This 12-day program is a dialogue, travel and exchange program for journalists from Japan and the United States.  The program sends six to seven Japanese journalists to the United States and six to seven U.S. journalists to Japan to meet with government and business leaders, academics, non-governmental organizations and other members of the community. The program provides participating journalists with the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the political, security, economic, cultural and social issues of each country through the lens of a timely theme. 

Theme:  New Leadership and the Global Economic Crisis

The U.S.-Japan alliance continues to be the United States’ most important bilateral relationship in Asia but one that still faces challenges. Both countries saw their economies plummet in 2009 with the U.S. and Japanese governments relying on huge stimulus packages to lead the recoveries. Major American and Japanese auto manufacturers leaned on their governments for bailouts. The United States elected a new president and Japan called for elections leading to the installation of a new prime minister. While North Korea’s missile test intensified security concerns in the region, specialists say the relationship between the two countries needs to expand from a military alliance to one that addresses concerns such as climate change and anti-piracy.  The 2009 Japan-U.S. Journalists Exchange, thus, provided the selected U.S. and Japanese journalists an opportunity to explore the complex economic, social and political impacts of the financial crisis in the United States and Japan. 

The purposes of this exchange were to:

• Broaden and deepen the journalists’ knowledge of the Japan, the United States and their bilateral relationship
• To enhance the quality and quantity of media reporting on Japan-U.S. issues in each country

Program Dates:  June 21 – July 3, 2009

Study Tour for Japan Journalists:  Washington, DC; New York City, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan

Study Tour for U.S. Journalists:  Tokyo; Toyota City; Kyoto; Osaka

The program concluded in Honolulu, Hawaii, for joint sessions between the Japanese and U.S. journalists

Who Can Apply:  Working print, broadcast, journal and online journalists in the U.S. with a minimum of five years of experience. 

Application Deadline: 2009 program CONCLUDED

Co-Sponsors:  East-West Center and Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK).  The exchange is supported by a grant from the Center for Global Partnership (CGP).  The program covers all air transportation, lodging and program-related ground transportation and meals for participating journalists.

Congratulations to the 2009 Japan-US Journalists Exchange participants:

Japanese Journalists:

• Mr. ANDO Toru, Editorial Writer, The Tokyo Shinbun                                  
• Mr. GAUN Yoshinao, Correspondent, Japan Broadcasting Corporation
• Mr. HARA Makoto, Editorial Writer, The Asahi Shinbun
• Mr. HARUKI Kazuhiro, Staff Reporter Economic News Section, Kyodo News
• Ms. OTA Motoko, Reporter, Shinbun Kyokai-Ho
• Mr. SAKAI Takayuki, Staff Writer, Mainichi Newspapers

American Journalists:

• Ms. Rachel BROWN, Assistant Bureau Chief, CNN Western Region, CNN, Los Angeles, CA
• Mr. Andrew CONTE, Senior Investigative Reporter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh, PA
• Mr. Albert EISELE, Founder and Editor-at-Large, The Hill, Washington, D.C.
• Mr. Daniel GROSS, Columnist, Slate.com and Senior Editor, Newsweek, New York, NY
• Ms.  Kathy LIU, Associate Producer, 60 Minutes, CBS News, New York, NY
• Mr. Guy NELSON, News Director, KUOW FM, Seattle, WA

Liz A. Dorn
Seminar Specialist, Seminars
East-West Center
1601 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96848
Phone: (808) 944-7368
Fax: (808) 944-7600
Email: dorne@eastwestcenter.org