The School of Japanese and International Studies was established in 1956 as the Department of Japanese language under the China Foreign Affairs University. It was then incorporated into the School of Asian and African Studies of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) in 1962. Approximately two decades later in 1981, it became an independent department – and was renamed the School of Japanese and International Studies in November 2018.

It was authorized to offer the Master of Arts in Japanese Language and Literature in 1986, and doctoral-degree programs with approval of the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 1993.

In 2007, it was accredited by the MOE as key national discipline of Japanese Language and Literature, it won the accreditation of Beijing’s education authority in the same year. The School began offering its Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) program in 2013 and was among the first-batch of accredited national-level leading undergraduate degree programs in 2019.

The exceptional faculty of the School of Japanese and International Studies, who are all doctoral-degree holders from leading universities in and outside of China, is at the core of a system dedicated to high-level talent cultivation. Moreover, the School has worked closely with a host of Japanese academics and visiting professors over a long period of time.

On an annual basis, 72 undergraduate students, 30 master's students and three to four doctoral candidates are admitted. The undergraduate program is offered on two levels, beginners admitted based on the national entrance examination system and those based on a recommended admission.

Through the Japanese language programs, the School aims to cultivate high-end language professionals and inter-disciplinary talents with solid language capacity and comprehensive skill-sets.

Pursuant to the teaching goals and scope, four programs including Japanese Linguistics, Japanese Literature, Country and Area (Regional) Studies, and Translation are taught at undergraduate level; the master's programs are offered in two tracks, including Master of Arts programs that aim to cultivate academics in linguistic research, literature research, Japan research and Sino-Japan comparative research, and Master's programs that focus on training simultaneous interpreters and high-end conference translators; the Doctoral programs cover four areas, including Japanese language, literature, society and culture.

Covered by university-level exchange arrangements with close to 30 universities including Waseda University and Keio University, the School of Japanese and International Studies sends about 50 undergraduate students annually on exchanges or study trips to Japan.

Beijing Center for Japanese Studies 

Established in 1985, the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies is affiliated to Beijing Foreign Studies University(BFSU), and it is a scientific research and teaching institution that trains high-level talents with master's degrees or above.

The Center was rated as a national key discipline base of Japanese language and literature by China’s Ministry of Education(MOE) and a key discipline of Beijing in 2008, and a national and regional research base of the MOE in 2012. It was included in the China Think Tank Index (CTTI) in 2017, and its academic journal Japanese Studies was selected for entry into the Chinese Social Citation Index (CSSCI 2021-22) in 2021.

The predecessor of the Center was the National Japanese Language Teacher Training Class that was held in Beijing in accordance with the cultural exchange agreement signed between the Japanese and Chinese governments when the then Prime Minister of Japan Masayoshi Ohira visited China in December 1979. As the training course elicited a highly favourable response, the MOE and the Japan Foundation established the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies in September 1985, located at BFSU.

The Center currently has six research sections for linguistics, Japanese education, Japanese literature, Japanese culture, Japanese society and Japanese economy. It enrolls 30-40 master students and 10 doctoral students every year.

With established exchanges and cooperation relationships with well-known universities, research institutions, and non-governmental organizations in Japan, it sends master and doctoral students to Japan for study and research every year.

In addition, the Center boasts an international school philosophy, high-level faculty and scientific researchers, abundant research potential, a rich collection of Japanese books, and advanced software and hardware facilities, which make it one of the few comprehensive academic platforms in China that integrates Japanese teaching, Japanese studies, consultation, and cultural exchanges.

Since its establishment, the Center has trained more than 1,500 high-level, high-quality Japanese language and Japanese studies professionals in the fields of education, scientific research and foreign exchanges. It has made important contributions to China's modernization drive, educational and cultural exchanges, and the friendly relationship between China and Japan.

To develop into a top Japanese studies institution within China and one with important international influence, the Center is committed to bringing outstanding Japanese research results to China, and introducing China's outstanding Japanese studies results to the world.   

Tel: 010-88816276   Email: bwryxb@bfsu.edu.cn