DEADLINE: Illuminating Today's Japan for American Audiences

One U.S.-based journalist will be selected for a 19-day reporting trip in Japan, to be conducted throughout the fall of 2017, in the fifth year of ICFJ's "Illuminating Today's Japan for American Audiences" program. The participating journalist will work with an experienced Japanese interpreter and fixer, and are expected to dig into the economic, social, cultural, environmental and energy-policy challenges facing the country. Deadline: Jul 31, 2017.

Although the world is interconnected as never before, international news coverage is likely at an all-time low. As important as Japan is in the constellation of U.S. relationships abroad, Japan’s appearances in the news reflect neither its global importance nor that of the Japan-U.S. relationship. This program, organized by ICFJ and funded by the Sasakawa Foundation, will help to make independent coverage of neglected issues possible. As a result of this program, American audiences will receive fresh, innovative coverage of topics that highlight Japan.

The participant will be selected based on the quality of story idea, as the story should have immediate relevance to the journalist’s own community. Examples of issues that journalists could explore include business, trade, energy, culture, immigration and climate change. Other key considerations include the journalists’ professional qualifications, level of experience and their media organization’s audience.