The Japanese Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FIB USU), collaborated with the Japanese Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Andalas (FIB UNAND), with support from The Japan Foundation, Jakarta, to organize the National Collaborative Seminar Series-2. The event took place at the T. Amin Ridwan Building, FIB USU, Medan, under the theme “Digitalization of Japanese Culture: Transforming Films, Dramas, Animation, Manga, Songs, and Other Literary Works into a Medium for Global Literacy.”

The National Collaborative Seminar served as a platform for knowledge exchange and the development of academic collaboration in Japanese language, literature, and cultural studies. Through the theme of cultural digitalization, the event explored the potential of various Japanese cultural products as a medium for global literacy and a means of broadening cross-cultural understanding in the digital era.

The event was officially opened by the Dean of FIB USU, Mhd. Pujiono, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D. Remarks were also delivered by the Director General of The Japan Foundation, Jakarta, Inami Kazumi; the Head of the Japanese Literature Study Program at USU, Alimansyar, M.A., Ph.D.; and the Chair of the Organizing Committee, Irwan, S.S., M.Si. The National Collaborative Seminar was also attended by the Vice Deans of FIB USU and eight lecturers from the Undergraduate Program in Japanese Literature, FIB UNAND.

In his remarks, the Chair of the Organizing Committee, Irwan, S.S., M.Si., emphasized the importance of collaboration across institutions in broadening academic perspectives, sharing knowledge, and producing meaningful academic works. He expressed his hope that the seminar would serve as a starting point for developing joint research and strengthening sustainable academic networks.

The keynote session was moderated by Ghaisani Adnjani CH, S.S., M.Si., from USU and featured four speakers from USU, Universitas Indonesia (UI), and UNAND. The four speakers discussed Japanese culture and literature from the perspectives of education, popular culture, translation, and historical and linguistic studies.

Prof. Hamzon Situmorang, M.S., Ph.D., from USU, presented “Contemporary Introductory Japanese Culture Courses,” highlighting approaches to teaching Japanese culture in a contemporary context. Next, Himawan Pratama, Ph.D., from UI, discussed “Japanese Diversity in Sports Manga,” examining representations of inclusivity and diversity in Japanese society through sports-themed manga.

The next speaker, Idrus, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D., from UNAND, presented “Japanese Manga and Intercultural Translation,” exploring the role of translation in bridging cross-cultural understanding of meaning between nations. Meanwhile, Rani Arfianty, S.S., M.Phil., from USU, presented “Figurative Language in the Bilingual Magazine Djawa Baroe,” examining the use of figurative language in bilingual print media in the past.

The seminar was conducted in a hybrid format and received enthusiastic participation from lecturers, researchers, presenters, and students. The diverse perspectives shared during the presentations enriched discussions on the use of popular culture and Japanese literary works in developing global literacy.

Through the National Collaborative Seminar Series-2, the Japanese Literature Study Program of FIB USU and FIB UNAND hope that academic cooperation between universities will continue to grow through knowledge exchange, joint research, and stronger networks. The USU and UNAND National Collaborative Seminar is expected to support the development of Japanese language, literature, and cultural studies while broadening cross-cultural literacy in the digital era.