What is the Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship?

With the goals of further strengthening the fundamentals of international research into Japan and deepening understanding of Japan, the Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship invites leading international researchers of the Japanese language, Japanese language education, Japanese literature and Japanese culture to Japan to conduct residential research.

Eligible research

  • Japanese language
  • Japanese language education
  • Japanese literature
  • Japanese culture

Eligible researchers

International researchers working in the fields of Japanese language, Japanese language education, Japanese literature or Japanese culture.
University professors, associate professors and assistant professors who have outstanding research results that have future potential, and other persons with equivalent research backgrounds, are eligible to apply.

Applicants:

Researchers working in the fields of Japanese language,Japanese language education, Japanese literature or Japanese culture who reside outside Japan and meet all of the criteria below.

Affiliated with a higher education or research institution (including postdoctoral scolars' adjunct in Japanese and part-time lecturers)

  • Scholar or researcher with (or soon to be granted) a doctoral degree and an extensive research or ducation background
  • Sufficient Japanese language proficiency to be able to conduct research in Japanese
  • Non-Japanese national residing outside of Japan or Japanese national who has resided outside of Japan for 10 years or more and been active in the academic community of the country of their residence
  • Able to stay continuously in Japan for the duration of the Fellowship period

Applications are not sought from those whose purpose is to write a doctoral thesis.
Applicants who will soon receive their doctoral degree must receive it by no later than March 31, 2017.
As research reporting and communications with the Fellowship secretariat on various procedures will be conducted in Japanese only, a suitable level of Japanese language ability is required.
Those who have previously received support for residential research in Japan may also apply.

Fellowship content

  • Invited fellows will have their airfares, living and research expenses, housing and other expenses necessary for conducting research in Japan covered.
  • Long-term (12-month) and short-term (6-month) fellowships are available.
  • Around 15 fellows will be invited each year.

Receiving organizations

Invited fellows will conduct their research with the cooperation of one of the following receiving organizations:

  • International Research Center for Japanese Studies
  • The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute,Urawa
  • Kyoto University
  • National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics
  • Ochanomizu University
  • Ritsumeikan University
  • Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
  • Waseda University

Application procedure

  1. Obtain Application Guide, Application Form and Letter of Recommendation. (Downloadable below)
  2. Fill in the Application Form
  3. Have the person recommending you for the Fellowship fill in the Letter of Recommendation
  4. Prepare Japanese translation of the Letter of Recommendation (if written in a language other than Japanese)
  5. Send the above documents to the designated address by mail

Application Deadline: Must arrive by Oct 31, 2016 (Only mailed applications will be considered)

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