Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegation (SEED) Program - 2018

The Sasakawa USA-ICFJ partnership will select eight (8) rising American journalists to participate in a week-long trip to Japan focused on the theme: Modernization of Japan's defense strategy and implications for the United States and the Asia-Pacific region.

The delegation will be introduced to a variety of Japanese perspectives on the aforementioned theme, through meetings with experts and practitioners from government ministries and agencies, the private sector, academia, think tanks, and media outlets. The trip will primarily take place in Tokyo, but Sasakawa USA may offer a trip outside of Tokyo to broaden the delegations' perspective on Japan.

Participants in the delegation will be expected to complete a post-trip survey and submit a brief article or blog post with his/her impressions of the trip. This will be published on Sasakawa USA and ICFJ's websites, and subject to their editorial guidelines. ICFJ and Sasakawa USA will designate one of the eight participants to be a leader of the delegation.

This trip is intended to be a study trip, and not a reporting trip. It is part of the Sasakawa USA Emerging Experts Delegation program

Program Eligibility:

Please read the Eligibility requirements and FAQ carefully. ICFJ will prioritize responding to questions not answered in this section.

• Journalists (reporters, editors) currently reporting on international/U.S. security and foreign affairs for U.S. or foreign media outlets. Must be a U.S. citizen;
• Journalists with 5-7 years of experience in the journalism field, preferably with noticeable achievements, with a prospect of working actively for another 20 years in the profession or as an opinion leader;
• Journalists working in all types of media are encouraged to apply (i.e. print, digital, and social media);
• Journalists with a media affiliation will be given priority during the selection process, but freelancers are also welcome to apply;
• Journalists with limited or no experience with Japan will be given priority during the selection process. Journalists with limited exposure to U.S.-Japan security and defense issues will also be prioritized.

FAQ:

What are the costs to participate in this program? Sasakawa USA will cover all of the fellows' expenses, including: round-trip airfare (premium economy class) between the United States and Japan to be booked directly through Sasakawa USA’s designated travel agent; hotel accommodation for up to 6 nights at a hotel reserved by Sasakawa USA; and per diem to cover any meals that are not covered by the itinerary and transportation between home/hotel and the airport in Japan and the United States. Rates will be based on Sasakawa USA’s rates, which follow government rates.

How many journalists will be selected? Eight.

When will this trip take place? What if those dates aren't convenient for me? The trip will take place during one of 3 weeks, depending on the most available option: November 26, December 4, or December 11. Pre-trip briefings will take place between September and the determined departure date. Unfortunately, Sasakawa USA is unable to plan around each individual's schedule; Sasakawa USA has selected periods of time in which Japanese officials would be readily available for meetings.

Why is this only offered for U.S. citizens? Unfortunately, the fellowship is only available for U.S. citizens at this time. This is because of Sasakawa USA's organizational mission, and the type of funding currently available. Please check ICFJ's website for other opportunities for your country, as programs and country focuses change regularly.

Is this an ICFJ program or a Sasakawa USA program? Both! ICFJ and Sasakawa USA have a working partnership that makes this fellowship and other programs possible. Sasakawa USA staff will be the point of contact and organizer of all components of the program including pre-trip briefings, a week-long trip to Japan (6 nights and 8 days including 2 travel days), and post-trip publication/presentation/networking activities. During the trip, Sasakawa USA staff will escort the delegation and facilitate the meetings.

The application isn't working for me. What do I do? Please make sure you're filling out all required fields (fields with red asterisks). This is the most common error applicants experience. If the problem persists, also try to complete the application on a different browser; this can often affect users' experience.

Applicants for this fellowship are closed.