Stanford APARC Japan Program Postdoctoral Fellowship (2026-27)

The Japan Program Postdoctoral Fellowship is hosted by the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute. It aims to support multidisciplinary research and writing on contemporary Japan, in fields like political science, law, sociology, economics, international relations, public policy, and related fields.

The fellowship is intended for junior scholars (recent PhDs) who focus on policy-relevant issues in Japan’s contemporary landscape.

Key Features & Benefits

• Duration & Appointment: 10-month appointment starting October 1.
• Compensation: Salary based on Stanford policy, prorated from an $80,000 annual rate for the 10-month term.
• Research Support: Up to USD 3,000 for research expenses.
• Fellows are expected to reside on campus, participate fully in Japan Program events, present their research findings in seminars, and contribute to APARC’s publication programs.

Eligibility & Requirements

• Must hold a PhD, but not more than three years past conferral at the start of the fellowship.
• The degree conferral / certification must occur by June 30 prior to the fellowship start.
• Certification of degree finalization must be submitted no later than August 31.
• Must be in residence for the fellowship period and actively engage with the Japan Program at APARC.

Application Procedure & Deadlines

• Deadline: All application materials must be submitted by December 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
• Materials Required:
  1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  2. Certification of degree completion and conferral (if applicable)
  3. Research statement (maximum 5 pages, double-spaced) describing your proposed project, methods, contributions, and publishable output
  4. Three letters of recommendation submitted in PDF form to
• After all materials are received, Stanford confirms application completion via email. If you don’t receive confirmation, you can check your status.

Why This Fellowship Is Valuable

• Offers dedicated time and institutional support to advance research on key issues in contemporary Japan.
• Provides access to Stanford’s scholarly community, events, public seminars, and publication avenues.
• The research support and salary make it feasible to focus deeply on scholarly output without needing heavy teaching or external obligations.