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Winners Announced for the 22nd Japan-Taiwan Scholarship Program

The winners of the 22nd Japan-Taiwan Cultural Exchange Youth Scholarship, organized by Sankei Shimbun and co-sponsored by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, JR Central, and EVA Air, have been revealed. This annual program aims to promote cultural exchange between young people from Japan and Taiwan. The award ceremony recognizes both an essay category and a tour plan category, and the eight recipients will be invited on a five-day study trip to Taiwan from March 23 to March 27.

Participants submitted a total of 317 pieces for evaluation, with 123 essays and 194 tour plans. Among the submissions, the Grand Prize winners are Hina Nakano from Kyoto University, who authored the essay "Connecting Through Time, Me and Taiwan" in the essay category, and Seiya Chonan from Fukushima High School, who proposed a tour plan titled "Contributing to Taiwan's Agricultural Development: A Comprehensive Journey into Japan's Historical Influence on the Rice Crisis in the Reiwa Era" in the tour plan category.

The study tour for the eight awardees will involve visiting various governmental departments in Taiwan, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education. Participants will engage in cultural exchange events with local high school and university students, deepening their understanding of both the culture and societal issues in Taiwan. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to visit spots highlighted in Chonan's award-winning tour plan, further enriching their experience.

Honorable Mentions

In addition to the Grand Prizes, there were seven recipients of Excellence Awards. Here’s a summary of the winners in each category:

Essay Category:

• - Ayaka Ishihara (Hosei University Second High School, 2nd Year)
• - Kanako Tsukahara (Edogawa Gakuen Toride Junior High School, 3rd Year)
• - Shina Hiromatsu (Ehime University Education Faculty Attached Junior High School, 2nd Year)

Tour Plan Category:

• - Yuta Noderu (Nada High School, 1st Year)
• - Tomoya Hayashi (Keio University, 4th Year)
• - Kyohei Funazawa (Waseda University Honjo High School, 3rd Year)

The competition this year saw a robust response from students eager to showcase their creativity and knowledge about Japan-Taiwan relations. The selected participants represent the best of budding scholars who are invested in the importance of cultural exchange and the sharing of ideas between nations.

For further information, you can visit the official website of the scholarship program here.

Contact Information
Japan-Taiwan Scholarship Office (Sankei Shimbun Media Business Bureau)
Phone: 03-3275-8675 (Weekdays 10 AM – 6 PM)
Email: [email protected]