Talk Event: Asian Currents—Encountering Picture Books from Southeast Asia (September 17, 2025)

The Japan Foundation is pleased to host a talk event to coincide with the Children’s Books from around the World exhibition in our Tokyo headquarters.

Register for the talk event here.
—Asian Currents—Encountering Picture Books from Southeast Asia

The Japan Foundation is pleased to welcome four southeast Asian picture-book editors we had the pleasure of meeting in April 2025 when, together with the Japanese Board on Books for Young People (JBBY), we participated in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. We’ve invited the four to participate in a joint discussion on the picture books they’ve worked on and their respective publishing experiences in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Picture-book critic Hiromatsu Yukiko will join us as moderator, and consecutive interpreting into Japanese and English will be provided. We invite you to join us for a relaxed gathering with the four editors after the event.

Participants:
Hoi Wing Yan (Odonata Publishing, Malaysia)
Laura Peh (Cinnamon Art Stories, Singapore)
Kuerkamol Niyom (Saan Aksorn Co., Ltd., Thailand)
Le Thu Phuong Quynh (Crabit Kidbooks, Vietnam)

When: September 17, 2025, 4 to 6 PM
Where: Japan Foundation Headquarters, Sakura Hall
Yotsuya Cruce, 1-6-4 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku
Access map here
Seating is limited to 40 people and advance registration is required (see above).

We are grateful to the Japanese Board on Books for Young People (JBBY) for their cooperation in planning this event.