The JAPAN PRIZE was established in 1965 by NHK as International Educational Program Contest with the aims of improving the quality of educational programs around the world and contributing to the development and fostering of international understanding and cooperation.

Keeping these original aims, in 2008, JAPAN PRIZE reformed its content and now targets not only TV programs but also other linear contents (videos, movies, etc.) and non-linear contents (websites, educational games, and other interactive products with audiovisual contents.) This was to cope with circumstances facing educational media including the diffusion of information-communication technologies, the initiation of digital broadcasting and the spread of the Internet in the field of education worldwide.

The JAPAN PRIZE 2011 received 313 entries from 200 organizations in 61 countries/regions. We hope that more and more audiovisual contents will be entered and will demonstrate educational effectiveness and abundant creativity and that the JAPAN PRIZE will be a unique place where people involved with educational programs and other media will learn together.

The philosophy and basic outline of the JAPAN PRIZE is at JAPAN PRIZE Charter

Divisions & Categories <Audiovisual Division> Target *Television, films, videos *Websites *Games *Other interactive materials   Categories *Pre-school Category (up to around age 6)   *Primary Category (around ages 6-12)   *Youth Category (around ages 12-17)   *Continuing Education Category (around ages 18 and over)   *Welfare Education Category (applicable for any age)   *Innovative Media Category (applicable for any age) < TV Proposal Division>   Target TV program proposals by producers in countries/regions with limited budgets and technical facilities

Judgment Preliminary Selection: September 1 Final Selection: October 18-25

Awards <Grand Prix Japan Prize> <Audiovisual Division> Pre-school Category (The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Prize) Primary Category (The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize) Youth Category (The Minister of Foreign Affairs Prize) Continuing Education Category (The Governor of Tokyo Prize) Welfare Education Category (The President of NHK Prize) Innovative Media Category (The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Prize)     Special Prize The Maeda Prize Special Prize The Japan Foundation President's Prize Special Prize The UNICEF Prize     <TV Proposal Division>     The Best Proposal Award The Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize Special Prize The National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan Prize