Northeast Asia Council Japan Studies Grants

The Northeast Asia Council (NEAC) of the Association for Asian Studies, in conjunction with the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC), supports a variety of grant programs in Japanese studies. These programs are designed to facilitate the research of individual scholars, to improve the quality of teaching about Japan on both the college and precollege levels, and to integrate the study of Japan into the major academic disciplines in the United States. Applications are judged on project merits and financial need, with strong consideration given to scholars who have limited or no access to funding from a home institution. 

Please read all requirements and instructions below carefully before preparing a grant application.

Do you have questions? Post in the CFA: NEAC Japan and Korea Grants Community Forum group to get your queries answered directly by AAS staff. Please note only current AAS members can access this group. Login with your AAS membership account credentials to access the Community Forum group.

Spring 2024 Small Grants portal is now open

The call for EIAC applications will open on December 1, 2023, with a submission deadline of February 1, 2024.

Please note that there will not be a grant cycle in Spring 2024 for NEAC Japan or Korea grants.

Thank you to all those who applied in the Fall 2023 cycle. Announcements of awards were sent in December 2023.

Please note all NEAC Japan grant projects awarded in the Fall 2023 cycle will need to start after Dec 1, 2023 and be completed by August 31, 2024.

Please note all NEAC Japan grant projects awarded in the Spring 2023 cycle will need to start after May 1, 2023 and be completed by August 31, 2023.

Types of Grants Available

Research Travel within the United States
  • Please note all NEAC Japan grant projects awarded in the Fall 2023 cycle will need to start after Dec 1, 2023 and be completed by August 31, 2024
  • Awards of up to $2,500, including a maximum of $200 for daily expenses, are available to American citizens and permanent U.S. residents who are engaged in scholarly research on Japan and wish to use museum, library, or other archival materials located in the United States.
  • Only airfare, ground transportation (train, airport shuttle, bus, subway, etc.), and a maximum of $200 for daily expenses (meals & lodging) are eligible for reimbursement.
  • Passport/Visa application fees, insurance, book or equipment purchases, shipping expenses, gifts, research assistants, translation costs, photocopying expenses or supplies, and survey costs are not eligible for reimbursement.
  • If your project involves interviewing human subjects, please see specific requirements in this regard in the “Before You Apply” section below. NEAC grant funds cannot be used to pay for human subjects.
  • Although these grants are primarily intended to support postdoctoral research on Japan, Ph.D. candidates are also eligible to receive support for doctoral dissertation research at appropriate collections. Applications from graduate students must include a letter of recommendation from an advisor sent directly to the AAS Secretariat by the application deadline.
  • Grantees must use American carriers for any transportation to be reimbursed under this program. Only economy airfare is allowed.
  • Applicants must not have received funds in this category within the past three years.

Short-Term Research Travel to Japan
  • Please note all NEAC Japan grant projects awarded in the Fall 2023 cycle will need to start after Dec 1, 2023 and be completed by August 31, 2024.
  • Grants of a maximum of $7,000 are available to American citizens and permanent U.S. residents to cover travel expenses while conducting a specific project explicitly related to Japan which can be accomplished in the period of time requested.
  • These grants are intended for short-term research trips by scholars who are already familiar with Japan and with their topic, but who need time in Japan in order to complete a distinct project. Justification for why research in Japan is required to do this research must be provided.
  • NEAC research travel grant funding is not intended for partial funding of long-term research (i.e., the NEAC short-term research project must be temporally distinct), and these applications will not be considered.
  • Only airfare, ground transportation (train, airport shuttle, bus, subway, etc.), and a maximum of $200 for daily expenses (meals & lodging) are eligible for reimbursement. Passport/Visa application fees, insurance, book or equipment purchases, shipping expenses, gifts, research assistants, translation costs, COVID tests, photocopying expenses or supplies, and survey costs are not eligible for reimbursement.
  • If your project involves interviewing human subjects, please see specific requirements in this regard in the “Before You Apply” section below. NEAC grant funds cannot be used to pay for human subjects.
  • Grantees are expected to seek supplementary funds from other sources and must include a detailed budget with their application.
  • Grantees may utilize grant funds to partially offset airfare costs, but must provide justification why it is needed, e.g., that travel funds are not provided by the applicant’s home institution, etc. Note: In order to comply with the JUSFC requirement to only partially fund travel to/from Japan, international airfare reimbursement is limited to $2,400 or 75% of the international airfare cost—whichever is less.
  • Grantees must use American carriers for any international transportation to be reimbursed under this program. Only economy airfare is allowed.
  • Grants are made only to people with a Ph.D. or comparable professional qualification. Ph.D. candidates are not eligible for this program.
  • Applicants must not have received funds in this category within the past three years.

Seminars on Teaching about Japan
  • Travel to seminars, including the AAS annual conference, is ineligible for funding.
  • Please note all NEAC Japan grant projects awarded in the Fall 2023 cycle will need to start after Dec 1, 2023 and be completed by August 31, 2024
  • Projects should be designed to promote public and scholarly knowledge about Japan, including seminars and workshops designed to improve Japanese language teaching and pedagogy in Japanese studies.
  • Applicants should explain the character and rationale of their proposed seminar, identify faculty participants and their proposed contributions, and indicate how the results of the project will be made available to the profession.
  • Applicants must prepare a detailed budget estimate demonstrating all expected sources of funding/revenue, expenses, and how precisely NEAC funds would be utilized.
  • Grants will not exceed $5,000, and seminars must be held in the United States (however, an exception may be made if the host institution is a U.S. non-profit organization and the event is relevant to the U.S.-Japan bilateral relationship).
  • Speakers or participants supported by grant funds must be either U.S. citizens/permanent residents or Japanese nationals only.
  • Any international travel must occur on United States carriers and be less than first-class accommodations to be supported.
  • NEAC funds may be used for participant travel and room and board (not to exceed $200 a day), plus materials and administrative costs of organizers. Funds cannot be used for substitute teacher stipends/costs or to reimburse any expenditures incurred in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
  • Applications for projects not recently funded by NEAC will be given priority.

Small Scholarly Conferences on Japanese Studies
  • Travel to workshops or conferences, including the AAS annual conference, is ineligible for funding.
  • Please note all NEAC Japan grant projects awarded in the Fall 2023 cycle will need to start after Dec 1, 2023 and be completed by August 31, 2024
  • NEAC will accept applications for supplemental funding from scholars organizing workshops and small conferences in the field of Japanese studies to be held in the United States (however, an exception may be made if the host institution is a U.S. non-profit organization and the event is relevant to the U.S.-Japan bilateral relationship).
  • These small scholarly conferences/seminars often serve to bring together scholars from diverse regions of the United States to share knowledge on issues at the cutting edge of the field.
  • Funds will be limited to a maximum of $5,000, and may be used to help defray the costs of hosting and organizing such events. Typical uses might include: materials and administrative costs, participant travel and lodging (not to exceed $200 per day), and space rental.
  • Speakers or participants supported by the grant must be either U.S. citizens/permanent residents or Japanese nationals only.
  • Any international travel must occur on United States carriers and be less than first-class accommodations to be supported.
  • To encourage efficient use of monies, priority will be given to applicants who have successfully obtained matching funds from their home institutions or other sources.
  • Applicants must furnish detailed budgets showing travel expenses and daily costs and how precisely NEAC funds would be utilized, along with names and vitae of key personnel involved in organizing the conference.
    • Stipends or honoraria to conference organizers are not eligible for reimbursement.
  • Applications for projects not recently funded by NEAC will be given priority.

Short-Term Research Grant in the History of Japanese Sexualities 
  • Applications for this grant category will only be accepted in the fall grant cycle and must be received by the AAS Secretariat by October 1 (or the first business day after if October 1 falls on a weekend).
  • Please note there is no citizenship requirement for this grant; all AAS members may apply regardless of nationality.
  • This grant is intended for use by scholars who are already familiar with Japan and their topic, but who need time in Japan to complete their work.
  • Awards of up to $3,500 will be available for early-career scholars to cover travel and research expenses on trips to Japan for research projects focused on the history of Japanese sexualities.
  • Preference will be given to scholars whose planned research entails archival work, including use of major national and regional archives as well as smaller archives, including private collections.
  • This preference should not be understood to preclude fieldwork, such as the collection of oral histories.
  • This grant is not intended for primary and/or initial dissertation research fieldwork. Pre-doctoral research will only be considered to finalize a project. With no restrictions on candidates’ nationality or place of residence, the funding provided by this grant may be used to contribute to a long-term research project.
  • Ideal applicants should be within five years of completion of their PhD.
  • The award will be granted with the understanding that within two years of completion of their project, recipients will present the results of their research at AAS or a similar international conference with acknowledgment of the award. Any publication based on the funded research should also acknowledge the award.

Established in Honor of Mark McLelland LEARN MORE

Note about indirect costs: The AAS is unable to support funding requests for indirect costs from applicants to its small grant programs. The AAS is a membership organization rather than a funding agency, and conducts its grant programs as a service to the field through the voluntary help of its members. Funds for all grant programs originate from outside agencies, and individual awards are quite modest. We therefore require applicants’ home institutions to waive their normal indirect cost requirements.

Before You Apply
  • Applicants must be current AAS members.
  • If you need to apply for or renew your AAS membership, please be sure to take care of this before the grant application deadline, especially when a deadline falls on the weekend.
  • Only one Japan grant application per individual will be accepted in any one grant period. Multiple applications for different categories will not be entertained.
  • Graduate student applicants in any grant category (where eligible) must provide an advisor recommendation letter in order to be considered for grant funding.
  • Any applicant’s research project that requires IRB or similar approval by law or institutional practice should receive this approval from the applicant’s institution or sponsoring organization prior to conducting the research for which this NEAC grant application is made. NEAC (or the AAS by extension) bears no responsibility or liability for awarding any NEAC Research Travel Grant for projects where this IRB approval should have been secured.
  • While we strongly suggest that applicants apply to other internal or external grants to help supplement their NEAC-funded projects, please be advised that multiple grants cannot pay for the same project expense items.

The following are additional questions to guide you in your proposal writing. They are based on the criteria NEAC uses to evaluate proposals:

NEAC Travel Grants

  1. Does your proposal clearly articulate a project that makes a strong intellectual contribution to the field of Japanese Studies?
  2. Is this an original idea/research project? Or does it merely revisit established scholarship?
  3. Are the necessary methodologies clearly described?
  4. Do you have the skills (including language ability) to complete your proposed travel grant research? If not, how do you plan to conduct your research (in Japanese)?
  5. Does your proposal describe a project that needs a travel grant? Are you utilizing source materials that you cannot obtain at your home universities or online? Please explain your need to travel to specific archives or field sites.
  6. Do you specifically describe how you will use the travel grant? For example, do you list particular archives, events, places to visit, and people to interview? Have you received permission to use the resources you describe?
  7. Can you accomplish your goals within the timeframe of the NEAC grant?
  8. NEAC grants are intended to provide short-term project funding to get something specific completed instead of doing discovery work or long-term research. Does your project meet this requirement? Examples include but are not limited to completing a book, a chapter in an otherwise completed book, and an article; conducting follow-up interviewees, filling in missing information, and updating a datasets.
  9. Do you have access to other financial resources to fund/help fund this project?
  10. Does your institution have limited resources or limited funding for research and/or does your present academic appointment lack research funding?
  11. Is your budget reasonable? An inflated budget will not disqualify an applicant, but may result in a lower amount being awarded than requested.
  12. Please double check that your application follows the NEAC grant criteria and guidelines posted on the AAS website. Are all parts of your application complete? If you are a graduate student, did you provide a letter from your advisor?

For guidance in preparing your NEAC travel grant proposal, please see previously successful applications for research travel within the U.S. and for research travel in Japan.

NEAC Conference (Workshop/Seminar) Grants

In general, NEAC often considers 1) how well planned the conference is, 2) whether it focuses on central questions and issues important to the field, 3) how significant its impact on the field or institution will be (i.e., will it benefit only a small group of people or would it have broader pedagogical or research value, and/or encourage the establishment of Japanese Studies programs), and 4) if it has other sources of funding.

  1. Does the proposed conference make a strong intellectual contribution to the field of Japanese Studies? How does the exchange of ideas contribute new knowledge, research, or pedagogies? Why is it necessary for scholars to get together to discuss this topic or issue?
  2. How will the conference enrich scholars outside the conference? Or is it limited to a small or closed group? For example, will it result in new pedagogies, resources, or publications? (This is not required, but recommended.)
  3. Is the format of the conference clear?
  4. Does the application list all invited participants (NEAC understands that all participants may not be confirmed by the time of application)? How were the participants selected?
  5. Does the conference have a strong need for funding? Or would NEAC funds be supplemental?
  6. Are the organizer(s), keynoter (if applicable), and principal participants C.V.s and other supporting materials provided?
  7. Is the budget reasonable? An inflated budget will not disqualify an applicant, but may result in a lower amount being awarded than requested. Conference and workshop grant applicants must prepare a detailed budget estimate demonstrating all expected sources of funding/revenue, expenses, and how precisely NEAC funds would be utilized.
  8. Please double check that your application follows the NEAC grant criteria and guidelines posted on the AAS website. Are all parts of your application complete? 
  9. Wil the conference, seminar, or workshop be completed within the timeframe of the NEAC Grant?

For guidance in preparing your NEAC conference/workshop grant proposal, please see this example of a successful application from a prior round of funding.

How to Apply

Please view this document for step by step instructions on how to apply to a NEAC Grant.

What you will need:
(a) A project statement, not to exceed 1,000 words. The project statement must describe the topic of this project and the role that NEAC support will play in enabling the project’s completion. For research travel applications, the project statement should indicate the specific research or professional activities you will be engaged in, what archives, libraries, or other research facilities you intend to use, your tentative itinerary and a schedule of expected completion of project and/or publication. Please also indicate: Is this your first trip to the planned research site or a follow-up trip to collect information not obtained on an earlier visit? Is this particular research trip crucial to completion of your project? Why?
(b) A budget statement, delineated by type of expense. Please list all other sources and amounts of support you have obtained for this project as well as all pending applications for support. All applicants must seek additional support. Conference & workshop grant applicants must prepare a detailed budget estimate demonstrating all expected sources of funding/revenue, expenses, and how precisely NEAC funds would be utilized.
(c) A current Curriculum Vitae not exceeding two pages for the applicant. NOTE: For conferences or workshops, you must also provide similar short CVs for the conference organizer and any keynoters or principal participants.

Graduate students: request that your primary advisor prepare a letter of recommendation. Graduate students must add their advisors in their application portal and invite them to submit their recommendation. Recommenders will submit their letter by clicking on the link in the auto-generated email they will receive from grants@asianstudies.org. It is suggested that recommenders write their letter in a word processor and then copy and paste the text into the textbox. Please note that you will not be able to submit your final application until your recommender submits the letter of recommendation.

Important Dates
  • All grant applications and advisor letters must be submitted by 5:00pm Eastern Time on October 1 (for fall/winter awards), or the first business day following October 1 if it falls on a weekend.
  • Notification of awards will be made in late November/early December for the fall/winter awards.
  • To facilitate the review and notification process, all travel and/or conference projects must begin after the relevant grant cycle, i.e., after December 1 for the fall submission date.
  • All projects must be completed by August 31.
  • Submission of a NEAC grant report and all applicable forms is required within 30 days of project/research travel completion.
  • NOTE: AAS grants take the form of reimbursement rather than payment in advance, and only after project completion and grant report/form submission. Original receipts need to be retained and reimbursement is only for eligible expenses incurred up to the amount of the grant awarded.

FAQ

Travel Grants during COVID-19

Are hotel, food, and travel costs due to mandatory quarantine periods eligible for reimbursement?

Yes, hotel, food, and travel costs due to mandatory quarantine are eligible for reimbursement.

My travel location was labeled as a city with medium-risk, and I cannot travel to another travel location that I was originally planning. Can I change my research location?

If you need to change travel locations due to on-the-ground conditions, please contact the AAS Grant Manager at grants@asianstudies.org to ensure it does not mark a significant departure from your original travel grant application.

Are equipment rentals eligible for reimbursement?

Yes, certain equipment rentals such as pocket wifi are eligible for reimbursement.

Can I pay my interview subjects honoraria?

If you are unable to travel in order to interview subjects, you may pay honoraria for their time in the case of NEAC Japan Grant projects.

What receipts are accepted if I stay in a sublease rather than a hotel or Airbnb?

Lodging receipts in the case of subleases should include a personal contract and proof of money transfer to be eligible for AAS reimbursement

I originally planned to fly for my North America travel grant, but the cost of car rental is cheaper. Is car rental an eligible travel expense for reimbursement?

If you originally budget for airfare in your grant application but find driving and/or car rental costs cheaper or similar to or equivalent RT airfare, the cost of car rental will be eligible for reimbursement.

Workshops, Conferences, and Seminar Grants

My co-organizers and I have limited funds. Can an instuition bill AAS directly for room rental costs?

Yes, please contact the AAS Grant Programs Manager at grants@asianstudies.org if you need to bill AAS directly due to limited funds of workshop, conference, or seminar co-organizers.

What costs are eligible for reimbursement with AAS grant funds with my virtual event?

Honorarium for speakers, Zoom hosting, A/V equipment costs, stipends for student logistical support working those events.

QUESTIONS?

Please contact grants@asianstudies.org.