Japan Prize deadline looms

Educational program producers have just two weeks to submit entries for this year’s Japan Prize.

Entries close on 30 June 2012 for the International Educational Program Contest, established to improve the quality of educational programs around the world and contribute to international understanding and cooperation.

The new Secretary-General of the Prize, Mr Yuichi Itamiya hopes that this year, entries will surpass last year’s total of 313 entries from 200 organizations in 61 countries, demonstrating what he calls “the abundant creativity in this field”.

“The active participation by ABU members is absolutely necessary to make the Japan Prize a truly international event,” he said. “I will do my best to bring success to the coming 39th Japan Prize and the 40th edition in 2013.”

Mr Itamiya took up his appointment on 15 June, succeeding Ms Hiroko Sakaue, who is an ex-chairperson of the ABU Children’s Item Exchange. Mr Itamiya has been the vice chairperson of the ABU Programming Committee since 2010. Ms Mariko Saeki, ABU Liaison at NHK, has been appointed new Deputy Secretary-General of the Japan Prize.  

The Japan Prize was launched by the Japanese national public broadcaster NHK in 1965 as a television program competition and has now been expanded to include educational websites and games to meet a rapidly changing media environment.

It also features production-funding prizes for written program proposals mainly by developing countries.

Entry forms, eligibility criteria and further information can be found on the Japan Prize website at http://www.nhk.or.jp/jp-prize/english/index.html.