91�Թ�

FC Imabari is a soccer team in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. “FC” stands for “football club.” Takeshi Okada—a former soccer player and the former head coach of the Japan National Team who led the Japan men’s national soccer team to its first-ever World Cup appearance in 1998—is the owner of FC Imabari and Masafumi Yano is the Chief Operating Officer. During my first visit to Imabari City in March 2024, I was invited to watch an FC Imabari game and met with Okada, Yano, and others affiliated with FC Imabari. During the game and while strolling around Imabari City, I could sense the excitement that the team has brought to the city. FC Imabari High School, a private school in Imabari, was conceptualized by Okada and enrolled its inaugural classes this year. In a May 13, 2023 article, “Ehime: Ex Japan Soccer Coach Okada Tackles New Challenge in Field of Education,” in The Yomiuri Shimbun, he stated, “I want to foster autonomy and independence that survive an era that humanity has never experienced.” (Photo of Takeshi Okada below; courtesy FC Imabari.)

With Okada’s educational priorities in mind, FC Imabari Advisor Yukari Hara took the initiative to discuss the possible development of Stanford e-FC Imabari to support the mission of FC Imabari High School. Stanford e-FC Imabari was launched in fall 2024 to help encourage students at FC Imabari High School and from three public schools in Imabari City to not only consider the importance of autonomy and independence but also their roles in the local community and the world at large. Stanford e-FC Imabari focuses on the three key themes of (1) diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI); (2) entrepreneurship; and (3) community building. During conversations with FC Imabari High School teachers Nozomi Echigo (social studies) and Yoshikazu Nakashima (English), I came to highly value the importance that the FC Imabari teachers place upon engaging students through their multiple intelligences, including kinesthetic, artistic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences as well as linguistic and quantitative intelligences. I have had the privilege of visiting many schools in Japan, and FC Imabari High School is the only high school that I have visited that was inspired by how lessons—like teamwork, collegiality, and cooperation—in team sports such as soccer are critical to the education of youth.

Stanford e-FC Imabari is taught by 91�Թ� instructor Alison Keiko Harsch, who used to be an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program in Kagawa Prefecture, a neighboring prefecture to Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku, one of the four main islands of Japan. Harsch will be returning to Shikoku later this year to make her first visit to FC Imabari High School. She reflected,

My years as an ALT on Shikoku significantly shifted the course of my life. It was in Shikoku that I fell in love with teaching, and in particular became passionate about engaging students in rural areas of Japan. The opportunity to work with students through Stanford e-FC Imabari has been hugely rewarding as it brings my work full circle back to my second home, Shikoku. It is an honor to contribute to the mission of FC Imabari High School.

During a recent visit to Imabari City on October 7 and 8, 2024, I had the opportunity to meet Stanford e-FC Imabari students not only at FC Imabari High School (Principal Shota Tsuji) but also at the three public high schools that have students who are participating in Stanford e-FC Imabari. These public high schools include Imabari West High School (Principal Teruo Koike), Imabari West High School, Hakata Branch (Branch Principal Hiroki Yano), and Imabari East High School (Principal Hiroyasu Watanabe). 91�Թ� and FC Imabari High School are grateful to Ehime Prefecture’s Board of Education for its support of the engagement of these three public schools. Through my four meetings with students, I could see the bonds that have already developed between the four schools.

Principal Tsuji noted that “Through Stanford e-FC Imabari, we hope to not only provide unique learning opportunities for FC Imabari High School but also to build synergy between our school and local public schools. As the FC Imabari soccer team has strengthened our sense of community in Imabari, I would like to see greater community building between FC Imabari High School and local public schools.” Also, Hinako Tamai, English teacher at Imabari West High School, Hakata Branch, commented, “Being on a remote island, Hakata Island, in the Inland Sea, I feel fortunate that our students have this opportunity to work with 91�Թ�. Hakata Island now not only has physical bridges with Shikoku but also intellectual bridges with 91�Թ� and other schools in Imabari City.”

91�Թ� looks forward to continuing its work with Stanford e-FC Imabari to help cultivate students’ autonomy and independence—Mr. Okada’s goal—and underscore the importance of their roles in the local community and the world at large.

Importantly, 91�Թ� would like thank Yoshihisa Ozasa, the founder and Chairman of Link & Motivation, Inc., for generously providing the necessary funding to make Stanford e-FC Imabari possible. 

Stanford e-FC Imabari is one of 91�Թ�’s local student programs in Japan.

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In 2015, 91�Թ� launched Stanford e-Japan, a national online course that enrolls high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture and U.S.–Japan relations. In 2016, 91�Թ� launched Stanford e-Tottori, 91�Թ�’s first regional program in Japan that enrolls high school students from across Tottori Prefecture. As of this fall, 91�Թ� now enrolls approximately 230 students from nine regional programs in Japan. Six programs are prefectural programs (Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Oita, Tottori, Wakayama, Yamaguchi), and three are municipal programs (Kagoshima, Kawasaki, and Kobe). 91�Թ�’s newest course, Stanford e-Yamaguchi, was just launched last month.

In August 2024 91�Թ� held four award ceremonies for honorees of the 2023–2024 regional programs in Japan. Two honorees from each program were recognized.

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The first ceremony was held virtually on August 6, 2024 for Stanford e-Hiroshima’s top students. Inspirational opening comments were delivered by Consul Mayu Hagiwara, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Hagiwara’s comments were followed by remarks by course instructor Mia Kimura and the honorees’ presentations. (Student honorees with their instructor Mia Kimura and Consul Hagiwara and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Hiroshima (Instructor Mia Kimura)

Student Honoree: Aika Ono
School: Kindai University Fukuyama High School
Project Title: Navigating the Barrier: Immigrant Children in Japan

Student Honoree: Wakana Tsukuda
School: Fukuyama Akenohoshi High School
Project Title: How to Move Upstream: What Japan Can Learn from the U.S. 91�Թ� Mental Health

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In the second ceremony, four top students from Fukuoka and Oita were honored on August 12, 2024 at 91�Թ�. Following opening comments, instructor Kasumi Yamashita introduced her honorees. (Student honorees from Fukuoka and Oita with their instructor Kasumi Yamashita and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Fukuoka (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

Student Honoree: Niko Ito
School: Hakata Seisho High School
Project Title: Sustainable Fashion: Thrifty Ideas from 1000 Years Ago

Student Honoree: Nanako Shimura
School: Yame High School
Project Title: Sharing War Stories: What My Grandmother Taught Me 91�Թ� Peace

Stanford e-Oita (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

Student Honoree: Chiko Kawashima
School: Oita Hofu High School
Project Title: Language Access During Natural Disasters: How Can We Help Foreigners?

Student Honoree: Rintaro Tokumoto
School: Takada High School
Project Title: Let’s Change How We See Our Food, One Vegetable at a Time!

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During the third ceremony, six top students from Kawasaki, Kobe, and Wakayama were honored on August 21, 2024 at 91�Թ�. The ceremony began with insightful opening comments by Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Sugahara’s opening comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. (Student honorees with their instructors Dr. Makiko Hirata, Maiko Tamagawa Bacha, and Alison Harsch, and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kawasaki (Instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha)

Student Honoree: Rio Enomoto
School: Tachibana High School
Project Title: Is K-Pop Necessary in America?

Student Honoree: Kaede Suyama
School: Kawasaki High School
Project Title: What Do You Think 91�Թ� the Homeless Program?

Stanford e-Kobe (Instructor Alison Harsch)

Student Honoree: Moeka Urata
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Project Title: Problems of the School Counselor System in Japan

Student Honoree: Mayuko Hara
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Project Title: Problems that Voters with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities Face in Japan and the U.S.

Stanford e-Wakayama (Instructor Makiko Hirata)

Student Honoree: Sumire Inaba
School: Touin High School
Project Title: Solutions to Global Hunger

Student Honoree: Niina Ohashi
School: Touin High School
Project Title: Self-Management Skills

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During the fourth ceremony, four top students from Kagoshima City and Tottori were honored on the Stanford campus on August 23, 2024. The ceremony began with stimulating opening comments by Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Sugahara’s comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. (Student honorees with their instructors Jonas Edman and Amy Cheng and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kagoshima City (Instructor Amy Cheng)

Student Honoree: Keima Kawagoe
School: Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Project Title: Revitalizing Kagoshima with the Power of Bamboo

Student Honoree: Kenshiro Matsunaga
School: Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Project Title: “Omotenashi” Has a Dark Side

Stanford e-Tottori (Instructor Jonas Edman)

Student Honoree: Funa Bannai
School: Yonago Higashi High School
Project Title: Same-Sex Marriage: Reducing Inequality Within and Among Countries

Student Honoree: Soichiro Takagi
School: Tottori Nishi High School
Project Title: Thinking 91�Թ� the Importance of Reading in Education

Following each of the three in-person ceremonies, the students enjoyed a luncheon, a campus tour, and a dinner. Many students commented that one of the highlights of their visit to Stanford was having the chance to meet high school students from other regions of Japan. Many guests commented on how impressed they were with the student presentations and the poise that the students exhibited in particular during the question-and-answer periods.

Importantly, 91�Թ� is grateful to the Board of Education representatives who accompanied the students to Stanford. They are Hiroshi Suzuki (Fukuoka Prefecture); Takayuki Nishinakamura and Chiemi Hamada (Kagoshima City); Kei Sakamoto and Miho Anraku (Kobe City); Hironori Sano and Toshiyuki Yamamoto (Oita Prefecture); Tomoya Minohara (Tottori Prefecture); and Rika Katsumoto (Wakayama Prefecture). Also, 91�Թ� wishes to thank Sabrina Ishimatsu, 91�Թ� Event Coordinator, for planning all four ceremonies.

91�Թ� also offers online courses to U.S. high school students on Japan (Reischauer Scholars Program), China (China Scholars Program), and Korea (Sejong Korea Scholars Program), and online courses to Chinese high school students on the United States (Stanford e-China) and to Japanese high school students on the United States and U.S.–Japan relations (Stanford e-Japan) and on entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan).

To stay informed of 91�Թ� news,  and follow us on , , and .

We teach Americans about China. Or Japanese about the United States. Or Chinese about Silicon Valley. Our student cohorts are often very diverse, but usually share a similar national perspective. What if we mixed that up? What if we put students from different countries in the same program and asked them to learn together—and from each other? What if we then put them to work on a common problem, sharing common goals?

[Image above: Part of one group’s final project, “Buzzing Biodiversity: The Vital Role of Pollinators in Enhancing Ecosystems,” aimed at local Beijing, Suzhou, and Irvine, CA, communities. Poster designed by Jimmy Qiyuan Zhang (Suzhou). Other group members: Annie Meitong Song (Irvine) and Xinyi Nancy Zhao (Beijing).]

This past spring, Carey Moncaster and I decided to try it. We created a joint program, the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, combining the Stanford e-China Program for high school students in China, which Moncaster runs, with my China Scholars Program for high school students in the United States. Sixteen students in each country spent 14 weeks online together, exploring collaborative solutions to the climate crisis.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab (as in both “collaboration” and a hands-on “lab” done together) has two goals:

• To learn about current and potential solutions to climate change and its impacts, through a transnational lens; and
• To learn about and practice the cross-cultural collaboration skills necessary to achieve those solutions.

Climate issues were an obvious choice for the theme of the course. Not only is it the most urgent issue facing all of humanity, it is also one that avoids some of the stickier political issues between the United States and China. Chinese and American students could easily find common ground and common inspiration.

We chose to emphasize climate solutions—as opposed to problems—as a counter to discouraging narratives of crisis that surround this young generation, to instead emphasize the tools we have to correct course and heal.

“Solutions” also provided the structure for the course. Each module of the course was centered on a different area of climate solutions: Global Governance and Climate Diplomacy; Biodiversity; Green Finance; Clean Energy; Food and Agriculture. We were honored to draw on the expertise of Stanford faculty, as well as leaders from institutions like the Wilson Center and the Paulson Institute.*

In addition, we spent one week reading about cross-cultural skills. Stanford’s Scott Rozelle spoke with the students about his decades of practical experience running the Rural Education Action Program (REAP), a highly collaborative research and policy project involving transnational researchers, Chinese villagers and educators, and government officials. One student emphasized that it was Rozelle’s example in particular that “allowed me to see the ways professionals have worked together and made important findings.”

U.S.–China Co-Lab students had to work together for every assignment. The most straightforward were the in-class discussions on Zoom and the weekly, written discussion boards—which nonetheless required teaching and interpretation, with each student explaining a reading that other students had not done.

We used a design thinking approach for another assignment, the “Collaborative Prototype Challenge” developed by our 91�Թ� colleague Mariko Yang-Yoshihara, in which each student was paired with a classmate from the other country. Through interviews, the students identified a key environmental need in their partner’s local community and brainstormed a creative prototype solution, using only materials at hand to represent it. Feedback and revision amplified this exercise in cross-cultural empathy, and the results were thoughtful, technical, artistic, and even goofy—ranging from Chinese paper lanterns made from repurposed packaging waste to a wearable air-conditioning suit to electricity generated by hamster wheels.

For our final project, the “Bilateral Media Campaign,” we stepped up the teamwork and the cross-cultural empathy. In groups of four (2 U.S., 2 China members), students created a media campaign targeting a specific climate solution, tailoring two versions for parallel audiences: one in China and one in the United States. Together, each group needed to agree on a message to inspire specific public action and two specific audiences for that message—which involved both academic and local, community-based research. With the resulting data, they had to choose medium, means, and strategy, and finally, create the materials themselves.

One group tackled invasive species and challenged teens in Arizona and Beijing to weed them out of their local ecosystems, with informative slides on buffelgrass and ragweed, respectively. A second group imagined schoolwide carbon footprint competitions between group members’ high schools in California and Shanghai. Another group sought to encourage families to adopt solar energy—for their own homes in North Carolina, or by using solar-charging personal devices in Beijing, where single-family homes are rare.

Students found the logistical coordination necessary to complete this multi-step project quite challenging and sometimes frustrating. But we considered that a realistic aspect of all collaborative problem-solving—all the more so when dealing with national boundaries, the international date line, and internet firewalls!

Feedback from the class suggests that the project was worthwhile. “I learned about the nuances and similarities between both audiences, which helped me appreciate the common ground we shared despite our diverse backgrounds,” commented one student. “The synergy that emerged from our collaboration was remarkable.”

Overall, Moncaster and I took extra care to represent a wide range of perspectives in the speakers and readings and other course materials, representing diversity in profession, academic discipline, strategy, personal background, etc. Several students commented on how their future plans had changed as a result: students who joined the program interested in policy now wanted to study climate tech as well; STEM-oriented students now understood the need for culturally informed messaging; a humanities student now felt confident in exploring environmental sciences as well.

Most importantly, friends were made, and almost all of the students plan to stay in touch with one another. Anfeng Wilson Xie, of Shanghai, China, was thankful for the opportunity to meet so many “passionate youths in the environmental field, as I have truly learned a lot from my peers.”

Feedback from the students on our first iteration of the U.S.–China Co-Lab has been overwhelmingly positive. “Its transformative journey surpassed my prior expectations,” Raiden Smith, of Tucson, Arizona, told us. He added that it “strengthened my interest in climate studies and broadened my perspective on the importance of cross-cultural communication as I’ve become more hopeful for our collaborative future.”

For our part, Moncaster and I were heartened and inspired by the intelligent, open-minded, and imaginative young people we got to know in the program and look forward to watching them forge their own future. Who knows what new solutions for our planet they may dream up together?

*We would like to offer our thanks and appreciation to all of our guest speakers for the Spring 2024 U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions:

, Senior Scholar, Shorenstein APARC Fellow, Affiliated Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), 91�Թ�

, Director, Institute for Energy Studies, Western Washington University

, Chief Conservation Officer, Paulson Institute

, Faculty Co-director of the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Helen F. Farnsworth Endowed Professorship, Senior Fellow at FSI, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

, Associate Director for Research, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, FSI, 91�Թ�

, Director, China Environment Forum, Wilson Center

For more information about the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, please visit /fellowship/uschinacolab. The application for the spring 2025 session is open now.

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Stanford e-Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) enrolls exceptional high school students from the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japanese society and culture. Both courses underscore the importance of U.S.–Japan relations.  is the current supporter of Stanford e-Japan, and the Japan Fund at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is the current supporter of the RSP.

On August 5, 2024, an award ceremony was held at 91�Թ� to honor 91�Թ�’s Spring and Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan student honorees and the 2024 RSP student honorees. The honorees performed at the highest levels of their courses as determined by Stanford e-Japan Instructors Waka Takahashi Brown (spring course) and Meiko Kotani (fall course), RSP Instructor Naomi Funahashi, and the research paper review committees. The honorees are:

Spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Asumi Kato, Matsumoto Fukashi High School; home prefecture: Nagano
Luna Kihara, Osaka Jogakuin High School; home prefecture: Osaka
Satoshi Yamamura, Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Takuma Kawaguchi, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo
Kanako Miyazaki, Saikyo Municipal High School; home prefecture: Kyoto

Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Hisataka Kadota, Okayama Prefectural Okayama Asahi Senior High School; home prefecture: Okayama
Shoma Nishida, Canadian Academy Kobe; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rei Ozawa, Keio Girls Senior High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Mayu Anzai, Seiun High School; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rihito Kotani, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo

2024 Reischauer Scholars Program
Sophie Ankeles, Polytechnic School; California
Annamika Konkola, West Linn High School; Oregon
Vivian Luo, Mt. Lebanon High School; Pennsylvania

Honorable Mentions:
Maya Swaminathan, Lynbrook High School; California
Catherine Fisher, The Nueva School; California

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The program began with welcoming comments from the Honorable Yo Osumi, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. He commented that the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan are very important for our two nations and noted that the education of youth has been one of his highest priorities since he assumed his post at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. He extended high praise to the honorees.

Also in attendance from the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco were Mayu Hagiwara, Director and Consul, Japan Information and Culture Center; Asumi Chikae, Consul for Education, Science, and Technology; and Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs.

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Following the welcoming and opening comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi gave overviews of their courses. The student honorees made engaging presentations based on their research papers and were very poised while fielding questions from the audience. Each honoree received a plaque from their instructor. (Photo above: student honorees and their instructors taken at Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center; Consul General Osumi, seventh from the right.)

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Among the audience members were Stanford student Anna Matsumoto (photo above), a Yanai Tadashi Scholar from Tokushima Prefecture, and Keio Girls High School English Teacher and Global Partnership Coordinator Leon Mueller. Mueller commented,

It was such an honor to see the amazing presentations by this elite group of high school students. The Stanford e-Japan program provided them the opportunity to apply their drive and intellect in a highly academic environment, resulting in a stronger understanding of the U.S.–Japan partnership. It was also encouraging to see the many friendships being forged among the Japanese and American students and the desire to take what they had learned and share it with their peers back in their communities. I think this type of ripple effect is what makes the program so inspiring and unique.

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Also in the audience were 91�Թ� supporters, Adrian and Monica Yeung Arima. 91�Թ� is grateful to them all for their unwavering support of 91�Թ�. (Photo above: Mueller standing next to Kotani.)

The RSP is about to enter its 22nd year and Stanford e-Japan is currently in its 10th year. Many of the alumni are engaged in various fields related to U.S.–Japan relations and continue to give back to both programs by being guest speakers or mentors to the current students.

Following the formal event, the student honorees—most having just met each other in person for the first time—had the chance to enjoy lunch and a Stanford campus tour together. It is the hope of Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi that the Japanese and American student honorees will continue to strengthen their budding friendships and ensure that the U.S.–Japan relationship remains strong.

91�Թ� is grateful to President Tadashi Yanai for his generous support of Stanford e-Japan and to Chikano Shiroma of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation for her regular correspondence and encouragement. 91�Թ� is also thankful to the Japan Fund committee at FSI for its generous support of the Reischauer Scholars Program. These courses and the ceremony would not be possible without them.

The Reischauer Scholars Program is currently accepting applications until October 18, 2024. Stanford e-Japan’s spring 2025 application period will be from November 15 to December 31, 2024.

To stay informed of 91�Թ� news,  and follow us on , , and .

My grandfather used to run a kindergarten in Seoul. During one of our summer visits, my brother and I were invited to teach a portion of the English classes with a stern reminder to restrict our vocabulary to basic words. As we stumbled along the lesson plan, juggling our conversational grasp of the Korean language with our grandfather’s wishes, one of the kids cried out “이건 너무 쉽잖아!” — “This is too easy!” The brutal honesty of our student raised a question I didn’t quite know how to answer yet: How Korean am I?

Attending the Sejong Korea Scholars Program was critical in helping me answer that question. Throughout the program, I found that my motivation to understand my ethnic identity was richly rewarded by the many opportunities to study and discuss the historical development of Korea. Quite unlike my unfortunate student(s) earlier, I found myself thoroughly challenged and pushed to grow by the course alongside my highly qualified peers.

I would like to thank our instructor Dr. HyoJung Jang for making this development possible by emphasizing the multiperspectivity of history. The intensive curriculum of reading chapters from Korea: A History by Eugene Y. Park, analyzing historical documents, and conferring in group forum discussions culminated in voice chats where we discussed our findings with our colleagues and experts in the field. Because every unit was focused on a different aspect of Korean history, I was exposed to topics varying from King Kojong’s struggle against imperialism to South Korea’s  postwar economic “Miracle on the River Han” led by the authoritarian Park Chung-Hee.

Furthermore, the curriculum examined U.S.–Korea relations from a diplomatic, economic, and cultural lens. The historical context helped me not only make sense of current developments such as North Korea’s Juche ideology and South Korea’s Hallyu soft power, but also my own identity at the intersection of Korea and America.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the many lecturers and guest speakers who shared their knowledge and expertise with us during the program. I particularly enjoyed the visits of Professor Kyeyoung Park, who examined the 1992 Los Angeles riots in the context of tensions between the Korean American and African American communities, and Professor Danny Leipziger, who spoke about his experiences at the World Bank preparing the emergency financial bailout loan to South Korea during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Having the opportunity to converse with every guest speaker expanded my worldview and opened my eyes to a future in Korean studies.

Inspired by their guidance, I focused my final paper on the unsung role of education in the Korean Independence movement, discussing how conflicting educational philosophies united to resist Japanese colonial rule. During my research, I discovered the fascinating English diary of educator and resistance member Yun Chi-ho written during his travels in the American South, which I later pursued further and won an endowment from my school to study through a year-long research project. Yun’s alienation in a racially polarized America as a Korean man deeply resonates with me, and I would have never found the passion to tell his story if not for the Sejong Korea Scholars Program.

So, how Korean am I now? From this program, I’ve recognized that this is a futile question. All that truly matters is that I am learning about my Korean heritage and growing for it. I highly encourage any interested students to apply for the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, regardless of your roots. Above all else, it will richly reward an open mind and a willingness to truly flower into a global citizen.

To stay informed of 91�Թ� news,  and follow us on , , and .

91�Թ�’s online programs for U.S. high school students have begun for the Spring 2025 academic term. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) and the Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) welcome applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States. U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions brings together 10th–12th graders from the United States and China in the same program to collaborate on solutions to the global climate crisis.

The RSP engages students in an intensive study of Japan and the U.S.–Japan relationship, facilitating discussions with scholars, diplomats, and other guest speakers with personal and professional expertise in Japanese culture, society, and U.S.–Japan relations. The 2025 RSP course dates are February 1 to June 15, 2025. The application deadline is October 18, 2024.

The SKSP provides students an enriching and academically rigorous overview of Korean history and U.S.–Korea relations through online lectures with top scholars and experts and engaging student discussions. The 2025 SKSP course dates are February 3 to June 30, 2025. The application deadline is November 1, 2024.

The ��.��.–C�󾱲Բ�&�Բ�����;���-������ program focuses specifically on climate-related issues and U.S.–China cooperation, past and potential, and strategies for global cooperation. High school students from the U.S. and China will get to know each other’s lives and environments and actively work together on projects to develop their expertise on local, bilateral, and global climate action. This is a joint program of 91�Թ�’s Stanford e-China (for students in China) and China Scholars Program (for U.S. students). The Spring 2025 Co-Lab course dates are February 28 to May 30, 2025. The application deadline for U.S. students is November 8, 2024. Applicants from China are accepted on a rolling basis; the first 15 qualified students will be accepted with applications closing around December 1, 2024.

Students who are interested in applying to more than one program may do so and rank their preferences on their applications. Those who are accepted into multiple programs for Spring 2025 will be invited to enroll in their highest-preference course.

Applications for all three programs can be found at . Deadlines vary:

• RSP: Oct 18
• SKSP: Nov 1
• U.S.–China Co-Lab: Nov 8 for U.S. students and rolling admissions for students from China

For more information on a specific online course, please refer to its individual webpage at , , or /fellowship/uschinacolab.

Note: The China Scholars Program (CSP) for U.S. high school students will next offer “Introduction to Contemporary China” in Fall 2025; applications will open in April.

To stay informed of 91�Թ� news,  and follow us on , , and .

To learn more about 91�Թ�’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

On July 16, 2024, I had the pleasure of giving a talk to the 2024 LeadNext Fellows from across Asia and the United States. LeadNext is made possible by Amanda Minami, who has provided seed money for the initial three years of the program. LeadNext is led by Nicole Ripley, Senior Program Officer of Leadership and Exchange Programs at The Asia Foundation. Both were present on this day. (Photo of Amanda Minami with LeadNext Fellows below; courtesy LeadNext Fellows Program)

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On , the “LeadNext Fellows: Ambassadors for a Global Future” program is described as follows:

LeadNext builds a vibrant network of future leaders aged 18–25 from across Asia and the United States and supports their growth, impact, and capacity to address today’s greatest challenges.

With the profound structural changes that will transform geopolitics, global governance, the global economic order, and social landscape over the next decade, a new generation of globally minded leaders is imperative. The LeadNext program equips emerging leaders across cultures and disciplines with strong international networks, exposure to wide-ranging experiences, and leadership tools to thoughtfully steer the future.

Harnessing the innovation and energy of young leaders is essential. Positive and lasting change will depend on leaders who can move ideas and action forward to address rising inequality, find solutions to climate crises, mitigate conflict, and empower communities most vulnerable and insecure.

There are four components of the LeadNext program: leadership training intensive, monthly virtual masterclasses, mentorship, and the Global Leaders Summit. The LeadNext Fellows’ visit to Stanford was part of the culminating Global Leaders Summit. Prior to my talk on “What does it mean to be a global citizen?,” I had the chance to listen to self-introductions of the 20 2024 LeadNext Fellows, half of whom come from across the Asia-Pacific region and the other half from the United States. I was so impressed with the Fellows and their research projects and the tremendous diversity of the cohort.

The 2024 LeadNext Fellows are listed below.

• Enkhuun Byambadorj, Mongolia
• Max Han Kai Ding, Malaysia
• Sereyvoleak Dy, Cambodia
• Bryanna Entwistle, United States
• Bella Gomez, United States
• Deziree Harmon, United States
• Jorge Hernandez-Perez, United States
• Shannon Yunran Hong, United States
• Maha Husain, Pakistan
• Engel Laisina, Indonesia
• Tashi Lhazom, Nepal
• Surah Marks-Trammell, United States
• Ananya Mathur, Singapore
• Audrey Meigs, United States
• Trần Thảo Nguyên, Vietnam
• Anitvir Singh Taunque, United States
• Michaela Tse, United States
• Leki Tshering, Bhutan
• Laura Vorbach, United States
• Marciano Lopes Zemecas, Timor-Leste

Following my talk—during which I shared eight personal reflections on “What does it mean to be a global citizen?”—I had the opportunity to listen to presentations by five LeadNext Fellows. The LeadNext Fellows and their presentation topics are listed below. Five things really stood out about each presentation: (1) the appreciation that each expressed for the opportunity to participate in the LeadNext online and in-person programs; (2) the passion with which each spoke about their homelands; (3) the enthusiasm for the sense of community that each felt with their LeadNext cohort; (4) the critical importance each placed upon the importance of international perspectives on their research topics; and (5) the importance that each placed upon the leadership of youth.

• Max Han Kai Ding (Malaysia): Environment and Human Rights, Perspective from Malaysia
• Sereyvoleak Dy (Cambodia): Promoting Youth Participation and Policymaking Processes in Cambodia
• Tashi Lhazom (Nepal): The Art of Storytelling as Advocacy, Perspective from Nepal
• Leki Tshering (Bhutan): Jigme Singye Wangchuck (JSW) School of Law in Bhutan
• Marciano Lopes Zemecas (Timor-Leste): Human Rights and Leadership for Community and Youth Development in Rural Communities in Timor-Leste

As noted above in the LeadNext program description, “harnessing the innovation and energy of young leaders is essential” and given that 91�Թ�’s focus is on the empowerment of youth, I feel very grateful for the synergy that is growing between LeadNext and 91�Թ�. I have been fortunate to meet online with several 2023 and 2024 LeadNext Fellows—including Michaela Tse (photo below courtesy Michaela Tse)—since their return home. I hope to expand 91�Թ�’s collaborative work with LeadNext, and am so grateful to Ripley and Minami for the opportunity.
 

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The 91�Թ� Scholars Program for Japanese High School Students or “Stanford e-Japan” is an online course sponsored by the  and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (91�Թ�), 91�Թ�. This online course teaches Japanese high school students about U.S. society and underscores the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. Through Stanford e-Japan, ambassadors, top scholars, and experts throughout the United States provide web-based lectures and engage Japanese high school students in live discussion sessions called “virtual classes.” Stanford e-Japan is now in its 10th year and about to begin its 19th session overall.

91�Թ� courses almost felt like my high school entrance and graduation ceremonies: I joined Stanford e-Entrepreneurship right after entering high school and started Stanford e-Japan just before graduating. It’s perhaps no surprise that my journey with 91�Թ� reflects my growth as an English learner and an aspiring researcher.

Four years ago, the first 91�Թ� course turned out extremely challenging for me at the time. I still remember, after the first session of Stanford e-Entrepreneurship, I sent a message to the course organizer with tears that the program was too difficult for me to keep up. My English skills were just very poor back then. It might be only natural, as I grew up in the countryside of Nagano Prefecture, Japan and rarely had opportunities to practice English.

Time flew by fast, and in the winter of 2022, I saw the website where Stanford posted an application form for the spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan course. As I was about to graduate from high school, it was my last chance to apply. I knew my English had improved, and I had a feeling that I could do significantly better than the last time. “Well, there’s no harm in trying,” I thought and submitted my application, not knowing it was going to bring me many new opportunities.

In the e-Japan course, I felt much more comfortable with learning and discussing something in English. Still, when I received the email that I was selected as one of the award winners, I felt as if I were dreaming. An overwhelmed 10th grader crying about the e-Entrepreneurship course would have never imagined such a plot twist.

In early August of 2024, I traveled to California for a week to participate in the Japan Day ceremony. I had the chance to present my final paper and explore the beautiful campus of Stanford. I met so many amazing people too, including the 91�Թ� director Dr. Gary Mukai and the e-Japan manager Ms. Waka Takahashi Brown. Also, I was fortunate enough to meet Consul General Yo Osumi and other consuls and staff from the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco and my sempai Anna Matsumoto, who is currently studying at Stanford.

The e-Japan course was also the first time I shared my academic interests with others. As a final assignment, I wrote a research paper titled “The United States and Capitalism: How the U.S.-Led Economic System Has Affected the Planet.” It described the environmental impacts of capitalism and how it is intertwined with American history, ultimately suggesting the need to search for more sustainable economic models. Such research themes are something I’m truly interested in, and I aim to explore more of this in academia in the future.

As an advocate for sustainability, I honestly have mixed feelings about praising individual material success like winning an award. Related to my research, I don’t think materialism in general leads to human and planetary well-being. But this whole experience with 91�Թ� is worth sharing, as it holds enormous intrinsic value to me regardless of any outside factors. It symbolises my personal growth and the new meaningful connections I made.

I’m glad that I kept pushing myself to improve my English and taking new opportunities. At the same time, I couldn’t be more grateful for the people who helped me with this journey. I’m excited for more opportunities to come and can’t wait to dive deeper into my academic interests in my undergraduate studies and beyond. 

For more information about the Stanford e-Japan Program, please visit . The application period for the spring 2025 session will begin November 15, 2024.

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On May 24, 2024, Satoshi Yamaguchi, drummer (RADWIMPS) and Visiting Researcher at Keio University, gave an inspiring talk to alumni and students of all of 91�Թ�’s 2023–2024 courses in China, Japan, and the United States. This was the first time that a special online session was held for all of 91�Թ�’s courses. Rylan Sekiguchi facilitated the session, and Dr. Makiko Hirata served as an interpreter.

Drummer Satoshi Yamaguchi joined the rock band RADWIMPS as a freshman in college. When he was 20 years old, the band made its major label debut and quickly grew in popularity, earning multiple #1 hits, awards, and recognitions. According to Satoshi, “Everything was smooth sailing.” However, in 2009 Satoshi began to suffer from musicians’ dystonia, a condition that made it increasingly difficult for him to play the drums. According to Satoshi, “in 2015, in the middle of creating music for the megahit anime movie Your Name that would catapult RADWIMPS to worldwide fame, I made the difficult decision to leave the band on an indefinite hiatus. It was an extremely emotional and painful time for me.” Today Satoshi is a small business owner in a town called Hayama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan—growing rice and running an ice cream factory—and is also a Visiting Researcher at Keio University, where he conducts research on musicians’ dystonia with Dr. Shinya Fujii, Director of  at Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus. He is also collaborating with Dr. Takako Fujioka, Professor of Music at 91�Թ�, who is a neuroscientist investigating brain functions related to music. Together they work on a research project that focuses on physical and psychological health issues in drummers in the United States. Satoshi hopes to understand his condition better and eventually return to the stage.

In the special online session, Satoshi shared his unique life experiences—both successes and setbacks—and how they have shaped his attitude and perspectives on life. In his opening comments, he noted, “I would be very happy if I could share with you some insights that I have gained through my experiences and words that have supported me during difficult times, and if they could provide some hints for your future life.” As students and alumni of 91�Թ�’s courses reflected upon his talk, multiple insights that he shared especially stood out and are important lessons for youth. These insights are shared below through eight excerpts from his talk.

First, while reflecting on his youth, Satoshi noted,

Not long before I joined RADWIMPS, when I was in high school, I formed a metal rock band with my music-loving friends in my hometown of Yokohama and played the drums. I was so busy with my band and part-time job that I didn’t study much, especially English, which I was very bad at. It is hard to believe that I am speaking in English in front of you today.

Satoshi’s presentation in English to the biggest audience of students 91�Թ� has ever convened was an inspiration for students who are studying English in Japan and China, and English language learners in the United States.

Second, while reflecting upon a band competition as a high school student, he noted,

… our [metal rock] band’s goal was to participate in a national high school music festival held once a year at Yokohama Arena! How fascinating to have the chance to perform on a stage big enough to hold 10,000 people, isn’t it? Of course, the auditions were tough, and we were unsuccessful in our first and second years, but in our third year, we finally made it to the finals. On the day of the show, we were full of confidence. After successfully completing our performance as the first band, we listened to our rivals, saying “None of the other bands were that good.” However, when I heard the last band’s song, I was shocked beyond belief. It was RADWIMPS. Some of the lyrics of one of their songs made me think that someone else seemed to know my heart better than I. RADWIMPS won the competition, my band lost.

Satoshi ended this segment of his talk by noting that “Perhaps the day will come when your biggest rival today will become your best friend.” This statement really seemed to have resonated in students, as they all knew that Satoshi eventually joined RADWIMPS.

Third, Satoshi reflected upon a life-long lesson that he learned from one of his fellow RADWIMPS band members. Satoshi recalled,

Toward the end of my first year of college, my [metal rock] band broke up and RADWIMPS was looking for a new drummer, which led to me joining. We were creating new songs, but at the time I could only hit a simple 8-note beat, which is often played in rock music. One day, Yojiro, the songwriter, said to me, “Satoshi, you are not allowed to play an 8-note beat without a reason.” When I was confused, he said, “We are going to make music that has never been made before. We are aiming for a future where a genre called RADWIMPS will be born, just like rock, pop, and jazz. To do that, you can’t just play the beats that have been around before, can you? You have to pursue your own new beat.” At another time, he said, “Your children and grandchildren will one day listen to the beats you play. Are you sure that’s the best beat?” It is embarrassing to look back now, but at the time I did not have his kind of vision at all.

Throughout his talk, Satoshi underscored the importance of creativity. I believe that his statement, “You have to pursue your own new beat,” has remained in the minds of many students. Another insight that he shared was that “Out of limitations come innovations. Being forbidden to play the 8-note beat, which I was most familiar with, allowed me to use my imagination, which had been dormant inside me, to ask, ‘What can I do then?’” One beat that was created at that time became the basis for the theme song of Your Name.

Fourth, while Satoshi openly shared his experience with musicians’ dystonia, I witnessed the very serious looks on the faces of the students and alumni. He reflected,

… when I was 24 years old, my right foot suddenly stopped moving while playing the drums. This was a symptom called musicians’ dystonia, as I later found out. The bass drum, played with the right foot, is the foundation of music. The dystonia made it impossible for me to express myself musically as I had imagined. For the next six years, I continued to perform, trying to do the best I could. However, the symptoms gradually became worse, eventually spreading to my left foot, and I no longer found pleasure in playing music. Then in 2015, I made the decision to give up being the drummer of my favorite band in the world and take an indefinite hiatus. It was one of the heaviest and most painful moments of my life.

I am confident that Satoshi’s reflections prompted many students to think about the “heaviest and most painful moments” in their lives and ask themselves, “What can we learn from these moments, and how can we use these lessons as we go through our lives?”

Fifth, Satoshi reflected upon the continued success of RADWIMPS and noted,

When I was exhausted both mentally and physically, I came across this town, Hayama…[with a view of] Mt. Fuji over the sea. When I saw this scenery, for the first time in a long time, I felt a sincere emotion. I loved the state of mind I was in when I was looking at this mountain. I felt that this town was calling me. Trusting this intuition, I decided to move to Hayama with my family. Shortly after I started living in Hayama, I encountered these rice terraces… as I deepened my relationships with local farmers, I learned that rice terraces were facing a number of difficulties and their survival was at risk. I began to wonder if I could do something about this place that had saved my life.

Hayama’s rice terraces are visited by Silicon Valley Keio International Program (SKIP), an international exchange program between Keio and Stanford students. Through such programs, Satoshi is giving back to his community by “respecting tradition while innovating it,” and Satoshi hopes that all students will consider this as well for communities that have made a difference in their lives.

Sixth, 20 years later, RADWIMPS has become one of Japan’s leading bands, and Satoshi commented that “my three sons sing our songs every day! I am now once again feeling the amazing power of having a vision.” Satoshi urged the audience to “imagine what the future looks like, and then truly believe that it can be realized,” which is such a powerful message for youth. Also, about half a year into his farming life, the film Your Name was released in September 2016. Satoshi was impressed with the film but felt that,

… the whole world was telling me, “You made the wrong choice.” And I couldn’t even listen to the past songs of RADWIMPS anymore. I was also disappointed in myself for not being able to honestly be happy about the success of a band without me. But it was also music that saved me from such feelings…. If success is all there is to life, then it might mean that I, who could not share in the worldwide success of Your Name, would be unhappy for the rest of my life. But is that really true? There might be other ways to find happiness. That’s how I came to think of it.

Following this reflection, Satoshi decided to seek his “own kind of honest enjoyment” and encourages students to seek theirs as well.

Seventh, during a recent research visit to 91�Թ�, he was introduced to  through a student whom he met through SKIP, and also met Roy and PJ Hirabayashi, founding directors of . Sekiguchi, who moderated the seminar by Satoshi, used to be a performer with both Stanford Taiko and San Jose Taiko. Reflecting on a San Jose Taiko performance, Satoshi stated,

I have seen many shows in my life, but this was the first time I had ever seen an encore that not only involved all of the performers but the audience as well dancing in a circle. It made me rethink the essence of what music is. And as I played with people who truly love taiko and music, I gradually remembered the joy of playing instruments. After all, I want to play drums again… [While observing taiko and talking with PJ, Satoshi realized that] It is ‘using the voice to make the real bass drum sound.’ It happened while I was learning a new beat for taiko. In the taiko community, there is no musical score, and rhythmic patterns are taught orally.

He commented to students that “singing and the voice are the most fundamental instruments that humans have,” and that “other instruments are an extension of them.” He is currently working on the research and development of a new instrument using the voice. He believes that he will find his own “new sound” and the day will come when he will once again stand on stage as the drummer of RADWIMPS.

Eighth, Satoshi concluded his talk with two reflections on his life. The first was “Difficulties can be a catalyst to create new value.” He stated, “In life, difficulties are inevitable… No one in this world can live alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Likewise, if someone asks you for advice, please listen intently with the attitude, ‘What can I do for you?’” The second was “What has been does not determine what will be, but what will be gives meaning to what has been.” He stated, “In the future, when you are choosing a career path, a place of employment, or anything else, you may be wondering, ‘Is this really the right choice?’ Or, after you have made your choice, you may feel that ‘This is not how it was supposed to be.’ I believe that the important thing is not what you choose, but what you do after you choose. I was on the verge of great global success but was unable to witness it. But I have been valuing what I enjoy, what I like, what I want to do, and as a result, I am living very happily now. If you ever lose your way in the future, I would be happy [if you] remember that there is someone living life like this.”

91�Թ� is grateful to Sabrina Ishimatsu for organizing this special online session. 91�Թ� hopes to feature another musician in a second special online session in 2025.

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To learn more about 91�Թ�’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

From June 24 to June 27, 2024, educators from diverse backgrounds and regions participated in the virtual East Asia Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers, hosted by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (91�Թ�) in collaboration with the (NCTA). Designed specifically for middle school teachers, this year’s institute provided an overview of East Asian geography, cultures, religions, history, literature, and arts, as well as an introduction to the Asian diaspora in the United States and the diversity of the Asian American experience.

The four-day institute featured daily synchronous sessions with lectures from distinguished guest speakers, curriculum demonstrations from 91�Թ� staff, and small group discussions, all designed to deepen participants’ understanding of East Asia and the Asian American experience, equip them with valuable instructional materials, and foster a community of learners committed to integrating Asian and Asian American studies into their curricula. Throughout the institute, participants also completed pre-assigned readings, shared resources, and contributed to collaborative discussions.

The agenda for each day featured insightful presentations as well as hands-on activities. The first day focused on the Silk Road and featured a guest lecture from Dr. Clayton Dube of the University of Southern California and a curriculum demonstration on the Silk Road by 91�Թ�’s Naomi Funahashi and Rylan Sekiguchi.

The second day focused on religions and philosophies of East Asia, with a presentation by Dr. Julia Cross from 91�Թ�, followed by a curriculum demonstration of the 91�Թ� curriculum unit Religions and Philosophies in China: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism by 91�Թ�’s Jonas Edman.

On the third day, attendees delved into Japan during the feudal period, starting with a lecture on Tokugawa Japan by Dr. Ethan Segal of Michigan State University. Karen Tiegel, Middle School Division Head at The Nueva School, then led a curriculum demonstration on the 91�Թ� curriculum unit, Japanese Art in the Edo Period, which was followed by a group discussion.

The final day, titled “Asian Voices and Asian American Experiences,” featured a panel of authors—91�Թ�’s Waka T. Brown, Van Hoang, and Takami Nieda—who shared their perspectives on Asian and Asian American narratives and identities. The day concluded with a 91�Թ� resource-sharing session, covering curricular titles such as Angel Island, Chinese American Voices, and the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project.

At the end of the institute, each participant developed and shared an original lesson plan inspired by the knowledge and resources gained throughout the seminar.

To stay informed of 91�Թ� news,  and follow us on , , and .

91�Թ�’s collaboration with the NCTA is one of several teacher professional development seminars that 91�Թ� offers.