This month we turn the spotlight on ourselves at the JICC, introducing what goes on in our office on a day-to-day basis and suggesting how you can connect with us.

The aim of the Japan Information and Cultural Centre (JICC) is to nurture the relationship between British people and their Japanese counterparts through the promotion of Japanese culture and to encourage greater understanding of Japan in the UK. There are many ways in which this is done, whether it is through the media (for example, press and television), events, education and exchange programmes, or even through digital and social media.


Web and Social Media

The JICC provides up-to-date information on our Embassy and relevant news from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on our website in both English and Japanese. Highlighted stories from our website appear on our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Perhaps one of the most successful sections of our website in recent years has been our Japan-UK Events Calendar, to which people can submit their Japan-related events up and down the country.

Established for the Japan150 celebrations, this calendar continues to keep people up to date on new and upcoming Japan-related cultural events in the UK. We welcome all submissions of Japan-related events for registration, and details of how to do this can be found here.


Artefacts

For organisations such as schools or societies we have a range of Japanese artefacts available for loan. From yukata (cotton kimono), lanterns, and fans for a summer festival to traditional Japanese toys and plastic food samples, we have a large variety of artefacts to suit most needs. For more information, check here. We also have an extensive list of videos and DVDs available for loan here.

The Matsuri Set (Festival Set)

Library

For those you of who are able to visit the Embassy in person, the JICC also has a library at the Embassy which is open to the general public Monday - Friday (excluding Embassy holidays) between 9:30 and 12:45 and from 14:00 to 17:30. The Library possesses approximately 3,800 volumes covering a wide range of general educational, historical and cultural topics relating to Japan, some in English and others in Japanese. Government publications, mainly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are also available. For more details, check here. You can also find an interview with our Librarian here!

Club Taishikan

We also host visits to the Embassy for school groups with our Club Taishikan workshop. Schools can apply to bring a group of up to 30 students to spend an afternoon at the Embassy, where they will receive a presentation on Japan and can learn activities such as Japanese calligraphy, origami and yosakoi soran dance. This workshop is extremely popular and spaces fill up fast each term! For details on how to apply, please check here.

Press

JICC staff monitor and read British newspapers daily to identify any articles which mention Japan. The articles are then archived for future reference. We also send press releases to both the British press and Japanese press based in the UK regarding Embassy events and activities, as well as looking after Japanese press personnel visiting from Japan for official occasions.


Speech Preparation and Research

A significant function of JICC consists of conducting research for and the preparation of speeches to be delivered by the Ambassador or other senior diplomats. Great care is taken in the background work as speeches comprise an important vehicle for conveying a particular message or providing information about Japan, its policies, its stance on various key issues, its economy and its culture. The people engaged in this work have extensive knowledge and experience of Japan. They adapt the tone of the speech to the subject-matter, trying where possible to inject a little humour. Attention is also paid to involving the members of the audience so as to ensure that they can relate to the message being delivered. Naturally, the staff involved gain great satisfaction in observing a speech being warmly received or, if they did not attend the event in question, in finding out afterwards that it “went down well”!


Events

The JICC organises events to encourage more people to get to know the traditions of Japan and its culture. These events include wide-ranging topics including music, art, architecture, history and many more. Throughout the year, we hold various exhibitions here at the Embassy. For example, this year we held a very successful exhibition of Japanese netsuke. We also have monthly film shows at the Embassy as well as external film festivals. Moreover, we conduct competitions such as 'Manga Jiman', through which we hope to attract young manga-lovers in the UK. You can find out about our latest events on our website.

JICC