Opportunities in Kyoto
Edward Boyle
Hello All,
This is to announce two Nichibunken programs which support early career researchers.
Both programs aim to nurture young researchers who will lead the internationalization of Japanese studies.
1. Nichibunken Academic Encouragement Award (for Doctoral Students)
The program supports doctoral students intending to produce a doctoral dissertation.
Awardees may spend up to 90 days pursuing research at Nichibunken.
Application Deadline: September 30th, 2026
Eligibility: Candidates must be doctoral students recommended by overseas institutions holding academic exchange agreements with Nichibunken, or International member institutions (Full member) of the Consortium for Global Japanese Studies.
※For details, please refer to the webpage below.
https://www.nichibun.ac.jp/en/research/award/academic-encouragement/
2. JF-Nichibunken Fellowship Program (for Post-doctoral Researchers)
This program is jointly organized by the Japan Foundation (JF) and Nichibunken, and provides post-doctoral researchers in the field of Japanese Studies with opportunities to conduct research in Japan while belonging to Nichibunken.
Fellows will gain experience as project facilitators through various workshops, and develop networks with people involved in international exchange.
Application Period: September 1st to December 1st, 2026
Eligibility: Doctoral degree holders who had their doctoral degree conferred less than six years before April 1st, 2027.
※For details, please refer to the webpage below (Application guidelines for the 2027 intake will be released later this year)
https://www.nichibun.ac.jp/en/research/employment/acceptance/#jf-nichibun
In addition, Nichibunken has a program not limited to young researchers.
This Visiting Research Scholar program provides opportunities to stay at Nichibunken and conduct joint research in collaboration with our faculty members.
We are currently accepting applications for this program for 2028-2029.
Application deadline: November 2, 2026
For details, please refer to the following web page.
https://www.nichibun.ac.jp/en/research/employment/#gaikenkobo
If you have any questions about the above programs, please contact:
Ayako SASAKI (Ms.) and Makoto YASUI (Ms.)
International Research Promotion Unit
Research Cooperation Section
International Research Center for Japanese Studies.
TEL: 81-75-335-2041
E-mail: vrsin...@nichibun.ac.jp
Thanks all, best wishes,
Ted
Edward Boyle
国際日本文化研究センター准教授
Editor, Japan Review
https://japanreview.jp/
https://www.borderthinking.com/
Recent Publications:
Fluid Material: Japan’s Islands as Geo-Political Territory Geopolitics 31.3 (2026).
Contesting Memorial Spaces of Japan's Empire (Bloomsbury 2024, w. Steven Ivings). Now in Paperback!
Heritage, Contested Sites, and Borders of Memory in the Asia Pacific (Brill 2023, w. Steven Ivings). Introduction available OPEN ACCESS
Geo-Politics in Northeast Asia (Routledge 2022, w. Akihiro Iwashita and Yong-Chool Ha). Also available OPEN ACCESS