Overview

Tohoku University’s Center for Integrated Japanese Studies (CIJS), in collaboration with the Japan Foundation (JF) and supported by the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS), has announced a research fellowship program that allows Ph.D. candidates who conduct research related to Japan and feel they need to visit Japan to complete their doctoral research, to do so at the university.

Eligible types of research

Japanese studies by integrating research methods that emphasize detailed empirical findings with those that focus on originality in theory and conceptual understanding (in the fields of the humanities and the social sciences).

Research activities at CIJS

1. Participants will be granted the title of Research Fellow for the Center of Integrated Japanese Studies at Tohoku University for the duration of their fellowship.
2. Fellows will be able to use the vast and extensive collections of the Tohoku University library to conduct their research.
3. Fellows will be able to receive research support and will be able to exchange information with faculty members. These faculty members will be appointed by the Center for Integrated Japanese Studies, taking into account their fields of specialty and research themes.

Commencement date of fellowship

The commencement date falls between September 1, 2026, and March 1, 2027. The fellowship will last between 4 and 12 months.

Number of fellows

The research fellowship will be granted to around three applicants.

Application qualifiers

• Applicants are Ph.D. candidates at graduate schools throughout Europe. Please see the included document for more information.
• Applicants must be in good health and proficient in either Japanese or English.
• Please refer to the Instructions for detailed application requirements and selection criteria.

Renumeration

Fellows will be able to receive various forms of renumeration, including travel to and from Japan, as well as a monthly stipend of JPY 310,000.

Application

To apply for the Fellowship, please follow the instructions below.

1. Download the Instructions and Application Form data.
2. Read through the Instructions carefully to make sure that you qualify for the program.
3. Fill in the Application Form, leaving open the section intended for Recommenders and Japanese-language Evaluator/Referee.
4. Applicants send the filled in Application Form to their recommenders and evaluator, asking them to fill in the required sections.
5. Each of the applicant, the recommenders, and the Japanese-language evaluator sends the completed and signed form to JF-CIJS-EAJS@jpf.go.jp before the deadline of November 21, 2025 in Japan Standard Time.

Notes

Inquiries

For more information, please get in touch with JF through our email address at JF-CIJS-EAJS@jpf.go.jp.