The founder of the school, Iryna Krutenko, is a recognized expert in the fields of Japanese studies, translation, and media & film production. She has 28 years of overall professional experience, including 18 years dedicated to the Japanese language and 10 years in the media industry.
Iryna studied Japanese at Oles Honchar Dnipro National University and further improved her proficiency at Tokyo West International Education Academy. She also received additional media education at Japan’s most renowned film and television academy — TOHO Gakuen.
While in Japan, she won the Youth Media Dream grant for purchasing professional equipment and received a budget to produce two short films in Tokyo and on Izu Island. She also studied modern showrunning techniques under Hollywood expert Mr. Neil Landau.
Professional Experience in Ukraine
For 10 years in Ukraine, Iryna has worked in her field:
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Written over 150 scripts, articles, and film analyses for media outlets;
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Created a one-year online course on Ukrainian culture and media exclusively for TOHO Gakuen (2023–2024);
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Directed three original short films, one of which was selected for the Busan International Film Festival 2020 (South Korea).
Translation and Cross-Cultural Projects
Iryna Krutenko has served as a translator for high-level meetings and teleconferences between regional authorities of Ukraine and Japan (Kherson–Yoshinogawa, Dnipro–Higashi Kurume), as well as for the 2nd All-Ukrainian Wanpaku Peace Sumo Tournament.
She has repeatedly participated as a simultaneous translator for online interviews on Ukrainian and Japanese television.
Iryna has also had the honor of attending two formal audiences with the Mayor of Tama City, Tokyo.
Shuriken Language School
Currently, the Shuriken Language Japanese School is an official partner of the Sakuragaoka Institute of Japanese Language in Tokyo.
This partnership allows students to study in parallel with the Tokyo program and continue their education in Japan.
For several years, our students have been successfully visiting Japan to take the JLPT, explore Japanese culture and traditions, and attend classes at the language academy.
Shuriken Language provides support services for those who wish to enroll at the Sakuragaoka Institute.
Several of our students are currently studying in Tokyo and preparing for admission to Japanese universities.
Support for IT Specialists
In addition, Shuriken Language offers specialized programs for IT professionals who wish to learn Japanese intensively and work in the Japanese market.