As an international center for Japanese literary research, the NIJL actively engages in a variety of academic exchange projects with researchers and research institutions overseas. In particular, it is the conclusion of academic exchange agreements with overseas institutions that allows for stable, ongoing research exchange to take place. Exchange activities center on the invitation and dispatch of researchers and hosting of international research conventions, but also include the implementation of joint surveys and joint research, and hosting of graduate school students for short-term training.
At present, academic exchange agreements have been concluded with the following overseas institutions.
- Collège de France, Institute of Advanced Japanese Studies (France)
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Department of Asian and North African Studies (Italy)
- "Orientale" University of Naples (Italy)
- University of Florence, Department of Education, Languages, Intercultural Studies, Literatures and Psychology (Italy)
- Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Center for Japanese Studies (China)
- Leiden University, Faculty of Humanities (Netherlands)
- Sapienza University of Rome, Italian Institute of Oriental Studies (Italy)
- Columbia University, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (U.S.)
- Korea University, Center for Japanese Studies (Republic of Korea)
- The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Arts, Department of Asian Studies (Canada)
- University of California, Berkeley, C. V. Starr East Asian Library (U.S.)
- Berlin State Library (Germany)
- Vatican Apostolic Library (Vatican City State)
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (U.S.)
- Heidelberg University, Institute of Japanese Studies (Germany)
- Goethe University,Faculty of Linguistics,Cultures,and Arts(Germany)
- The British Library Board (U.K.)
- The Smithsonian Institution (Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery) (U.S.)
- Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies
- Institute of Japanese Studies Dankook University (Republic of Korea)
- The North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources (North America)
- THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS (U.S.)