The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation

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The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation Created in 1983 to advance Maureen and Mike Mansfield's life-long efforts to promote understanding and cooperation between the United States and Asia

The U.S.-Japan alliance depends on people who understand both sides of the relationship. These five Alumni Fellows worki...
10/21/2026

The U.S.-Japan alliance depends on people who understand both sides of the relationship. These five Alumni Fellows working in security and defense-related fields show how a year inside the Japanese government builds the language skills, trusted relationships, and policy perspective that strengthen their work in federal service.

Take the next step in your career. Applications for the 31st Class of the Mansfield Fellowship Program are due by November 2, 2026. Apply now at mansfield.embark.com/apply/2027.

What responsibilities do scientists have beyond scientific discovery?Dr. Yuko Kakazu, a member of Cohort 7 of the Mansfi...
10/20/2026

What responsibilities do scientists have beyond scientific discovery?

Dr. Yuko Kakazu, a member of Cohort 7 of the Mansfield Foundation’s U.S.-Japan Network for the Future, joins Mansfield Foundation Vice President Sara Harriger to discuss her journey from growing up in Okinawa to becoming an astronomer, and how her work has expanded to connect science, community, and public policy.

Drawing on her experience in Hawaii, Kakazu reflects on the importance of listening to Indigenous communities, making science more inclusive, and strengthening U.S.-Japan research collaboration.

Listen to the latest episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts!

Youtube: https://youtu.be/9jkSl7wSQ1c?si=56Xks4LftdNKjxyu
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SADmRwsq8ZKAnMOcCfU5f?si=PpljeW5ATniRH2PXmtuEvw
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/rethinking-science-and-community-in-japan-and-the-u/id1727384522?i=1000793875566&l=en-GB

The clock is ticking! ⏳ Applications for the 31st Class of the Mansfield Fellowship Program close on November 2, 2026.O...
10/16/2026

The clock is ticking! ⏳ Applications for the 31st Class of the Mansfield Fellowship Program close on November 2, 2026.

Open to U.S. federal employees, this is your chance to spend a year immersed in Japan alongside a cohort of federal colleagues. Fellows begin with pre-departure Japanese language and area studies training, then complete a seven-week homestay and intensive language program in Ishikawa Prefecture, followed by ten months of professional placements in Government of Japan offices.

You'll return with a deeper understanding of the Japanese language, culture, and decision-making; lasting relationships across the Government of Japan; and a greater ability to advance your agency's work with Japanese counterparts on shared priorities such as defense, economic security, science and technology, energy security, and nuclear nonproliferation.

Don't wait. Apply now at mansfield.embark.com/apply/2027 and learn more at mansfieldfellows.org

Dr. Jennifer Sklarew, Assistant Professor at George Mason University’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy, c...
10/15/2026

Dr. Jennifer Sklarew, Assistant Professor at George Mason University’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy, came to the Mansfield Fellowship after energy-focused roles in government and the private sector, including leading the Commerce Department's work on Japanese electricity and gas deregulation.

Her placements across Japanese agencies and the Diet gave her wisdom on how policy gets made, which she brought back to Commerce to work more effectively with her Japanese counterparts. A memorable moment: an unexpected exchange of bows with Prime Minister Koizumi outside a shingikai meeting.

Her book, "Building Resilient Energy Systems: Lessons from Japan" (Routledge), draws directly on what she learned during her Fellowship. The friendships, she says, have lasted just as long. Her advice to future Fellows: think beyond your own career, and focus on what you can co-create with your Japanese colleagues.

What makes Tokyo work so differently from other major cities, and what can the rest of the world learn from it?Joe McRey...
10/13/2026

What makes Tokyo work so differently from other major cities, and what can the rest of the world learn from it?

Joe McReynolds, a member of Cohort 7 of the Mansfield Foundation’s U.S.-Japan Network for the Future, joins guest host John Bradford from YCAPS to explore Tokyo’s unique approach to urban development, from private railways and flexible zoning to neighborhood businesses and small-scale spaces.

Listen to the latest episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts!

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xgv22Nh-0UI
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6P7pNOoILXGjJu0Ty7RHat
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/what-tokyo-can-teach-us-about-cities-with-joe-mcreynolds/id1727384522?i=1000792591882&l=en-GB

How do Mansfield Fellows turn a year in Japan into career momentum? For these five Alumni Fellows working in telecommuni...
10/12/2026

How do Mansfield Fellows turn a year in Japan into career momentum? For these five Alumni Fellows working in telecommunications and transportation, the answer lies in the expertise, professional networks, and firsthand insight into Japanese policymaking they brought back to their agencies.

Your next career move could start in Tokyo. Applications for the 31st Class of the Mansfield Fellowship Program are due by November 2, 2026.

Apply now at mansfield.embark.com/apply/2027

From energy security to environmental policy, Mansfield Fellows carry the experience of their year in Japan back to fede...
10/08/2026

From energy security to environmental policy, Mansfield Fellows carry the experience of their year in Japan back to federal service, and its impact lasts. These five Alumni Fellows show how the skills, contacts, and expertise gained through the Fellowship have shaped their careers in energy and environmental fields.

Ready to chart your own path? Applications for the 31st Class of the Mansfield Fellowship Program are due by November 2, 2026. Apply now at mansfield.embark.com/apply/2027

What does a year in Japan mean for a career in trade policy? Participation in the Mansfield Fellowship Program provides ...
10/06/2026

What does a year in Japan mean for a career in trade policy? Participation in the Mansfield Fellowship Program provides valuable skills, contacts, and expertise that help Fellows advance their careers upon their return to federal service. When it comes to economic and trade-related fields, these five Alumni Fellows demonstrate a few of the possibilities for post-Fellowship career pathways.

Applications for the 31st Class of the Mansfield Fellowship Program are due by November 2, 2026. Apply now at mansfield.embark.com/apply/2027

During the 30th Mansfield Program Fellows’ language immersion and homestay in Kanazawa, Fellows Claire Park (USAF) and D...
09/29/2026

During the 30th Mansfield Program Fellows’ language immersion and homestay in Kanazawa, Fellows Claire Park (USAF) and Dominique Duval-Diop (DOC) participated as guest speakers at the “21st Century Ishikawa Youth Wings” Global Camp. The camp brought together 28 high school students from across Ishikawa Prefecture.

The Fellows shared their personal journeys of adapting to new environments, including their difficulties and victories. They also introduced students to careers in public service, data science, and international cooperation, highlighting Kanazawa's own open data in addition to U.S. open data efforts. The students listened with curiosity and asked thoughtful questions.

By sharing honest stories of both struggle and success, Claire and Dominique hoped to show that challenges can become opportunities for growth and to encourage the students to imagine broader possibilities for their futures.

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