Award Ceremony Information

For updates on other events, please follow our fanpage

Honoring Achievements in Japanese Literary Studies in Vietnam – The 7th Inoue Yasushi Award

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam and the Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation will co-organize the Award Ceremony of the 7th Inoue Yasushi Prize Japanese Literature Research Essay Contest in Hanoi on 21 December 2025 to celebrate outstanding achievements in Japanese literary studies in Vietnam.

Launched in August 2024 and accepting submissions until 31 August 2025, the contest was open to researchers and students, attracting wide interest from those passionate about Japanese literature and its academic study. Following an independent review and a professional deliberation meeting, the Jury selected three outstanding essays in the Researcher category and four outstanding essays in the Student category.

Over the years, Japanese Studies in Vietnam, across fields such as history, politics, economics and society, has witnessed strong development, supported by numerous academic conferences and seminars. However, a specialized platform exclusively dedicated to Japanese literature remains relatively limited. Intending to foster a dedicated academic environment, nurturing interest, and promoting the study of Japanese literature in Vietnam, The Japan Foundation and the Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation initiated this essay contest in 2016.

From its early days with only a modest number of submissions, the contest has steadily grown over the past nine years, attracting increasing participation in each round. This year marks the seventh and the final edition of the Inoue Yasushi Prize Japanese Literature Research Essay Contest. It has recorded the highest number of submissions to date while achieving the strongest academic quality across its entire history. The Organizing Committee takes great pride in the contest’s meaningful accomplishments, which have left a memorable imprint on the landscape of Japanese literary studies in Vietnam. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the professors, researchers, students, and all who have supported and accompanied the contest throughout the years.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Award Ceremony of this final edition!

For inquiries on the ceremony and interview, please contact at:

Ms. Anh 024-3944-7419 (ext. 136) / Mr. Kaneko 024-3944-7419 (ext. 127)

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam

27 Quang Trung, Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam                                  TEL: 024-3944-7419

https://www.facebook.com/japanfoundation.vietnam/                             https://hn.jpf.go.jp/

■ Credit

Organizer:

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam,

The Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation

■Awardee List

I: Researcher Category: 

01 First Prize: 

Nguyen Bich Nha Truc (Lecturer, Faculty of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education)

Title: Haruki Murakami’s and Franz Kafka’s Novels from the Lens of Archetypal Criticism

01 Second Prize: 

Luong Hai Van ((Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi Metropolitan University) Title: The sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels

01 Third Prize:

Nguyen Huu Minh (PhD Candidate, Faculty of Literature, University of Education, Hue University) Title: Existential sense of beauty in the short stories of Nagai Kafu

II: Student Category: 

01 First Prize:  

Le Dinh Nhan (Faculty of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education)

Title: The motif of the journey to hell in the novel Killing Commendatore (Haruki Murakami)

02 Second Prizes:  

Duong Thi Thanh Tu (Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City)

Title: The Silent cry of Oe Kenzaburo: The ambiguous world of boundaries

Tran Trong Doan (Faculty of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education)

Title: From Bodily Regulation to Trauma of Female Hibakusha in Three Works: Black Rain (Ibuse Masuji), Fireflies (Ota Yoko), and The House of Hands (Inoue Mitsuharu)

01 Third Prize: 

Vu Thi Minh Hong (Department of Journalism, Academy of Journalism and Communication)

Title: Postmodern narrative structures in Haruki Murakami’s novels and the transformation of narrative forms in contemporary Japanese literature

[Judging Panel]

1. Phan Nhật Chiêu (Writer & Translator)
2. Phạm Xuân Nguyên (Literary Researcher and Critic , Former President of the Hanoi Writers’ Association)
3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hải Linh (Chair of the Academic Council, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi)

■ About the Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation and Inoue Yasushi

Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation

The Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation was established in 1992 in honor of the late Japanese novelist Inoue Yasushi and in accordance with his wishes. The Foundation’s primary activities include presenting the Inoue Yasushi Prize to individuals or organizations that have contributed to the development and promotion of Japanese culture, collecting materials and conducting in-depth research on Japanese literature, and organizing lectures and seminars on modern Japanese literature.

To encourage the study of Japanese literature and culture in Australia, the Inoue Yasushi Prize established an endowment fund at the University of Sydney in 2006, and later expanded its eligibility to include researchers in New Zealand from 2008 onward.

About Inoue Yasushi

Inoue Yasushi, a Japanese Novelist (1907-1991), is a great famous writer in Japanese literature. He wrote many genres such as novels, essays, poetry, etc. In particular, in the genre of historical novels, he also explored the topic of the history and culture of the Western Region of China through works such as “Tun-Huang” and “The roof tile of Tempyo”. Many of his works have been made into television series and movies. In 1976, he was awarded the Medal for Contribution to Japanese Culture. From 1981 to 1985, he was The President of the Japan Writers’ Association (Pen Club). The Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation was established in 1992 according to the writer’s wish to award prizes to domestic and foreign individuals and organizations that have contributed to the development and promotion of Japanese Literature.