The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the opening of applications for the 20th Japan International MANGA Award. Creative works will be accepted from April 15 to June 30, 2026. Citizens of Turkmenistan who are passionate about manga creation are welcome to apply.

The competition has been held annually since 2007 with the aim of spreading manga culture abroad and fostering international cultural exchange. This year, works created between 2023 and 2026, at least 16 pages long, both published and unpublished, will be considered for the awards.

The winners will receive three levels of awards: gold, silver, and bronze. The authors of the gold and silver awards will receive diplomas and trophies and will be invited to Japan for the awards ceremony, scheduled for February–March 2027 in Tokyo. The winners of the bronze award and the special incentive prize will receive diplomas.

Authors who are not Japanese citizens are invited to participate. Works are accepted in any language and in PDF format. Applications must be submitted online on the competition's official website. The Japanese embassy or consulate will then send the participant a link to download the file.

Important requirement: Works created primarily using artificial intelligence are not eligible for the competition. Partial use of AI is permitted, but must be indicated in the application.

Turkmenistan residents wishing to participate should contact the Japanese Embassy or nearest Japanese Consulate for further information on the application requirements.