What's On

Justice (along with the closely-aligned concept of fairness) is one of the fundamental rights of the human being. Sadly though, history and current affairs prove that this right is not always available to all, causing unresolved issues in society. Many creators have expressed themselves through the arts in response to these issues, and cinema is no exception. In Japan KORE-EDA Hirokazu stormed the world with his breath-taking social film Nobody Knows, but, as seen in the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025 (JFTFP25), he was not the last or even the first to bring social voices into films.

But what is it that inspires filmmakers to explore the concepts of criminal, social and moral justice in their cinematic narratives, and can films contribute to a public refocusing on the problems citizens might have long turned a blind eye to?

Reflecting the theme of the JFTFP25, Am I Right? Justice, Justification and Judgement, and focusing on non-documentary films, a panel of six film professionals from Japan and the UK will discuss how cinema now and then corresponds to the world we live in, while contemplating the role of cinema in changing society.

This online talk is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is back for 2025!

From 7 February to 31 March, discover 26 diverse Japanese films at 33 cinemas in 32 cities, spotlighting cinematic ideas of justice, justification, and judgement against today's backdrop of ever-changing values and perspectives.
From cult classics to cutting-edge independent cinema and drama to comedy, there's something for everyone!

Find out what films are showing, and where, on our official website:

https://www.jpf-film.org.uk/

#JFTFP25

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-Language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. Currently, it is the largest Japanese language test in the world, with more than 1.48 million people worldwide having registered for the JLPT in 2023.

The next July JLPT will take place on Sunday, 6^th July 2025. Registration will start at each test centre from early/ mid-March. 

Please check this page for any updates on UK test centres for the July 2025 JLPT. For application opening dates and registration details, please refer to each university’s website using the links below:

- Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London SOAS Applications have now closed

- University of Leicester

- King's Language Centre, King's College London (!New!) (The link will appear when it's ready.)

Please note that the JLPT is very popular and registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

For more information about the test, please visit JLPT website. 

- Let’s Try Sample Questions!

Applications are now open for JaLaChamp 2025!

JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the speech category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the video category where students are asked to create an original video either by individual or part of a group.

The world is changing very quickly. Technology is advancing, and nowadays if we have a computer or a smartphone we can send a message to anyone in the world. In a time like this, we should always consider the following questions: “What message do I want to convey and how?” Using the voice, the written word, visuals, design and more – there are many ways to express ourselves. It is important to be able to combine these different choices of expression to create a way of expressing ourselves that others can understand, empathise with or be persuaded by.

We want to encourage students to share with us their thoughts and viewpoints, as well as show us their creativity in full and have fun challenging themselves by entering this contest and using their Japanese!

Students can choose the category/division they apply for according to their age and level of Japanese.

Application deadline for Speech Category: Tuesday, 4^th February 2025 at 15:00

Application deadline for Video Category: Tuesday, 4^th March 2025 at 15:00

JaLaChamp 2025’s video category themes are:

Primary School: わたし（たち）の好(す)きな場所(ばしょ) “My/Our Favourite Place”

Secondary School 1: 私(わたし)（たち）がやってみたいこと “Something I/We Want to Try”

Secondary School 2: 私(わたし)（たち）が過去(かこ)から学(まな)べること “What I/We Can Learn from the Past”

The Finals Day is scheduled to be held on Saturday, 10^th May 2025, in London.

For more information about each category and about eligibility, please see the application guidelines below:

Download English Guidelines/ Japanese Guidelines

Please click here for the Speech Category Application Form.

Please click here for the Video Category Application Form.

Download the JaLaChamp 2025 poster

Videos from JaLaChamp 2024 Finals Day

Date:	2 September 2024 - 4 March 2025
Download JaLaChamp2025_Application Guideline_EN
Download JaLaChamp2025_Application Guideline_JP
Download JaLaChamp 2025 Poster
Download JaLaChamp2025_Consent Form Video Category

The Japan Foundation (JF) conducts its “Survey on Japanese Language Education” every three years in order to confirm the current state of Japanese language education in countries and regions around the world.

The information collected is very important as the results are widely used as basic data to understand the situation of Japanese language education all around the world.

The results will be compiled into a report containing the latest information concerning the current state of Japanese language education. They will also be utilised in our "search engine for institutions offering Japanese-language education".

The 2024 survey will be conducted from September 2024, but we wish to tell you basic information about the survey below. Additionally, your cooperation would be appreciated at this stage with item “5.” (“Request for information about institutions offering Japanese education”).

1.     Survey coverage

2.     Survey items

3.     Survey method

4.     Reward for responding to survey

5.     Request for information about institutions offering Japanese education.

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1. Survey coverage:

All organisations that potentially offer Japanese language education outside Japan.

The following organisations are NOT covered by the survey:

• Groups and activities that are not associated with an actual organisation
• Overseas educational institutions that offer only ‘kokugo’ (Japanese national language) education　

*However, overseas educational institutions offering courses that are not ‘kokugo’ education (Japanese as a heritage language / foreign language) will be covered at the departmental/course level.

• Broadcasters or website operators providing Japanese-language education for an unspecified number of people
• Short-term Japanese language experience activities

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2. Survey items:

(11 questions in total. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete).

Basic information on your organisation (organisation name, name of Japanese-language education department , address / URL, contact information, institution type, educational stage (level) (in formal education terms, primary / secondary (lower/upper) / higher, other education), positioning of Japanese-language learning

Number of teachers (by education stage (level), breakdown of full-time/part-time, number of teachers who are native Japanese language speakers)

Number of Japanese language learners (breakdown by education stage (level))*

Whether degree awarding, Japanese language teacher training courses, and online classes are offered

Purposes and reasons for learners’ Japanese language learning, the state of Japanese language development at your organisation

*In the case of primary and secondary education, there is a question about the number of learners studying the Japanese language as a formal subject or as an extracurricular activity. In the case of universities, there is a question about the number of learners studying the Japanese language as a major, as a non-major, or as an extracurricular activity. Preparing these figures beforehand and having them at hand will help you in completing the survey smoothly.

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3. Survey method:

A questionnaire format to be answered online. The URL of the form will be sent to you via email.

*In some cases, we may seek your cooperation via a different method, such as over the telephone.

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4. Reward for responding to survey:

After you have submitted your response, you will be able to download supplementary Japanese language teaching materials created by the Japan Foundation. Please use them in your lessons.

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5. Request for information about institutions offering Japanese education.

Prior to the survey, we are seeking information on organisations that may teach Japanese in the UK. It does not have to be the organisation where you work . Ambiguous information is also welcome. If you know information on any organisations that may teach Japanese language, please provide information by the following ways. We appreciate your cooperation.

1.     Fill in the form.

2.     Send an email to LO_survey@jpf.go.jp

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For your information, the institute that can be searched from the website below are responded that they offer Japanese language education in the previous survey in 2021.

Search criteria | Survey Report on Japanese-Language Education Abroad 2021 (jpf.go.jp)

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If your organisation does not receive a request despite offering Japanese-language education, or you have any other inquiries, please contact us via the email above. 

We are hoping that a large number of organisations will cooperate with the survey and would like to ask for your help in this survey as without your answers your Japanese language education activities will not be reflected in the data and we will not have fully accurate figures, which would negatively affect the value of the survey.

Thank you for your support.

We are pleased to be supporting University of Bristol's event, 'The Art of Recovery: Legacies of the Fukushima Triple Disaster', taking place on 11-12 March, 2025.

Marking the 14th anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster, this event brings together academics and artists who have studied or documented the tragedy and its aftermath, to explore the cultural, social and emotional impacts of man-made disasters.

The programme for the two day event includes:

Tuesday, 11th March 2025

UK Premiere of The Invisible Island, dir. Keiko Curdy (2021), with a Q&A and discussion with the director.

Time: 18:00 - 20:00

Venue: Watershed, Cinema 3, 1 Canon's Rd, BS1 5TX

Wednesday 12th March 2025

Academic Workshop, "Cross-disciplinary Approaches to the Fukushima Disaster".

Time: 9:45-17:00 

Venue: Bristol University, Room G.H01, Arts Complex, 7 Woodland Road, BS8 1TB, Clifton Campus

Wednesday 12th March 2025

UK Premiere of Tracing the Future: Photographer Naoya Hatakeyama, dir. Yohei HATAKEYAMA (2015).

Time: 18:00-20:00

Venue: University of Bristol, B.H05 Lecture Theatre, 7 Woodland Road, BS8 1TB, Clifton Campus

All events in this 2 day programme are free but booking is essential. You can find full details of each event, including booking information, by visiting:

https://theartofrecovery.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/

We are very proud to support this event, 'Lafcadio Hearn's Japan: from Enchantment to Intercultural Understanding', hosted by Trinity College Dublin's Centre for Asian Studies.

This is a one-day academic workshop honouring the life and works of Hearn, recognising him as a person dedicated to understanding across cultures, ambitious in his rejection of bigotry, and sensitive to Japanese life and ethics despite their contrast to the West.

Speakers include prominent scholars, diplomats, and politicians from Ireland, Japan, Britain and the USA, including Professor Bon Koizumi, descendent of Lafcadio Hearn.

This event is free to attend, but registration is essential.

Further details, including the workshop schedule and registration, can be found here:

https://www.tcd.ie/Asian/events/tcd-Event-Lafcadio-Hearn/

For more details please contact Dr Lijing Peng (pengl@tcd.ie) or Professor Nathan Hill (nathan.hill@tcd.ie).

The Japan Foundation, London is working with The National Modern Languages SCITT to help aspiring Japanese teachers obtain the skills and qualifications needed to teach Japanese in England.

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) is a school-based teacher training course where trainees work in placement schools whole pursuing a teaching qualification.

The NML SCITT has introduced a new pathway for training Japanese language teachers as part of its programme, and The Japan Foundation, London is offering financial support to assist trainees. Please note that there are entry/eligibility requirements. Find out more on NML's website.

The National Modern Languages SCITT (The NML SCITT) is unique, being the only national single-subject provider to specialise solely in the teaching of modern languages. The NML SCITT programme is a great opportunity for those who are looking to gain QTS together with the recognised standard qualification of Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Subject to financial, degree classification and residential qualification, participants accepted on the programme may receive a substantial bursary while training.

Please note that trainees are required to have some knowledge of French, German or Spanish as a foreign language they can potentially teach, with Japanese as an additional language. This means that trainees will be able to teach two languages. NML can provide opportunities to develop this second modern foreign language, so please contact them if you have any questions.

• Length of course: 1 year
• Course start date: August
• Qualifications awarded: PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education), Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), 60 credits towards a Master’s degree.
• Training locations: NML North East London, Oundle and South East London hubs.
• Fees: please see the NML SCITT website
• Bursary if eligible

Find out more, including how to apply, on the NML SCITT website.

If you have any specific questions about the course, please contact NML SCITT directly.