The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has recently announced the recipients of the 2026 Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendations, among which is Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary.
Károli Gáspár University launched its Japanese language programme in 1994 and established its Department of Japanese Studies in 1995. Since then, the University has contributed to promoting Japanese Studies and the Japanese language in Hungary, as well as to the development of education and research in the field. The University has concluded cooperation agreements with numerous Japanese universities concerning student exchange programmes, thereby contributing to closer academic and educational cooperation between the two countries. It also supports the development of Japanese Studies in Hungary through academic publications, international joint research, and the regular organisation of academic conferences and meetings.
Graduates of the Department of Japanese Studies continue their careers at educational and research institutions, where they are engaged in teaching Japanese Studies and the Japanese language, as well as related academic activities, thereby contributing to the training of future specialists in the field.
The University’s interpreter and translator training programme, established in 2013, also deserves special mention. As part of the programme, a project was carried out to prepare Hungarian subtitles for video recordings containing the testimonies of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Through this initiative, which aims to convey the survivors’ experiences and their desire for peace to Hungarian society, the University also plays an important role in promoting mutual understanding between Japan and Hungary.
The Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation is awarded to individuals and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to promoting friendship and good relations between Japan and other countries, in recognition of the significance of their activities.
