Japanese ASL Signers Society (JASS) is a non-profit organization dedicated in introducing American Sign Language and Deaf Culture.  JASS was officially approved and certified by Tokyo Department of Justice on April 15, 2002 and thus changed our status as a volunteer organization to a non-profit organization.

It is an honor for us to announce the formation of JASS as a non-profit organization and we promise to keep our aim by contributing to the public interest through the cultural and language entrenchment.  We truly appreciate your interest.
We are also always on the look out for a Deaf ASL instructor.  If you are interested in becoming one of our instructors then please do not hesitate to contact us!  We will appreciate your interest and give you more information.

Activities and services currently available through JASS:
*ASL Classes
*International Sign (IS) Classes
*Lectures
*Workshops
*ASL retreats
*ASL/JSL tours in U.S.A.
*ASL Instructors/Interpreters
*The Nippon Foudation Overseas Scholarship Program for the Deaf
(higher education abroad)
*Newsletter (6 issues annually)

Why learn ASL?
ASL is used by the majority of the Deaf Americans in the U.S.A.  When Tokyo hosted the World Congress of Deaf in 1991, we realized that ASL was often used as the “contact” language by many people from international countries.  Gesture was also widely used but ASL is definitely in an unshakable position as the primary “contact” language.  JASS became more determined to offer ASL as a foreign sign language for members of the Deaf Community in Japan.  By giving the Deaf Community in Japan the chance to learn foreign sign language as well as cultural differences, one will appreciate his/her language and culture even more.  JASS has a policy that at least everyone should know basic Japanese Sign Language (JSL) before taking ASL courses.  JASS does recognize and value JSL as Deaf Japanese’s native language as well as other communication methods utilized by other members of the Deaf Community.

Member of JASS
Members will receive free newsletter (Japanese language only) subscription and discounts on any events hosted by JASS!

The Organization is funded by the following:
Annual Membership
Tuition/Workshop fees
Grants
Donations
Fundraising events

2022 Fall Term Semester Class Schedule
(October 2022 – March 2023 every week except holiday 

 

  Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat
9:00-10:40           11:00-12:30
ASL102
9:00-10:30
ASL Lounge
(Guest speaker)
14:00-15:30       14:00-15:30
Advanced
  11:00-12:30
Advanced
Presentation
Workshop
Party
19:00-20:40 IS ASL101
ASL301
ASL302 ASL102 ASL201 13:00-14:30
Advanced
 

 

Classes and Skill Levels

ASL101 (100min)X18 TRUE+WAY ASL Units 1-3 
ASL102 (100min)X18 TRUE+WAY ASL Units 4-6 
ASL201 (100min)X18 TRUE+WAY ASL Units 7-9 
ASL202 (100min)X18 TRUE+WAY ASL Units 10-12 
ASL301 (100min)X18  TRUE+WAY ASL Units 13-15 
ASL302 (100min)X18 TRUE+WAY ASL Units 16-18 
Advanced (90min)X14 TRUE+WAY ASL Units 17-18 
Learn different topics 
We use The bird of the different features book in this team.

Contact
Email: office@npojass.org
Fax: 81-3-3264-8977 (from overseas)
Office Address:
3-3-11 Room# 701
Iidabashi Chiyoda ku
Tokyo, Japan
102-0072

JASSmap201303

The Great East Japan Earthquake

Support for Tohoku (northern Japan/Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima) Novemer 19. Sat
We collected artworks done by Deaf artists all over the world to raise funds for the event that will take place in November (19th) sat. This event will take place through a silent auction.
All the funds earned from this silent auction will go to Central Headquarters for Disaster Relief for Deaf People in the Great East Japan Earthquake.
https://www.npojass.org/archives/4118
see the list of the artworks
https://www.npojass.org/aslart/

Thank you very much
Hideto Noritomi (Japan)
http://www17.ocn.ne.jp/~deafart/
Ann Silver (USA)
Jon Kastrup (USA)
Roy Ricci (Holland)
Manuel Vazquez (USA)
Michelle McCaulife (USA)
Andre Pellerin (USA)
Ericka Brown (USA)
Merritt Holloway (USA)

Japanese Federation of the Deaf
Great East Japan Earthquake information related to the Deaf
http://www.jfd.or.jp/en/quake2011
Donations Toward JFD’s Earthquake Disaster Relief Efforts
http://www.jfd.or.jp/en/2011/03/28/pid614
contact
https://www.jfd.or.jp/en/contact

The Nippon Foundation/CANPAN
The Nippon Foundation ROAD Project Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund
http://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/eng/inside/road/donation.html
(Multi-lingual Donation Pages)

The Nippon Foundation was established in 1962 as a non-profit philanthropic organization, active both in Japan and abroad.
The Nippon Foundaton is the sponser of the JASS’s scholarship program ‘The Nippon Foundation Overseas Scholarship Program for the Deaf’.

For more information about Nippon Foundation
http://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/eng/index.html