Japan-US Next-Generation Leadership Programs

To foster the next generation of Japanese and American leaders who will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of U.S.-Japan relations, the Japan Foundation provides short-term fellowships in the United States for early-career Japanese professionals and invitation programs in Japan for next-generation American leaders

Fellowship/Exchange Programs

Japan – U.S. Technology Policy Fellowship

(Partner Organization: Pacific Forum International)

A fellowship program designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders shaping technology policy cooperation and to build networks between Japan and the United States. The fellowship brings together ten emerging and mid-career professionals—five from Japan and five from the United States. Fellows participate in field visits to key technology and semiconductor hubs in Japan and the United States as well as conducting independent research.

Japan – U.S. Technology Policy Fellowship

Japan-U.S. Cyber Policy Fellowship

(Partner Organization: National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR))

With the aim of strengthening Japan-U.S. cooperation in cybersecurity, five Japanese fellows, early-career researchers and young professionals expected to shape the next generation of cybersecurity policy, undertake the development of policy papers on topics such as digital infrastructure security, quantum technologies, and AI while receiving individualized mentorship from leading experts in the field. Through research, policy dialogues, and participation in international conferences, the fellows engage with policymakers and experts in Japan and the United States, build professional networks, and deepen their expertise in cybersecurity policy.

Japan-U.S. Cyber Policy Fellowship

NEXUS: Next Generation Security Exchange

(Partner Organization: The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF))

A leadership initiative designed to develop emerging security experts from Japan, the United States, and Europe. It aims to cultivate future leaders who can strengthen U.S.-Japan-Europe trilateral cooperation. It explores key dimensions of nuclear policy and provides participants with opportunities to expand their networks with experts in related fields. Ten selected Master's and Ph.D. students--five from Japan, three from the United States, and two from Europe--attend a series of expert-led webinars and an in-person training in Washington, DC.

NEXUS: Next Generation Security Exchange

U.S.-Japan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellowship

(Partner Organization: Transpacific Future Center (TPFC))

A fellowship program that aims to discover and develop the next generation of talent who can serve as a bridge between Japan and the United States in the medium to long term through innovation and entrepreneurship. It dispatches young and mid-career Japanese researchers and practitioners (2 cohorts, 20 fellows in total) to the United States for short periods in order to deepen their understanding of the U.S. innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurial environment, to strengthen the presence and dissemination of Japanese innovation and Japanese talent in the U.S., and to support the formation of personal and intellectual networks between Japan and the U.S. in the fields of policy, economy, entrepreneurship, investment, and technology.

U.S.-Japan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellowship

Japan Foundation Research Associate Fellowship

(Partner Organization: Hudson Institute)

A research associate fellowship program designed to train and foster a next-generation Japanese expert in Washington DC, who is expected to be involved in policymaking related to US-Japan relations. Over the course of the fellowship, the research associate fellow conducts individual and collaborative research, engages in the Institute's programs, and writes policy papers under the mentorship of the Hudson Institute's Japan Chair.

US-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program

(Partner Organization: Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE))

An exchange program designed to promote dialogue and mutual understanding among emerging political leaders from Japan and the United States, and to build bipartisan networks. A delegation of Japanese political staffers and emerging local political leaders visits the United States to meet with government officials, business leaders, policy experts, and local officials, exchanging views on issues such as politics, the economy, and challenges facing local communities. Participants apply the experience and knowledge gained through the program, as well as the extensive networks built over the program's long history, to policymaking and public service activities.

US-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program

Invitation Programs

Invitation Program for Former Members of Congress

(Partner Organization: Former Members of Congress (FMC) )

A bipartisan delegation of former Members of the U.S. Congress visits Japan to engage in dialogue with Japanese policymakers, business leaders, and researchers. Drawing on their firsthand experience at the forefront of U.S. politics, these distinguished leaders share insights on key issues affecting the U.S.-Japan relationship, with the aim of fostering mutual understanding and further strengthening cooperation between the two countries. Through panel discussions at universities and exchanges with students, the program also provides opportunities to deepen understanding of U.S. politics, thereby contributing to the development of the next generation of leaders who will advance U.S.-Japan cooperation in the years ahead.

U.S.-Japan Philanthropist Dialogue Journey

(Partner Organization: Japan Fundraising Association (JFRA) )

A group of ten philanthropists from Japan and the United States visit Unnan City in Shimane Prefecture to gain firsthand insights into community revitalization efforts driven through cross-sector collaboration among local government, civil society, businesses, and residents. Through site visits and dialogue with local stakeholders, participants deepen their understanding of the role of philanthropy and community-based decision-making processes. In Tokyo, participants engage with representatives of Japanese foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other social-sector institutions to exchange perspectives and reflect on insights from the visit. By sharing these insights and fostering exchanges with leaders across Japan's social sector, the program lays the foundation for continued dialogue among participants and future U.S.-Japan philanthropic collaboration.

U.S. Leaders Invitation Program

By inviting leading U.S. intellectuals who play a key role in shaping public policy and ideas, this program seeks to build networks that will strengthen and deepen U.S.-Japan relations for the next generation.

The Japan Foundation - Public Lecture by Patrick J. Deneen, author of Why Liberalism Failed: A Japan–U.S. Dialogue on the Future of Liberalism and Democracy