Chargé d’Affaires Mr. Yamaguchi from the Embassy of Japan to Malta visits the IDG

On 10th April, Mr. Tadahiko Yamaguchi, Chargé d’Affaires from the Embassy of Japan to Malta, paid a visit to the Institute of Digital Games, where he was received by IDG Director Dr. Daniel Vella. Also present during the meeting were Prof. Stefano Gualeni and Dr. Costantino Oliva, alongside Second Secretary Ms. Akane Kawakami and Political/Economic/Culture Officer Ms. Sarah Bugeja.

During the visit, Mr. Yamaguchi and Dr. Vella discussed the increasing involvement of the IDG in projects and exchanges with Japan, a leading country in the field of digital games. Recent projects involved lecturing exchanges, research visits, and participation in industry events in Japan.

The IDG is in fact currently into a Memorandum of Understanding with Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto, Japan), which facilitates joint research projects and faculty exchanges. The Ritsumeikan Center for Game Research, one of the premiere centers for game studies in Asia, is also part of an Erasmus+ CMI agreement with the IDG, which has been used since 2019 for mutual teaching visits, exposing local students in both countries to international expertise.

Academics from the IDG have also conducted research in Japan through different projects funded by Xjenza Malta, covering topics related to game culture in the Japanese context. Past endeavors also include the organization of a Shonan Meeting held in Kanagawa, an international invite-only event focused on application of AI to game design topics.

In June/July 2025, the IDG will also host the DiGRA conference, the biggest global conference in the field of Game Studies. The program will involve several Japanese-related talks, including a workshop on gender studies and Japanese gaming. Moreover, the conference will host a game art exhibit organized by "Art Bit", an exhibition held yearly in Kyoto and supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan. The organizers will also visit Malta on this occasion.

Connected with Art Bit, a research-based digital game designed by Dr. Costantino Oliva, "Night Parade of 100 Demons", will be exhibited in July 2025 in Kyoto in the Art Bit exhibit and the BitSummit festival, Japan's biggest indie game festival. “Night Parade of 100 Demons” is the first game produced in Malta to be showcased in this prestigious festival, connecting research and industry on a global level.

Mr. Yamaguchi expressed appreciation of the IDG’s engagement with Japanese universities and its commitment towards the Japan - Malta relationship. Dr. Vella thanked Mr. Yamaguchi of the visit, reiterating the relevance of Japan to the research and educational efforts of the IDG, which have already produced relevant results and are set to expand in the near future.