13.11.2025
international research
Conference committee
Kristín Ingvarsdóttir, University of Iceland
Eva Liias, University of Tartu
Jens Sejrup, University of Copenhagen
Dick Stegewerns, University of Oslo
Patrik Ström, Stockholm School of Economics
Kamila Szczepanska, University of Turku

NAJS Conference 2026

People in the Akihabara Station, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Akihabara Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Author: Jezael Melgoza, Unsplash

The 20th Annual Conference of the Nordic Association of Japanese Studies (NAJS) will be held at the University of Tartu, Estonia, on May 28-29, 2026. Venue: Delta Management School, University of Tartu

We invite you to submit paper proposals on modern and contemporary Japanese society, including economy and business, politics and international relations, sociology and anthropology, history, popular culture, literature, religion, art, and other related topics. We welcome proposals from scholars at all career stages and from all countries/regions.

Abstract submission

The conference is open to all who are interested, and we are very happy that our network is growing with researchers and doctoral students from all over the world.

PROGRAMME

Participants are encouraged to reserve the whole day on May 28-29, 2026. The conference will be held from morning to late afternoon on both days, and some social events will also be organized in conjunction with the conference.

The program will be announced closer to the conference dates!

The aim of the NAJS Conference is for scholars to discuss each other’s research and for authors to receive feedback, and therefore the conference will mainly consist of discussions on full papers which will have been made available as PDF files to participants prior to the conference taking place. As participants are expected to have read the papers before coming to the conference, it is very important for all authors to have sent in their papers by the deadline on May 3, 2026. More information will be provided later in the process.

Authors will receive ca 30 minutes for intense discussion about the paper they submitted. The author may start by using a maximum of five minutes to state which type of publication or audience the paper is intended for and to mention any special requests about the feedback. The discussion is then led by two assigned discussants who will have five minutes each to bring up their prepared points of discussion. The author will be given five minutes to respond, after which there is an open debate.

The role of the chair for each session is to make sure that the discussion revolves around major issues rather than small details and to see to it that the time limit is kept. The 30 minutes of discussion time should not be used to summarize the paper, as participants are expected to have read the paper beforehand.

Application deadline for the 2026 conference is January 11, 2026!

Your submission should include:

  • Your full name, title, affiliation and email address
  • An abstract in English (length 200-250 words), including preliminary title and up to five keywords

You will be notified whether your abstract has been accepted by early February 2026.

If your abstract is accepted, please submit a full paper by May 3, 2026. Papers should preferably be between 7,000 and 10,000 words, but shorter papers can also be submitted.

Should you wish to participate in the conference and discussions but not present your own work, please apply by May 1, 2026.

Important Dates

Conference Dates: 28.05-29.05.2026

The deadline for abstract submission: 11.01.2026

The notification of acceptance will be sent: February 2026

The full paper should be submitted until: 03.05.2026

ARRIVING TO TARTU

There are several options to arrive in Tartu.

BY PLANE

Tartu Airport (15 min drive, 10 km from Tartu city centre).
Tartu Airport has Helsinki-Tartu flights. From the airport, there is a special Airport Shuttle, an Express bus No. E1 operating between Tartu Airport and Tartu City. Detailed timetables and stops are provided here.

Lennart Meri Airport in Tallinn (2 hours drive, 176 km from Tartu)
Tallinn Airport has direct air links to numerous cities. To travel from Tallinn airport to Tartu there is a choice between a bus and a train. You can board the Tallinn-Tartu line from the Tallinn airport for a bus, or from Ülmiste stop for train. Tickets can be bought online and downloaded to a smartphone.

Riga Airport in Latvia (3.5 hours drive, 253 km from Tartu)
There is a special bus line from the Riga Airport in Latvia to Tartu Coach station that we’d recommend. It is operated by the Lux Express company, and the direct link to their ticket platform is here. Please make sure the selected stops are Riga Airport and Tartu Coach Station.

BY BUS

Tartu bus station is a few minutes walk from the conference venue. All bus tickets can be purchased on the Tpilet website and bus station ticket offices. Tickets can be purchased in advance for 10 to 180 days, depending on the bus company. Please note that arriving at the bus station is advisable 15 minutes before departure. If you are arriving by plane via Lennart Meri Airport in Tallinn, there is also a bus stop at the airport “Tallinn Airport”.

BY TRAIN

To travel from Tallinn to Tartu there is also an option for a train. You can board the Tallinn-Tartu train bus either from “Balti jaam” or “Ülemiste” (type the name for the departure), and the destination will be Tartu. Tickets can be bought online and downloaded to a smartphone.

HOTELS

There are several hotels available in Tartu. Below is a small selection in the centre of the city, and also close to the conference site.

Hotel Lydia
12 min walk to the event venue
spa entrance, breakfast and wifi included

Website: https://lydia.ee/en
Phone: (+372) 733 0377
Address: Ülikooli 14, Tartu
E-mail: [email protected]

Hotel Antonius
10 min walk to the event venue
breakfast and wifi included

Website: https://hotelantonius.ee/en/hotel/
Phone: (+372) 737 0377
Address: Ülikooli 15, Tartu
E-mail: [email protected]

V Spa Hotel
17 min walk to the event venue
spa entrance, breakfast and wifi included

Website: https://vspahotel.ee/en/
Phone: (+372) 677 6677
Address: Riia 2, Tartu
E-mail: [email protected]

Art hotel Pallas
16 min walk to the event venue
breakfast and wifi included

Website: https://pallas.tartuhotels.ee/en/
Phone: (+372) 730 1200
Address: Riia 4, Tartu
E-mail: [email protected]

Hotel Dorpat
14 min walk to the event venue
breakfast and wifi included

Website: https://www.dorpat.ee/en
Phone: (+372) 733 7180
Address: Soola 6, Tartu
E-mail: [email protected]

Until 29 May

NAJS Conference 2026

Delta Management School
28 May 2026 09:00 –
29 May 2026 17:00
Organiser:
Main organiser
Eva Liias
PhD
School of Economics and Business Administration
Chair of International Business and Innovation
Visiting Lecturer, 0.3 p
Narva mnt 18–4036
Faculty of Social Sciences
School of Economics and Business Administration
Programme Director MA Contemporary Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Narva mnt 18–4036
Inquires
For inquiries, please contact