This presentation introduces an ongoing pilot study exploring the impact of the IVE Project on Japanese students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) and related affective factors, including motivation, anxiety, grit, self-confidence, and speaking self-efficacy. Participants are divided into three groups: asynchronous VE participants, asynchronous plus synchronous video call participants, and a control group with no VE exposure. The presentation outlines the study’s methodology and invites collaboration for a larger international study planned for 2026 on the IVE platform. Intercultural communication competence (ICC) develops most effectively when students actively engage in interaction with one another. However, students with a low WTC and those with limited speaking proficiency in the target language often struggle to engage in meaningful interactions. Previous research has shown positive correlations between synchronous virtual exchanges and increased WTC (Rahimi & Fathi, 2022; Remmerswaal et al., 2025; Zhou, 2023). Notably, Remmerswaal & Metituk (2025) found that even a brief VE, riddled with technical issues during the video call, led to statistically significant gains in perceived communication competence and reduced anxiety. These findings suggest that asynchronous VE activities may also promote WTC, particularly among students with limited opportunities to interact with international peers.