To develop a better understanding of Southeast Asian culture and society in Japan and generate further exchange between the region and country, Talk with Muslims series [TAMU] brings together Southeast Asian and Japanese youths who are engaging in and studying social welfare, community empowerment, and socio-religious affairs into a dialogue to discover each other's cultures, religions, and values.

Talk with Muslims series [TAMU]　2021

TAMU will organize a talk session" 'Magical Islamism': Feby Indirani Talks about Religion and Society in Contemporary Indonesia." For details, please see Online Seminar Series "Asia Center TERAKOYA #8."

Talk with Muslims series [TAMU]　2019

Japan is now going through a major social transformation resulting from the increasing number of visitors from abroad and demographic changes among others. It is anticipated that more than 30% of the world's population will believe in Islam by around 2050. This suggests that it will become increasingly important for the Japanese public to be familiar with Islam, a religion and moreover a lifestyle of people of the religion.

The Japan Foundation has organized a program to invite young Muslims from Southeast Asian countries to promote mutual understanding between Japan and the region through Islam. As a follow-up of these previous endeavors, the Asia Center will hold an international symposium titled “Embracing Differences and Uniqueness: Implications of Southeast Asian Islam toward an Inclusive Society” on 27 February, 2020 in Tokyo.

Speakers:
The Hon. Dr. Maszlee Bin Malik, Minister of Education Malaysia
Dr. Nonaka Yo, Associate Professor at Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University
Ms. Jenahara Nasution, Creative Director / Modest Fashion Designer
Ms. Essaadi Miwa, Secretary General of Shizuoka Muslim Association
Dr. Ogawa Tadashi, Professor at Faculty of Letters, Atomi University

For details, please visit the following site.
Embracing Differences and Uniqueness: Implications of Southeast Asian Islam toward an Inclusive Society (TAMU Lecture series)

Adviser

Program Supervisor

Dr. NAKAMURA Mitsuo,
Professor Emeritus of Chiba University

Program Advisor

Dr. Ken Miichi,
Associate Professor of Waseda University, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies

Talk with Muslims series [TAMU]　2018

In 2018, the Talk with Muslims program [TAMU] will invite ten participants from seven Southeast Asian countries including Brunei and Cambodia. The participants will have opportunities to exchange views with Japanese university students on Islam in Southeast Asia and religious views of Japanese youth. They will also meet young performers of Iwami Kagura, traditional folk performing arts in Shimane prefecture dedicated to the deities of Japanese mythology, to discuss their challenges in exploring new expressions of the living tradition in modern society. In Yamaguchi prefecture, the TAMU participants will gain knowledge of a valuable contribution that Hagi city made in Japan's modernization process through education and human development. They will also learn about contemporary issues presented by the city where industrial revolution assets of the Meiji period are designated as World Heritage Site.

Duration

Sunday, November 4- Tuesday, November 12, 2018

Participants

Brunei

Muhammad Hazimi Bin Haji Jaidi
Director of Youth Against Poverty, Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT)

Cambodia

Fatily Sa
Filmmaker, Cambodian Institute for Peace and Development

Indonesia

M. Fadlan L Nasurung
Coordinator, GUSDURian Community of Makassar

Norma Sari
Deputy Chairwoman of the Central Board, Nasyiatul Aisyiyah

Malaysia

Mohamad Basil Hazman Baharom
Fellow, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)

Raudah Mohd Yunus
Traunee Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

Philippines

Monaliza A. Mangelen
Legislative Staff Officer II, House of Representatives of the Philippines

Singapore

Faizah Mohd Salihin
Social Worker, PPIS（Singapore Muslim Women's Association） Family Service Centre

Mohamad Saiful bin Md Anuar
Co-founder, Interverse

Thailand

Rossanee Kaesaman
Postgraduate student, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University

Itinerary

Talk with Muslims series [TAMU] 2017

In 2017 and under the theme of "The view of nature and life of Japanese people," the Talk with Muslims series [TAMU] will take participants from five Southeast Asian countries on a tour in Tokyo and in Oita prefecture.

To expose the participants to this theme, the concept of Satoyama [combination of sato meaning "inhabited area" and yama meaning "hill" or "mountain"], which is the unique ecosystem that continues in the rice-family regions of Japan, is explored throughout their visit in Japan. As an introduction, participants will view the screening of Satoyama—Japan's Secret Water Garden , a documentary film by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), before visiting one of the Satoyamas in Oita prefecture. Visits to temples and also viewing Shonai Kagura , a Japanese folk performing art devoted to the worship of the local deity in Oita, are also scheduled for the program. Through these experiences, we hope it will stimulate participants to reflect on each other's forms of religion, culture, and everyday lives. Through TAMU, we hope participants will develop their knowledge and networks to serve as connecting points and bridges between each of the countries to further pursue a deep and meaningful interaction among individuals, communities, and countries.

Duration

Sunday, November 5–Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Participants

Indonesia

Khotimun Sutanti
Coordinator of Social Affairs, Nasyiatul Aisyiyah

Nurun Nisa
Coordinator of Capacity Building Program, GUSDURian Networks Indonesia

Mohammad Rokib
Lecturer, Surabaya State University

Malaysia

Muhammad Syafiq Bin Borhannuddin
Senior Research officer, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM)

Muhammad Yusra Bin Ahmad Hulaimi
Undergraduate student, International Islamic University Malaysia

The Philippines

Rogelio B. Braga
Playwright, Essayist, Novelist
The Office on Bangsamoro Youth Affairs (OBYA)

Singapore

Muhammad Ashraf Anwar
Field Officer, The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura: MUIS)

Thailand

Samak Kosem
Independent Researcher

Itinerary

Talk with Muslims series [TAMU] 2016

In 2016, TAMU invited seven participants from five Southeast Asian countries to Tokyo and Iwate prefecture—one of the areas heavily affected by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and subsequent damage of the nuclear power plant in 2011—to share with local college and high school students the views and living of religion(s) in each respective country and culture.
As the seven participants introduced their concepts of Islam—as a religion but also as a way of living, of something that is deeply rooted in their everyday lives, and the diverse meanings embedded within the philosophy—it provided the Japanese students the chance to reflect on their understanding of "Islam" and "Southeast Asia."
Likewise, through visits in Iwate prefecture and also the conversations with the local kataribe [storytellers] who were affected by the Earthquake and catastrophe, the participants from Southeast Asia were able to discover the realities of a community recovering from both natural and manmade disasters of such scale.

Duration

Monday, November 21–Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Participants

Indonesia

Ahmad Imam Mujadid Rais
Research Director, Maarif Institute

Rifqi Fairuz
Coordinator of Human Resource Development, GUSDURian Networks Indonesia

Malaysia

Nurul Hafizah Binti Mohamad Ramli
Undergraduate Student, International Islamic University Malaysia

The Philippines

Ruhollah Al-Husseini J. Alonto
Researcher, Institute of Bangsamoro Studies

Singapore

Goh Muhammad Redhuan
Project Officer, Research Assistant, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS)

Thailand

Fadel Hayeeyama
Partnership and Capacity Building Officer, LEAP Project, Save the Children International

Fitra Jehwoh
Policy Analyst, Thai-European Business Association

Itinerary

Follow-up project

The Japan Foundation, Jakarta held a seminar-workshop on "Japan and Islamic world through the eyes of Japanese Muslim" at State Islamic University, Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and other two venues in Indonesia on December 15 and 16, 2018. The main speaker for the event was Ms. Essaadi Miwa, a Japanese Muslimah and Secretary-General of Shizuoka Muslim Association, who has been active in promoting multicultural understanding among Muslims living in Japan and Japanese society.

In her lecture titled "We are Muslims in Japan‐New Era of Accepting Islam‐," Ms. Essaadi talked about grand level realities of Muslims living in Japan and various activities initiated by the Shizuoka Muslim Association. Through the two days, approximately 200 participants took part in the event for active interaction. More details are available as attached below.

This event was jointly organized by TAMU alumni members in Indonesia in cooperation with NU (Nahdlatul Ulama) and Muhammadiyah as a follow-up project of TAMU.

Details of the project (Japanese) ［PDF：527 KB］
Details of the project (Indonesian) ［PDF：398 KB］

This project in FY2017 and FY2018 is certified as beyond 2020 program.