2026 TRAINING PROGRAMS for JAPANESE-LANGUAGE TEACHERS

The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa (JFJLI, Urawa) organizes onsite training programs for those currently working as Japanese-language teachers teaching outside of Japan: “Basic Training Program”, “Japanese-Language Program”, and “Japanese Teaching Methods Program”. The outline of each program is as follows.

• Program Outline (PDF:1.6MB)
• JFJLI, Urawa “Training Programs”
• JFJLI, Urawa “Former participants voice”(in Japanese)

 

1. Basic Training Program [Six Months] (for non-native speakers of Japanese)
2. Japanese Language Program [Seven Weeks] (for non-native speakers of Japanese)
3. Comprehensive Teaching Methods Program [Six Weeks/Summer/Winter Sessions] (for non-native speakers of Japanese)

Note: We are offering a self-study course for Japanese-language teachers, "Teaching Methods for JapaneseLanguage Teachers Online Course" on our website "JF Japanese e-Learning Minato," and we will gradually increase the content, so please take advantage of it.
JF Japanese e-Learning Minato website: https://minato-jf.jp/

Grant Coverage

There are no tuition fees. Participants will reside at the Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa (single rooms) and we will cover meals, and insurance for sickness and injury during
the training period. We will NOT cover airfare for US citizens.

Program Venue

Japan Foundation - Japanese Language Institute (in Urawa, Japan)

Application Deadline

Apply through Online Application Portal by 1 p.m., December 2nd, 2025 (Japan Standard Time) [8PM, December 1st, 2025 Pacific Time]

Online Application Portal: https://www.apply.jpf.go.jp * Visit the website to view the manual for this procedure.

Contact:

Click here and use the form to contact us with any questions or to inform us of your intention to apply to one of these programs (Select Anything Related to Japanese Language Education).

Notification of Result:  Within April, 2026

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1. [BT] Basic Training Program (Long-term)

Duration: September 1, 2026 – February 25, 2027 (tentative)

This program is a 6-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.

Past Participant Comments (Japanese Only)

2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012

Application Materials

• Download files (English) (ZIP:3MB) (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Word)
• Download files (Japanese) (ZIP:3.6MB) (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Word)

2. [JT] Japanese Language Program

Duration: June 2, 2026 - July 26, 2026 (tentative)

This program is a seven-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.

Application Materials

• Download files (English) (ZIP:3MB) (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Word)
• Download files (Japanese) (ZIP:3.8MB) (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Word)

3. [MT] Comprehensive Japanese Teaching Methods Program

   Summer Course: July 14th, 2026 - August 27th, 2026 (tentative)

   Winter Course: January 19th, 2027 - March 4th, 202 (tentative)

Training Programs of six weeks duration, which are designed to improve the teaching methodology, will be conducted two times: in Summer, and Winter in FY 2026. There will be NO lessons for improving Japanese-language skill.

Past Participant Comments

Madeleine Graham, Odyssey Middle School (San Mateo, CA)
Kristin Wingate, Cranford Public Schools (Cranford, NJ)
Yunchuan Chen, Duke University (Durham, NC)

Past Participant Comments (Japanese Only)

2018 (Summer)
2018 (Winter)
2017 (Summer)
2017 (Winter)
2016 (Summer)
2016 (Winter)
2015 (Summer)
2015 (Spring)
2014 (Winter)
2014 (Summer)
2013 (Winter)
2013 (Summer)

Application Materials

• Application Instructions/Documents Kit (English) (ZIP:3.3MB) (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Word)
• Application Instructions/Documents Kit (Japanese) (ZIP:5.4MB) (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Word)