[An-lang] Questions about ICAL 2027 venue and planning (for community discussion)

[Yuko Kitada]

Dear all,

Happy New Year!
I hope everyone is having a good start to 2026.

I'm sorry for sending several emails recently, about various topics. I have no intention of privatizing the mailing list or self-promoting in any way — I'm simply thinking about what I can do to help build a healthier and more inclusive community.

Although I live in Tokyo, I am not part of the organizing team. However, several colleagues have asked me privately about the plans for ICAL 2027, so I thought it would be helpful to share the information I have and ask a few questions openly for the community.

I am posting this here rather than to the Steering Committee alone because I believe this is a matter for the entire community to consider, including senior scholars outside the Steering Committee and anyone who may have health or travel concerns.

Of course, I have no intention of criticizing anyone — these are just objective facts and considerations for discussion. I fully appreciate the considerable effort and dedication that the organizers are putting into preparing the conference, and I am grateful for their hard work in hosting ICAL in Japan.


The information comes directly from Prof. Utsumi — the conference is planned for the first week of August at Meisei University (Hino Campus).

This location is quite far from the airports (approximately 2 hours by train from Haneda and 3 hours from Narita, with multiple transfers in summer heat). If anyone is concerned about access details, feel free to ask me privately.

While many of us are experienced fieldworkers accustomed to challenging travel, international conference guidelines (e.g., the SIGACCESS Accessible Conference Guide and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)) generally recommend venues with good airport access to avoid unnecessary burden on participants. This includes not only those with recognized disabilities but also senior colleagues, people with temporary conditions (such as knee or foot pain, pregnancy, or recovery from injury), or anyone who might find long transfers and heat challenging.

Our senior scholars are treasures of the Austronesian linguistics community — their presence is essential for maintaining the depth and quality of discussions, mentoring younger researchers, and preserving the intellectual richness of our field. Making the conference as accessible as possible would help ensure they can join us comfortably and contribute fully. In particular, I would very much welcome the perspectives of established senior scholars such as Prof. Adelaar and Prof. Ross on these matters.

Remote locations are not the standard for ordinary international conferences, even in related areal linguistics fields such as SEALS (Southeast Asian Linguistics Society), ICAAL (International Conference on Austroasiatic Linguistics), or ICSTLL (International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics).


Could the organizers or Steering Committee please clarify:

  *   Are the venue and exact dates now confirmed?
  *   What other details are decided, and what are still open?
  *   If some aspects are not final, when might we expect updates?
  *   When is the Call for Papers likely to be released?

Early clarity would be greatly appreciated, especially for international colleagues planning long-distance travel, and would help make the conference a success for everyone.


Thank you, and I hope this sparks useful discussion for making the conference accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Best regards,
Yuko Kitada
yukokitada at outlook.com

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