Much has been made of Japan’s recent turn away from pacifism and growing military muscle, but Tokyo is also extending its global reach in more subtle ways. Japan is especially serious about increasing its soft power, the ability to win over global partners with cultural and diplomatic affinity rather than coercion and sheer heft.

Filipino historians, along with arts and culture professionals, discussed the need to revisit details and connections in history to further deepen relations in countries. The symposium, which was held in Ateneo de Manila University Ricardo Leong Hall and was organized by the Japan Foundation Manila, brought together Fukuoka Prize recipients in the Philippines to lecture on the relations between the two countries going way back to prehispanic times as trade partners.

Six young translators of Japanese literature from inside and outside the country were invited to participate in a workshop on translation techniques and practical knowledge related to the publishing process. [...] A Japan Foundation program has also subsidized the translation of books in the fields of humanities, social sciences and art. This fiscal year, 33 books have been chosen for the program, for which a budget of ¥19 million has been earmarked.

The Japan Foundation has organised a photo exhibition in Kigali to showcase the Asian country’s transformation over the years. [...] Officials said Japan is determined to promote international understanding through culture exchange, adding that Rwanda and Japan have a lot to learn from each other in several sectors.

The Japan Culture House opened to promote a cultural exchange between Japan and Myanmar and is sponsored by the Japan Foundation Asia Center and the Myanmar Association of Japan Alumni (MAJA). “We opened the culture house not only to people studying Japanese language, but for anyone interested to visit,” said Japan Culture House program officer Chinatsu Hyodo. 

The programs under the Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange pillar focuses on encouraging a greater understanding of Japan through supporting and promoting Japanese studies overseas, dialogues on critical global issues and shared concerns. 

The article said Pham Quang Hung, a first secretary for educational affairs at the Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo started studying Japanese at Foreign Trade University in Hanoi in 1994. He never imagined that Vietnamese children would one day be able to learn the language at elementary school.

"In Japan, we do not see poster art anymore and its cultural relevance is fast diminishing," says Yusuke Matsuoka, Director, Arts and Cultural Exchange at the Japan Foundation, who brought the exhibition to India.