Japan Local Government Center / CLAIR, New York

08/21/2026

[Announcement from Kochi Prefecture] (Japanese follows below)
Kochi’s sake will be featured at the San Diego Sake Festival!

Two breweries from Kochi Prefecture will be participating in a sake festival in San Diego at the end of September. You will have the chance to explore Kawazawa Brewery’s unique line of different sakes named after onomatopoeic expressions, as well as Suigei (Drunken Whale) sake in bottles featuring an adorable logo. Their taste, of course, is guaranteed to be excellent!

Why not visit the San Diego Sake Festival and try Kochi’s sake that has traveled across the Pacific Ocean to the United States—just like the legendary John Manjiro? (We recommend purchasing tickets in advance to secure your spot!)

- Date: September 27th ( Sun), 2026
- Venue: JULEP Venue, San Diego（1735 Hancock St, San Diego, CA 92101）
- Website: https://sandiegosakeclub.com/sake-festival

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[高知県からのお知らせ]
San Diego Sake Festivalに高知県が参加！

９月末、カリフォルニア州サンディエゴで開催される「sake festival」に、高知県から二つの酒蔵が参加します。川澤酒造からは、「オノマトペ」が名付けられたユニークな日本酒を、酔鯨酒造からは、クジラのロゴがかわいらしいボトルの日本酒をお楽しみいただけます。味ももちろんお墨付きです！

ジョン万次郎と同じように太平洋を渡ってアメリカにやってきた高知県の日本酒を味わいに、San Diego Sake Festivalに足を運びませんか？（チケットの事前購入をおすすめします！）

- 期間: 2026年９月27日
- 場所: JULEP Venue, San Diego（1735 Hancock St, San Diego, CA 92101）
- HP: https://sandiegosakeclub.com/sake-festival

#川澤酒造 #酔鯨酒造

08/19/2026

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the JET Program!

To celebrate, CLAIR is launching the “JET Arigato Campaign,” inviting current and former JET participants, as well as everyone involved with the JET Program, to share messages of appreciation for the people, communities, and experiences that have made their JET journey special.

Share your “ARIGATO” on social media using !

Want your message to be featured at the JET Program 40th Anniversary Reception or on CLAIR’s website and social media? Submit it through the application form for a chance to receive a 40th anniversary commemorative gift!

- Application form deadline: September 18, 2026, 5:00 pm (JST). Social media posts may be made at any time.
- Further details: https://jetprogramme.org/en/voices/jetarigatocampaign40/

08/04/2026

［Announcement from Ehime Prefectural Museum of Art, Ehime prefecture］
Ehime Shimbun 150th Anniversary "Shin! Ukiyo-e -Brilliant Artists of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Eras"

From the late Edo period (Bakumatsu) to the Meiji era, ukiyo-e prints increasingly took on the role of a “mass medium”, while became popular forms of entertainment, enjoyed by the masses at the same time. Also, ukiyo-e is a uniquely Japanese art of woodblock printing, brought to life through the collaborative craftsmanship of multiple specialists: the publisher, the artist, the woodblock carver, and the printer.

This exhibition, with the cooperation of the Asai Collection, showcases numerous masterpieces, focusing on the "medium" aspect of ukiyo-e. Discover the diverse works of artists, who keenly sensed the changes of the times and created innovative and fresh expressions.

For more information: https://www.ehime-art.jp/en/exhibition/detail/7cfaf73f-506d-4f6e-9303-f01d328ed7bf

　 #浮世絵

07/22/2026

-Deep Tech Tokyo Launchpad-
Are you a Deep Tech company looking to enter a new market? Consider Tokyo!

“Deep Tech Tokyo Launchpad” is a Tokyo Metropolitan Government led support program for overseas deep tech companies planning on entering and settling in Tokyo.
The program aims to promote innovation by encouraging greater collaboration and business opportunities between overseas deep tech companies and local small and medium-sized enterprises and thereby drive the growth of Tokyo's industries and strengthen their international competitiveness.

✅Who should apply?
・Companies willing to complete corporation registration in Tokyo between early December 2026 to March 2028
・Companies with concrete plans for innovation creation in Tokyo, such as PoC, joint research, co-development, or JV establishment with Tokyo-based companies
・Companies having strong motivation in expanding business base to Tokyo

✨Benefits:
・Financial Support, Market Research & Consulting, Office setup support, Legal Services / Accounting & Tax Advisory, Recruitment & Staffing, Translation support are available
・Subsidy of up to ￥100M ($667K) is provided over the 3 years of support period

📍Application Now Open!
Deadline: September 30, 2026
Program Kick-off: Early December, 2026

👉For more information, please visit:
Deep Tech Tokyo Launchpad

07/15/2026

We recently attended the annual JETAA Canada Conference (CanCon), held this year in Calgary and hosted by the Southern Alberta chapter.

The conference kicked off with a wonderful reception hosted by the Consul General of Japan in Calgary at his residence on Friday evening for conference participants and members of the Japan-related community.

Saturday was given over to reports from each Canadian chapter, as well as the US, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and JETAA International, who participated as observers. These reports are a great way to share ideas and to identify challenges and opportunities that different groups have in common. After that, JLGC staff gave a presentation on topics relating to CLAIR and JETAA. Following this were a keynote talk and cultural workshop on calligraphy, and workshops on engagement & retention of chapter officers and members, mentorship programs, and collaboration with other chapters and the broader Japan-related community. Time was also given to folding origami cranes to be used in a commemorative arrangement celebrating the upcoming 40th anniversary of the JET Program. Saturday was capped off with the CLAIR Reception, which allowed participants to continue the day's discussions in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Sunday morning began with the introduction of a proposal by the Canadian Country Representative for an initiative to create a dispute settlement council, similar to the Dispute Resolution Council recently adopted by the US chapters. This was followed by a discussion of career-focused networking and a panel discussion with the international participants on community-building, with examples of how Jamaica, T&T, and the US have gone about this. The conference came to a close just before noon with a brief discussion on Toronto's desire to host next year, if possible, and a final round of folding cranes.

Overall, it was a very active and informative gathering, and we look forward to seeing how the energy and ideas from the weekend strengthen the participants' chapters over the coming year.

07/10/2026

- ANIME NYC 2026 BADGES ON SALE NOW! GET YOURS MAILED TO YOU BEFORE THE JULY 14 MAILING DEADLINE! -

Don't miss out this summer, August 20th-23rd! A showcase of the best of Japanese pop culture in the biggest city in America, Anime NYC brings anime fans and publishers together for four days of unique exhibits, exclusive screenings, extensive panels, and appearances by some of the biggest creators in Japan.

Japan Local Government Center will be exhibiting at Anime NYC, and we will be sharing information with you about the various regions of Japan that are collaborating with anime, manga and other pop culture art creators. Join us for a celebration of Japanese animation, manga, and cosplay in the heart of NYC and discover your own Japanese Anime Tour at our booth!

Saturday tickets are already SOLD OUT! 4-Day tickets are going fast!

For more information: https://animenyc.com?cc=JLGC

07/10/2026

The 16th Iwate Manga Award contest aims to use manga as a medium to promote the many appeals of our prefecture and to share Iwate’s brilliant manga culture.
All entries must be original works that have not been previously submitted or published.
Entries must be related to Iwate. All genres are accepted.
You may submit to any of the following categories:

*General category – create your own short story that focuses on anything related to Iwate
*1-4 panel (koma) manga category – create a one or more panel manga about Iwate.
*Illustration category – create illustrations on anything related to Iwate

Winners of the grand prize and excellence awards in the “General category” will be published on Comic Iwate WEB and receive a monetary reward.
For entries that pass the initial screening, there will be an opportunity for artists to receive constructive criticism regarding their work from a panel of comic magazine editors.

The “1-4 panel manga category” is further divided into general (high school and above) and junior divisions,
which will be judged separately. Entries from all ages, beginners, and professionals are welcome.
Prizewinning submissions will be published on the Comic Iwate WEB page.

The “Illustration category” will also be judged in two divisions:
digital illustration (high school and above), and illustration (middle school and below).
Multiple entries are welcome, so please send us all of your wonderful creations!

We look forward to seeing your creative interpretations of Iwate!

Digital entries can be easily submitted via the online submission form on the official website.
We look forward to entries from all local and international artists!!

https://www.iwatemangagp.com/global/global.html

07/09/2026

The Kitakyushu Manga Museum is accepting entries of four-panel manga for this year's competition!

Choose either the General Division or Junior Division (age 12 or under as of April 1, 2027). Professionals and amateurs are all welcome!

This year's theme is “Sing” (for the general and junior categories）

Submit your own original, unpublished work.

The application period runs from 11:00 AM (Japan Standard Time) on Monday, June 1, 2026, to 2:00 PM (JST) on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

The winners will be announced in late November or early December 2026 on the official Kitakyushu International Manga Competition website, along with other outstanding entries.

All applications should be submitted to the official website, where you can fill out the application form and upload the data file for each work.

Website:(JP）https://kitakyushu-mangataisho.com/
　　　　(EN）https://kitakyushu-mangataisho.com/en/

For inquiries about submitting entries, please contact: [email protected]

For all other inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

07/09/2026

Check out "Steps for Reconstruction and Revitalization", which provides updates on "Fukushima's Revitalization Today".



In order to clearly communicate “Fukushima’s Revitalization Today” to domestic and international audiences, the Prefecture has created “Steps for Reconstruction and Revitalization in Fukushima Prefecture”, which summarises the progress and challenges since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The English version is now available on our website.

This issue’s cover features various initiatives, including the Grand Van Gogh Exhibition, the Tourism Campaign, and commemorative events, as the prefecture marks the 150th anniversary of its establishment and 15th anniversary of the disaster. Through these efforts, it welcomes many visitors to experience its charms and see the prefecture as it is today while widely sharing its hopes for the future.

The Fukushima Revitalization Information Portal Site provides information on the current status of Fukushima’s revitalization in 10 languages: English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Thai. The “Steps for Reconstruction and Revitalization in Fukushima Prefecture” is also available on the portal site. (You can change the language using the button in the top-right corner.) Be sure to check other pages on the portal site.



English: https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/site/portal-english/ayumi-en-15.html

Fukushima Revitalization Information Portal Site Top Page: https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/site/portal-english/

07/09/2026

Ehime Prefecture is looking for your heartwarming and moving stories and photos!
We want to hear your "Stories" (up to 800 Japanese characters) based on your own touching experiences, or see your "Photos" of "Egao" (Smiles)! The submission deadline is Friday, September 18th.
In addition, we are accepting "Videos" based on last year's award-winning stories until Monday, November 30th! Cash prizes are available for the winning entries.
We look forward to receiving many wonderful submissions!
▽For more details, please check the official website:

「愛の顔」と書いて「愛顔（えがお）」。愛媛県では、前向きな気持ちと思いやりの心が込められた「愛顔」を全国に広く発信し、たくさんの人々に元気や勇気を届けるため、愛顔にちなんだ「エピソード」「写真」「映像...