Press Conferences

Foreign Press Secretary KITAMURA Toshihiro: At the outset, I have one announcement regarding applications for the Japan International MANGA Award. As of today, April 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has begun accepting entries from non-Japanese manga creators for the Japan International MANGA Award. The application deadline is Tuesday, June 30.

MOFA established the Japan International MANGA Award in 2007, with the aim of promoting manga culture and international cultural exchanges through manga by awarding overseas artists for their excellent manga works. The Award has been presented every year since then, and this year marks its 20th anniversary.

As in previous years, one Gold Award and three Silver Awards will be selected from among the entries, and an award ceremony will be held in Japan at the end of this fiscal year. On that occasion, the winners will be invited to Japan to attend the award ceremony, and will have opportunities to exchange ideas with Japanese manga creators, as well as to visit publishing companies.

Further details will be posted on the Award’s official website shortly. Please refer to the website for more information.

MOFA will continue to strive to promote manga overseas through the Japan International MANGA Award, with the aim of further enlarging the circle of “Japan’s friends” who have a positive view of and a deep understanding of Japan.