FAQ

The Watanabe Democracy Fellowship targets future leaders of Japan. To be eligible, applicants must be individuals who are forty-five years old or younger at the time of application (application period: November 4, 2024 - January 30, 2025 *U.S. Pacific Time) and must either hold Japanese citizenship or be Special Permanent Residents of Japan. While there is no lower age limit, applicants must have at least five years of work experience.

Yes. Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria can apply, no matter where they reside.

Leadership skills manifest in various ways and settings, including society, business, and communities, and no single definition of leadership exists. You might have started your own company or non-profit organization, led a project or team at a company, written books or given lectures, or received other fellowships. Those who are selected for the Watanabe Democracy Fellowship will have already demonstrated achievements as leaders and will be likely to use the Fellowship experience to elevate their work to the next level.

During the U.S. Delegation Visit, Fellows will engage with U.S. government agencies, politicians, NPOs, and think tanks, and they must express their thoughts and opinions during meetings. Therefore, Fellows need to demonstrate English proficiency that enables effective business conversations. As a guideline, applicants should achieve an English proficiency equivalent to at least 900 points on the TOEIC, 630 points on the TOEFL (CBT: 267 points, iBT: 109 points), and/or Level 1 on the EIKEN.

No, you do not need to. The primary goal of the Watanabe Democracy Fellowship is to create opportunities for individuals from diverse fields to come together as Fellows and learn from one another. While we welcome an interest in U.S.-Japan relations, you do not need prior connections, experience with the U.S., or knowledge of U.S.-related issues.

Once we receive the required documents, we will notify you by email. When we receive the Candidate Recommendation Form, we will also notify both the recommender and you via email.

You can apply for the 2025 Watanabe Democracy Fellowship between November 4, 2024, and January 30, 2025. Submit all forms, including the Candidate Recommendation Form, by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Pacific time on January 30, 2025. We will not consider applications submitted after the deadline. 

Applicants must complete all required documents in English. We will also conduct the secondary screening interview in English after the document review. Your recommender can submit the Candidate Recommendation Form in either English or Japanese.

In addition to the Application Form that you complete, the Watanabe Democracy Fellowship requires a recommendation from someone who knows you well. You should select one recommender to complete the Candidate Recommendation Form, explaining why they recommend you. The recommender must submit the form by the application deadline of January 30, 2025. You can access the necessary forms here. We will not consider your application if the Candidate Recommendation Form is not submitted. It is your responsibility to ensure the form is submitted on time.

An ideal recommender is someone who knows you well in a professional context, especially regarding your leadership qualities and character. You can also ask previous Watanabe Democracy Fellows for recommendations.

No. We only accept one recommendation from the individual you list on the Application Form.

The 2025 Watanabe Democracy Fellowship selection process will begin in February 2025 and conclude in March. Program staff will invite selected candidates who pass an initial document review to participate in interviews. In April, they will communicate the final selection results to all applicants.

A selection committee reviews leading candidates who have passed both the document screening and the interview process. They then make a recommendation of the selected Fellows. Representatives from Japanese American communities, companies, academic institutions, and government agencies make up the committee. During screening, they primarily focus on whether applicants meet the selection criteria, while also considering the overall diversity of the Fellows, including their experiences, achievements, gender balance, and representation from different regions, societies, and professions. The Democracy Center at JANM makes the final determination of the Fellows.

We will notify selected candidates by email in March 2025. Those selected must submit a Fellowship Acceptance Form (to be received by email) and other required documents (passport, bio, headshot, etc.) within 10 days of receiving the notification. In order to make arrangements for the U.S. Delegation Visit, candidates who fail to submit the necessary documents by the deadline will forfeit their eligibility to participate in the Fellowship. 

No, participants do not need to pay any fees. Donations from Mr. Toshizo Watanabe fully support the Watanabe Democracy Fellowship. We cover all expenses related to the U.S. Delegation Visit, including round-trip airfare from the U.S. to Japan, transportation within the U.S., entrance fees, and meals. However, Fellows are responsible for transportation within Japan from their homes to the airport, passport fees, and any personal activities not directly related to the U.S. Delegation Visit.

The 2025 U.S. Delegation Visit will include stops in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., as in 2024. However, based on feedback from the 2024 Fellows, we are planning a new itinerary for 2025. While this website outlines the 2024 Visit, we cannot guarantee that the 2025 visit will feature the same content.

The 2025 U.S. Delegation Visit is scheduled from July 20 to August 1, with a return to Japan on August 2. You should only apply if your schedule fully aligns with all aspects of the program. We will disqualify Fellows who cannot participate in any part of the U.S. Delegation Visit, and they must reapply the following year.

Yes, you must attend the orientation. The 2025 Fellowship Orientation will take place over two days in Tokyo, on Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31. To ensure a meaningful experience during the U.S. Delegation Visit, the orientation will feature special lectures and meetings with related organizations.

No, your commitments to the Fellowship continue beyond the U.S. Delegation Visit. We expect Fellows to actively participate in public programs held in Tokyo during Fall 2025. Additionally, we will invite Fellows to attend the U.S.-Japan Council’s annual conference in Tokyo in Fall 2026. We will also organize other events and lectures based on Fellows’ requests.

All selected Fellows will begin their journey with the Orientation and participate in various programs. After completing the initial programs, we expect Fellows to stay active as lifelong members of the Watanabe Democracy Fellowship. This includes ongoing learning through opportunities provided by the Fellowship and JANM, as well as contributing to the growth of the Fellowship network. Additionally, we will encourage Fellows to mentor new Fellows the following year, supporting their development as next-generation leaders.