Founded in 1997, the International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) in Japan, sponsored by Hitachi, Ltd., seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between the rising generations of leaders in the United States and Japan. The fellowship invites individuals from the academic, business, government, media, and religious communities to expand their intellectual and professional horizons through an extended period of research or related professional activity in Japan.
CFR awards a small number of fellowships annually to individuals with outstanding project proposals. The program provides fellows the opportunity to carry out research while affiliated with a cooperating institution in Japan (see list below). The goal of the fellowship is to strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship by expanding American understanding of Japan and enhancing communication between Americans and Japanese on global problems.
The program is only open to U.S. citizens between the ages of twenty-seven and forty-five. The program is intended primarily for those without prior experience in Japan, although the selection committee has made exceptions when it considered that the fellowship would allow an individual to add new dimension to his or her relationship to Japan. While a PhD is not a requirement, successful candidates generally hold advanced degrees and possess a strong record of work experience and firm grounding in the field of foreign policy. The program does not fund pre- or postdoctoral research, work toward a degree, or the completion of projects for which substantial progress has been made prior to the fellowship period. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not a requirement.
Applications are primarily by invitation, on the recommendation of individuals in academic, government, and other institutions. Others who inquire directly and meet preliminary requirements may also be considered. Application materials will be forwarded to those invited to apply. Following a preliminary review by the selection committee, candidates selected as finalists will be interviewed. The selection committee deems the following criteria of particular importance: scholarly qualifications; achievements and promise; depth and breadth of professional experience; firm grounding in foreign policy and international relations; and a proposal that focuses on solutions to identified problems in U.S. foreign policy. Candidates are encouraged to plan a systematic approach to assessing the major substantive and process issues of their planned research. The proposal will be judged on the proposed work's originality, practicality, potential, likelihood of completion during the fellowship period, and the contribution it will make to the candidate's individual career development.
The duration of the fellowship is between three and twelve months. The program awards a stipend. Fellows are considered independent contractors rather than employees of CFR, and are not eligible for employment benefits including health insurance.
IAF in Japan Recipients, 1997 - 2011
Fellowship Affairs
Council on Foreign Relations
58 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10065
212.434.9489 fax 212.434.9870
Fellowships@cfr.org
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