The Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) is a general incorporated foundation that carries out international cooperation work commissioned by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and relevant ministries. It was established in March 1977 as the "International Cooperation Service Center" foundation and converted to a general incorporated foundation in April 2013. Its motto is "Connecting knowledge. Connecting the world. Connecting the future."
Its work is organized as "six projects that connect people." Student support comprehensively backs young government officials from many countries studying in Japan, and international training conveys Japanese knowledge and experience through specialized courses. International exchange promotes mutual understanding among young people and others, while multicultural coexistence and Japanese-language education offers language education and more for foreign residents in Japan.
It also provides project support for running international cooperation projects, and interpreter dispatch through more than 1,000 coordinators covering 31 languages. Recent project news includes a program hosting young people from the Middle East and a follow-up program for returned international students.
Key points
- Six projects centered on human resource development, including student support, international training and exchange
- Efforts to support foreign residents of Japan through multicultural coexistence and Japanese-language education
- Interpreter dispatch by more than 1,000 coordinators covering 31 languages
Why this organization deserves attention
Cooperation built around people, through study, training and exchange, forms a foundation that supports relations between countries over the long term. JICE connects Japan with people in a wide range of regions, including Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and contributes to international cooperation through human resource development.
Besides its overseas projects, it also provides Japanese-language education and work-related courses for foreign residents in Japan. This shows how international cooperation is connected to multicultural coexistence in local communities.
Editor's comment
When we think of international cooperation, we tend to imagine going abroad, but supporting people who come to study in Japan is also an important form of it. JICE's work seems to connect these personal ties with great care.
Its official website also lists calls for participants in Japanese-language courses and international exchange programs. If any project catches your interest, why not take a look?