From the United States, Japan, Europe, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, more than 550 specialists in Japanese Language Education gathered at Columbia on August 5th and 6th, 2006. It was the first time that the International Conference on Japanese Language Education (ICJLE) has been held outside Asia, and its success underscores the appeal that the Japanese language holds today for people around the world. "Entering a New Age" was the theme of this year's gathering, and was abundantly reflected in the depth and diversity of the program. Conference participants had the opportunity to attend over fifty panels on topics ranging from classroom teaching practice to Japanese literature to linguistics. In a keynote speech, Susan Napier of Tufts University delighted audience members with an overview of Japan's role in Western fantasy and fan culture from the French Impressionists to contemporary anime. The Keene Center congratulates ICJLE organizers, beginning with Columbia's Fumiko Nazikian, on a truly world-class event.