APPLICATION DOWNLOAD: Fall 2016 Application

The Stanford University Scholars Program for Japanese High School Students or “Stanford e-Japan” is a distance-learning course sponsored by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) and generously supported by a grant from the U.S.-Japan Foundation. Stanford e-Japan will enroll exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The course underscores the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. Ambassadors, top scholars, and experts throughout the United States will provide web-based lectures and engage students in live discussion sessions or “virtual classes.” The course will be offered in English.

The web-based lectures will include historical topics such as the importance of the U.S.–Japan relationship, Japanese immigration to the United States, and World War II; contemporary topics such as Silicon Valley and entrepreneurship, high schools in the United States, and Japanese baseball players in Major League Baseball; and other topics of interest to Japanese students.

Students will participate in 10–12 “virtual classes” via the Internet from August to December 2016. The “virtual classes” will be offered 2–3 times a month on Saturday afternoons (1 PM Japan time). Students should expect to allot 3–4 hours per week to complete the lectures, discussions, readings, and assignments. Since this is a distance-learning course, however, students will be able to structure most of the work around their individual schedules. The Spring 2016 Stanford e-Japan Program is currently in session.

The course will culminate in an independent research project. Final research projects will be printed in journal format, and students will also be required to lead one presentation on U.S. society at their schools or in their local communities.

Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion from SPICE, Stanford University. Although intensive, Stanford e-Japan will equip Japanese students with a rare degree of expertise about U.S. society and culture and U.S.–Japan relations that may have a significant impact on their choices of study and future careers. 

SPICE would like to acknowledge the following individuals (listed alphabetically) for their unwavering support of Stanford e-Japan from its conceptualization to its realization.

• Dr. Caroline Fern Benton, Vice President and Executive Director for Global Affairs, University of Tsukuba
• Mr. Satoshi Hattori, Executive Director, San Francisco Office, Waseda University
• Dr. Toshinori Ishikuma, Vice President and Executive Director, Superintendent for Education Bureau of the Laboratory Schools, University of Tsukuba
• Dr. Ryoichi Kuboi, former Executive Director, Osaka University San Francisco Center for Education and Research; Professor Emeritus, Osaka University
• Mr. Tsuyoshi Kudo, Vice Principal, Takatsuki Jr. & Sr. High School
• Mr. Tomio Yamamoto, Teacher, Keio Hiyoshi Senior High School