IWNTJ 2026
International Workshop of the Network for Translingual Japanese 2026
International Workshop of the Network for Translingual Japanese
International Workshop of the Network for Translingual Japanese (IWNTJ) 2026
Maritime Communities, Japanese Language Mobility, and Coexistence
Event Overview
Dates: August 26-28, 2026 (Wednesday-Friday)
Location: Broome, Western Australia
Venue: Mangrove Hotel, St. Mary's college and Nyamba Buru Yawuru(tentative)
Capacity: 50 participants
Registration will close when the maximum number of participants has been reached.
Conference Chairs:
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Prof. Makiko Matsuda (Tokyo Metropolitan University)
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Prof. Emi Otsuji (University of Technology Sydney)
Download the Event Flyer
Conference Themes
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Translingual Approaches to Japanese Language Education
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Maritime Communities and Language Mobility
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Multilingual Practices in Diaspora Communities
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Learning from First Nations knowledge and cultural practices
Rationale and Significance
This international workshop will coincide with the Shinju Matsuri (Festival of the Pearl), Broome's premier cultural celebration that honors the town's multicultural pearling heritage. By scheduling IWNTJ 2026 during this festival period, we aim to create meaningful connections between academic discussions on translingual practices and the living maritime multicultural traditions of Broome.
Festival Website: https://www.shinjumatsuri.com.au/
Registration
Please complete the registration form below.
Registration Form
The registration fee will be collected on site.
Program
Program (Tentative as of May 19, 2026)
Keynote Lecture1
In the Same Boat: The Sister-City Youth Exchange Program of Broome and Taiji
Hayato Sakurai
Curator, Taiji Historical Archives, Advisory Curator, New Bedford Whaling Museum
St. Mary’s College made the brand-new youth exchange program central to celebrating its 2008 centennial year, twenty-seven years after the establishment of the Broome-Taiji sister-city relationship. A principal’s letter to Taiji students stated that the Irish sisters founded the school in response to a request by the local Japanese community, and that the school was a testament to Broome’s rich multicultural heritage. Over two hundred students from the two towns have had the opportunity to broaden their horizons by leaving their remote coastal communities, seeing themselves objectively during their visit to their sister-city town, and appreciating the legacy of ancestors who worked together in Broome’s pearling industry.
Hayato Sakurai works at the Taiji Town Board of Education as a maritime historian and the coordinator of the youth exchange program between Broome and Taiji. He is currently interested in the history of fishing on distant shores by people from the coastal villages of the Kii Peninsula. He is a co-curator of the 2026 special exhibition “Migrants’ Knots: Sea Tales Connecting Kishu, Boshu, and Monterey,” which explores the history of the Japanese-dominated abalone fishing industry in Monterey, California.
Keynote Lecture2
Languages and Cultures of Network Nurtured in Australia: Community Language Practices for Children Connected to Japanese (Tentative Title)Thomson Kinoshita Chihiro (Professor, University of New South Wales) オーストラリアで育まれるネットワークのことばと文化
―日本語につながる子どものためのコミュニティ言語実践（仮題）
Chihiro Thomson Kinoshita
トムソン木下千尋（ニューサウスウェールズ大学）
Accommodation
As the conference period coincides with the Pearl Festival, which is peak tourist season in Broome, participants are strongly encouraged to book their accommodation early.
Recommended Accommodation
Mangrove Hotel
Please make your reservation through the hotel’s website. A discount will be applied when you enter the promotion code.
The promotion code will be provided after you complete your conference registration.
Call for Presentations
The submission period for presentations has closed.
(Presentation language: English or Japanese)
Individual Oral Presentation: 20 minutes for presentation + 10 minutes for Q&A
Poster Presentation: 1 hour
※Poster presentations are open to anyone, provided that the content poses no ethical concerns and aligns with the purpose of this seminar.
Abstract Review:
Please submit a PDF file of up to two A4 pages.
Do not include your name(s) in the submission file.
Templates:
Japanese Template （日本語） English Template (English)
Important Dates:
Submission Deadline: December 30, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: January 15, 2026
Early Registration Deadline: April 30, 2026
Final Registration Deadline: July 30, 2026
Click here to access the application form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9OojWPoPVftb9-E79ORTG7x5dFJo5HTvtciBbORzN1x_hag/viewform?usp=header
