Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan

NEH has moved to a shared payment service operated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and can no longer deposit funds for awards to individuals into an institutional bank account. Starting with awards issued August 2024, NEH will make payment to a personal bank account only.

The Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan program is a joint activity of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The goals of the program are to promote Japan studies in the United States, to encourage U.S.-Japanese scholarly exchange, and to foster the next generation of Japan scholars in the United States. 
 
Awards support research and writing on modern Japanese society and political economy, Japan's international relations, and U.S.-Japan relations. The program encourages innovative research that puts these subjects in wider regional and global contexts, is comparative and contemporary in nature, and contributes to scholarly knowledge or to the general public’s understanding. Appropriate disciplines include anthropology, economics, geography, history, international relations, linguistics, political science, psychology, and sociology. Awards must lead to a product, such as an article, monograph, book, e-book, digital material, translation, edition, or other scholarly resource.

Special Encouragement for Junior Scholars

In keeping with the JUSFC’s commitment to foster the next generation of leaders in developing and maintaining the Japan-U.S. relationship, NEH encourages applications to this program from junior scholars (that is, scholars who have earned their terminal degree within the last seven years). Mid-career and senior scholars are also welcome to apply.

2025 Online Information Session for Applicants

The online information session scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2025 has been canceled. The program is still open and accepting applications until the April 23, 2025 deadline. The program’s goals and eligibility requirements can be found in the current Notice of Funding Opportunity, together with instructions for preparing and submitting your application. We also encourage you to consult the sample applications and the FAQ document available on this page under “Application Instructions.” If you have specific questions about the program or your application, please write to fellowships@neh.gov.