Welcome to the 2015-2016 Kakehashi Project application. Up to 185 students will be selected to participate in this year’s Kakehashi Project, coordinated by the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), and supported by funding from the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The goal of the Kakehashi Project is to build cooperation between Japanese Americans/Asian Americans and Japan by providing participants with a better understanding of Japan through a variety of fields, including politics, economics, and culture. Kakehashi Project alumni are encouraged to become effective advocates in enhancing U.S. – Japan relations.

Selected students will attend a 9-day trip to Japan where they will visit a number of historical and educational sites, experience traditional and cultural activities, and participate in lectures and workshops. Each trip will visit Tokyo and one other city to be announced.

Trip Dates

Trip 1: December 13-22, 2015
Trip 2: January 10-19, 2016
Trip 3: March 13-22, 2016

The trip dates tentatively include a 1-day, in-person, mandatory orientation that will be held in the United States on the first listed trip date (the day before the students will depart for Japan).

Program Eligibility and Guidelines

Please click here to read the program and eligibility guidelines.

In addition to the eligibility requirements outlined in the JICE program guidelines, applicants must be:

– Japanese/Japanese American or Asian American
– Currently enrolled in a community college, undergraduate, graduate, or professional program.
– Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application and no older than 25 on the day they intend to depart for Japan.
– Students will also be required to participate in an orientation program that will include a series of webinars and a possible in-person orientation prior to departure to Japan.

You do not need to be a JACL member to be eligible.

Program Costs

Please note that while many expenses are covered by the program (as outlined in the program guidelines), participants are expected to cover personal expenses, including (but not limited to) passport fees, fees for vaccination, travel expenses between their home and departure port, fees for accommodation and meals in the USA, and pocket money for the purchase of items for personal use.

Students will depart to Japan in groups from regionally located “hub” airports that will be announced shortly (for example, participants located on the west coast may meet at the San Francisco International Airport and depart together). Please note that participants will be responsible for any transportation and lodging arrangements and costs associated with traveling to the hub airport.

Questions or Issues
Please contact Craig Shimizu at japanprogram@jacl.org or by phone at 202-223-1240 (M-F, 10am-5:30pm EST)