from beginner to advanced, participants enjoy conversations led by volunteer native Japanese speakers. Post-pandemic, in 2023 we not only resumed sessions at our office but also realized outreach Tea Time events co-hosted with nearby universities and high school groups, incorporating film screenings and shamisen performances. With nearly 100 participants gathering each time, it has become a meaningful space for face-to-face exchange.

The Japan Foundation, Mexico, presented a reading performance, POEMAS PARA FRIDA, inspired by the works of iconic Mexican artist Frida KAHLO. The event, held at the Anahuacalli Museum associated with Frida Kahlo, featured Berlin-based author TAWADA Yoko’s readings and pianist TAKASE Aki’s performance, receiving a standing ovation from a packed house. This rare event wove together Mexican and Japanese artists in works transcending time.

© Sarara Rodrigues

With breaking becoming an official Olympic sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics and growing interest in street dance, the Japan Foundation, São Paulo, organized a competition promoting “anime song dance,” which combines dance performances with Japanese anime songs, as an innovative initiative responding to Brazil’s exploration of new dance expression styles. Featuring special guests Real Akiba Boyz from Japan, about 60 dancers participated in an intense dance battle that brilliantly fused anime appeal with dance technique. This first-time experience of a new dance style electrified the venue.

We organized the Peru tour of the SHIRASAKI Emi & Tohoku Rokken Roll Show!! They performed at a Japanese school, day service, Japanese-Peruvian association, AELU field, and in an old town parade, connecting with many people. At the Nikkei school Inca Gakuen, children gave them an enthusiastic welcome, with many embracing and refusing to let go of the performers. They paraded through Lima’s old town with a giant puppet Tohoku God made locally, receiving warm cheers from Lima residents. At the final show at the Municipal Theatre of Lima, the audience stood up, singing and dancing in Japanese!

The Japan Foundation, London, invited pianist KIKUCHI Ryota, also popular as a YouTuber, to perform concerts in London and Birmingham. Audiences of all ages were thrilled by his performances of Japanese and British anime and film music, as well as Beatles and Queen songs. During his London stay, he also played street pianos, with videos of these performances posted to his channel (www.youtube.com/@komuro_metal) receiving over 12 million total views (as of July 31, 2024).

Following the success of trial Japanese language courses as electives introduced in Catalonia’s secondary schools in 2021, formal Japanese-language education officially began at six schools in fall 2023 under the leadership of the regional education department. In October, the Japan Foundation, Madrid, hosted a commemorative ceremony and wadaiko workshop attended by over 60 participants, including the mayor, education department officials, and the Consul General in Barcelona. The event attracted widespread attention, covered by more than 15 major media outlets in both countries, marking a historic milestone in their relationship.

In March 2024, the Japan Foundation, Budapest, organized public sake lectures, dashi-making workshops, and koji-making workshops for professional chefs, led by fermentation designer OGURA Hiraku in Romania and Hungary. About 180 participants had the opportunity to acquire accurate knowledge and techniques related to Japanese food and fermentation. We look forward to the participating chefs sharing Japanese food culture with local communities at their respective restaurants.

This program lends suitcases filled with Japanese cultural and language materials to primary educational institutions teaching Japanese. Considering the reduced opportunities for children of Japanese heritage to experience Japanese culture and language due to the decrease in Japanese residents under current circumstances, we lent materials to the Japanese School in Moscow and the Japanese Supplemental School in St. Petersburg this fiscal year. The Japanese School in Moscow utilized these resources in exchange activities with a local school, facilitating youth interaction.

The Japan Foundation, Cairo, invited anime director WATANABE Ayumu to the Japanese Film Week in Cairo, screening his film Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko to an audience of about 420 people. Following the screening, Watanabe joined a talk event and conducted a workshop for about 20 young animators. He provided feedback on participants’ works during the workshop, sparking lively discussions. The program demonstrated the high interest in Japanese animation in Egypt and successfully conveyed the depth of anime as an art form.

As part of the programs marking the 50th anniversary of Japan–Vietnam diplomatic relations (2023), the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam hosted an exhibition, Moon, by artist ANDO Saeko, who works with traditional Vietnamese lacquer painting techniques, at its exhibition hall. Ando also created the key visual for Princess Anio, a Japan–Vietnam joint opera production commemorating the 50th anniversary. Together with the opera, the exhibition symbolized cultural exchange between the two countries and attracted significant attention, welcoming over 2,000 visitors, including then-Ambassador YAMADA.

In 2023, the 70th anniversary of Japan-Cambodia diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, the 9th Cambodia Japanese Film Festival marked these milestone occasions by being held in five cities, making it the largest in its history. By actively including regional areas, it reached many people, including students and families who had never experienced Japanese culture before, achieving a total attendance of over 8,000 people.

The Vientiane Liaison Office helped conduct the Laos preliminary round for the 25th DigiCon6 ASIA, a competition organized by TBS Television to discover outstanding content creators in 15 Asian countries and regions, including Japan. The top three works were submitted to the finals held in Tokyo on October 7. Khuanchai PANYVONG won a Rising Star Award, marking the second consecutive year a Laotian creator has received an award.