My Quarantine Experience
Hello everyone. I am Arief Anthonius Purnama, from Indonesia. I arrived in Japan in June 2021. I am going to study at Shimane University. I am going to share my…
Making Study Abroad a Little Less Daunting for Africans
The Study Abroad Research Institute African students remain a rare breed in contemporary Japan, despite the rapid internationalization of the country’s population. Japanese government data show that as of May…
Going in Cashless in Japan: a Starter’s Guide to Several Options
Despite a large number of banks and other financial services providers pushing people to use electronic payments, Japan remains very much a cash-centered society. As of the second quarter of…
Three Ways to Travel Cheaply Within Japan
The days of intercity vacations, at least within Japan, appear to be back. The “Go To Travel” campaign, a voucher system under which the government subsidizes up to USD 90…
Managing Your Money the Local Way: Introduction to Financial Investments in Japan
For foreigners looking to live and work in Japan in the long term, simply finding ways to save money on day-to-day life may not be sufficient to reach certain long-term…
Three Ways to Save Money While Living in Japan
Big cities in Japan, where many foreigners study or work, can be some of the most expensive places to live in. Rough estimates show that, in central Tokyo, even tiny…
Four Essential Items to Help You Survive a Japanese Winter
Japanese winters can be cold, brutally cold. Data from the Japan Meteorological Agency shows that in 2021, the coldest month of January saw the temperature in Tokyo dip to as…
Alumni Voices: Nondo-Jacob Sikazwe, Finding a Personal Niche by Connecting the Dots
Nondo graduated from Chiba University with a master’s degree in engineering under the MEXT Scholarship program. Currently, he is working at design consultancy A.C.O. Inc., where, as a user experience…
Profiles of MEXT Scholars Applying for Financial Aid
This is a collection of stories from some of the applicants for MSA’s Giving Back Initiative. Many of these applicants are struggling due to the heavy burden of the quarantine…