Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

Study Tours in Japan: Call for Participants

Details

The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman, in partnership with the Japan Foundation and Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation, will conduct two study tours in Japan for students, employees, and recent graduates of the Asian Center. Eligibility and application requirements, as well as the provisional itineraries for each tour, may be found below. Deadline of application is on 15 June 2015.

PROGRAM A: Asian Center-Japan Foundation Study Tour 2015

The study tour for Program A will run from 2 July 2015 to 7 July 2015 and cover destinations in Kyoto, Shizuoka, and possibly Osaka. The tour will include trips to the Toro Yayoi Archaeological site in Shizuoka. Airfare and hotel accommodation will be sponsored by the Japan Foundation, though participants may have to spend for other miscellaneous expenses.

Applicants must:

  • Be a student, employee (including non-UP contractuals), or a recent graduate of the Asian Center (2010 or later)
  • Be paper presenters at the 20th Young Scholars Conference on Philippine Studies in Japan, which extended its deadline for submission of abstracts to 15 June 2015. View conference website.

Up to four (4) participants will be selected depending on the following criteria: good morals and possession of a valid passport. Also, ideally,

  • The paper should dovetail with Asian Center’s research thrust (e.g. thesis, Asian Center’s vision, etc.)
  • The paper to be presented in the 20th Young Scholars Conference on Philippine Studies in Japan must have a Japanese component
  • The student or graduate must have an excellent academic record and/or belong to a thesis program at the Asian Center
  • The participant must be proficient in Japanese.

Send the following application requirements to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 15 June 2015.

  • Application form for Asian Center-Japan Foundation Study Tour 2015 (download)
  • Consent form for Asian Center-Japan Foundation Study Tour 2015 (download)
  • Copy of the letter of invitation from the organizing committee of the Philippine Studies Forum for Young Scholars
  • PDF of Form 5 for second semester, AY 2014–2015 (for students)
  • PDF of Copy of True Copy of Grades (for students)
  • PDF of Program of Study at the Asian Center (students)
  • PDF of certificate of graduation from the Asian Center (graduates)
  • PDF or Word file of abstract or manuscript of paper to be presented during the conference
  • PDF of Proof of Japanese language proficiency, if applicable

PROGRAM B: Asian Center-The Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation Study Tour 2015

The study tour for Program B will run from 31 July 2015 to 8 August 2015 and cover destinations in Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. The tour will include trips to the Kyoto University, Panasonic Eco Technology Center in Kobe, and Matsushita Foundation Headquarters in Osaka. All expenses save for passport and visa processing shall be shouldered by the Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation.

Two (2) participants will be selected. An applicant must be a paper presenter at the 8th Workshop for Next Generation Scholars, KUASU, Kyoto University or an Asian Center student majoring in Japan (as of second semester, AY 2014–2015). Ideally, applicants must also:

  • Have completed Japanese language requirements under the Asian Studies program (Japanese A&B, 192 hours of formal training, JLPT N4 or above, etc.)
  • Be of excellent academic standing
  • Belong to a thesis-writing track at the Asian Center
  • Not have visited Japan
  • Have a valid passport

Send the following application documents by 15 June 2015 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.:

  • Application form for Asian Center-The Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation Study Tour 2015 (download)
  • Profile sheet (download)
  • Consent form for Asian Center-The Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation Study Tour 2015 (download)
  • Copy of the letter of invitation from KUASU for the 8th Workshop for Next Generation of Scholars
  • PDF copy of Form 5 for second semester, AY 2014–2015
  • PDF copy of Program of Study at the Asian Center
  • PDF of proof of Japanese language proficiency (certificates, etc.) if applicable

Applicants can submit applications to only one study tour. For inquiries, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..