2023 JETs on Japan Submissions

< Deadline to pitch an article: Friday 1/27 >

USJETAA and Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) have partnered to host the JETs on Japan Forum to publish articles offering JET alumni perspectives on US-Japan relations. This series provides a platform for JET alumni to draw on their work in different fields to contribute to deeper understanding of US-Japan relations, while also elevating the visibility of exceptional alumni. Articles should be analytical in nature and targeted at a policy-savvy, general audience. We encourage submissions from all JET alumni , whether you are a senior-level Japan expert or current graduate student trying to break into the US-Japan field. Articles that are chosen for publication are posted on USJETAA’s website and also disseminated through newsletters and social media.

How to Pitch an Article

• Authors should submit an abstract (maximum: 300 words) on their proposed topic, along with their bio and a writing sample, to USJETAA via email to contact@usjetaa.org, (Subject line: JETs on Japan). Submissions for this round will be accepted until January 27, 2023.
• USJETAA, in consultation with Sasakawa USA, will select authors to invite to make full submissions.  The full article should be between 1,000-2,000 words. (This word count does not include the title, abstract, author biography, or footnotes, if needed.)
• Articles will go through a content and copy editing process, including with a professional editor, and authors will have a chance to review the final edits prior to publication. USJETAA reserves final editing privileges.
• Authors will receive an honorarium (typically $250) upon the article’s publication.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should provide in-depth commentary or analysis from the JET alumni perspective on political, economic, or diplomatic ties between the United States and Japan. Special priority is given to those that illustrate how US-Japan ties enrich American and Japanese communities or those that add to the public understanding of issues in US-Japan relations. Abstracts are selected based on the salience of the proposed topic, writing quality and style, and how well they fit the organizers’ current priorities.

To learn more about the types of topics that are good fits for this series, please skim over the previous articles. We particularly welcome pitches dealing with the following topics:

• Issues in US-Japan relations (grassroots and public diplomacy, economic/business relations, security and military cooperation, sister city/local ties, international exchange, etc.)
• US-Japan relations in the global or regional context
• US-Japan cooperation on international challenges (disaster resilience, environment and sustainability, global health, humanitarian assistance, etc.)
• US-Japan shared challenges (entrepreneurship and innovation, social justice, governance, societal issues, etc)
• Other US-Japan cooperation (joint approaches to education or language learning, science & technology, etc)

Eligibility

• You must be an alumnus/ae of the JET Program to apply.
• You must register as a member of USJETAA (free!).
• Submissions must be original content and not previously published elsewhere.
• Content and citations within submissions must be formatted per the Chicago Manual of Style Notes and Bibliography citation and format style.

Published items are the opinion of the author and do not reflect the views of USJETAA or Sasakawa USA. Submission of an abstract or article for consideration does not guarantee the article will be published on the JETs on Japan Forum. Furthermore, communication from USJETAA staff, including requests for edits to a submission, are not a guarantee that a submission will be published. USJETAA reserves the right to edit all submissions for length and clarity.

Articles posted on USJETAA’s website may be cross-posted on the Sasakawa USA website. USJETAA and Sasakawa USA retain the rights to all content published. Authors retain the rights to all original research, which may be used in the creation of other content such as articles and research projects. JETs on Japan Forum articles may be published by the author elsewhere with written permission from USJETAA and acknowledgement of first publication through the JETs on Japan Forum. Email contact@usjetaa.org to request to publish content elsewhere. 

About the Sasakawa USA/USJETAA Partnership to Promote JET Alumni Engagement in US-Japan Relations

The partnership between Sasakawa USA and USJETAA encourages American JET alumni in deepening and strengthening the US-Japan alliance through soft diplomacy and educational activities that promote mutual understanding between the United States and Japan. Since 2016, Sasaawa USA and USJETAA have offered a competitive mini-grant program vis-à-vis the 19 JET Alumni Associations (JETAA) chapters and sub-chapters aimed at increasing their capacities to host meaningful and impactful programming that highlight the bilateral relationship in their local communities. In 2018, SPFUSA and USJETAA expanded their partnership to include programming that enabled JETAA chapter leaders and individual JET alumni to stay engaged and informed on current issues within US-Japan relations. They also host the JETs on Japan Forum, which serves as resource for the wider JET and US-Japan communities and demonstrates how JET alumni are continuing to serve as informal ambassadors in US-Japan relations.