17-20 August 2023, Ghent, Belgium 

From 17 to 20 August 2023, the Institute of Japanese Studies at Ghent University will organize the 17th International Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS). This conference is a major international event in Japanese Studies, which attracts more than 800 participants from Europe, Japan, and the US. It brings together experts in the field of Japanese Studies, as well as Japanese language teachers, to increase knowledge about Japanese history, society, religion, politics and economy and to discuss recent developments in Japanese linguistics and language teaching. It also provides ample opportunities for connecting the general public and experts through an on-site exhibition of Japanese kimonos and other cultural events in the city of Ghent.

The Japanese Studies programme is well-established at Ghent University. In recent years, it has seen an increase in student numbers and in teaching and research staff. The Japanese Studies Institute works closely together with the City of Ghent in its sister-partnership with Kanazawa and hosts the Kanazawa University Liaison Office for Europe. In order to obtain their MA degree, all Japanese Studies students at Ghent are now required to take up internships at companies and public institutions in Belgium, as well as in Japan. Most recently, in December 2023, Japanese Studies professors from Ghent University accompanied the economic mission of Princess Astrid of Belgium and Ghent University mission to Japan, concluding, renewing, or initiating new cooperation agreements with Japanese universities, such as Tokyo, Waseda, Kanazawa, Kansai, and Tohoku and Kyoto Institute of Technology, among many others. In 2021, the Institute of Japanese Studies at Ghent University had hosted the virtual EAJS conference, and is now honoured again to be the local organizer of the 17th EAJS conference at Ghent, which will be conducted in person.