Award,Grants & Subsidies

Current engagements:

1. Sakurada-kai Awards
2. Political Research Grants
3. Publishing Grants
4. Joint Research Grants
5. Open Call Grants
6. Subsidy for the Japanese Political Science Association (JPSA)
7. Subsidy for the Academic Societies in Political Science
8. Subsidy for the Association for Promoting Fair Elections
9. Subsidy for the Japanese Association of Electoral Studies
※For the above 1 to 4, a process of nomination and screening by a Selection Committee comprised of deans and departmental heads of political studies of designated universities is in place.

What Is Sakurada-kai Award?

Since 1983, books in the fields of political science by an eligible applicant in the applicable university
eligible to apply. It must be in a book format which shall be reviewed and selected through a strict
screening process. The deserving works are presented with any one of the Sakurada-kai, a Life-Time
Achievement or an Incentive award.

Review Process

The members of “Sakuradakai Award Review Committee” comprise of faculty heads of political science in designated universities. They meet on regular basis and are responsible for selecting the various awards.

Application Requirements for Sakurada-kai awards

1.Candidates:

Written by an eligible faculty member of designated universities in the field of political
science (professors, associate-professor, full-time lecturer or assistant professor and others deemed
acceptable by the recommending university) and the applicant must be currently registered with an
designated university.

2.Acceptable Work:

Must be in a book format published the previous year in Japan or overseas written in either Japanese
or English endorsed by the dean of political science of a designated university. The work must not
have been granted with another award elsewhere previous to the application.

3.Field of Study:

Within the context of political science dealing with affairs in domestic or overseas, contemporary or
historical, philosophical, systems, comparative politics, political systems, public administration and
others acceptable to the Screening Committee.

4.Application Document:

Must come with an Official letter of endorsement from the university and Two (2) books of own work.

Submission Deadline

Must arrive by July 20th to Sakurada-kai through designated university’s application office.

Announcement of Award Winners and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be declared in December, followed by an award ceremony in the first week of February the following year.

Joint Research Grants

Different universities conglomerate to work as a team on a selected theme with a term of 3 years on a one grant per annum basis. The maximum grant per annum is 2 million yen.
Winner is selected through the Selection Committee comprised of professors from 8 designated universities.
The team leader who will be from one of the 8 designated universities will solicit a theme and apply through the department which will be screened by Sakuradakai’s the Selection Committee comprising of professors from the 8 designated universities. However, the participating members are open to all universities.
Ongoing projects are :
1. Comparative Study of Local Government Crisis Management Policies and Earthquake Reconstruction
Leader : Kunihiko USHIYAMA, Professor, Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Meiji University
2. The Paradox of Mainstream Populists: Enriching the Elite Concept and Renewed Measurements of Populism
Leader: Airo HINO, Professor Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University

Open Call Grants

This is an ad hoc grants where Sakuradakai from time to time designates a theme.
Open calls is made to solicit applications. Potential candidates then go through a screening process under the auspice of selection committee to make final selection.
There are two ongoing projects in their 4th year and last year. They were both extended from the original 3 years term due to the ongoing COVID situation.
No new project is being solicited at the current juncture.
Ongoing projects are :
1.Historical Review of the Pre-War Constitutional Democratic Party.
Leader: Toshikazu INOUE, Professor, Faculty of Law, Gakushuin University
2.Research on Kenzo Matsumura, a politician and founding member of Sakuradakai.
Leader: Tomoki TAKEDA, Professor, Political Studies, Faculty of Law, Daito Bunka University

Application Forms for Sakurada-kai Award and other grants

Please click on to the APPLICATION FORMS at the top of the page to download any of the following:

政治研究櫻田會賞推薦書 : Recommendation Letter for Sakurada-kai Award (send via the Dean)
政治学術図書出版助成申請1,2 : Application for Publishing Grant (send via the Dean)
政治研究助成申請書 : Application for Political Research (send via the Dean)
政治研究結果報告書 : Reporting Result of Political Research Work
共同研究助成提案書 : Joint Research Grant Proposal
共同研究助成申込書 : Joint Research Grant Application(to be submitted by the Dean)

Deadline for Submissions

Publishing Grant : April 25
Sakurada-kai Award : July 20
Joint Research Grant : July 20
Research Grant : December 15