Japan Society Junior Fellows Leadership Program

# Japan Society Junior Fellows Leadership Program The Junior Fellows Leadership Program is Japan Society's selective summer program in Japan for American high school students. Ten students are chosen each year for roughly two weeks split between the Tokyo metropolitan area and Tohoku, the northeastern region. It is a leadership program built around Japan rather than a language course: knowledge of Japanese is helpful but not required, and students spend as much time with business, arts, science and nonprofit leaders as they do in language class. ## What You'll Do - Design and carry out an independent project on a global issue of your choosing - Live with a Japanese host family and experience Japanese school life first-hand - Take introductory communicative Japanese language lessons - Meet current leaders in business, the arts, science and the nonprofit sector - Visit cultural and historic sites in Tokyo and Tohoku, and connect with previous American and Japanese Junior Fellows ## Who Should Apply High school students in grades 9-11 at the time of application who show strong leadership skills. Priority goes to students from the New York metropolitan area (NY, NJ, CT), where Japan Society is based. The application is submitted by mail and includes supporting materials. ## Outcomes Junior Fellows join the Junior Fellows Alumni Association, a standing network of American and Japanese alumni of the program. Participants come away with a completed independent project, a host family in Japan and direct access to Japan Society's institutional network. Tuition for the 2026 program was $3,800 with need-based financial aid available.