The Japan Foundation and the UP Asian Center are calling for submissions of Japan-related research for the “Japanese Studies in the Philippines: A Research Competition for Students.” The competition is open to Filipino students in the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Outstanding paper presenters can get a chance to participate in a four-day, all-expenses-paid study tour to Japan on 15–18 April 2019 (tentative). The deadline of application is on 8 March 2019.

ELIGIBILITY

• Currently enrolled in a BA/BS, or an MA/MS program in a Philippine university
• Holder of Philippine passport with six-months validity as of 15-18 April 2019
• Must have a completed or working research paper on Japan
• Can give (if paper is shortlisted) a public presentation of their research on 16 March 2019 @ UP Asian Center, QC.

RESEARCH TOPICS

• Philippine-Japan Relations
• History, Arts, Culture and Literature
• Migration and Mobility
• Social, Health, and Economic Policy
• Science and Technology

RESEARCH PAPER GUIDELINES

• Unpublished and solo-authored
• Written in English
• Must have been written as part of a class or a degree program (thesis)
• Must not be under consideration in a journal
• Either a completed paper or a working version
• Single-spaced, in Times New Roman, 12 font, and 15–20 pages
• Have an abstract (max 300 words)
• Uses APA citation style

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

1. Fill out this application form.

2. Send a Zip file (.zip) containing PDF files of the following to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

ο One-page letter with school letterhead from the professor for whose course the paper was written. It should recommend the study and attest to student’s authorship and its status as an unpublished research. File name should be: "Recommendation Letter - Last Name, First Name" e.g., "Recommendation Letter - Peralta, Amy" 

ο Two soft copies of the research paper

♦ File name of the first copy must have "Actual Copy" and include the title of the paper, e.g.  “Actual Copy - Politics of Japanese Pop Music." This copy should state at least your name and school.

♦ File name of the second copy must be [Review Copy - Title of Paper], e.g. “Review Copy - Politics of Japanese Pop Music."  To ensure a fair, blind review, this copy must not indicate your name, school, course, etc. 

3. For applicants below 18 years old:

♦ Signed letter of consent from both parents/guardian(s) permitting the student to join the research competition and allow him/her to submit the necessary information to process application.

4. Authors of shortlisted papers will be emailed by 12 March 2019.

SENDING INSTRUCTIONS and DEADLINES

• The zip file must be named Last Name, First Name, e.g., "Morales, Jerry.zip"
• Subject line should contain "Study Tour Japan." This is for email filters.
• Documents must be sent on or before 5 pm, 8 March 2019.

Please follow instructions to help ease the collecting/collating process. The organizers reserve the right to disqualify late, incomplete or improperly formatted applications.

FOR AUTHORS OF SHORTLISTED PAPERS (FINALISTS)

1. Authors of shortlisted papers must be ready to show (or send) the organizers the following:

• School ID

• Any valid ID indicating date of birth

• Proof of enrollment in current semester (any of the following):

◊ Validation sticker on school ID indicating enrollment,

◊ Signed/validated enrollment form, OR

◊ Letter from the Office of Admissions/Registrar/College Secretary, or equivalent office.

2. Finalists will give a 15-minute presentation of their research on 16 March 2019 at the UP Asian Center, QC. The presentations will be open to the public. No presentation means ineligibility for the study tour. Presentations by   proxies are not allowed. 

3. Two (2) undergraduate and two (2) graduate finalists will take part in the study tour. The students are solely responsible for ensuring that their passport has six-months validity as of 15-18 April 2019. Winners may not transfer their slots to another student.

PRIZE: STUDY TOUR

Only the authors and presenters of the winning papers can take part in the study tour. It includes four-day stay in Japan, accommodations, and roundtrip airfare to/from Manila-Japan. The students will also visit academic institutions in Japan, and interact with Japanese scholars and researchers.  Upon returning to the Philippines, they will be debriefed in May 2019.The Japan Foundation will provide additional details on the travel requirements, including visa processing.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Deadline of application: 8 March 2019, 5 pm
• Announcement of shortlisted papers/finalists: 12 March 2019
• Research Competition: 16 March 2019
• Study tour: 15 to 18 April 2019 (Tentative. Final dates will be announced later.)
• Debriefing: May 2019 (Exact date will be announced later.)

ABOUT THE RESEARCH COMPETITION

The research competition aims to encourage Japan-related research among Filipino students, to disseminate knowledge and exchange perspectives on Japanese Studies. It is organized by the Asian Center and Japan Foundation, Manila.

INQUIRIES

For queries, please use this inquiry form: bit.ly/studytourquestion. As much as possible, please do not send any query via email, since we may overlook it given the volume of emails we can/will receive. The inquiry form allows us to centralize all questions in one location.

The Asian Center offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D.  program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. The Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website.