THE 24th NSK-JE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

A four-week professional orientation programme in Japan for five European journalists

 Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK), the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association, has taken great interest in promoting international understanding and friendship through cooperation with journalists of all nationalities ever since its establishment in 1946.

The NSK-JE Fellowship Programme is one of many programmes carried out by NSK for the purpose of advancing the above objective and is designed for European journalists.

The Journalists in Europe office in Paris is responsible for the pre-selection and recommendation of the fellows. Applicants for the programme can be up to 35 years old. They should have at least five years of experience as full-time professional journalists. They must have a good command of English listening, speaking and writing, as all the lectures and individual interviews will be conducted in English.

In addition, let us make it very clear to prospective participants that they must understand this programme is designed to provide a comprehensive view of Japan and that they will be disappointed if they come to pursue only aspects of our country that interest them, with the exception of the individual news-gathering period.Also, it would help the fellows if they acquire some knowledge of Japanese before coming, although this is not essential.And, of course, it is desirable for NSK as well as for the fellows that they be able to adjust themselves quickly to Japanese social practices and customs, as the programme lasts four weeks.

The duration of the programme is four weeks, from February 1 to 28 2003.

The first part of the programme will consist of lectures to be held at the NSK office or at the lecturers' offices. A group tour follows. The lectures will cover politics, the economy, society, culture and other aspects of Japan, given by outstanding lecturers, active in their respective fields. The group tour will last about seven days, during which various social and cultural activities will be planned. The main objective of the first part of the programme is to promote a better understanding of Japan in general.The fellows will spend the remainder of the period studying in areas of their individual interests in Tokyo and its surrounding areas.

The fellows will be requested to submit two reports to NSK during the programme. They will also be asked to send clippings or copies of articles they write on Japan after returning home.

The programme provides the fellows with a per diem allowance of 5,500 Japanese yen for the duration of the programme.

The accomodation fee (breakfast is included) will be paid by NSK separately. The per diem should be sufficient for meals, transportation expenses in Tokyo and for miscellaneous personal expenses.

Reference materials will be provided. The fellows are requested to pay the cost of coming to Japan and returning home, including their airfare to and from Japon.

Single rooms have been reserved for the fellows at the International House of Japan (IHJ - Kokusai Bunka Kaikan) in Tokyo. As each room does not have its own lavatory and bathing facilities, the fellows are requested to use the common facilities available at IHJ. It is hoped that the fellows realize that IHJ is a dormitory-type accommodation for foreign scholars and researchers, and not a luxury hotel. An important advantage of IHJ is that it houses a library well-stocked with books and reference materials on Japan that can be used by guests.

Facilities at the Foreign Press Center/Japan (FPC), Nippon Kisha Club (Japan National Press Club), Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) and IHJ as well as NSK will be made available to the fellows under certain conditions.

Fellows are expected to come to Japan alone. In case they wish to bring their spouses, they should make arrangements, through NSK, for twin or double rooms at IHJ and bear all expenses for their spouses. Spouses cannot participate in the programme.