J-KIDS 2026 ignites passion for Japanese, promotes Vietnamese culture
WVR - On the morning of September 7, in Hanoi, the Vietnam-Japan Cultural and Educational Cooperation Promotion Center (VJCE) launched the first Vietnamese Children's Japanese Talent Search Contest - J-KIDS 2026, with the theme “Japanese Opens the Door to the Future”.
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| Vietnamese Consul in Osaka Nguyen Dang Hoang speaks at the J-KIDS 2026 launch ceremony. (Photo: Ngoc Anh) |
The contest is for Vietnamese children aged 5-15 and is expected to become an annual event aimed at discovering, encouraging, and nurturing children with a talent and love for Japanese. The program also aims to enhance cultural and educational exchanges and connect the young generations of Vietnam and Japan.
Speaking at the program, Vietnamese Consul in Osaka Nguyen Dang Hoang highly appreciated the significance of J-KIDS 2026, stating that a suitable playground will provide students with more opportunities to test and improve their Japanese language skills, thereby motivating them to learn foreign languages in school.
According to Consul Nguyen Dang Hoang, in the context of increasingly deep and extensive Vietnam-Japan relations, enhancing people-to-people exchanges and connecting young generations is of great importance.
Thus, Japanese can become a bridge for children to expand their understanding of Japanese culture, enhance exchanges with peers, and promote the image of Vietnam and its people.
The contest is organized in the context of Vietnam and Japan vigorously promoting cooperation in various fields, with people-to-people exchanges, education, and human resource training continuing to be prioritized.
Providing opportunities for young generations to access each other's languages and cultures early is expected to contribute to building a solid social foundation for bilateral relations.
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| Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Kansai, VJCE Director Le Thuong shares the goal of developing J-KIDS into an annual playground. (Photo: Ngoc Anh) |
Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Kansai, VJCE Director Le Thuong stated that the demand for learning Japanese, exploring Japanese culture, and exchanges between the young generations of the two countries is increasing as the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Japan develops deeply.
According to Le Thuong, J-KIDS 2026 aims to build a community of Vietnamese children who love Japanese, thereby creating more opportunities for them to continue learning, exchanging, and developing their abilities after the contest.
Through using Japanese, contestants can also confidently introduce their homeland, country, and people of Vietnam to Japanese friends.
“Japanese Opens the Door to the Future” is also the overarching message of the program, reflecting the expectation that learning foreign languages from a young age will help children access knowledge, expand international exchanges, and have more choices in their studies and careers later on.
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| Delegates take commemorative photos at the contest launch ceremony. (Photo: Ngoc Anh) |
J-KIDS 2026 is for Vietnamese citizens or children of Vietnamese origin living in Vietnam and abroad, divided into three age groups: 5-8, 9-11, and 12-15 years old. Contestants can participate in either the J-KIDS Vietnam or J-KIDS International categories.
The contest content is designed in various formats to suit the age and ability of each contestant, from speeches, storytelling, singing, and acting in Japanese to introducing their homeland, Vietnamese culture, exploring Japanese culture, drawing combined with presentations, making self-introduction videos, and showcasing artistic talents using Japanese.
Besides language proficiency, the contest focuses on evaluating communication skills, creative thinking, presentation ability, expression, and confidence in public. This is also an opportunity for children to use Japanese in familiar situations, thereby turning the foreign language into a tool for communication and cultural connection.
According to the plan, the contest will go through Preliminary, Selection, and National Finals rounds. The Preliminary round will receive applications and contest videos from domestic and international contestants before the expert council selects outstanding candidates for the next rounds.
The National Finals are expected to be held directly in Hanoi, with the participation of delegates, experts, educators, educational organizations, businesses, and guests from Vietnam and Japan. Contestants will have the opportunity to showcase their talents, interact with experts, and participate in activities exploring the cultures of both countries.
J-KIDS 2026 is expected to award titles such as J-KIDS Vietnam 2026 Champion, J-KIDS International 2026 Champion, and Junior Cultural Exchange Ambassador Vietnam-Japan, alongside First, Second, Third, Encouragement prizes, and many special awards.
The total prize value is expected to exceed 100 million VND, including cash, scholarships, laptops, learning equipment, and gifts from partners and sponsors.
With a long-term development orientation, the Organizing Committee hopes J-KIDS 2026 will transcend the framework of a talent search contest, gradually forming a community of Vietnamese children who love Japanese and creating more space for them to continue exchanging and learning.
From their love for Japanese, these young contestants can become “Junior Cultural Exchange Ambassadors Vietnam-Japan”, contributing to bringing the image of Vietnam closer to Japanese friends and spreading Vietnamese cultural values to the world.
