The JANZ database was just launched a year ago and has received Japan Foundation funding for its next phase. It’s quite exciting. UoA Minagawai-sensei attended a meeting about it at the recent JSAA conference in Melbourne, and she is our NZ contact person for the database. Thank-you Harumi for keeping us in the loop about this!

 It would be great if you could consider registering on the JANZ website.

 I have included some information about the database here:

 ‘The JANZ Database was launched in 2014 as an open-access, interactive directory of institutions with Japan-related programs and Japan specialists working in Australia and New Zealand within academic, business and public spheres.  This database increases public access to Japan-related expertise in Australia and New Zealand; links Japanese Studies specialists in our region and internationally; provides a resource for intending or current students; promotes the extensive body of scholarship produced in the field of Japanese Studies; and provides accurate profile data for the field for planning and resourcing purposes. In an increasingly competitive resource and funding environment we strongly believe the JANZ database can become a powerful resource for the advocacy of Japanese Studies education and research in Australia and New Zealand.

 The database homepage is https://janzdb.org/

 Please let others in your programme/department know about the database, as well as any others in your institutions who may be Japan specialists elsewhere.