The following reflection is a guest post written by Millie Gan, a student in the Spring 2025 Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan Program. Millie recently launched Teenage Business Contest Japan, a platform for encouraging social entrepreneurship among teens.

I believe that ideas from young people can help solve some of the world’s toughest problems; the voices of students are more essential than ever.

My name is Millie Gan, and I am a high school senior in San Diego and a participant in the Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan (SeEJ) program. I am a British national, born and raised in Tokyo. I’m bilingual in English and Japanese, and studying Spanish. My mother is a third-generation Korean-Japanese, and my father is originally from Hong Kong. Though I have no ethnic roots in Japan, living there allowed me to appreciate and respect its people, traditions, and local diversity. 

When I moved to the U.S. three years ago, I was surprised by the number of questions asked by peers and teachers about Japan’s rural challenges, such as its aging population, shrinking towns, and what people were doing to help. I realized how giving younger people a voice can raise awareness of these urgent issues. That is why I created Teenage Business Contest Japan (TBCJ), a national contest that invites high school students across Japan to identify issues in rural areas and propose business solutions, all in English. The top 10 finalists will pitch their ideas live to judges from large corporations and academia. I had the drive to make TBCJ work, but SeEJ helped me execute that drive into action, giving me the mindset and community to take the project further than I could have alone.

Image

SeEJ gave me a deeper understanding of what it means to lead with purpose and empathy. For example, Dr. Rie Kijima’s session on design thinking taught me how to think from the perspective of those directly impacted. Dr. Damon Horowitz’s lessons on ethical entrepreneurship helped me reflect on why I started this journey. Ms. Megan Carroll’s insights into the nonprofit sector inspired me to treat TBCJ as a mission-driven platform, not just a contest. In one of our first VC sessions, I was partnered with another student for an exercise on creative problem-solving. My partner chose Japan’s aging society and spoke passionately about the need to amplify student voices. At that moment, I remember thinking, “That is exactly what TBCJ is about.” That moment reminded me that while our concerns are local, our hopes are widely shared.

These lessons transformed how I approached leadership as I began to see every obstacle as a lesson. As I worked to grow TBCJ, I started to think more like an entrepreneur: solving problems while learning from them, adjusting my strategies, and staying true to my original mission.

One of the first things I had to figure out was securing sponsorship. I reached out to dozens of companies focused on education and regional revitalization. After many emails and meetings, I was fortunate to secure seven sponsors and raise over ¥3 million. This funding allowed us to provide prizes for the contest and recognize the efforts of students working to help the community.

Reaching students was another major challenge. Japan has nearly 4,800 high schools, but only 150 have strong English or international programs. I directly contacted the 100 schools that had available email addresses. At first, there was silence, and I remember refreshing my inbox, getting more and more frustrated each day, hoping for a reply. But slowly, after a few weeks, a few schools and their students began responding and signing up. That small breakthrough reminded me how wide the access gap truly is. Only around 17% of Japanese citizens hold a valid passport, compared to around 50% in the U.S., which shows how few Japanese students get global exposure. It made me even more determined to connect local youth with global perspectives and to use English as a bridge to opportunity.

The most difficult challenge was gaining official recognition. I applied to multiple Japanese Government offices for endorsement, but most declined due to government policies and TBCJ’s short history. Thankfully, the Cabinet Office met with me and offered support through their regional revitalization team. Soon after, the University of Tokyo’s Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (IPC) offered its endorsement and created a new “UTokyo IPC Special Innovation Prize” for the contest.

Through this experience, and with the support of SeEJ, I have learned that we don’t have to wait to make a difference. Entrepreneurship isn’t necessarily about launching companies, but about identifying problems and solving them with purpose. I hope to continue expanding TBC Japan and encouraging more students to take initiative, because I truly believe that ideas from young people are what can solve these challenges. It’s our future, and it is up to us to protect and improve it.

If you’re passionate about solving real-world problems, I highly recommend the Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan Program.

Sign up now to participate in TBCJ.

Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan will start accepting applications for fall 2025 in August.

Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan is one of several online courses offered by SPICE.

To stay updated on SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 session of the Stanford University Scholars Program for Japanese High School Students (also known as “Stanford e-Japan”). The course will run from the end of September 2025 through March 2026, with an application deadline of August 17, 2025.

Stanford e-Japan
Fall 2025 session (September 2025 to March 2026)
Application period: July 1 to August 17, 2025

All applications must be submitted at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/prog/stanford_e-japan/ via the SurveyMonkey Apply platform. Applicants and recommenders will need to create a SurveyMonkey Apply account to proceed. Students who are interested in applying to the online course are encouraged to begin their applications early.

Accepted applicants will engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture and U.S.–Japan relations. Government officials, leading scholars, and experts from Stanford University and across the United States provide web-based lectures and engage students in live discussion sessions.

Stanford e-Japan is offered by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), Stanford University. Stanford e-Japan is generously supported by the Yanai Tadashi Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.

For more information about Stanford e-Japan, please visit stanfordejapan.org.

Stanford e-Japan is one of several online courses for high school students offered by SPICE, including the Reischauer Scholars Program, the China Scholars Program, the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, Stanford e-China, Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan, as well as numerous local student programs in Japan.

To stay informed of news about Stanford e-Japan and SPICE’s other student programs, join our email list or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

When Stanford sociologist Gi-Wook Shin left his home country of South Korea in 1983 to pursue graduate studies at the University of Washington, he was certain he would return to Korea upon graduation. More than 40 years later, Shin, the William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea and a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, is still in the United States. 

Yet he does not consider himself a case of brain drain for Korea. Shin, who is also the founding director of the Korea Program at the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) and APARC director, has continuously contributed to Korea by leading transnational collaborations, researching and publishing on pressing issues in Korean affairs, and otherwise engaging in diverse intellectual exchanges with the country.

Shin’s experiences sparked his interest in the sociological patterns of mobile talent and a central question: How do countries attract, develop, and retain talent in a globalized world? His new book, The Four Talent Giants (Stanford University Press, 2025), explores that question regarding transnational talent flows from a comparative lens by examining how four strikingly different Asia-Pacific nations – Japan, Australia, China, and India – have become economic powerhouses.

We interviewed Shin about his book – watch:

Sign up for APARC newsletters to receive our scholars’ research updates >

The book’s main idea, Shin explains, is that how countries manage talent is key to their strength and future success. He calls the four Asia-Pacific nations the book examines “talent giants” because each has used a distinct talent strategy that has proven critical to national development. Three of these nations – China, Japan, and India – are among the top five economies in the world in terms of GDP, and Australia, despite its relatively small population size, is third in terms of wealth per adult.

In The Four Talent Giants, Shin investigates how these four nations have become global powers and sustained momentum by responding to risks and challenges, such as demographic crises, brain drain, and geopolitical tensions, and what lessons their developmental paths hold for other countries.

A New Framework for Studying Human Resource Development 

Asia’s robust economic growth over the past forty years is nothing short of a remarkable feat. The Asia-Pacific today continues to be the world's fastest-growing region, despite global economic uncertainty. How did this phenomenal ascendance come about?

The existing literature has emphasized common “recipes” of success among Asia-Pacific powers. Endeavoring to find one-size-fits-all formulas that could be replicated in other countries seeking rapid development, it has overlooked the distinct developmental journeys of Asian nations. “We need a new lens, or framework, to explain their successes, while also accounting for cross-national variation in development and sustainability,” writes Shin. 

In his book, Shin examines talent – the skilled occupations essential to a nation’s economy – as a key driver of economic development. While all countries rely on human resources for development, their talent strategies vary based on historical, cultural, and institutional factors. Shin introduces a new framework, talent portfolio theory (TPT), inspired by financial portfolio theory, to analyze and compare these national approaches.

“TPT views a nation’s talent development, like financial investment, as constructing a ‘talent portfolio’ that mixes multiple forms of talent – domestic, foreign, and diasporic – adjusting its portfolio over time to meet new risks and challenges,” he explains. Just as an investor may select different financial products in a mix of assets, countries can create talent portfolios by picking from various strategies.

Shin identifies four main strategies by which a country can harness talent – what he calls the four B's: 

• “Brain train” signifies efforts to develop and expand a country’s domestic talent or human capital.
• “Brain gain” refers to attracting foreign talent to strengthen the domestic workforce.
• “Brain circulation” involves bringing back nationals who have gone abroad for work or study.
• “Brain linkage” means leveraging the global networks and expertise of citizens living overseas through transnational collaboration.

Shin uses TPT as an analytical framework to examine how each of the four talent giants has constructed its distinct national talent portfolio and how this portfolio has evolved. As in an investment portfolio rebalancing, a nation can maintain diversification across the four B's and within each B. TPT therefore offers a holistic framework for understanding the overall picture of a country’s talent strategy, and how and why it may “rebalance” its talent portfolio.

Throughout the book, Shin shows that, while Japan has relied on the brain train strategy, Australia, whose population was too small for such an approach, emphasized brain gain. China used brain circulation: it first sent students and professionals abroad to learn, then implemented policies to encourage them to return. India, by contrast, established linkages among its diaspora and used them to develop its economy.

New Geopolitics of Global Talent: Lessons and Policy Implications

The case studies of the four talent giants reveal that there is no single path to talent-driven development. Each of the four Asia-Pacific countries has built its unique talent portfolio, balancing human and social capital, homegrown and foreign-educated individuals, and domestic and diasporic talents. While the talent giants use all four B's to some extent, each emphasizes them differently, reflecting diverse strategies and development paths. The core findings of these studies offer valuable insights for countries aiming to design effective talent policies. 

The four B's were instrumental in the economic rise of the four Asian nations, and they will be equally critical in addressing new challenges facing all economies, from demographic crises to emergent geopolitical tensions. For the United States, one such challenge is its sprawling competition with China, where the battle for talent is heating up in the race for technological supremacy.

Shin warns that the advantage the United States has long held in technological innovation, driven by its ability to attract skilled foreign talent, is now at risk from the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies, pressures on universities, and cuts to research funding. “Immigrants have not just filled jobs,” he emphasizes. “They have created new industries and helped the US and their home countries. If the US makes it harder for talent to come in and stay, it risks hurting its long-term success.”

The Four Talent Giants is an outcome of Shin’s longstanding project investigating Talent Flows and Development, now one of the research tracks he leads at the Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL), which he launched in 2022. Housed at APARC, the lab is an interdisciplinary research initiative addressing Asia’s social, cultural, economic, and political challenges through comparative, policy-relevant studies. SNAPL’s education mission is to cultivate the next generation of researchers and policy leaders by offering mentorships and fellowship opportunities for students and emerging scholars.

Shin notes that the SNAPL team illustrates all four B’s in his talent portfolio theory, as some members are U.S.-born and trained, some come from Asia and, after working at the lab, return to their home countries, whereas some stay here, promoting linkages with their home countries. “In many ways, this project shows what is possible when we invest in talent and encourage international collaboration.”

In the Media

Stanford Scholar Reveals How Talent Development Strategies Shape National Futures
The Korean Daily, July 13, 2025 (interview)
- English version
- Korean version

The following is a guest article written by Akari Kikuchi, an undergraduate student studying at the School of Social Sciences at Waseda University in Japan. Akari enrolled in the 2025 SPICE/Stanford–Waseda Intensive Course: Exploring Peace in East Asia and Beyond Through the Lenses of Cultural Understanding, Education, and International Relations, which was organized by SPICE and Waseda’s Faculty of Social Sciences and taught by Meiko Kotani. The course brought together students from the Graduate School of Social Sciences, the School of Social Sciences, the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, the School of International Liberal Studies, and the School of Political Science and Economics. With participants from Japan and international students representing 10 different countries, the course created a truly dynamic and diverse learning environment.

Looking back on our five-day program, I feel a deep sense of gratitude—for the opportunity to take part in the program, and for the people I met along the way. I’m proud to have shared this experience with such thoughtful, motivated students and teachers.

Although the program took place during our spring break, the energy and engagement from the students involved were truly inspiring. I was impressed by their insightful questions and responses.

Our group presentation—which took place on the final day of the course, after a week full of thought-provoking lectures and discussions—was especially memorable for me. It reminded me how exciting it can be to overcome differences in language and perspective. My part of the presentation focused on how media shapes public perceptions—and sometimes even hostilities—toward other nations. That topic reflected something I found really interesting from one of the lectures earlier in the week: how essential media literacy is when it comes to understanding the world around us. We looked at how the same event can be framed differently depending on the source, and how these narratives create public emotions and opinions.

What I found most important—what I’d like to emphasize—is that this program didn’t just talk about “peace” as an abstract goal. Instead, it helped me understand how peace has been threatened. Through this practical approach, we could explore the often-elusive concept of “peace” in a real-world context.

The world today feels overwhelmingly unstable. The more you think about peace, the more cruelty you see around you. It can feel disheartening, but I found a sense of renewed hope through this project. We discussed weighty, complex issues with people from different countries and cultures. Although that seemed challenging to me at first, in the end I realized that it was based in the simple experience of learning to respect the person in front of me. I think the memory of discussing peace with people from diverse backgrounds during this project will serve as “a guide” toward peace.

The fear of opening up or facing language barriers might hold people back, but I believe the program is worth trying, and I hope many more people will take this great opportunity in the future!

To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The SPICE/Stanford e-Course on Global Health is a distance-learning course sponsored by Takatsuki Senior High School and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) at Stanford University. Students are encouraged to think critically about global health through a variety of lenses and contexts. Course instructor Sabrina Ishimatsu recently wrote these reflections about the program’s 10th anniversary.

For the last ten years, it has been my privilege to work with Principal Tsuyoshi Kudo, the staff, and the students of Takatsuki Senior High School. Without the vision and leadership of Principal Kudo, this course would not be what it is today.

Many years ago, as a young college graduate, I worked as an English teacher in Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. It was one of the seminal experiences of my life. Being immersed in a new country and culture opened my mind to new ideas and possibilities I had not before considered.

All these years later, working with the Takatsuki Senior High School students has been very natsukashii (fondly nostalgic). Seeing them in their classroom and wearing their school uniforms feels so familiar and brings back great memories of my time in Japan. However, what makes this course so personally fulfilling is reconnecting to such curious and hopeful young minds. Their earnest enthusiasm and optimism imbue me with a similar youthful spirit. 

Image

As a middle-aged adult, it is easy to forget that the most urgent questions young people ask themselves are ones of self-identity. “Who am I? What do I stand for? Where will my future take me?” While this course doesn’t claim to answer these questions, I hope it will open students’ minds to new possibilities. Week after week, we learn from acclaimed global health professionals—including many from Stanford’s School of Medicine—who work in the real world. I recall one guest lecturer, an emergency room doctor who established the first comprehensive emergency response system in India and then created a similar system in Nepal where none had previously existed. There was also the doctor who trained community members in rural Guatemala to make house calls and monitor malnutrition in babies, drastically reducing the area’s child mortality rate. These brilliant and resourceful people, rather than focusing on material wealth, have dedicated their lives to help vulnerable people around the world. Their stories light the path for how a health professional can be a noble global citizen and change the world for the better. What a powerful example for the students of Takatsuki Senior High School who have not only gained knowledge from these experts but have also had their eyes opened to the many possibilities for them to be change-making global citizens.

There is a 16-hour time difference between Japan and California, so I usually begin teaching each class at 9:00pm on a Friday, and it ends late into the night. When a class is particularly inspiring, I find myself buzzing with excitement and I can’t go to sleep. I have to find my husband or one of my 16-year-old twin daughters to tell them all about it. When they look at me, their expression suggests, “Why are you so hyper right now?” My response usually starts, “You won’t believe the amazing person I met tonight…” and “I can’t believe the insightful questions my students asked in their second language!”

The SPICE/Stanford e-Course on Global Health is one of SPICE’s local student programs in Japan. 

To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Stanford e-Minamata is a distance-learning course sponsored by Minamata City and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) at Stanford University. Students are encouraged to think critically about environmental issues, emerging technologies, and U.S.–Japan relations. Stanford e-Minamata instructor, Natalie Montecino, recently wrote these reflections about the inaugural year of Stanford e-Minamata.

On April 22, 2025, Akane Tsukamoto and Momoka Obata, a recent graduate and an incoming senior at Minamata High School, respectively, stood before an audience filled with pride and anticipation at the Stanford e-Minamata Award Ceremony. Selected for their outstanding performance and growth, Akane and Momoka presented their reflections on the inaugural year of the e-Minamata program, launched in fall 2024 to explore vital topics such as environmental justice, the SDGs, diversity, and emerging technologies.

For many students in Stanford e-Minamata, the program marked their first experience in an English-only learning environment. Despite this challenge, the students demonstrated remarkable passion, curiosity, and determination to engage deeply with the program’s complex themes. The first year of e-Minamata has been widely recognized as a success, garnering praise throughout the city and in regional media.

Opening the Award Ceremony, Minamata City Mayor Toshiharu Takaoka shared his enthusiasm and pride: “We believe that the 30 students at Minamata High School have made great progress through this program. We have heard that the number of students taking and passing the English Proficiency Test (EIKEN) has increased since the start of this project.”

Akane and Momoka’s presentations offered a moving testament to the Mayor’s remarks.

“Through this program, I have understood that it is important to know the situation of the world, and to spend each day with that awareness to cooperate together,” shared Momoka. “I believe that ‘awareness’ and ‘cooperation’ will become the key to improving the world in the future.”

Akane’s comments underscored the significant impact the course had had on her. “I believe this experience contributed to me getting accepted into my first-choice school, the Prefectural University of Kumamoto and the Department of English Language and Literature.”

The students’ heartfelt reflections drew applause and smiles from the audience.

We were honored to welcome Yuriko Sugahara, Researcher of Education, from the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, who encouraged the students to embrace future adventures and to carry forward the “a-ha” moments that had shifted their perspectives during the course.

Following the ceremony, the students enjoyed a celebratory luncheon, a campus tour (photo below taken in the Quad), and their first Mexican-style dinner. For both Akane and Momoka, this first visit to the United States was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one they will never forget.

Image

As we prepare to launch the second year of the e-Minamata program this fall, we are thrilled to continue this journey in partnership with Minamata High School and look forward to welcoming two new students to the Stanford campus in Spring 2026.

In closing, I wish to extend heartfelt thanks to Mayor Toshiharu Takaoka, the teachers and administrators of Minamata High School, and the dedicated team at Minamata City Hall, especially former Stanford Visiting Scholar, Mr. Hiroki Hara, whose unwavering support and belief in this program made this incredible milestone possible.

Stanford e-Minamata is one of SPICE’s local student programs in Japan.

To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

On May 29, 2025, the Japan Program at the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) hosted a conference titled Japan’s Global Content Industries, dedicated to exploring the global power and creative evolution of Japanese content, from anime to manga, video games, music, VTubers, and more.

Co-organized by Orange Inc. and APARC Global Affiliates Program Fellow Yasushi Maruyama, the event convened prominent influential creators, producers, technologists, and scholars from Japan and the United States. It offered a platform for interdisciplinary engagement and exploration of how Japan’s content sectors contribute not only to cultural imagination and entertainment but also to soft power diplomacy, economic strategy, and digital transformation.

“Content is the most successful export industry in Japan," noted Japan Program Director Kiyoteru Tsutsui in his opening remarks. "As of a year ago, Japan’s content has become a 43 billion USD industry, surpassing many of Japan’s traditionally successful industries, except for automobiles.” 

The Creators: Crafting Japan’s Cultural Icons

The morning session focused on creators within Japan’s content ecosystem. It featured leading voices behind some of Japan’s most influential media franchises. Junichi Masuda of The Pokémon Company opened with a reflection on the franchise’s long-term development and its transformation into a global cultural symbol. Hiroyuki Nakano, editor-in-chief of the magazine Shonen Jump, followed with insights into editorial strategies and the sustained appeal of serialized manga such as “One Piece.” Game designer Tai Yasue from SQUARE ENIX concluded the segment by discussing collaborative design approaches in creating popular video game franchises like “Final Fantasy” and “Kingdom Hearts.”

Each speaker underscored the strategic interplay between creative autonomy and organizational frameworks within Japan’s media production. Despite operating in distinct sectors, manga publishing, game development, and franchise management, the speakers emphasized the importance of creative vision, collaborative processes, and fan engagement in driving success.

Sign up for APARC newsletters to receive our event invitations and guest speaker insights >

A panel discussion, moderated by Yasushi Maruyama and joined by Susan Napier, the Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric, International Literary and Cultural Studies at Tufts University, placed these industry insights within broader academic and sociocultural contexts. Napier, an authority on anime and Japanese cultural studies, connected the presenters’ creative strategies to the broader narrative of Japan’s cultural exports and its influence on global audiences. The dialogue highlighted how Japanese content not only entertains but also fosters deeper cross-cultural understanding.

The Innovators: Scaling Japanese Content Globally

The afternoon session turned attention to the structural and technological transformations enabling Japan’s media to scale globally. Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Director of the Board, CFO & CSO Hide Nagata examined corporate strategies driving global expansion of Japanese music and anime.  He emphasized the importance the anime fans have with music and leveraging data analytics in maximizing reach and impact.

Shoko Ugaki, CEO of Orange Inc., shared production methodologies that have positioned the startup manga localization studio at the forefront of innovation. The presentation highlighted how Orange Inc. leverages various AI technologies to make manga more accessible to international audiences and the challenges of automated translation. The session concluded with Motoaki Tanigo, CEO of COVER Corporation, who introduced Hololive’s virtual talent ecosystem. His remarks on VTubers underscored how digital personas and fan interactivity are redefining contemporary media engagement.

A concluding panel, moderated by Kiyoteru Tsutsui and joined by Professor Mizuko Ito of the University of California, Irvine, synthesized the day’s themes. Ito, a specialist in digital youth culture, explained how fandoms, participatory culture, and platform technologies are creating new modes of learning, connection, and commerce. The panel emphasized that Japanese media no longer function as static cultural exports, but as dynamic, interactive ecosystems integrated into everyday digital life across the globe.

Japan’s Content Power: Cultural Strategy and Global Relevance

Throughout the conference, a consistent theme emerged: Japan’s content industries are increasingly strategic in blending creativity, technology, and cross-cultural appeal. Whether in serialized manga, immersive games, or AI-driven virtual entertainment, Japanese content reflects a convergence of artistic vision, business innovation, and global ambition.

The conference demonstrated the value of interdisciplinary dialogue in understanding the evolving dynamics of global media and connected scholarly analysis with real-world developments, fostering deeper engagement between Japan and the world.

Sana Sugita is a master’s student in East Asian studies. Her research interests include democracy and freedom, nationalism, identity, and the social impact of algorithms and AI.

Yifei Cheng, ’26, is excited every week to learn about unorthodox and relatively lesser-known historical figures who played a major part in Japanese history. For instance, Onodera Makoto, a Japanese military attaché, allegedly sent a telegram to the Japanese General Staff shortly after the Yalta Conference in February 1945, warning that Stalin had promised during the conference that the USSR would attack Japan three months after the German surrender. Or Kiyosawa Kiyoshi, who criticized the Manchurian Incident, Shanghai Incident, and the Sino-Japanese War, and later turned to writing diplomatic history, keeping a detailed diary during the Pacific War.

These are some of the stories Dr. Shinichi Kitaoka, a visiting scholar at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) and Japan Program fellow, weaves into his spring quarter seminar series, Reexaminations of Major Issues in Modern Japanese Politics and Diplomacy. “It has been wonderful to hear how Dr. Kitaoka introduces us to Japanese diplomacy,” says Cheng. “With his experience as the former president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), he connects these facts and compares them to real occurrences in the 120 countries he has visited around the world.”

During the seminar series, students and the APARC community explored, through a fresh lens, new interpretations of major issues in Japanese politics and diplomacy from the Yedo period in the 17th century to the present day.

Sign up for APARC newsletters to receive our scholars' updates >

Cheng, a history major, was drawn to the seminar’s foreign policy perspective. “It helped me to see how domestic policies and foreign policy interact. I feel that often, they are treated separately. But, this has been a nice way to understand how they connect and see how internal dynamics and external pressures shape policy decisions on both fronts.”

The seminar was developed during Dr. Kitaoka’s quarter-long visiting fellowship at APARC. Kitaoka serves as special advisor to the president (and former president) of JICA, as well as emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo and ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, deputy permanent representative of Japan to the United Nations (2004–2006).

This class originated in response to a request by Kiyoteru Tsutsui, the director of the Japan Program, due, in part, to his concern about the decline in high-quality research on Japanese politics. Kitaoka notes that current interest in Japan tends to focus on culture more than on politics and diplomacy. “I considered offering a course on Japan’s road to war, a topic I have written about in my book, From Party Politics to Militarism in Japan, 1924–1941," he says. "Instead, I decided to focus on six key topics: the Meiji restoration, Taisho democracy, surrender and occupation, the Regime of 1955, the recent development of Japan’s security policy, and Japan’s official development assistance (ODA).”

“When discussing Japanese diplomacy and history, terms such as 'fragile' and 'failed' are often used. Today, we are seeing how unstable and precarious democracy and diplomacy can be around the world. That is why I believe there are important lessons to be learned from reexamining modern Japan. This is what led me to create a class on the subject. From my experience at JICA and the United Nations, I also know how challenging democratization can be in developing countries. Studying Japan, a formerly developing country that has successfully developed, can be helpful. In particular, Japan’s unique approach to ODA offers useful insights as we think about the future.”

Each session included a 90-minute lecture followed by a Q&A, and those who wanted to stay afterward had dinner together. These more casual discussions offered a space to continue engaging with class materials and explore more questions or related topics. Kitaoka noted that he was impressed by how the students and audience responded in class. Even when the class touched on sensitive topics, like the atomic bomb and World War II, he felt they received it calmly and thoughtfully.

“There are students taking the seminar for credit, APARC members, faculty, and community members coming to listen,” Kitaoka says. “Everyone’s research interests are different, but they all ask a variety of questions based on what they know – that is something I have enjoyed at Stanford. In Japan, when there are experts or faculty members attending, students or people with less experience do not ask questions. At Stanford, everyone, no matter their background or level of expertise, asks. I really like that.”

“Staying at Stanford has been wonderful, just as I expected,” Kitaoka adds “The number of opportunities available for each student is incredible. Each person can try various things – from research and teaching assistant opportunities to club activities to startups – and the fact that the school encourages that is just great. In Japan, schools create more of an environment to just focus on one thing rather than trying a variety of activities.”. Interacting with faculty at APARC and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and reexamining his own scholarly work from a comparative perspective has been an engaging experience, Kitaoka notes. He believes that American political theory tends to be inward-focused and emphasizes the importance of comparative studies, especially given Asia’s rising global presence – making APARC’s work particularly important.

“Politics and diplomacy are important because their misunderstanding can lead to war. I am sad that they are a rather neglected,” Kitaoka said.

“Experience other civilizations while you are young – non-Western civilizations, like in Asia or Africa,” he advises young scholars aspiring to a future in political science. “It really broadens your world.”

After returning to Japan, he hopes to further contribute to international cooperation, which he believes is now in crisis. “More cooperation, the restoration of international cooperation, is needed – especially in the Western Pacific: Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asian countries, and Australia. Like the EU, I am envisioning a Western Pacific Union. I hope to do something in that direction to realize that,” he said.

Steven Han is a foreign area officer in the U.S. Army and a first-year master’s student in East Asian studies. “I took this class because I have a limited background in Japan, but with my job, there is a possibility I will work in or with Japan. I like how Kitaoka touches on all students’ comments from the response papers, and I get his own personal feedback every week.”

“Everything is new to me,” Han added. “It was just very different, and I am learning so much in every class.”

The following is a guest article written by Joan Benedict, a student from Indonesia studying at the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University in Japan. Joan enrolled in the 2025 SPICE/Stanford–Waseda Intensive Course: Exploring Peace in East Asia and Beyond Through the Lenses of Cultural Understanding, Education, and International Relations, which was organized by SPICE and Waseda’s Faculty of Social Sciences and taught by Meiko Kotani. The course brought together students from the Graduate School of Social Sciences, the School of Social Sciences, the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, the School of International Liberal Studies, and the School of Political Science and Economics. With participants from Japan and international students representing 10 different countries, the course created a truly dynamic and diverse learning environment.

During this year’s spring break, I had the opportunity to attend the SPICE–Waseda Intensive Course, held under the theme “Exploring Peace in East Asia and Beyond Through the Lenses of Cultural Understanding, Education, and International Relations.” The course brought together passionate students from diverse countries and backgrounds, all united by shared international experiences and a curiosity for understanding our world beyond borders. Over five days, I had eye-opening discussions with lecturers and peers that reshaped how I view peace, history, and empathy.

On the first day, Dr. Gary Mukai opened the course with a compelling session on cultural understanding through the history of Japanese American incarceration. He shared the experiences of his parents growing up as Nisei, or second-generation Japanese American, and the painful stories of families separated by national loyalty during World War II. Years later, he attempted to reconnect with his relatives in Japan, uncovering stories long buried in silence. What struck me most was how genuine and human these stories were. I realized that history is so much more complex and emotional than what formal education often conveys. Understanding the emotional weight of historical events helped me move beyond just considering what happened and how it affected my nation, and instead reflect on what it meant for the families and people who lived through it.

This theme was continued on Day 2 in Mr. Rylan Sekiguchi’s lecture. His lecture helped me understand how historical bias is often not born out of malice but from the gaps in what we’re taught. In a workshop, we read descriptions of the same historical event from four different countries. The differences in tone, word choice, and framing made me question the reliability of the “truth” I thought I knew. What moved me even more was the conversation that followed. Beyond national resentment, the participating students became genuinely curious about how others saw the same events. It made me realize that history is not just a list of facts but a collection of narratives shaped by perspective. That insight alone changed how I now view historical events and interpret news.

On Day 3, we shifted from the past to modern history and present realities with Dr. Shuoyang Meng’s lecture on transnational academic mobility. He explained how academic migration has long been a catalyst for change and intellectual development across borders. After discussing the benefits of student mobility, he also touched on the struggles international students face today, particularly around career trajectories under current policies. His lecture resonated deeply with me as an international student. It pushed me to think more critically about today’s education systems, review how international interactions unfold in the job market, and recognize the importance of cultural understanding beyond just historical context.

On Day 4, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry delivered an insightful and impactful lecture on the U.S.–China security landscape. What left the deepest impression on me was his diplomatic presence—the way he communicated complex and sensitive issues with calm, clarity, and respect. He spoke about the value of strategic empathy: the ability to understand another country’s fears, intentions, and internal logic. It made me reflect on how peace is not only shaped by policy, but also by the tone and manner in which we engage with others. His sincerity and warmth were unmistakable, grounded in decades of experience across different regions and roles. Meeting someone who doesn’t just talk about peace, but truly lives it, was a rare and inspiring experience. Wrapping up the lecture, he left with a piece of advice to step outside our comfort zones, to take risks, and to explore broadly while we are still students.

Image

Building on everything we learned throughout the week, we ended the course by presenting our peace projects. The outcomes were as diverse as our experiences, including an international charity initiative, a healthier approach to social media, and a platform for objective media coverage. Each project represented both personal reflection and a collective commitment to reimagining peace on our own terms.

By the end of this intensive course, I was able to gain new insights and challenge my assumptions about peace: that peace is not simply the absence of conflict but the presence of empathy, trust, and genuine understanding. It is built over time through conversation, learning, and meaningful connection. What I appreciated most was how every session invited me to reflect not just on global issues but also on my own position within them—how my perspective was constructed, how my history informs my interactions, and how I can choose to respond with more care and openness.

I entered this course expecting to study diplomacy and international relations. I left with something more enduring: a community of admirable students from diverse backgrounds and experiences and the realization that peace begins with how we choose to engage—with our words, our listening, our questions, and our actions. More than an academic experience, it was a personal journey toward becoming a more thoughtful and responsible global citizen.

To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The following is a guest article written by Ryoya Shinozaki, who traveled to the San Francisco Bay Area with other graduate students from the University of Tokyo—under the leadership of Professor Hideto Fukudome—in January 2025. SPICE/Stanford collaborates closely with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Tokyo and met with the students during their visit to the Bay Area.

Mariko Yang-Yoshihara’s lecture on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education encouraged me to think about the relationship between language and interdisciplinary learning in a new way. Instead of asking how STEAM can support English education, I began to ask whether language education—particularly through CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)—could offer something valuable to STEAM education itself, highlighting the need to integrate a human-centered perspective into the traditional STEM framework.

Image

CLIL and STEAM differ in their main objectives. CLIL focuses on learning both content and language simultaneously, often grounded in language acquisition theories such as Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. STEAM, in contrast, emphasizes creative and integrated thinking across science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. Yang-Yoshihara’s lecture emphasized that the “A” in STEAM more precisely represents a human-centered perspective rooted in a liberal arts education. Language is typically seen as a communication tool, not a learning target. However, the two approaches share several features, including real-world relevance, student-centered learning, and compatibility with project-based formats.

If integrated carefully, a CLIL-STEAM model could support a wide range of learners. Students preparing for global careers could benefit from learning technical content in English. STEM-strong but English-challenged students might gain confidence through contextual language use. Vocational students could develop workplace-relevant communication skills by engaging in collaborative STEAM tasks. CLIL also offers techniques that could enhance students’ experiences in STEAM-focused learning. One is scaffolding, which helps learners express complex ideas through sentence frames, model texts, and structured support. Another is the practice of dual objectives, where teachers set both content and language goals. Finally, dual-focused assessment allows instructors to evaluate both what students know and how effectively they communicate it.

Image

These strategies could help make English-medium STEAM learning more accessible and effective. During our conversation, Yang-Yoshihara reflected on the STEAM-focused educational interventions used at SKY Labo, a non-profit initiative she co-founded. In SKY Labo’s bilingual design thinking workshops targeting middle and high school-aged students in Japan, responses have been mixed—some appreciated the immersive English environment and signed up for the program for that reason, while others felt that the complex topics required deeper understanding through their own native language. This tension highlights the importance of flexible program design that balances linguistic immersion with accessibility, based on students’ experiences in STEAM-focused learning.

To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.