The Japan Foundation conducts programs in the three major areas of Arts and Cultural Exchange, Japanese-Language Education Overseas, Japanese Studies and International Dialogue. There are applicable programs in each of these areas, and support is provided for activities conducted by individuals and organizations that are involved in international exchange.
Grant Navigator
– A tool to help guide you through the grants and programs
How to Apply
– Follow these steps to apply for our grants and program
Japan Foundation Programs
– Details about the each grant and program
Granting the Use of the Name of The Japan Foundation, Toronto as a Supporter
Grant Navigator
Please start by selecting from the categories below and follow along to “navigate” through the various programs available.
*If you are still not sure, please select “None of the Above” and fill out the form that appears to let us know more about your project.
How to Apply
1) Contact the Japan Foundation, Toronto to clarify your eligibility or ask any questions you may have regarding the programs. (Even if you are certain of your eligibility, it is helpful to let the office know that you are planning to submit an application.)
The staff members in charge of each program are as follows:
Arts and Culture Programs:
Exhibitions Abroad Support Program, Arts & Culture Local Grant Program (Visual and Performing Arts)
Contact: Toshi Aoyagi toshi_aoyagi@jpf.go.jp
Support Program for Translation and Publication on Japan, Arts & Culture Local Grant Program (Film, Audiovisual, Visual Arts)
Contact: Philbert Lui philbert_lui@jpf.go.jp
Ishibashi Foundation/The Japan Foundation Fellowship for Research on Japanese Art
Contact: Ayeshwini Lama ayeshwini_lama@jpf.go.jp
Japanese Language Education Programs:
Training Programs for Teachers of the Japanese-Language (On-site), Online Training Program for Teachers of the Japanese-Language
Contact: Noriko Saito noriko_saito@jpf.go.jp
Program for Specialists in Cultural and Academic Fields, Local Grant Program for Japanese-Language Education
Contact: Salma Saleh salma_saleh@jpf.go.jp
Japanese Studies and International Dialogue Programs:
Contact: Ayeshwini Lama ayeshwini_lama@jpf.go.jp
2) [For Japan Foundation Head Office Programs only] From Fiscal Year 2024, applications will be accepted electronically through the Japan Foundation’s Online Application Portal. Download the application from the description page of each program. Fill out the application and upload the completed forms, together with any attachments to the Japan Foundation Online Application Portal by the application deadline.
Japan Foundation Programs
Japan Foundation Head Office Programs
Programs administered by the Japan Foundation Head Office in Japan are described in the Program Guidelines, published in the fall of each fiscal year. The Program Guidelines includes a list of programs, application forms and deadlines:
・Guidelines in English
・Guidelines in Japanese
*Please note that the “Support Program for Organizations in Japanese-Language Education (Grants)” as listed in the Program Guidelines (Pg. 15 English, Pg. 19 Japanese) is currently covered under our Local Grant Program for Japanese-Language Education. Please refer to that program instead.
Local Grant Programs
The Japan Foundation, Toronto also offers small grants through its Local Grant Programs. Local Grants support non-profit and educational institutions carrying out projects related to Japanese arts, culture and language education, and which enhance mutual understanding between Japan and Canada.
・Arts and Culture
・Japanese Language Education
・Japanese Studies and International Dialogue
・The Japan Foundation, Toronto Affiliated Programs
The following programs are open to Canadian educational institutions or individuals. For a detailed description, click on each program below:
Arts and Culture
- Exhibitions Abroad Support Program
Show Click here for more information
This program is designed to provide financial support for museums and art institutions overseas that organize exhibitions introducing Japanese art and culture to audiences overseas. In addition, this program is designed to support overseas international exhibitions such as biennials/triennials introducing Japanese artists and their works.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 30, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - Support Program for Translation and Publication on Japan
Show Click here for more information
This program is designed to provide partial financial support for overseas publishers intending to translate and/or publish books originally written in Japanese. The grant covers part of the translation cost and/or publishing costs (e.g. costs for paper, typesetting, printing and binding). Applicants may apply for one of the following categories: “translation only” “publication only” or “translation and publication.”
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 20, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - Ishibashi Foundation/The Japan Foundation Fellowship for Research on Japanese Art
Show Click here for more information
This program aims to support the development of professionals specializing in the study of Japanese visual arts by providing an opportunity for curators and researchers from abroad to conduct research in Japan, and by so doing, promote the study of the field and the introduction of Japanese art overseas.
This fellowship is implemented by the Japan Foundation with generous funding from the Ishibashi Foundation.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 30, 2023 (Japan Standard Time)
- Arts & Culture Local Grant Program
The Japan Foundation, Toronto offers a limited number of small-scale grants to partially support the costs of conducting non-profit Japanese Arts and Cultural activities in Canada. - **Performing Arts Japan has been terminated as of fiscal year 2022. Future applicants in the field of performing arts can apply for supporting via our Local Grant program.
Japanese Language Education
Head Office Programs in Japan
- Basic Training Program for Teachers of the Japanese Language
Show Click here for more information
This program is a six-month program designed for teachers who are early in their career with an opportunity to improve their Japanese language skills, acquire the basic teaching methodology, and deepen their knowledge of Japan.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 30, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - Japanese Language Program for Teachers of the Japanese Language
Show Click here for more information
This program is a six-week program designed to provide an opportunity to improve their Japanese-language skill which is necessary as teachers of Japanese language. There will be NO lessons of Japanese-language teaching methodology.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 30, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - Comprehensive Japanese Teaching Methods Program for Teachers of the Japanese Language
Show Click here for more information
This program is a six weeks program designed to provide an opportunity to improve the teaching methodology. This program will be conducted twice in FY 2023. There will be NO lessons for improving Japanese-language skill.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 30, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - Online Training Program for Teachers of the Japanese Language
Show Click here for more information
The Online Training Program for Teachers of the Japanese Language, conducted in FY 2021-2023, will not be conducted in FY 2024. Instead, we are opening the Online Self-Study Course on the platform “JF Japanese e-Learning Minato” (starting in FY 2023; eight themes in total will be opened sequentially). The on-demand teaching materials used in the Online Self-Study Course will also be uploaded on the JFJLI, Urawa website.
JF Japanese e-Learning Minato website: https://minato-jf.jp/ - Program for Specialists in Cultural and Academic Fields
Show Click here for more information
With the aim of providing support to specialists who require Japanese-language proficiency in order to smoothly execute their specialist work and research activities (such as researchers, graduate students, librarians, and museum and art museum curators), this program provides training for the acquisition of practical Japanese-language proficiency through a curriculum that is tailored to the characteristics of the respective specialist work, conducted at the Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 1:00 PM, November 30, 2023 (Japan Standard Time)
Local Programs (Canada)
- Local Grant Program for Japanese-Language Education
This program is intended to promote Japanese-language education in Canada by providing support to a wide range of activities essential to the dissemination of Japanese-language and the development of Japanese-language education.
Japanese Studies and International Dialogue
- Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Fellowship Program
Show Click here for more information
This program provides scholars and researchers in the field of Japanese Studies with opportunities to conduct research in Japan, with the aim of promoting Japanese Studies overseas.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 3:00 PM, December 1, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - Grant Program for Japanese Studies Projects
Show Click here for more information
This program is designed to promote Japanese studies overseas by providing grants toward various Japanese studies projects implemented by overseas organizations.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 3:00 PM, December 1, 2023 (Japan Standard Time) - JF-GJS Fellowship Program (co-organized with the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo)
Show Click here for more information
This jointly organized program provides post-doctoral researchers in the field of Japanese Studies with opportunities to conduct research in Japan while belonging to Tobunken.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Send all completed forms to r_info*jpf.go.jp (replace * with @) by December 1, 2023 (Japan Standard Time). - JF-Nichibunken Fellowship Program (co-organized with the International Research Center for Japanese Studies)
Show Click here for more information
This jointly organized program provides post-doctoral researchers in the field of Japanese Studies with opportunities to conduct research in Japan while belonging to Nichibunken.
[Detailed Information and Application Forms]
Deadline: Send all completed forms to r_info*jpf.go.jp (replace * with @) by December 1, 2023 (Japan Standard Time). - Japanese Studies & International Dialogue Local Grant Program
This program is intended to promote Japanese studies in Canada by providing support to a wide range of activities that contribute to cultural exchange such as conferences and symposia.
The Japan Foundation, Toronto Affiliated Programs
- Special Funding Program for Junior Scholars
The Tanaka Fund was established in 1974 as the result of an exchange of gifts between the governments of Canada and Japan. Until 2016, support for Japanese language lectureship at Canadian Universities was funded. In 2018, the Tanaka Fund was restructured to focus support towards young emerging scholars in order to foster the next generation of Japanese Studies scholarship in Canada.For more information, click here.
If you have any questions, please email Matt Henderson, Assistant Director, at tanaka@univcan.ca.
Granting the Use of the Name of The Japan Foundation, Toronto as a Supporter
The Japan Foundation supports cultural projects that contribute to the promotion of international cultural exchange by granting the use of its name as a supporter.
