The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), in partnership with the Japan-United States Friendship Commission (JUSFC), is offering the 2025 Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan. This program aims to promote the study of Japan in the United States, foster U.S.-Japan scholarly exchange, and cultivate future leaders and scholars focused on Japanese society, political economy, and international relations. The fellowships support original research and writing projects that require advanced Japanese language skills and involve direct engagement with Japanese-language sources, data, or interviews.

Eligible applicants must be individuals, specifically U.S. citizens residing domestically or abroad, or foreign nationals who have lived in the U.S. or its jurisdictions for at least three years prior to the deadline. Applicants must not be currently enrolled in a degree program unless they have completed all requirements and are awaiting degree conferral, in which case a formal letter of confirmation is required. Organizations and students in active degree programs are not eligible. The program particularly encourages applications from junior scholars (those within seven years of their terminal degree), independent scholars, and faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.

Award amounts are $5,000 per month for full-time work, with funding available for projects ranging from six to twelve months. The total amount available for fiscal year 2026 is anticipated to be between $120,000 and $180,000, with approximately three awards expected. Projects must commence between January 1, 2026, and September 1, 2027, and run for a continuous period starting on the first day and ending on the last day of the selected months. Applicants are expected to devote full-time effort to the proposed work during the fellowship period and must forgo major commitments such as teaching or administrative duties.

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by April 23, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Letters of reference are due by May 21, 2025. A live pre-application webinar is scheduled for March 5, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Required components of the application include a narrative, work plan, bibliography, resume, and, when applicable, degree conferral letters, sample translations, database entries, and visual materials. The application must adhere to strict formatting guidelines and must not exceed specified page limits.

Applications are evaluated based on six review criteria: intellectual significance, advancement of public or scholarly understanding of Japan, applicant qualifications, project organization and clarity, feasibility of the work plan, and likelihood of project completion. NEH will notify applicants of award decisions in December 2025. Award recipients must submit a final performance report within 120 days of the project's end, detailing the accomplishments and dissemination efforts related to the funded work.

For questions, applicants may contact the NEH Division of Research Programs by phone at 202-606-8200 or via email at fellowships@neh.gov.