The History of the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles

30th Anniversary of JFLA

1983

Opening the office at Los Angeles
The first office of JFLA was located in the building of the Japanese American
Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles.

1984

Butoh Group “Sankai Juku” performance at the“Olympic Arts Festival in Los Angeles”

1985

Noh Performance at University of California, Berkeley

1986

The Japan Foundation Award recipients
The Japan Society of Northern California
American Karate Team Tour

1987

Exhibition “Japanese Western Style Painters” inNY, LA and St. Louis1987

Seminar on Japanese Language Teaching Methods in collaboration
with the Southern California Federation of Japanese Language
Teachers

1991

CGP (Center for Global Partnership) established.
Abe Fellowship Program started.

1992

Japanese Language Center and Nihongo Library established in Santa
Monica JFLA starts carrying out all the Japanese Language related programs in the U.S.

First issue of the JFLA newsletter “Breeze”

1993

First JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) in the U.S.

1994

PAJ (Performing Arts Japan) grant program starts

1995

Film Screening of “Japan Today in Santa Monica”

1996

Grant for the establishment of the Association of Teachers ofJapanese (Six new associations established)

1998

Support given to the establishment of the AATJ (Alliance ofAssociation of Teachers of Japanese)

1999

The Japan Foundation Award recipients
Mr. Robert Anthony Scalapino, Robson
Research Professor of Government Emeritus,
University of California at Berkeley
Shamisen Group “Kaze” Concert in JANM
Survey on the current state of Japanese language education in the U.S.
Exhibition “Kusama Yayoi” at LACMAJapanese American National Museum (The Japan Foundation SpecialPrize)

The Japan Foundation Award recipients
Mr. Frank B. Gibney, President,
The Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College2001

USA Sumo Open at UCLA

2002

“Japan Ountreach Initiative (JOI)” Program Established to dispatch
grassroot exchange coordinators to the U.S.

2003

The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles office moved from Santa
Monica to Downtown

Kyogen Performance toured 25 cities in the United States

2004

Development of the Japanese AP test (Advanced Placement Test)

2006

The Japan Foundation Award recipients
Mr. Joe Price & Ms. Etsuko Price, Directors,
The Shin’enKan Foundation

2007“Aomori Nebuta” at the Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Little Tokyo

2008“Invitation Group-Tour Program for U.S. Educators” started

2009

The Japan Foundation Award recipients
Alliance of Associations of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ, current
American Association of Teachers of Japanese)

Kabuki Lecture and Demonstration in five-cities

2010

The Conference of AAC (American Advisory Committee)2010

CSR seminar with Mr. Rick Wartzman, Director of the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University

JBA (Japan Business Association) 50th Anniversary

Mar 11, 2011

The Great East Japan Earthquake

July, 2011

JET-MIP: Japan Exchange and Teaching program- Memorial Invitation Program
The 2012 JET-MIP program will provide 32 high school students withthe opportunity to go to Japan for two weeks as a group to meet
Japanese students, experience Japanese culture, and study the language.

August, 2011

Sep 7, 2011

J-LEAP: Japanese Language Education Assistants ProgramThis program brings 15 Japanese Language teaching assistants to theU.S. K-12 educational institutions to strengthen their Japanese
language programs as well as creating opportunities to nurturea new generation of qualifies teachers of Japanese language.

Arigato
The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, the JapanFoundation, Los Angeles, other Japanese governmentalorganizations and the Japanese Community organized the Japan
Relief Appreciation Event “ARIGATO” In Little Tokyo.

Nov, 2011

AFI Fest : American Film Institute Film Festival
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles supported “JIRO Dreams of Sushi”
Screening by Mini grant program.

Nov, 2011

United States Martial Arts Festival 2011
The Shin Koyamada Foundation and the Japan Foundation,
Los Angeles produced this event together. JFLA provided
A symposium of Japanese Martial Arts spirits.
Hollywood action stars and mayor of Redondo Beach joined.

Nov, 2011

ACTFL 2011: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
JFLA joined ACTFL and had a booth forpromoting Japanese Language. At the sametime, JFLA organized the Leaders Seminar forJapanese Teachers.

Dec, 2011

JLPT: Japanese Language Proficiency Test
Every year, the Japan Foundation provides
Japanese Language Test in all over the world.
Over 3,000 people took JLPT in 11 cities in the US.

Jan, 2012

JF Nihongo ( Japanese Language Courses) starts
JFLA starts the Japanese Language courses in the building of JapaneseAmerican Cultural and Community Center in Little Tokyo.

Mar, 2012

Arigato from JapanThe Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, andthe Japan Foundation produced “Arigato from Japan” concert.
This concert was a kick-off event for the world tour.

Mar, 2012

Tea Time: Conversation Café from Beginners to Experienced
This event is designed for Japanese
Language Classes promotion.
People who are interested in Japanesecultures and language gathered and havesome conversation with Japanese.

April, 2012

“Abeya” Tsugaru-Shamisen US Tour
Celebrating the Japan-US Cherry Blossom Centennial

This concert tour from Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle,
San Francisco, Denver and Honolulu was designed to celebrate
the Japan-US Cherry Blossom Centennial.

July, 2012

The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles office
moved from Downtown to Mid-WilshireJuly, 2012

JET-MIP 2012: Japan Exchange and Teaching program- Memorial Invitation Program
The 2012 JET-MIP program will provide 32 high school students withthe opportunity to go to Japan for two weeks as a group to meet
Japanese students, experience Japanese culture, and study
the language.

Aug, 2012

J-LEAP 2012: Japanese Language Education Assistants ProgramThis program brings 10 Japanese Language teaching assistants to theU.S. K-12 educational institutions to strengthen their Japanese
language programs as well as creating opportunities to nurturea new generation of qualifies teachers of Japanese language.

Summer Camp for Teens: Discover Little Tokyo Japanese Language classThis class is designed for exploring Little Tokyo, learning basic Japaneseand Japanese culture with fun activities.

Aug, 2012

Japanese for Fun: Making Sushi with Mom/Dad Japanese Language classThis class is designed for having fun to make sushi with professional sushi
Chef and learning basic Japanese.

OPEN HOUSE
August 30th, 2012