Call for Applications for the READ JAPAN PROJECT 2024

The READ JAPAN PROJECT was initiated by The Nippon Foundation in 2008 to promote theunderstanding of Japan through the donation of Japan-related books in English to universities andlibraries. Since its inception, it has donated books to more than 1,300 institutions worldwide. The
project is currently administered by the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research with financial
support from The Nippon Foundation. The aim of the project is not only to support the activities ofJapan specialists -researchers, opinion leaders, and intellectuals, but also to promote understandingamong nonspecialists and thereby contribute to human resource management from a long-term
perspective.
This project provides Japan-related English-language books each year on an application basis.
Applications are to be submitted only by institutions recommended by a Japanese diplomaticestablishment; thus, all interested institutions should first secure a recommendation. Only online
applications are accepted. Please read Section 5 (Application) before sending your application.

Table of Contents
1. Eligibility .................................................................................................................................................. 2
2. Book Titles and Categories ....................................................................................................................... 2
3. Number of Books ...................................................................................................................................... 2
4. Schedule (Expected) ................................................................................................................................. 35. Application ............................................................................................................................................... 35-1. Online Application............................................................................................................................. 35-2. Application Form ............................................................................................................................... 45-2-1. Basic Information ........................................................................................................................ 45-2-2. Documents to be Uploaded......................................................................................................... 55-2-3. Shipping Information .................................................................................................................. 5
6. Screening and Notification ....................................................................................................................... 5
7. Post-Donation Requirements.................................................................................................................... 6
8. FAQ........................................................................................................................................................... 61

1. Eligibility
Applicants must fulfill the following conditions: Be either a research-related institution (university, think tank, etc.) or a library (university orpublic library). Individuals are not eligible.
 Receive a recommendation from a Japanese diplomatic establishment (embassy, consulate, orpermanent mission) before applying. (There is no need to secure a letter, as therecommendation will be directly submitted by a diplomatic establishment to the projectsecretariat.) Agree to cover customs fees, VAT, and other related charges incurred in the destination country(book and shipping costs are covered by the project.)Notes:
 Institutions that have previously received Japan-related books from this project are eligible toapply but only for books that they have not already received (each title may be requested onlyonce). Priority will be given to applicants who have not yet received books from this project.
 Custom fees, VAT, and other related charges incurred in the destination country must be borneby the applicant, as they are unable to be estimated by the secretariat prior to the arrival of bookparcels at customs.
2. Book Titles and Categories
In addition to the existing 200 Japan-related books, 154 new books have been added to the list ofbooks to be donated, starting from FY2024. The total of 354 books, selected by a committee ofJapanese and non-Japanese scholars, journalists, and other specialists, falls under the following fivecategories: (1) Politics and International Relations, (2) Economy and Business, (3) Society andCulture, (4) Literature and the Arts, and (5) History.
The project has not only updated books in the field of humanities and sciences but also introduced
new genres, such as Japanese manga, Japanese language learning materials, and novels, into the listof books.
3. Number of Books
The selection of books dispatched to a successful applicant is decided on a request-basis. However,as we aim for the book donations to reach a larger number of institutions, each institution islimited to selecting 200 titles per year. If an institution wishes to request more than 200 books, weencourage them to apply for the project in a subsequent year.
While every effort will be made to provide books in accordance with the requests submitted online,
the exact number and titles donated may need to be adjusted by the secretariat based on the total
number of successful applicants and the project budget. Please be aware that some titles chosen
by applicants may not be available when the project secretariat place the order, as they may be 'outof print' according to the publisher's decision. Hardcover books may be replaced by paperback
editions.
Note: The Nippon Foundation, the financial provider for this project, would like to gift some books(maximum 9) related to their activities to each institution successfully chosen as a recipient of bookdonation. The number and lineup of gift books are decided based on their availability at the time ofshipping, and these books are not counted in the 200-title limit each institution can apply for.

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4. Schedule (Expected)
Month Timeframe
April 2024 Mid-April to June 24,2024
April 2024 April 19, 2024 (throughJuly 1)
July 2024 24:00 (midnight), July 1,2024 (Japan Time)
August 2024 Late August or early
September 2024
October 2024 October 2024 to January
2025
February 2025 February 2025 and after

Details
Applicant’s consultation with Japanese diplomaticestablishment to receive a recommendation
Online application opens
Application deadline
Notification of screening results
Communication between the project secretariat andsuccessful applicant regarding shipping details
Shipment starts

Notes:
 In order to receive a link to an online application form, applicants should at first obtain arecommendation from a Japanese diplomatic establishment. It is encouraged to ask a Japanesediplomatic establishment to send a recommendation to the project secretariat no later thanseven days before the application deadline.
 The shipping of books is expected to start in February 2025. It may be delayed, however, if theinformation provided (shipping address, custom fees, etc.) is either incomplete or inaccurate.
 If the shipping of books needs to be halted due to reasons in the destination country (e.g., nottransportable from Japan), and, despite of every effort made by the project secretariat todispatch the books, more than 6 months have passed since the scheduled shipping date, bookdonations may be automatically cancelled.
 Recipient institutions must be responsive to messages and announcements from the projectsecretariat. Persistent failures in response to the secretariat may result in the cancellation ofbook donations.
5. Application
Applicants who have obtained a recommendation from a Japanese diplomatic establishment in theircountry or region will be contacted directly by the secretariat (outsourcing contractor: Japan
Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture, or JPIC, readjapanproject2024@jpic.or.jp) and provided
with application details, including a link to the online application. (Only online applications will beaccepted; applications sent by email will not be reviewed.)
5-1. Online Application
Upon accessing a link provided by the project secretariat, there are three steps to follow.
Step1 Browse the synopses of all 354 books.
Decide which books your institution would like to receive, keeping the 200-limit in mind.
Step2 Fill out the Book Request Form.
The Book Request Form (Excel) is available for download on the linked page. Please type '1' in theright-hand column next to the books your institution wishes to receive.
Save the completed file and upload it when submitting the Application Form.
Step3 Fill out the Application Form.
35-2. Application Form
Since the applicants are NOT able to temporarily save any information and subsequently resumedata entry, please have all required information ready before starting the online application process.
Please note that once the application is submitted, you will NOT, in principle, be able to make anychanges.
The following is a list of information applicants will need to answer.

5-2-1. Basic Information(1) Official name of the applying institution. If the institution is either a university or a part of auniversity, write the name of the university ONLY. If the applying institution is unattached to auniversity (public library, research institution, cultural center, etc.), write the name of theorganization.
*Please specify the name that should appear on official letters and the framed certificate that will
be sent together with donated books.
(2) Department, etc., of the applying institution in charge of book application (leave blank if sameas (1) above).
Sample entries for (1) and (2)(1) Official name of applying institution(2) Department, etc., in charge of book application

Read Japan University

Read Japan Project Library

University of Nippon

Department of Japanese Studies

Tokyo Public Library(blank)

Japan Culture Center(blank)

(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)

Courtesy title (Mr., Ms., Mx., Dr., Prof., Prof. Dr.) and full name of contact person
Job title (Example: Librarian, Program Officer, Coordinator, etc.)
Regularly used email
Additional email which is different from (5) above*Required in case we cannot reach the contact person at the above regularly used email address.
(7) Phone number including country code
(8) Official website, if any(9) Official Facebook account, official X (former Twitter) account, official Instagram account, andother official SNS account, if any(10) Name of Japanese diplomatic establishment where applicant received a recommendation(11) Courtesy title (Mr., Ms., Mx., Dr., Prof., Prof. Dr.) and full name of above diplomaticestablishment’s primary contact person(12) Email address of diplomatic establishment’s primary contact person(13) Reason for applying (max. 200 words)

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5-2-2. Documents to be Uploaded(14) Completed Book Request Form (use prescribed template)*Download the template from the application page (the URL and password will be provided by
the project secretariat upon receipt of a recommendation by a Japanese diplomaticestablishment).
*Please type '1' in the right-hand column next to the books your institution wishes to receive
and upload the completed Microsoft Excel file. Please note that each applicant is limited to amaximum of 200 title requests.
(15) Signed Consent Form for Custom Fees etc. incurred in the destination country (use prescribedtemplate) *The applicant must duly sign the form before submitting.
(16) Signed GDPR Consent Form (use prescribed template), if applicable. * Applicants from GDPR
countries must duly sign the form before submitting.
(17) Signed Japanese diplomatic establishment’s Consent Form (use prescribed template) if books
are to be shipped to the establishment from which the applicant received a recommendation(not required if books should be shipped to the applying institution).
*A Japanese diplomatic establishment’s consent should be obtained by the applicant before
submitting this application form.
5-2-3. Shipping Information*address to be printed on the shipping label(18) Preferred shipping method*The project secretariat cannot guarantee parcels will be shipped by the applicant’s preferred
method, as it is possible that the method of choice may be unavailable at the time of shipping.
(19) Name of addressee (individual and/or office name)(20) Street address *PO boxes not accepted(21) City(22) Province/state(23) Postal code(24) Country(25) Phone number including country code(26) Check yes or no: “Have you received books from the READ JAPAN PROJECT before?
*Confirm by viewing the list of past recipients (https://readjapan.org/recipients/).
(27) If you answered yes to the above question, what year(s) did you receive books?
(28) For future reference, specify any Japan-related books desired by the applying institution apartfrom the 354 books available under this project, if any.
(29) Check the statement: “As the institutional applicant, I declare that the information provided
above is correct.”

6. Screening and Notification
Applications will be screened based on eligibility by the secretariat. The results of the screening will
be notified at the time indicated in Section 4. (Schedule). Applicants are responsible for providing
the information requested within the timeframe set by the secretariat.

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7. Post-Donation Requirements
Recipients are expected to cooperate with the secretariat’s communication activities, such as bysharing photos of book donation ceremonies to be published on READ JAPAN PROJECT’s social
media and the website as well as participating in surveys and follow-up activities. The recipients arealso encouraged to share their project-related activities on their own social media pages andwebsites.
8. FAQ
Q1. We’ve received books through the project before. Can we apply again?
Yes. Those who previously received Japan-related books from this project are eligible to apply but,in principle, only for books that they have not already received (each title may be requested onlyonce). Priority will be given to applicants who have not yet received books from this project.
Q2. Can non-profit and non-governmental organizations apply?
Eligibility will depend on the applicant’s mission and reasons for applying. You will needto receive a recommendation from a Japanese diplomatic establishment (embassy, consulate,or permanent mission) in your country or region, so please contact them first.
The institution may apply after obtaining a recommendation.
Q3. What is GDPR? And does my institution need to submit the GDPR Consent Form?
The GDPR is an EU regulation on data protection and privacy in the European Union and theEuropean Economic Area (EEA). Whether you need to submit the form or not depends on whichcountry you will apply from. For details, please refer to the following links.
EU Countries
https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries_en
EEA Countries (Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein)https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/trade/agricultural-international-trade/bilateral-agre
ements/efta-enp-countries/efta-eea_en#countries
Countries recognized as offering an adequate level of data protection
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection/adequacy-decisions_en
Q4. How much will successful applicants need to pay in tax-related fees?
Custom fees, VAT, and other related charges incurred in the destination country are unable to be
estimated by the secretariat prior to the arrival of book parcels at customs. Factors affecting costs
include the titles and number of books selected, shipping method, and the custom policy at thedestination country. In case an applicant would like to know these costs, the applicant itself should
contact their own country’s authority for inquiry about such fees.
Q5. Tell me the size and weight of the boxes in which the books will be shipped.
The boxes come in three sizes: small (27.5cm×38cm×13.8cm), medium (26.5cm×35cm×22.5), and large(35.5cm×50cm×24.5cm). Most boxes will contain fewer than 30 books.

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The table below presents book shipment details, encompassing total book prices and shipment costs
for READ JAPAN PROJECT 2022, for your reference. Please be aware that the prices listed are
subject to fluctuations in currency rates. It is important to note that the provided prices are intended
solely for reference purposes.

Region andcountry/city

Approx weight

No. ofand no. ofbooks

boxes

shippedTotal price of books
covered by project

Shipping(approx) *Excl. custom-method

related fees

Shipping costs
covered byproject (approx)

AmericasBrazil95kg, 5 boxes

157

US$3,300 DHL

US$1,800

Brazil41kg, 3 boxes

60

US$1,200 Ship

US$300Ecuador34kg, 2 boxes

55

US$1,000 DHL

US$800

Honduras

46kg, 3 boxes

78

US$1,600 FedEx

US$1,000

Mexico24kg, 2 boxes

35

US$700 DHL

US$30094kg, 5 boxes

158

US$3,300 Ship

US$400Botswana

14kg, 1 box

21US$700 FedEx

US$600Iran

42kg, 2 boxes

64

US$1,400 EMS

US$700Romania

45kg, 3 boxes

77

US$1,400 DHL

US$600

Tanzania

73kg, 4 boxes

123

US$2,800 Air

US$1,400Turkey

81kg, 5 boxes

138

US$2,500 Ship

US$400

Bangladesh

15kg, 2 boxes

50

US$1,100 DHL

US$300India

50kg, 3 boxes

78

US$1,300 Ship

US$200

Pakistan

33kg, 2 boxes

55

US$1,100 EMS

US$300Philippines

96kg, 5 boxes

157

US$3,300 Air

US$800Tonga

83kg, 5 boxes

134

US$2,900 DHL

US$1,500

Viet Nam

38kg, 2 boxes

65

US$1,600 Ship

US$200Africa, Europe, and Middle East
Bosnia andHerzegovina

Asia-PacificQ6. Does the project offer any Japan-related books written in other languages?
No. Only English books are currently available.
Q7. My previous application was rejected. Can I apply again?
Yes. Please read the Call for Applications carefully and submit all necessary information. Before
submitting your application, you will also need to receive a recommendation from a Japanesediplomatic establishment (embassy, consulate, or permanent mission) in your country or region.

7Q8. My university has two libraries in different locations, and one previously received books
through this project. Can the other library apply?
Yes. Even if one of the libraries of the same university received books through this project before,
the other can apply as a new applicant.
Q9. Can a Japanese university or library with many non-Japanese students/users apply?
The intended beneficiaries of this project are the institutions of foreign countries and regions. We do
not accept applications from a Japanese university or library.
Q10. About The Nippon Foundation and the Tokyo Foundation for Policy ResearchThe Nippon Foundation is a public interest incorporated foundation primarily engaged insupporting maritime and shipping-related activities, public and welfare services, and international
cooperation, using a portion of the proceeds from motorboat racing, a legally licensed “publicsport.” www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/en.
The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research is an independent, not-for-profit think tank thatexamines critical issues confronting society from a neutral and impartial standpoint; undertakes
rigorous, evidence-based research; and offers a range of policy options in pioneering paths to abrighter future. We also cultivate broadminded, socially engaged future leaders, both in Japan andoverseas, and contribute to building a better society for all. https://www.tokyofoundation.org/.

*****Inquiries should be directed to: READ JAPAN PROJECT secretariat.
Email: readjapanproject@tkfd.or.jp
Website: https://readjapan.org/
The project secretariat will accept inquiries related to this project via email ONLY.

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