"My dream is to become an international pilot! Currently, only about 6 percent of pilots in the industry are female, but at WMU, approximately 20 percent of the pilot population is female. I strongly desired to be surrounded by peers who share the same passion, and I love that WMU actively encourages diversity—not only in the College of Aviation but also across the main campus. This is why I chose to attend WMU!"
Apply to WMU Today!
Soga Japan Center Outreach
Soga Japan Center presents information about Japanese culture, society, everyday life and language in local community settings. Staff also organize activities that foster exchange between the United States and Japan.
The center offers presentations on WMU’s campuses as well as in K-12 schools, libraries, community centers and other locations throughout southwest Michigan. Activities include:
- Presentations on everyday life in Japan, Japanese culture and music.
- Demonstrations of Japanese calligraphy, origami and kimono dressing.
- Sharing Japanese stories through picture books.
For more information, contact Program Manager Michiko Yoshimoto at michiko.yoshimoto@wmich.edu.
Soga Japan Center Programs
Upcoming Events:
Virtual Japanese Conversation Table: April 18 and May 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. More here.
Contact Us
500+
people reached in 2024-2025 with Soga Japan Center programming
1,200+
international students on campus from more than 90 countries
80+
study abroad programs for students, faculty and staff
Soga Japan Center Mission
The Soga Japan Center at Western Michigan University commits itself to making fundamental advances in the knowledge of Japanese history, culture, business, science and technology. In so doing, it serves as a generative force in international education. Our objectives are as follows:
- Promote and disseminate faculty and student research on Japan.
- Stimulate creative curricular development, as well as extracurricular activities that enrich student and area residents’ understanding of Japan.
- Support students pursuing Japanese studies and those interested in studying in Japan. Aid in the recruitment of students from Japan.
- Serve as the nexus between WMU and the Japan-related business, arts and civic communities in West Michigan.
- Facilitate ties between WMU, the Kalamazoo community, and our partner institutions and alumni groups in Japan.
- Collaborate with faculty and University administration to put in place effective and efficient learning experiences, instructional strategies and scholarly inquiries.
Find our annual activities report here.
Soga Japan Center History
Western Michigan University’s links to Japan date back more than 50 years, with WMU’s first Japanese alumnus earning a graduate degree in psychology in 1955. In 1961, the first academic partnership with a Japanese university occurred when Keio University sent a group of 66 students and three professors to WMU for a Summer Institute program. Currently, more than 500 WMU alumni reside in Japan.
More recently, efforts on both sides of the Pacific Ocean have resulted in the establishment of WMU’s Michitoshi Soga Japan Center.
For more than 35 years, Dr. Michitoshi Soga, WMU professor emeritus of physics, worked tirelessly to establish a network of connections in West Michigan for individual visitors, as well as for businesses and Japanese partner universities and colleges. In addition to his significant scholarly accomplishments, Soga dedicated his career to working with students and community members to deepen understanding between Japan and the United States.
Soga retired from teaching in 1993, becoming an emeritus professor. He then served as an adviser for Japanese relations through WMU’s Office of International Affairs until 1996. In 2005, the WMU Board of Trustees honored Dr. Soga by establishing this center in his name to support research in Japanese studies and community outreach. More information on Soga's remarkable life is here.
ウェスタン・ミシガン大学と日本との関係は50年以上前に遡ります。1955年に、日本からの最初の留学生が心理学の学位を取得しました。1961年には 慶応大学と協定校となり、66人の学生と3人の教員が夏期講習に参加しました。現在は約500人のウェスタン・ミシガン大学の卒業生が日本に住んでいま す。 2006年には、太平洋を挟んだ努力が実を結び、曽我道敏日本センターが設立されました。35年以上にわたり、曽我博士（物理学名誉教授）は日本からの多 くの留学生の公私にわたる援助、日本の大学や企業との交流の促進に多大の努力を注がれました。当センターはディーター・ヘネカ国際地域研究所の傘下にあり ます。ヘネカ研究所は1998年にウェスタン・ミシガン大の更なる国際化に貢献するために設立されました。
Additional Resources
20+
Japanese courses offered at Western Michigan University
97%
of Broncos had instructors who made them excited about learning
95%
of graduates working full time have a job related to their degree
About the Haenicke Institute for Global Education
Your journey at Western Michigan University is a global one. Through transformative events, immersive classes and experience-driven learning, the Haenicke Institute for Global Education connects Kalamazoo to the world—and the world to Kalamazoo. From fostering academic opportunities to showcasing cultural events and providing K-12 outreach, the Haenicke Institute promotes learning that transcends borders and takes you wherever you want to go.
WMU International People and Places
Evaluation student's data collection is driving nonprofit's impact in South Sudan
From China to the Midwest, WMU trustee finds a home in Kalamazoo
Film major takes passion, career to Cannes Film Festival with WMU Study Abroad
Student transfers to WMU for cultural exchange, plans trips to three countries
Grad student knows the rewards of studying abroad at WMU
International grad student takes big steps in the right direction
WMU International Global News
International Bazaar 2025 will immerse visitors in cultures from around the globe
Planned for Saturday, March 29, in the WMU Student Center, International Bazaar give visitors an opportunity to sample foods, purchase goods and see music and dance performances by students and community groups representing dozens of cultures from around the world.
WMU Study Abroad celebrates new, nationally competitive Gilman award winners
WMU Study Abroad is proud to announce three new Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients. The newcomers join a group of eight Western Michigan University students who were awarded the prestigious federal study abroad scholarship this fall.
WMU welcomes more than 50 new international students this January
Of the 53 newcomers, approximately 40% are entering a graduate program at WMU, while 45% are pursuing undergraduate degrees. The remaining 15% are undertaking intensive English language instruction at the school’s Center for English Language and Culture for International Students to communicate at a level necessary to pursue a degree.
Spring Gala to return to Miller Auditorium
The Haenicke Institute for Global Education announces Spring Gala 2025. Join us March 22 at Miller Auditorium for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate the beauty of Asian culture and champion diversity, peace and love in Kalamazoo.
Click below to read more news of the Haenicke Institute for Global Education and Western Michigan University.