"Program on U.S.-Japan Relations Postdoctoral Fellow"

Position Description

The Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at Harvard University's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs will offer postdoctoral fellowships during the 2026-27 academic year. We seek applications from outstanding recent PhDs in the social sciences who are conducting research that illuminates Japan's relations with the rest of the world in the broadest sense. We welcome applications from anthropology, business, economics, history, international relations, law, political science, psychology, public health, public policy, and sociology, among other fields. Scholars may examine domestic issues that bear on Japan's external relations or problems that it shares with other countries, and we encourage projects that compare Japan's experience cross-nationally. This fellowship is made possible by support from the Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies.

The Fellowship Grant

1. The postdoctoral fellowship is a twelve-month appointment, in residence in the Boston area, that begins in either August or September.
2. The award is for $70,000 paid in monthly installments, eligibility for university subsidized health insurance coverage, and up to $5,000 for research and travel funds. Postdoctoral fellows will be provided a shared office space, as well as access to the libraries and resources of Harvard University.

Basic Qualifications

Applicants must have received their doctoral degree in 2021 or later, in a discipline bearing on the Program's research areas. Research projects that focus on Japan or Japan's international role from a comparative, historical, or global perspective are welcome. Those who are selected to receive fellowships must have a Registrar-certified PhD degree by July 31, 2026. Please note that the fellowship is contingent upon degree documentation and is subject to rescission if the deadline is not met.

Contact Information

Program on U.S.-Japan Relations
61 Kirkland St, Cambridge, MA, 02138

Contact Email

usjapan@wcfia.harvard.edu

Special Instructions

The deadline for application materials is on December 22, 2025. The deadline for recommendation letters is on December 30, 2025.

Required Materials

• Curriculum Vitae
• Dissertation Title, Abstract, and Table of Contents
• Statement of Research (recommended length: 500 words) Please address the following questions in your