Nikkei scholars train to support non-Japanese people in Japan
Takehiro Umemura
The Nippon Foundation
The Nippon Foundation
Indepth Articles
[Feb. 07, 2010]
International students participating in training
At the end of December, 22 international students of Japanese descent studying at Japanese academic institutions, under The Nippon Foundation's Nikkei Scholarship, gathered in Sapporo for four days of training. These training sessions clarified the need for a policy for supporting non-Japanese people in Japan.
Enthusiastic discussion of activity policies
As part of their scholarship program, international students from across Japan take part in this training twice each year. This session focused on discussions of the activities and policies of the Nikkei Scholar Association for the subsequent year. One of its more esciting ideas was the expansion of current support for non-Japanese children to cover their parents as well. The association has been running the current support system since 2007.
Exchange with local nonprofits
The training sessions also featured exchange with Ezorock, a local environmental nonprofit; exchange with Hokkaido University students; a visit to the Ainu Museum; and a visit to Isamu Noguchi's Moerenuma Park. These activities amid the snow and ice of Hokkaido helped participants strengthen ties.
"I was delighted to see first-hand how these various social activities are strengthening the foundations of the Nikkei Scholar Association,” said Gustavo Kishimoto, a research student from Peru currently at the National Cancer Center. Kishimoto is the chair of the Nikkei Scholar Association through fiscal 2009. “There's still plenty of room for improvement, but I want to do my best to strengthen the unity of the association we've built.”
The Nippon Foundation Nikkei Scholarship was established in 2004, in cooperation with the Association of Nikkei & Japanese Abroad, to provide scholarships to Nikkei scholars from Central and South America wishing to study in Japan. Unlike typical scholarship programs, which provide economic support for outstanding students, support provided also covers admission fees, tuition, and transportation costs, as well as living expenses for up to five years. Eligible students include those seeking to promote development in their own countries and regions and to serve as liaisons to Japan in a wide range of areas. To date, the scholarship has been granted to 46 students, with 28 currently studying at various institutions. Plans to expand the program to Asia are currently under examination.