Deadline: 01-Dec-2025
The Japan Foundation is requesting applications for its Japanese Studies Fellowship Program to provide support to outstanding scholars, researchers, and professionals in the field by offering the opportunity to conduct research in Japan.
This fellowship is for scholars, researchers, and doctoral candidates in the humanities and social sciences who are American citizens or permanent residents of the United States and require an extended or intensive period of research in Japan.
There are three categories of fellowships. The Scholars and Researchers (Long-Term) Fellowship is for a duration of 4 to 12 months, and applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience at the time of application. The Scholars and Researchers (Short-Term) Fellowship, for a duration of 21 to 89 days, is also for those with a Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience. The Doctoral Candidates Fellowship, lasting 4 to 12 months, is for doctoral candidates who have achieved ABD status by the time the fellowship begins.
For Research (Long-Term) and Doctoral Fellows, the grant covers a discount economy class airline ticket, a certificate of health allowance, traveler’s insurance, and a monthly stipend to cover living and research expenses. Additional allowances are provided for settling-in, departure, dependents, and enrollment fees. Short-Term Research Fellows receive a discount economy class airline ticket, traveler’s insurance, and a daily stipend. For all categories, a full-time, continuous stay in Japan for the term of the fellowship is required in principle.
The funding provided for Research and Doctoral Fellowships includes a discount economy class airline ticket to and from Japan, a certificate of health of up to JPY50,000, and a traveler’s insurance policy. A settling-in allowance of JPY250,000 and a departure allowance of JPY50,000 are also provided. The monthly stipend for living and research expenses is JPY400,000 for Research Fellows and JPY310,000 for Doctoral Fellows. Additionally, there is a dependent allowance of JPY10,000 per month for each dependent, and dependent insurance is provided by the Japan Foundation. An enrollment fee allowance of up to JPY25,000 per month is also available. For the Research (Short-Term) Fellowship, funding includes a discount economy class airline ticket to and from Japan, a traveler’s insurance policy, and a stipend of JPY17,000 per day.
Former Japan Foundation Fellows, such as those from the Japanese Studies Fellowship or Abe Fellowship, are eligible to reapply only if a full three years have elapsed since their most recent fellowship ended. Previous Short-Term Research Fellows may reapply after one full year. Higher priority is given to Doctoral Fellows who are expected to submit their dissertation shortly after the fellowship and to those who show promise of future achievement. For the Research (Long-Term) Fellowship, higher priority is given to relatively junior scholars with less research experience in Japan. For the Research (Short-Term) Fellowship, priority is given to more experienced scholars who are expected to publish their results shortly after the fellowship. Applicants who can conduct research and communicate in Japanese are also given priority.
Ineligible applicants include scholars in the natural sciences, medicine, or engineering; undergraduates and master’s degree candidates; those intending to use the fellowship for political or religious purposes; those intending to primarily enhance language or technical skills; and those who plan to receive other grants for travel and accommodation in Japan concurrently with the fellowship. Applicants who have continuously held resident status in Japan for one year or more as of April 1, 2026, are also ineligible.
The fellowships are tenable only in Japan, and fellows are expected to devote their full time to the research project described in their applications. The proposed commencement date must fall between June 20, 2026, and March 20, 2027. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for an institutional affiliation by the application deadline of 11:59 pm EST on Monday, December 1, 2025. Applicants may only apply to one category of the fellowship program. Multiple applications from the same individual will make all applications invalid.
Project quality is evaluated on the basis of the project’s significance to the field and to the applicant’s professional development, the project’s feasibility in terms of time and resources, the securing of appropriate affiliation, evidence that residence in Japan is necessary for completion of the project, and plans to disseminate research findings, etc., in Japan and abroad. Training, academic history, academic rank or position, professional reputation, and accomplishments are also evaluated, as well as the project’s contributions to diversity in the field.
For more information, visit The Japan Foundation.