Sheikh Hamad Award Delegation Visits Tokyo, Osaka
The delegation's November 2026 trip previews Japanese's selection as a language for the Award's 13th edition in 2027.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Middle East
A delegation from the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding visits Tokyo and Osaka from November 8 to 14, 2026. The trip precedes the Award's 13th edition in 2027, which features Japanese as a selected language.
Why it matters
The mission aims to foster academic and cultural cooperation and encourage translation between Arabic and Japanese. It also seeks partnerships with Japanese institutions, researchers, and publishers.
The Award carries an annual prize fund of US$2 million and was established in Doha in 2015. Japanese was previously featured in 2018, when Dr. Nobuaki Notohara was honored for introducing Arab literature to Japanese readers, and no outcomes from the upcoming meetings have been reported.
The players
Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding
A translation prize established in Doha in 2015 with an annual prize fund of US$2 million.
Keio University
A private research university in Tokyo with a long history in Japanese higher education.
University of Tokyo
Japan's most prestigious national research university, located in Tokyo.
The details
The delegation will meet representatives from Keio University, Waseda University, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Osaka University, the National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku), the Japan Arab Association, and the Japan Foundation. Discussions will focus on the current state of Arabic-Japanese translation, its challenges, and strategies to increase translated works between the two languages, and the delegation will also engage Japanese media.
Timeline
2018: Japanese first featured; Dr. Nobuaki Notohara honored.
November 8 to 14, 2026: Delegation visits Tokyo and Osaka.
2027: Award's 13th edition featuring Japanese.
Regional Context
Japanese was first featured in the Sheikh Hamad Award in 2018, when Dr. Nobuaki Notohara was honored for introducing Arab literature to Japanese readers. The 2026 delegation to Tokyo and Osaka builds on that earlier recognition ahead of Japanese's return as a selected language in 2027.
Readers interested in Arabic-Japanese translation or the Award's 2027 call for entries can follow the Award's progress as the edition approaches. The delegation's meetings with Japanese universities and publishers may open new opportunities for translators and researchers in both languages.
The takeaway
Efforts like this delegation visit show how translation prizes can build sustained cultural exchange between regions. Watch for the 2027 edition to see how Japanese-language works are recognized.
What happens next
The Award's 13th edition featuring Japanese takes place in 2027.
Further reading
Explore more coverage of Middle East travel and cultural exchange.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Arab News.
