Top Students in SPICE’s 2025–26 Local Programs in Japan Are Honored

Congratulations are extended to the 2025–26 student honorees from Fukuoka Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, Kagoshima City, Kawasaki City, Kobe City, Minamata High School, Oita Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Jonas Edman

In 2016, SPICE launched its first regional online program in Japan. Today, SPICE works with local partners across Japan to offer programs that engage students in the study of U.S. society and culture, U.S.–Japan relations, and global issues. Students develop their perspectives through discussion and research and present their work at the end of their courses.

In August 2026, SPICE held four award ceremonies at Stanford University. Eighteen honorees from eight regional programs and one school-based program were recognized for their accomplishments during the 2025–26 year, including the quality of their final research projects. SPICE Director Dr. Gary Mukai welcomed guests and delivered closing remarks at each event.

The students’ visits extended beyond the ceremonies. Depending on their itineraries, groups explored San Francisco, toured Stanford’s campus, visited technology companies such as Google, Apple, and Sony, and spent time at the Computer History Museum. These experiences gave students opportunities to learn about the Bay Area and connect what they had studied online with places and people they encountered in person.

students with plaques standing outside of Encina Hall at Stanford

The first ceremony was held on August 6, 2026, for students from Stanford e-Kobe and Stanford e-Minamata. Opening remarks were delivered by Consul Asami Chikae, Consul for Science, Technology and Education at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Stanford e-Kobe instructor Alison Harsch and Stanford e-Minamata instructor Natalie Montecino also offered opening comments before the honorees gave their presentations. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kobe

Sakura Oe; Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Shotaro Take; Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School

Stanford e-Minamata

Rento Hiraishi; Minamata High School
Asuka Umekawa; Minamata High School

In the second ceremony, on August 10, 2026, top students from Stanford e-Fukuoka and Stanford e-Oita were honored. Aya Nakajima, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, delivered opening remarks. Kasumi Yamashita, instructor of both Stanford e-Fukuoka and Stanford e-Oita, also offered opening comments before the honorees presented their work. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Fukuoka

Konoha Inoyusu; Fukuoka Daichi High School
Haruki Kenyon; Kurume High School

Stanford e-Oita

Mao Hieida; Nakatsu Minami High School
Taichi Morikawa; Takada High School

During the third ceremony, on August 18, 2026, students from Stanford e-Hiroshima and Stanford e-Yamaguchi were recognized. Consul Mayu Hagiwara, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, offered opening remarks. Stanford e-Hiroshima instructor Rylan Sekiguchi and Stanford e-Yamaguchi instructor Jonas Edman also gave opening comments before the honorees presented their research. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Hiroshima

Konatsu Haga; Fukuyama Akenohoshi Girls’ High School
Momoka Nagayama; Hiroshima Inokuchi High School

Stanford e-Yamaguchi

Misaki Kobayashi; Keishin Senior High School
Hiroi Tomokawa; Iwakuni Senior High School

The fourth ceremony was held on August 20, 2026, for honorees from Stanford e-Kagoshima City, Stanford e-Kawasaki, and Stanford e-Tottori. Daniel Busto, Coordinator of Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, delivered opening remarks. Stanford e-Kagoshima City instructor Amy Cheng, Stanford e-Kawasaki instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha, and Stanford e-Tottori instructor Jonas Edman also offered opening comments before the honorees gave their presentations. The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kagoshima City

Nayuta Nei; Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Shiori Nishizono; Kagoshima Girls’ High School

Stanford e-Kawasaki

Rio Hojo; Tachibana High School
Mio Suzuki; Kawasaki High School

Stanford e-Tottori

Una Ishikawa; National Institute of Technology, Yonago College
Asumi Nishimura; Tottori Nishi High School

SPICE congratulates all 18 honorees and thanks the instructors, local partners, and guests who supported and celebrated the students. The ceremonies gave the students an opportunity to share their research with an audience at Stanford and to mark the conclusion of their year of study.

Importantly, SPICE is grateful to the school, municipal, and prefectural representatives who accompanied the students to Stanford. They are Yuki Uchimura (Fukuoka); Noriyo Hayashi (Hiroshima); Takahiko Uchitani and Nanami Nomaguchi (Kagoshima); Fuka Okutani and Tracey Freyre (Kobe); Yasunori Takaki, Masha Boyko, and Kayo Fuchigami (Minamata); Keiichi Takakura and Yuki Matsumoto (Oita); Satoru Hamahashi (Tottori); and Akinobu Tomonari (Yamaguchi).

SPICE also offers online courses to U.S. high school students on Japan (Reischauer Scholars Program), China (China Scholars Program), Korea (Sejong Korea Scholars Program), and entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship U.S.), to Chinese high school students on the United States (Stanford e-China), and to Japanese high school students on U.S. society and U.S.–Japan relations (Stanford e-Japan) and entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan).