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, 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 and the initiation of digital broadcasting and the spread of the Internet in the field of education worldwide.

Two years after the reform, JAPAN PRIZE 2009 has received 324 entries from 196 organizations in 65 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 *Linear contents such as TV programs and videos *Websites *Educational games *Other interactive materials   Categories *pre-school Category (age 0-6)   *Primary Category (age 6-12)   *Youth Category (age 12-17)   *Continuing Education Category (age 18 and over)   *Welfare Education Category (all ages) <TV Series Division>   Target TV Series   No Categories < TV Proposal Division>   Target TV program proposals by producers in countries/regions with limited means

Judgment The final judgment is held at NHK Broadcast Center in Shibuya, Tokyo at the end of October. Jurors are among the world's leading audiovisual content producers and researchers.

CrossMedia Forum During the final judgment period, a CrossMedia Forum is held for registered participants. Main events are a CrossMedia Session, TV screening and discussion, Proposal Division finalist presentations, and Meet the Experts. The Forum offers many opportunities to exchange ideas and opinions among people from a variety of media in education and introduces the latest technologies. More information is available in due course.

Awards Ceremony All the prizes are announced at the Awards Ceremony on the last day of the JAPAN PRIZE. The best productions and special prizes are awarded. Among the best of the Audiovisual Division, the Grand Prix Japan Prize is given to the winning producer. 2008 winners Grand Prix Japan Prize Winner

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 Special Prize The Japan Foundation President's Prize Special Prize The UNICEF Prize <TV Series Division > <TV Proposal Division>   The Best Series Award The Maeda Prize The Best Proposal Award The Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize Special Prize The National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan Prize