Overview

The U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) is proud to partner with the U.S. Department of State in launching the Mineta Ambassadors Program (MAP), an education endowment program to support exchange opportunities between U.S. and Japanese students. MAP was announced by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and then-Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio during the Prime Minister’s Official Visit and State Dinner in Washington, DC in April, 2024 (the full ‘United States-Japan Joint Leaders’ Statement’ can be found here).

The Mineta Ambassadors Program’s name honors the legacy of former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta, who, in addition to his celebrated career of public service, was a longtime member and leader within the U.S.-Japan Council.

This new program reflects our shared mission of investing in the next generation of leaders to ensure the future of the U.S.-Japan relationship. By creating opportunities for students to study abroad in Japan and the United States, MAP fosters global mindsets, cultivates long-term bilateral ties, and bolsters the strength and resilience of the special relationship between the United States and Japan. MAP is made possible thanks to the generosity of donors who share our vision of strengthening U.S.-Japan relations and empowering the next generation of global leaders (see list of sponsors below). 

The U.S.-Japan Council administers the Mineta Ambassadors Program, and the U.S. Embassy in Japan serves as the U.S. government’s lead on guiding and supporting the program. MAP provides grants to institutions that facilitate exchanges between the United States and Japan. MAP alumni are also welcomed into USJC’s TOMODACHI Generation network, which includes networking opportunities with other TOMODACHI alumni, opportunities to connect with USJC members, virtual and regional events throughout the year, and more.

MAP had a soft launch with a pilot program for the 2024-25 academic year (see info below) and is accepting proposals from October 28, 2024 to January 15, 2025 for the 2025-26 academic year. Information can be found below and inquiries may be sent to: [email protected].

Request for Proposals (AY 2025-26)

The Mineta Ambassadors Program is accepting institutional grant proposals from October 28, 2024 to January 15, 2025 for the 2025-26 academic year. Please read the following important information:

Eligibility Criteria

Please note: MAP grants are provided to institutions that facilitate student exchanges for college and high school students, and are not provided directly to individuals seeking scholarships. For those individuals seeking scholarships, there are other organizations that provide financial support, including USJC, which administers The Toshizo Watanabe​ Study Abroad Scholarship Program, providing financial assistance to Japanese and American undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a study abroad program or international study in either the United States or Japan.

For a proposal to be considered for the 2025-26 academic year, the following eligibility criteria need to be met by the grantee organization:

• Ability to meet some of the aspirational student metrics of the program. (See below)
• Must be a tax-exempt organization in the United States or the equivalent in Japan.
• Demonstrated success and/or staff members experienced in facilitating student exchanges (college and/or high school level).
• Must be the primary/sole recipient of the funds and facilitator of the exchange.
• National government agencies and departments are generally not eligible for MAP funds, but local governments, certain government-affiliated institutions (e.g., public schools, economic development corporations, etc.) and high schools (including private high schools and those affiliated with national universities), higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt and able to receive grants in their respective country may be eligible for MAP funds. (Please contact us directly to confirm eligibility.)

Students participating in the exchanges should meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Citizens or permanent residents of their respective country (United States or Japan).
• Able to obtain the proper travel/entry visa.
• In good academic standing at their respective high school or accredited college/university in the United States or Japan.
• For high school students (studying abroad or short-term visitation program):
  • Able to receive parental/guardian consent.
• For college students (studying abroad):
  • Undergraduate and graduate students (eligible types of international study programs include: direct enrollment, affiliate/third-party, exchange, degree-seeking).
  • Will be enrolled in an exchange program or credit-bearing course of study at a university or approved academic center in the United States or Japan in the upcoming academic year.

Aspirational Student Metrics

MAP is designed to expand opportunities for high school and college students who may not otherwise have them. When considering proposals, the selection committee will give priority to programs that support cohorts including:

• Students with no prior U.S.-Japan exchange experience abroad.
• Female students.
• (Japanese students) Students from outside of the Tokyo Metropolitan area.
• (American students) Students from historically underrepresented communities.

How to Apply

To apply for a MAP institutional grant, please email a proposal document (2-3 pages max) in English to [email protected] with the following information:

• Organization name & brief background
• Point of contact (name, title, contact info)
• Experience/expertise in student exchanges
• Exchange program proposal (one page)
• Dates & duration of program
• Number of exchange students supported
• Demographics expected (see above Aspirational Student Metrics)
• Funding amount requested with preliminary breakdown of costs.

Grant Timeline

Reporting Requirements from Grantees

Prior to the start of the program, grantee shall submit to the U.S.-Japan Council: contact and demographic information for all participants, including but not limited to full name, email address, phone number, emergency contact, country of residence, nationality, race/ethnicity, age, sex, home and host school names, level of education, degree and major(s) being pursued, and a summary of the aspirational metrics met (see above).

No later than 60 days after the completion of the program or by Sept. 30 of the same year (whichever comes first), grantee shall submit to the U.S.-Japan Council a written Final Program Report, which includes a narrative describing the program’s accomplishments, a description of program activities, participant information including testimonials and any special events or activities in which they participated, a list of media coverage that occurred, post-program surveys, and an end-of-program financial report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pilot Program (Academic Year 2024 – 25)

The Mineta Ambassadors Program had a soft launch with a pilot program for the 2024-25 academic year. The pilot program is funding 25 students from the United States and Japan to participate in an exchange in the other country. This includes high school and college students from Japan and college students from the United States, and both academic study abroad (semester and full year) and a short-term visitation program.

Grantees

The United States-Japan Bridging Foundation

• 12 American undergraduate students (profiles can be found online here).
• Semester and full-year academic study abroad beginning in Fall 2024.

Kizuna Across Cultures

• 7 Japanese high school students.
• A short-term visitation program to Washington, DC in Summer 2025.

Scholarships awarded directly to students by the U.S.-Japan Council

• 6 Japanese undergraduate and graduate students (profiles can be found below).
• Semester and full-year academic study abroad beginning in Fall 2024.

Quick Facts

Total grant funds disbursed: $206,500
Total number of students: 25

• 13 Japanese students + 12 American students
• 18 college students + 7 high school students
• 1 graduate student + 17 undergraduate students + 7 short-term visitation

Meet the 2024-2025 Mineta Ambassadors Program Scholars (Awarded directly by USJC)

Ayaka Asano

Home Institution: Aoyama Gakuin University
Host Institution: Carthage College

Ayaka is a senior at Aoyama Gakuin University majoring in Global studies and Collaboration. She studies what it takes to build a better global society by collaborating with people worldwide to address various international issues. Since it is not easy to collaborate with people from different cultures and backgrounds, she is interested in learning what it takes to understand different cultures and cooperate using their strengths. Though she studies social issues in Japan, she is looking forward to exchanging opinions with professors and students from America who have completely different backgrounds and cultures from hers and gaining new perspectives. Ayaka wants to contribute to solving social issues such as poverty and economic disparity. She is also looking forward to developing the English skills necessary for these purposes and gaining wide perspectives and the ability to make appropriate judgments. Receiving the Mineta Ambassadors Program Scholarship is an honor to Ayaka. Moreover, it eases the financial burden, giving her an environment in which she can focus on her academic work to achieve these goals.

Yumi Ashida

Home Institution: University of Washington
Host Institution: University of Washington

Yumi is an accomplished global technology specialist currently advancing her expertise through the Master of Information Management program at the University of Washington. As a User Experience Designer and leader in the tech industry, she has a particular interest in designing and implementing highly usable technology services, with a strong emphasis on Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Yumi is dedicated to leveraging her education to drive innovation and excellence, ensuring that technology serves and benefits users from all backgrounds. Her engagement with the United States began during her undergraduate studies in International Relations and continued through her career in technology, starting with cultural exchanges and international conferences in middle school. After a decade away, Yumi is excited to return to the United States for graduate studies, eager to reconnect with and contribute to this vibrant academic and professional community. As a recipient of a prestigious scholarship funded by leading technology companies from both Japan and the United States, Yumi views this opportunity as a pivotal career milestone and a new mission. She is committed to advancing the Japan-U.S. relationship, recognizing its profound impact on her life, and aims to strengthen this bond for future generations. Her goal is to leverage her experience to make a meaningful contribution to both nations and global society.

Sakura Chujo

Home Institution: The University of Tokyo
Host Institution: Seattle Central College

Sakura is a first-year master’s student at the University of Tokyo studying molecular neuroscience. As a medical writer, she became aware of the current state of neuronal disorders, whose fundamental treatments are hard to establish and spread. Fascinated by the growing potential of information technology through developing AI applications, she is aspiring to further foster expertise in informatics to advance the field of neuroscience. During the pandemic, she served as a liaison in an online New York program at The University of Tokyo. Interviewing leading figures from various fields sparked her ambition to study in the United States, a hub of pioneering innovation. Motivated by these experiences, she embarks on an exciting endeavor: exploring the biotech landscape of the Bay Area for a week, majoring in computer science as an IBP pre-scholarship student in Seattle for nine months, and obtaining practical exposure as an intern in North America for three months. She is deeply grateful to the Mineta Ambassadors Program scholarship for greatly reducing the financial burden, especially amid the challenges posed by the weak yen and price hikes. This support enables her to be the first in her family to study overseas.

Kimika Shiratori

Home Institution: International Christian University
Host Institution: University of California, Riverside

Kimika is a student at International Christian University, majoring in physics and minoring in environmental studies. She attends UC Riverside as an exchange student. Kimika studied at a local high school in Fiji in 2019 and volunteered at animal hospitals and an orphanage. At that time, Kimika’s dream was to help people and animals suffering around the world. Experience in Fiji made Kimika realize that education that can perpetually make everyone curious and critical is needed to create a better world. One of the reasons she became interested in the world was her love for Disney theme parks. Her father often took her to Tokyo Disney Resort, and magical technologies used in the park made her wonder how things work. Now, she is studying to be an Imagineer–an engineer who creates Disney theme parks–because she believes what they do is primarily connected to making people curious and critical. Attending UCR, which is only one hour from the world’s first Disney theme park which she adores, sounds like a dream for her. Also, UCR holds a Walt Disney Imagineering class in general education. She wants to gain creativity and inspiration through classes and her days at UCR.

Yuya Tano

Home Institution: Tohoku University
Host Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Yuya is a junior majoring in Behavioral Science at Tohoku University in Japan. His passion lies in applying quantitative methods, such as statistics and game theory, to social sciences in order to address global inequalities theoretically. This interest was sparked by his experience of volunteering at a children’s cafeteria during high school, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of socioeconomic disparities on children’s lives. Receiving the Mineta Ambassadors Program scholarship is a key step in making two of his dreams a reality. The first is the opportunity to study at UC Berkeley, one of the most active social science research centers in the world, as an exchange student for one year. He is eager to deepen his knowledge of applied statistical methodologies at Berkeley, where courses emphasize practical data analysis and prediction using real-world data. The second is to live in the International House (I-House) at Berkeley, where students from various cultural backgrounds come together. He is particularly looking forward to forming friendships across age, race, or major, and engaging in active discussions that expand his worldview.

Kento Yanagishita

Home Institution: Columbia University
Host Institution: Columbia University

Kento is a rising senior at Columbia University, majoring in Computer Science with a focus on Intelligent Systems. He looks forward to exploring Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing to deepen his understanding of how AI models can be developed and applied in real life scenarios. Additionally, he is excited about Columbia’s core curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking and interdisciplinary approaches; the focus on liberal art education would expose him to a diversity of thoughts. Despite his aspiration for college education, he has been facing severe financial struggles after the loss of his father on the first day of his studying abroad. As a first-generation student, Kento is determined to earn his bachelor’s degree while supporting his own tuition and living expenses without help from his family. Receiving the Mineta Ambassadors Program scholarship significantly eases his financial distress, allowing him to focus more on his academic interests and professional goals.

Sponsors

The Mineta Ambassadors Program is made possible thanks to the generosity of donors who share our vision of strengthening U.S.-Japan relations and empowering the next generation of global leaders.

*Top Sponsors

Thank you to everyone else who pledged in support of this program!

Donate

To donate to the U.S.-Japan Council in support of the Mineta Ambassadors Program, please send an email to [email protected] and we will follow up with guidance and to schedule a call.