[Fellowship Recruitment] "Nitobe Leadership Program" Featuring Naomi Kawase and Sou Fujimoto as Lecturers Now Accepting Applications

The International House of Japan (Minato-ku, Roppongi, Tokyo; President: James M. Kondo; hereinafter referred to as IHJ) is now accepting applications for fellows for the 2026 academic year for the "Nitobe Leadership Program," which supports next-generation leaders tackling social issues.

The "Nitobe Leadership Program" is a program designed to cultivate young leaders who address increasingly diverse and complex social issues with a perspective that transcends existing frameworks. The program was launched in 2008, named after Inazo Nitobe, who played a central role in the establishment of IHJ and demonstrated outstanding internationalism and leadership under the belief "I shall be a bridge between Japan and the rest of Asia," greatly influencing figures such as Aisuke Kabayama, Tamonten Maeda, Yashiro Takagi, and Shigeharu Matsumoto. Since its inception, the program has produced approximately 190 graduates who have challenged social change and sent out individuals active in various fields.

For the 2026 academic year, we will implement a program lasting approximately six months from September 2026 to March 2027, combining lectures, training camps, and study tours, with the theme "How Will You Solve Social Issues in a Diverse World?"

The faculty includes leading figures from various fields, such as film director Naomi Kawase, whose works have won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival; architect Sou Fujimoto, who designed the large roof ring for the Osaka-Kansai Expo; Yuichi Tsuda, former "Hayabusa2" project manager and Deputy Director of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) at JAXA; Toshihito Kumagai, Governor of Chiba Prefecture; and Kazuhiko Tomiyama, founder of IGPI Group.

This is a practical program where participants will learn how to approach increasingly diverse and complex social issues and cultivate a perspective for creating social change through dialogue and discussion with lecturers active at the forefront of their respective fields.

We welcome applications from all who wish to take a new step forward as agents of social change.

Nitobe Leadership Program Application Guidelines

2026 Academic Year Nitobe Leadership Program Lecturer List (Titles omitted, order not specified)

Naomi Kawase (Filmmaker) Sou Fujimoto (Architect) Yuichi Tsuda (Deputy Director, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA)

Toshihito Kumagai (Governor of Chiba Prefecture) Kazuhiko Tomiyama (Representative Director and Chairman, Japan Co-creation Platform) Yuko Hasegawa (Former Director, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa / Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of the Arts) Koichiro Yoshida (Representative Director, President & CEO, CrowdWorks Inc.)

Takaaki Mada (Director, FoundX, The University of Tokyo) Kazuhito Suzuki (Director, Institute of Geopolitics, IOG / Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo) Yoshiyuki Kato (Professor, Rikkyo University / Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Geopolitics) Yuichi Hosoya (Director, International House of Japan / Professor, Keio University)

For other details, including profiles, please check this page.

https://program.ihj.global/programs/nitobejuku/15th-2026/fellow-lecturers/

2026 Academic Year Nitobe Leadership Program Participant Recruitment Guidelines

◆Eligibility: Individuals up to 45 years of age who are working on or intend to work on social issues with innovative perspectives or methods. Industry, occupation, experience, and nationality are not considered.

◆Capacity: Maximum 15 participants

◆Participation Fee: 160,000 yen

◆Application Documents: Designated application form and essay

◆Application Deadline: Must arrive by July 24, 2026 (Fri) 10:00 am

For other details, including program content, please check this page.

https://program.ihj.global/programs/nitobejuku/15th-2026/

About the International House of Japan https://ihj.global/

The International House of Japan is a non-profit private organization established in 1952 with the support of various domestic and international organizations and individuals, including the Rockefeller Foundation, with the aim of promoting international mutual understanding through cultural exchange and intellectual cooperation between Japan and people around the world. On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, under its new mission to "contribute to creating a free, open, and sustainable future by promoting intellectual dialogue, policy research, and cultural exchange with a diverse world," IHJ aims to become a leading intellectual exchange hub in the Asia-Pacific region and generate significant global impact. Its activities consist mainly of a program division comprising four areas: 1 International Relations, Area Studies, and Geopolitics; 2 Social Systems, Governance, and Innovation; 3 Philosophy and Theory of Civilization; and 4 Art and Design, and an administrative division responsible for the maintenance and operation of facilities that serve as a venue for international exchange to support these programs.