Welcoming Five Southeast-Asian Publishing Professionals in the Field of Children’s Books (2026.10.4–10)

In October 2026, the Japan Foundation (JF) is pleased to be hosting a Japan visit by five Southeast-Asian professionals from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam who work in the field of children’s books and picture books.

This initiative follows on our exchanges with these and other professionals in the Asian Café networking event we cohosted with the Japanese Board on Books for Young People (JBBY) at the 63rd Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April 2026.

During their stay, the participants will deepen their understanding of Japan’s children’s book culture through visits to publishers, bookstores, libraries, museums, and other facilities. It is our hope that these opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with a broad range of professionals involved in the field of children’s literature and picture books will prove fruitful for the participants’ ongoing activities in their respective countries.

As part of the program, a public talk event entitled “Asian Currents 2026—Leading Editors and Illustrators Discuss the Appeal of Southeast-Asian Picture Books” will be held at JF headquarters on October 6. The five participants will introduce picture books they have worked on and share their perspectives on the current publishing landscape and challenges surrounding the picture-book and children’s literature fields in their respective countries. A small exhibition of books produced by the five speakers will be shown at this time.

Overall, the program is designed to strengthen networks among professionals in the picture-book and children’s literature fields across Southeast Asia and lay the groundwork for future collaborative initiatives between Japan and Southeast-Asian countries as well.

The itinerary was planned and organized with the generous cooperation of picture-book critic HIROMATSU Yukiko, who serves on the executive committee of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), as well as our JBBY collaborators.

Participants

  • Evelyn Ghozalli (illustrator, agent / Indonesia)
  • Zulfa Utami Adiputri (Hujan & Bumi / Indonesia)
  • Fran Alvarez (illustrator, graphic designer / Philippines) 
  • Natapat Urupongsa (Barefoot Banana / Thailand)  
  • Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong (Slowbooks / Vietnam)

Program

October 4 to October 10, 2026

Publisher Visits

  1. 1.Doshinsha Publishing
  2. 2.Kaisei-sha Publishing
  3. 3.Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers
  4. 4.Shogakukan

Bookstore Visits

  1. 1.Kyobunkwan Narnia
  2. 2.Crayon House
  3. 3.Book House Cafe and others

Library Visits

  1. 1.International Library of Children’s Literature, National Diet Library
  2. 2.Itabashi City Central Library

Museum Visits

  1. 1.Kiki’s Museum of Literature
  2. 2.Chihiro Art Museum
  3. 3.PLAY! MUSEUM
  4. 4.Mitaka Picture Book House in the Astronomical Observatory Forest

Public Talk Event

“Asian Currents 2026—Leading Editors and Illustrators Discuss the Appeal of Southeast-Asian Picture Books” (October 6, JF Headquarters, Yotsuya, Tokyo)

All names are listed without honorifics.

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