In 2015, SPICE launched Stanford e-Japan, a national online course that enrolls high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture and U.S.–Japan relations. In 2016, SPICE launched Stanford e-Tottori, SPICE’s first regional program in Japan that enrolls high school students from across Tottori Prefecture. As of this fall, SPICE now enrolls approximately 230 students from eight regional programs in Japan. Five programs are prefectural programs (Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Oita, Tottori, and Wakayama), and three are municipal programs (Kawasaki, Kobe, and Kagoshima). SPICE’s newest course, Stanford e-Kagoshima City, was just launched this month. Six top students from Fukuoka, Oita, and Kobe were honored on Stanford campus on August 15, and six top students from Kawasaki, Tottori, and Wakayama were honored on August 17. The ceremony for Stanford e-Hiroshima was held virtually last month. 

Both in-person ceremonies began with opening comments by Yumiko Ishii, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. She commented on how envious she felt that high school students in Japan today have access to online programs such as Stanford e-Japan and the regional programs and can learn various aspects of U.S.–Japan relations virtually, an opportunity she didn’t have as a student. She also noted that “as I was born and raised in the city of Tokyo, I wish that I could have interacted with high school students like you from other regions of Japan… I hope you, young leaders, will continue to deepen our countries’ friendship and exchange as we move forward.” 

Ishii’s opening comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. The instructors and student honorees are:

Stanford e-Fukuoka (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita) 
Student Honoree: Rui Ogura   
School: Chikushi Jogakuen High School   
Project Title: Creating a New System for a Sustainable Society: From Fukuoka to the World 

Student Honoree: Ayumi Ryu   
School: Kurume High School   
Project Title: A Better Hometown with a Sustainable Food Supply  

Stanford e-Kawasaki (Instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha)  
Student Honoree: Miho Ebisawa   
School: Tachibana High School   
Project Title: Possibility of Entomophagy 

Student Honoree: Aoi Yagi   
School: Kawasaki High School   
Project Title: Forest Fires in the U.S.

Stanford e-Kobe (Instructor Alison Harsch)  
Student Honoree: Kiyoka Ueda   
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School   
Project Title: Multiculturalism of Cuisine in Japan and the U.S.: How Washoku Influences Food Culture in the U.S.

Student Honoree: Jaine Haruka Buck   
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School   
Project Title: LGBTQ+ History: Japan vs. USA 

Stanford e-Oita (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)  
Student Honoree: Sae Higashi   
School: Usa High School   
Project Title: Gender Inequality in Schools

Student Honoree: Nanako Hara   
School: Kusu Miyama High School   
Project Title: “A Pantry for Everyone” Project 

Stanford e-Tottori (Instructor Jonas Edman)  
Student Honoree: Miyoko Mabuchi   
School: Tottori Nishi High School   
Project Title: How to Stop Depopulation in Tottori with Uber Taxis  

Student Honoree: Marin Okabe   
School: Yonago Higashi High School   
Project Title: How to Make the Rate of Foster Parenting Increase 

Stanford e-Wakayama (Instructor Makiko Hirata)  
Student Honoree: Hanako Tanose   
School: Seirin High School   
Project Title: Education Support in Southeast Asia

Student Honoree: Sena Ishibashi   
School: Hashimoto High School   
Project Title: On HSP, Highly Sensitive People

Following each ceremony, the students enjoyed a luncheon, a campus tour, and a dinner. Many students commented that one of the highlights of the visit to Stanford was having the chance to meet high school students from other regions of Japan. Instructor Yamashita commented, “It was an honor to observe the 12 students deliver their presentations in English. They were all very well prepared and spoke with such ease and poise. When challenging questions arose during their Q&A session, they were unflustered and approached each question with curiosity and confidence. They all showed genuine concern for the world around them.”

Importantly, SPICE is grateful to the Board of Education representatives who accompanied the students to Stanford. They are Kyoko Tomita (Fukuoka Prefecture), Kentaro Kojima (Kawasaki City), Shin Hasegawa and Hiroko Murakami (Kobe City), Hironori Sano and Noriko Fujitsuka (Oita Prefecture), Shuichi Hata (Tottori Prefecture), and Masanori Toda (Wakayama Prefecture).