Behind the Scenes – Stories from backstage
Every edition of Wochi Kochi covers a special topic. The Japan Foundation’s activities are wide-ranging and span the whole world. In these articles, staff bring you behind-the-scenes stories about the joys and struggles they experience, and about some of the unexpected (and expected) incidents they encounter while implementing programs in particular locations.
2024.5.24
The 50th Japan Foundation Awards
―Culture Transcending Borders― <1>
Report for 2023 Presentation Ceremony for the Japan Foundation Awards
［Special Feature 080］The Japan Foundation Awards, held for the 50th time in 2023, began in 1973, one year following the establishment of the Japan Foundation. Every year, the awards are presented to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to promoting international mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and other countries through academic, artistic and other cultural pursuits. This year's Award recipients to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Awards included two individuals and one organization: Miyagi Satoshi (Stage Director/General Artistic Director of the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center), Ogawa Yoko (Novelist) from Japan, and Peruvian Japanese Association/Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ) from Peru. This is a report of the presentation ceremony held in Tokyo attended by the recipients on October 18, 2023.
2024.3. 4
Movie Theaters around the World <4>
Japan Mini-Theater Report
[Special Feature 079] According to the the Eiga Joei Katsudo Nenkan 2022 (Almanac of Film Screenings 2022)*¹, "mini-theaters" refer to small cinemas or movie theaters conducting independent business not under the direct influence of major movie production and/or distribution companies and running programs mainly featuring "independent" or "art" films released in one or several theaters, as well as revival houses called "Meiga-za" that run programs featuring older films or new films which have finished showing at first-run movie houses.
2023.4.10
The 49th Japan Foundation Awards
―Building Bridges Across Differences― <1>
Report for 2022 Presentation Ceremony for the Japan Foundation Awards
[Special Feature 078] The Japan Foundation Awards, held for the 49th time in 2022, began in 1973, one year following the establishment of the Japan Foundation. Every year, the awards are presented to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to promoting international mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and other countries through academic, artistic and other cultural pursuits. This year's award recipients included two individuals and one organization: Robert Lepage (Actor, Playwright, theatre and movie Director) from Canada, Korean Japanese Association from Korea and Goenawan Mohamad (Poet, Writer and Painter) from Indonesia. This is a report of the presentation ceremony attended by the recipients on October 19, 2022.
2023.3.28
JF's Initiatives for Crossing Borders, Engaging in Exchanges and Harnessing the Power of Creation amid COVID-19 <7>
Connecting Japan and the World Through Japanese Films - Digital and Live JFF Projects -
[Special Feature 073] JF has been working towards integrating and branding its two businesses, the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) Network, which holds live screenings in theaters, and JFF Plus, an online platform. Let's take a look at these two projects and see how they came about.
2023.1.27
Living Together with Japanese Language <4>
Toward Japanese for Mutual Understanding:
Focusing on the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education
[Special Feature 076] Since its founding in 1972, the Japan Foundation ("JF") has long been involved in programs to support Japanese-language education overseas. The Foundation initially focused on training those researching Japan in order to promote understanding of the country. However, as Japan's international influence has grown, the purposes of studying the Japanese language have diversified. These include the acquisition of advanced technology, an increase in the number of people wishing to visit Japan, the introduction of Japanese as a foreign-language subject in local public education, and public interest in pop culture. As a result, there has been a demand for programs that meet the local needs of the time.
2022.11.16
Inner Diversity <4>
Report on the Awards Ceremony for the Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship
[Special Feature 076] Since 1985, the Japan Foundation (JF) has been presenting the Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship to organizations that deepen ties and cooperation between Japanese and foreign citizens through international cultural exchange activities, exchanging mutual wisdom and ideas and thinking together. Three organizations received these awards in 2021: Friends of El Sistema Japan (Chiyoda, Tokyo), Colegio Mundo de Alegria (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture), and Door to Asylum Nagoya (Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture).
The awards ceremony was held online on March 1, 2022 as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19, as was the case the previous year.
2022.6.21
The 48th Japan Foundation Awards―Linking the World through Culture amid the COVID-19 Pandemic <1>
The 48th Japan Foundation Awards (2021) Ceremony Report
[Special Feature 075] It has been one year since the Japan Foundation Awards, which has been held annually since 1973, the year after the establishment of the Japan Foundation (JF), was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The four diverse 2021 winners, an increase of one from the previous year, were Koreeda Hirokazu (film director), Miyata Mayumi (shō (Japanese wind instrument) performer), Deans at the Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) / Faculty of Japanese, Foreign Trade University / Faculty of Japanese Hanoi University, and Dr. Irmela Hijiya-Kirschnereit (professor, The Free University of Berlin) from Germany.
2022.3.22
JF's Initiatives for Crossing Borders, Engaging in Exchanges and Harnessing the Power of Creation amid COVID-19 <5>
Virtually Connecting Intercultural Exchange Organizations throughout Japan
[Special Feature 073] Even though many of the Japan Foundation's projects take place overseas, we also host The Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship, a program to recognize intercultural exchange organizations operating in Japan.
2022.3.14
JF's Initiatives for Crossing Borders, Engaging in Exchanges and Harnessing the Power of Creation amid COVID-19 <4>
How Can We Expand Our Exhibitions Online?
[Special Feature 073] Even before the spread of COVID-19, Australia suffered from massive bushfires that swept across the nation from September 2019. These fires wreaked tremendous havoc on the country, scorching over 10.7 million hectares,
2022.2.14
JF's Initiatives for Crossing Borders, Engaging in Exchanges and Harnessing the Power of Creation amid COVID-19 <3>
ShiShi Yamazaki Animation Masterclass, an Attempt to Obtain Free Expression
[Special Feature 073] The Japan Foundation, Mexico ("the Center") has been holding the ShiShi Yamazaki Animation Masterclass for young Mexican creators since September 2020, with up-and-coming animation artist ShiShi Yamazaki as the lecturer.