Applications Now Open for the 2026 Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship

Editors please note: JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus and at other locations at janm.org/OnTheGo. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Los Angeles is now accepting applications for the 2026 Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship.

The Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship is a fully funded leadership program for next-generation leaders in Japan. Through a yearlong program, including a two-week delegation visit to the United States, Fellows engage with leaders from government, business, and civil society to deepen their understanding of democratic values and practices while fostering stronger US-Japan relations.

Established through the generous support of philanthropist Mr. Toshizo Watanabe, the Fellowship is currently in its second year and opened applications for its third cohort on Monday, October 27.

Eligible applicants are Japanese nationals or Special Permanent Residents residing in Japan, under the age of forty-five, with at least five years of professional experience. Fellows have come from diverse fields, including government, the private sector, NGOs/NPOs, the arts, media, and education. Eight to ten fellows will be selected for the 2026 cohort. The application deadline is Thursday, January 15, 2026.

“This Fellowship has three key goals: fostering dialogue and collaboration, deepening understanding of practical democracy, and strengthening the US-Japan relationship. In today’s interconnected democratic society, where every person’s participation matters, these goals are more vital than ever. We hope to see many emerging leaders step forward to help shape the future of democracy and US-Japan relations through this Fellowship,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO. Applications can be submitted via the Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship website at janm.org/democracy/watanabe-democracy-fellowship, where you can also find detailed eligibility criteria and information about past Fellows.

###

About the Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center)

The Democracy Center is a place where visitors can examine the Asian American experience, past and present, and talk about race, identity, social justice, and the shaping of democracy. It convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement; educates and informs the public and public officials about important issues; creates strength within and among communities to advocate for positive change; and explores the values that shape American democracy. The Democracy Center looks for solutions that engage communities in self-advocacy, explore the evolving idea of what it means to be an American, and result in actions that bring everyone together. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; Democracy Center programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @democracyjanm.

About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)
Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a center for civil rights, ensuring that the hard-fought lessons of the World War II incarceration are not forgotten. A Smithsonian Affiliate and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories. JANM is a center for the arts as well as history. It provides a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over one hundred exhibitions onsite while traveling forty exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @jamuseum.

About the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation serves as the Watanabe Democracy Fellowship’s Washington, DC, implementing partner. The Foundation was created in 1983 to advance Maureen and Mike Mansfield’s life-long efforts to promote understanding and cooperation among nations and peoples of Asia and the United States. The Foundation sponsors exchanges, dialogues, and publications that create networks among U.S. and Asian leaders, explore the underlying issues influencing public policies, and increase awareness about the nations and peoples of Asia. The Foundation has offices in Washington, DC; Tokyo, Japan; and Missoula, Montana.