The annual online gathering for mid- to long-term scholarship recipients was held on December 6, 2025, at 8:00 PM ET. The purpose of the meeting was to foster a friendly and informal exchange of experiences and opinions among awardees, as well as with representatives from donor foundations, FUTI, and UTokyo members.
The meeting was attended by ten mid- to long-term scholarship recipients for Year 2025-26, along with Ms. Asuka Sakai, Senior Director of the UTokyo Division of External Relations; Dr. Yuichiro Kuwama, FUTI Vice President and CFO; Dr. Masaaki Yamada, FUTI Advisory Committee Chair; and members of the FUTI Scholarship Committee: Nobuko Sakurai, Shig Matsushita, Iwao Ojima, Masako Osako, and Junji Takegami.
The meeting was chaired by Nobuko Sakurai, Chair of the FUTI Scholarship Committee, who opened with a brief greeting and expressed her gratitude to all attendees. Following her introduction, Iwao Ojima, FUTI President and CEO, delivered a welcome message and provided some thoughts on the current state of the world.
The meeting continued with short presentations from each scholarship recipient, followed by Q&A sessions. These presentations highlighted the challenges, inspirations, discoveries, and fulfillment experienced by the scholars during their studies in the US. A summary of select presentations is provided below.
[Comments from a graduate of UTokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, currently pursuing a Masters in Regional Studies at Harvard University]
A Ukrainian Master’s student at Harvard, who graduated from the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Public Policy, is concentrating his academic work on Ukraine’s economic development and international cooperation, particularly focusing on quantitative analysis, law, and policymaking. The student actively uses his studies to provide analytical insights to Ukrainian Members of Parliament, contributing directly to international security discussions, including those at the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). Post-graduation, the student plans to join the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine with the goal of fostering a strategic, long-term partnership between Ukraine and key international partners, especially Japan, whose critical budgetary support is highly valued. The student argues that Ukraine’s highly experienced military would be vital to European security, proposing that EU membership would serve as a crucial shield for the continent.
[Comments from a graduate of UTokyo PEAK, currently a graduate student at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs)
As a second-year graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the student is specializing in international finance and economic policy to bridge the financial gap between the US and Japan. Her academic rigor includes coursework in financial risk management, monetary policy, and Japanese economic policy, supplemented by supporting programming at the Columbia Center of Japanese Economy and Business. Beyond the classroom, the student has aggressively pursued practical experience through multiple internships, including a role at Eurasia Group focusing on geopolitical risk and a long-term position with the U.S.-Japan Council, where she helps organize high-level economic summits and initiatives for young women in banking. This student is also involved in advocating for student safety and networking opportunities amidst a contentious campus climate at Columbia at present.
The students at the gathering delivered compelling presentations, offering candid insights into how their academic experiences in the US differ from those at the University of Tokyo. The research topics spanned a wide range of disciplines including Pharmaceutical Science, Mathematics, and Design and Technology, each with promising practical applications that are sure to benefit society in the years to come.
