CWAJ is proud to present our 2025 Scholars
For scholar profiles PDF, please contact CWAJ Scholarship
Graduate Scholarship for Japanese Women to Study Abroad
CWAJ Cultural Exchange Graduate Scholarship
for Japanese Women to Study Abroad
3.5 million yen (Supported by the Japan Foundation)
Haruka NAMEKAWA
Education: BA, College of Liberal Arts, University of Tokyo, Japan
Study Program: MBA, Duke University The Fuqua School of Business, USA
After graduating, Ms. Namekawa worked for a consulting firm in Tokyo for 3 years, then transitioned to a healthcare-focused consulting company, where she worked for 4 years. She hopes to contribute to the Japanese medical and elderly care industries and aims to develop her expertise in hospital management. Ms. Namekawa will attend Duke University, which offers a renowned healthcare-focused MBA program.
She has a 2.5-year-old son, and he and her husband will accompany her during her studies. She hopes to be a role model for women pursuing their careers while raising a family.
CWAJ Cartier Scholarship
for Japanese Women to Study Abroad
3.5 million yen (Funded by Cartier Japan)
Miina KOYAMA
Education: Bachelor of Engineering, Communication and Computer Engineering Department, School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Japan
Study Program: Master of Educational Technology and Applied Learning Sciences, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Department of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
While studying computer science at Waseda University, Ms. Koyama completed multiple engineering internships at technology companies and conducted research on an AI‑driven English conversation system. This summer she will enter Carnegie Mellon University’s Master of Educational Technology and Applied Learning Sciences program, where she plans to investigate personalized learning that utilizes learning histories and biometric signals. Her goal is to design environments that help every learner reach their full potential, and to encourage more women and other under‑represented groups to flourish in STEM fields.
Graduate Scholarship for Non-Japanese Women to Study in Japan (NJG)
CWAJ Graduate Scholarships
for Non-Japanese Women to Study in Japan (NJG)
2.0 million yen
Lingna YU (People’s Republic of China)
Education: Zhiyuan Honor Degree of BSc, Biomedical Science, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, PRChina
Study Program: PhD, Department of Frontier Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Japan
Ms. Yu has a background in biomedical science, with diverse research experiences spanning genetic analysis of odor perception variation, computational modeling of Parkinson’s disease, and innovations in stem cell purification strategy. Driven by a commitment to advancing human welfare and equity, she is now focused on enhancing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) by integrating advanced technologies such as 3D tracking of embryonic development and machine learning, to make this therapy more accessible to families. Beyond her research, her motivation has also led her to promote walking football among senior citizens in China.
CWAJ Cultural Exchange Graduate Scholarship
for Non-Japanese Women to Study in Japan
2.0 million yen each (Supported by the Japan Foundation)
Wiliter Chemutai MOMANYI (Republic of Kenya)
Education: BSc, Agricultural Education and Extension, Egerton University, Kenya; MSc. Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya; MSc. Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Study Program: PhD, Environmental Studies, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Ms. Chemutai has a background in agricultural education, research, economics, and environmental science. For the past 10 years, she has led research on good and sustainable agricultural practices that help farmers adapt to climate change. Her current work focuses on how Kenyan farmers can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen climate change adaptation strategies. By exploring the integration of AI tools in agriculture, she aims to contribute to evidence-based policymaking and the development of ethical frameworks that support AI-driven innovations for sustainable farming and food security in developing countries.
Sofía HUERTA NUNES (United Mexican States)
Education: BA, Human Rights and Peace Management, Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana,Mexico; MA, Peace and Conflict Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan
Study Program: PhD, Peace and Conflict Studies, Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan
With a background in human rights, Ms. Huerta Nunes has worked at the intersection of research and criminal investigation on sexual and gender-based violence within Mexico’s Federal Judiciary. She later co-founded an organization that offers legal and psychosocial support to women survivors. Her academic research explores the entanglement of sexual violence and militarization, currently focusing on northern Mexico’s border region and U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan. By examining how these militarized borderlands shape gender-based violence and sexual politics, she seeks to expose systems of oppression and imagine pathways toward transformative justice in a world marked by global militarization.
CWAJ Scholarship for the Visually Impaired
to Study in Japan (SVI-SJ)
Two scholarships of 1.0 million yen each (Funded by Grandma-Short-Legs)
Tomoyuki UMEYAMA
Education: BSc, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
Study Program: MSc, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Institute of Technology became Institute of Science Tokyo on October 1, 2024.)
In the Masters Course, Mr. Umeyama is studying Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) in the chemistry lab. He has a visual impairment that makes his field of vision narrow, and his eyesight is not strong. Sometimes, it is challenging for him to conduct small-scale experiments. However, his love for chemistry keeps him motivated.
Miu KITANA
Education: BEd, Special Needs School Teacher Education, School of Education, Hiroshima University, Japan
Study Program: MEd, Special Needs Education, Educational Design for Teacher Educators Program, Division of Educational Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan
Ms. Kitana is doing research to understand the relationship between visual characteristics and reading performance in individuals with low vision, aiming to help them maximize their functional vision capabilities. Using experimental psychology methods, she works on developing more readable text through optimized display formats. Her approach investigates how visual parameters affect reading efficiency across varying levels of visual impairment. Her goal is to establish scientifically-based support methods and contribute to universal design that creates inclusive environments where everyone, including those with visual impairments, can participate in society without experiencing barriers to information access.
