Report on “Co-Interpreting Training of Skills Improvement training workshop (Face-to-face) for International Sign interpreters and Japanese Sign Language interpreters for Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics”

Posted on July 7, 2025 in sports and Deaflympics, Japanese Deaf News

In preparation for Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, Japanese Federation of the Deaf held an International Sign interpretation training workshop from June 28th (Sat) to 30th (Mon) with International Sign interpreters(deaf) and Japanese Sign Language interpreters(hearing) who are working with together. The lecturers were WASLI President Dr. Christopher Stone(UK), WASLI former President Dr. Debra Russel(Canada), WASLI Director Mr. Arunas Brazinskas (Lithuania) , and WASLI former Director Mr. Nigel Howard (Canada).

This training workshop was held as a continuation from last year, with the aim of improving the skills of International Sign interpreters (deaf) and Japanese Sign Language interpreters (hearing) in co-interpretation at TOKYO Deaflympics in November 2025.

There was a lot to learn during this workshop, which included interpreting training for each sport, the demand control schema, and ethics as an interpreter. On the third day, there were some moments where the participants learned about the rigors of interpreting, but there were also some laughs, and the content was consistently serious, and the participants were able to share the anxiety and joy of interpreting during the Games.

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Report on the Collaborative Workshop for International Sign interpreters and Japanese Sign Language interpreters for Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics

Posted on December 20, 2024 in sports and Deaflympics, meetings and events, Japanese Deaf News

In preparation for TOKYO 2025 Deaflympics, Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) conducted a collaborative workshop from June to November this year to train the collaboration between International Sign interpreters (Deaf) and Japanese Sign Language interpreters (Hearing). The workshop, incorporating the concept of “co-interpretation”, marked a significant first to Japan in the field of sign language interpretation.

To facilitate this workshop, we invited Mr. Nigel Howard from Canada in July and August, and Mr. Arunas Brazinskas from Lithuania, Ms. Laura Lesmana Wijaya from Indonesia, and Ms. Noppawan Chainarong from Thailand in October.

This collaborative workshop provided an invaluable learning experience for deaf participants and hearing participants. We are sure that the concept and skills to work together as co-interpreters will become a sustainable knowledge extending beyond TOKYO 2025 Deaflympics.

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Mr. Arnas Brajinskas (Lithuania) had a lecture and made related institutional visit

Posted on December 20, 2024 in meetings and events, international activities, Japanese Deaf News

On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, a lecture on deaf interpreting activities was co-hosted by International Relations Committee and Information Access and Communication Committee of Japanese Federation of the Deaf.

Mr. Arnas Brajinskas from Lithuania, a leading expert in “Sign Language interpreting,” delivered a lecture on “The history of the deaf movement and sign language interpreting in Lithuania”. A total of 230 people participated in his lecture, both online and in person.

Mr. Brajinskas emphasized the importance of establish training program for deaf interpreters and fostering the collaboration between deaf and hearing interpreters to enhance the quality of interpreting service. For more details of the lecture, please refer to https://www.jfd.or.jp/2024/09/12/pid27599 .)

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Mr. Ádám Kósa, the new ICSD President, visited Japan (November 13th through 17th, 2022)

Posted on December 20, 2024 in sports and Deaflympics, Japanese Deaf News

On September 9 and 10, 2022, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), the governing body of international deaf sports and organizer of the Deaflympic Games, had its 49th Congress in Vienna, Austria. The Congress elected Mr. Ádám Kósa for the new President.

To strengthen the relationship between the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) and the ICSD, as well as to discover and develop human resources who will be responsible for international activities in deaf sports and future ICSD office bearers, we invited Mr. Ádám Kósa to Japan from Sunday, November 13 through Thursday, November 17, 2022.

Taking advantage of his visit to Japan, he also paid courtesy visits to Ms. Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, Ms. Keiko Nagaoka, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and other relevant ministries and agencies in preparation for the 2025 Summer Deaflympics to be held in Tokyo.

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Support our deaf friends and those involved in sign language who were affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake!

Posted on January 29, 2024 in disaster relief

Please view the following page for information on the earthquake, and how you can provide support. Thank you!

Live event on the International Day of Sign Languages

Posted on September 20, 2023 in International Day of Sign Languages

You can watch the online event live on this page.

Program: (Only Japanese Sign Language)

  1. Greetings from the Organizer
  2. Greetings from Guests (Tottori Prefecture, The Nippon Foundation, Tottori Prefecture Association for the Deaf)
  3. Short movie (World Federation of the Deaf Asia Regional Secretariat) (with International Sign)
  4. Panel discussion on “Prospects for Sign Language in Japan”
  5. Relay of events in 5 member organizations in Japan)
  6. Declaration of the Organizer

Distribution of YouTube: Available from UTC 05:00 on September 23, 2023. The event will start at UTC 06:00 on September 23, 2023.

Tokyo has been selected to host the 2025 Deaflympics

Posted on October 31, 2022 in sports and Deaflympics, Japanese Deaf News

ICSD Congress
ICSD Congress
ICSD Congress
ICSD Congress

Tokyo was officially selected as the host city of the 2025 Deaflympics at the Congress of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) held in Austria (Vienna) on 9 and 10 September 2022.

Upon the decision, Mr. Fujisaburo Ishino, President of the Japanese Federation of the Deaf, and Mr. Yosuke Ota, President of the Japan Deaf Sports Federation, will issue the following comments.

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Emergency Statement on the Ukrainian Crisis

Posted on April 20, 2022 in statements

日本語版はこちらへ (to Japanese version)

(International Sign Version)

The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which began on February 24, 2022, is a violation of the UN Charter that seriously threatens peace, order and life in the international community and in Ukraine, and is inhumane and not permissible. We, the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) strongly hope that the citizens of both Ukraine and the Russian Federation will be able to regain their peaceful lives as soon as possible.

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The International Day of Sign Languages 2021 Celebration Event will be held in Asia and Oceania.

Posted on September 18, 2021 in International Day of Sign Languages, Japanese Deaf News

The International Day of Sign Languages 2021 celebration event will be streamed online due to Covid-19. We are looking forward to seeing many people.

International Day of Sign Languages 2021
Celebration Event: Outline

Objectives Address the establishment of sign language acts in Asia Pacific region, by sharing ideas and opinions about sign languages and accessibility in Asia Pacific region, and by informing wide range of audiences of the principle of “sign language as language” and good practices of information.
Organizers World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat of Asia (WFDRSA), World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat for Oceania (WFDRSO), Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD)
Cooperation United Nations, United Nations Information Center
Date Thursday, September 23, 2021 (autumnal equinox day/ national holiday of Japan), 13:00-14:30
Place Broadcasted by YouTube (pre-recorded)
* Videos will be viewable from 13:00 September 23.
Viewer limit None (anyone can access)
Participation fee Free
Communication International sign, subtitles in English
Program

Opening remark

  • Ms. U Ka WENG, Clarissa, Director, WFDRSA
  • Mr. Krishneer SEN, Chairperson, WFDRSO
  • Mr. Fujisaburo ISHINO, President, JFD

Introduction of daily themes of International Week of Deaf People

  • Management Committee of WFDRSA

Congratulatory video message

  • Dr. Srinivas Tata Director of Social Development Division
    United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

Panel discussion: Sign languages around the world and accessibility

  • Coordinator:
    • Mr. Yasunori SHIMAMOTO, Deputy Director, WFDRSA
  • Panelists:
    • Mr. Oliver FURGUSON, former President, Deaf Aotearoa, New Zealand
    • Mr. Kang CHEN, former President, International Committee of the Sports for the Deaf (ICSD)

JFD and JDSF hold International Workshop of Deaf Sports

Posted on March 11, 2021 in meetings and events, Japanese Deaf News

to original Japanese version

On February 23, Tuesday, and a national holiday, the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) and the Japanese Deaf Sports Federation(JDSF) conducted the International Workshop of Deaf Sports. 17 national deaf sports associations and 3 international guests attended the meeting online. To secure the online information-communication guarantee, materials, subtitles, International Sign, and Japanese Sign language were displayed on the same screen, respectively at the left top, the bottom left, the right top, and the bottom right.

Mr. Martin Bogard, Chair of Technical Commission of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), and Ms. Cathy Schelvis, Technical Director (TD) of the ICSD, reported the current situation of the ICSD and explained the roles and required services of the TDs. Then Yuji Okawa, the head of the Japan Deaf Volleyball Association (JDVA), presented their bidding plan for the World Deaf Volleyball Championships, and Mr. Mitsuji Hisamatsu, General Manager of the Deaflympics 2025 Bid Preparation Division, outlined their campaign to have the Deaflympic Games hosted by Japan.

In the last half of the meeting, a panel discussion was held coordinated by Mr. Yutaka Osugi, Chairperson of ICSD Reform Commission, with Mr. Mohammad Pargar, President of the Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation (APDSC), from Iran, and Mr. Koji Takahashi, Chairperson of the Japan Deaf Football Association (JDFA) and a former TD of football at the APDSC.

During the Q & A Session, there were many questions on various topics, such as methods for selecting TDs at the ICSD, the standards for information-communication guarantee using flashing lights, or the future directions of the APDSC. The 3 guest speakers from overseas praised the elaborate preparation of the Workshop and the information-communication guarantee system, and the domestic deaf sports associations’ enthusiasm. Many participating associations stated that they would engage more in international activities, including serving TDs, to promote their sports area.

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