Events

2026 SSC Japan Event Shared Insights and Witnessed Alumni’s Path “From Sakura to Success”

The September 12 webinar “From Sakura to Success: Alumni Insights on Studying and Working,” hosted by Sakura Science Club in Japan and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) attracted about 90 viewers. Aimed particularly at students and young researchers interested in studying or building a career in Japan, SSC Japan coordinators who study or work in Japan now shared how their initial short-term experiences in Japan developed into longer-term academic and professional paths. The 2026 event committee was led by SSC Japan President, Mr. Sahil Dwivedi. The Q&A session was supported by additional members residing in Japan now. SSC Japan coordinator Ms. Pham Ha Trang acted as the master of ceremony.

The event consisted of four parts, the keynote session, the study in Japan panel, the work in Japan panel and the Q&A session.

Keynote Session

Two alumni served as main speakers. The first keynote speaker was Dr. Thaw Dar Wunn, from Myanmar who visited Hokkaido University in 2016 through SSP from the University of Mandalay. After the program, she returned to Hokkaido University’s English Engineering Education Program (e3 program) under the MEXT Scholarship (University Recommendation track), in Sustainable Resources Engineering (SRE). For her doctoral studies, she was fully funded under Hokkaido University’s DX Scholarship. At her current company, Dr. Thaw takes part in environmental impact assessments to ensure the safety . She emphasized that timeline after arrival in Japan is quite tight; students need to decide whether they want to work in industry or academia because the requirements may differ. Those opting for industry may require more JLPT preparation, while those landing an academic position may be required strong publication.

The second keynote speaker was Dr. Jittraporn Saengkaew from Thailand. Her first visit to Japan was through SSP 2016 from Thammasat University to Hirosaki University in Aomori. After her experience as a master’s exchange student there, she further pursued her doctoral degree in material science. After obtaining her Ph.D., she joined NIMS, the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS-Tsukuba, Japan), as a postdoctoral researcher. She also stayed in Germany for a year as a visiting researcher representing NIMS. After she got back, she found her current position as an associate researcher at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo. She emphasized that the Sakura Science experience was not simply a short visit but became an important starting point for subsequent opportunities. She advised everyone to remain curious, take advantage of opportunities when they arise, and maintain relationships with the people you meet along the way.

Study in Japan Panel

Mr. Nico (OIST, PhD student) and Ms. Huang Wei (Hiroshima University, PhD student) shared points to consider before applying to Japanese universities.

  • Do thorough research before contacting the professors. Sometimes, you won’t get a reply but look for multiple places, and join conferences to meet professors in person.
  • It is better to have some Japanese skills unless you are going to be in an English-taught program. Especially so, if your lab consists of Japanese members. It helps your daily life, too.
  • Some scholarships require university recommendation while others like the Honjo Scholarship do not:
    https://ssp.jst.go.jp/sns/abroad/mayway/20220909_2.html
    https://ssp.jst.go.jp/sns/abroad/mayway/20230316_1.html
  • TA(teaching assistant)/RA(research assistant) positions with the university can help pay some of living expenses. They can help you build your skills, but balancing is key.
  • Remote campuses in Japan may require you to drive due to lack of public transportation. City campuses are convenient, but can lead to expensive rent and high living costs.
  • After arrival, one can enjoy life outside of study by joining local events , local international associations, etc.

Work in Japan Panel

Dr. May (Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Osaka) and Dr. Jittraporn (master’s from Thammasat University and PhD. from Hirosaki University) shared how they found their jobs after graduation.

For industry, Japanese and international students start job hunting 1.5 years before graduation. Although there is a prevalent job-hunting platform named MyNavi, one can apply directly through each company’s website.” Submission of JLPT level is not obligatory. There will be multiple interviews per company. Upon request, some companies do conduct interviews in English. Internship experiences can also enhance one’s motivation to work at that company. Her advice was to know yourself, be confident with what you have and go for your future step!

For academic positions, one can search through J-REC IN portal which posts openings for post-doc positions, associate professors and so on. Another option is to look through LinkedIn or to use a recruiting agent. Dr. Jittraporn noted that actual offer in academia can come quickly through referral, but finding a permanent academic position in Japan is quite difficult. In conclusion, both panelists agreed that connections and ties are important─not to isolate yourself in the lab but to take part in social programs to broaden your network.

Q&A Session

In the Q&A session, most questions focused on study in Japan, ranging from how to　　choose universities and laboratories, what the Japanese professors look for in international students, how to finance one’s study in Japan as a self-financed international student, post-doctoral positions in Japan and so forth.