The IATJ was formed in November 1990. Itsuko Mizuno of Murray Language Academy was the founding president.*
The IATJ is a community of Japanese language teachers ranging from kindergarten through post-secondary levels. We strive to provide collaboration among educators, articulation between grade levels, and professional development with a focus on current and modern classroom strategies.
The IATJ is an affiliate of American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) and Illinois Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ICTFL)
*Reference: Newsletter of the Illinois Japanese Language Teachers Network, 1986-1993