BY THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS CLUB OF JAPAN

The Swadesh DeRoy Scholarship is an annual scholarship award by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) that was created in honor of a respected long-time journalist member of FCCJ to encourage and support university students, who are interesting in entering the foreign journalism field.

The FCCJ plans to present three scholarship awards for the 2008-2009 academic year to any current undergraduate or graduate student in Japan, or Japanese student enrolled in an overseas journalism program. The lump sum gift award is intended to help students further their journalistic pursuits and should be used for such purposes (e.g. language courses, travel, computer purchase, books, living expenses during a journalism internship).

The first place prize will be 500,000 yen, second place prize 300,000 yen and third place 200,000 yen. Additional smaller prizes may be awarded on the discretion of the judges. Entries must be submitted no later than January 19, 2009.

The entries will be judged by a panel of veteran journalists in print, television and photography. The winning entry will be published in FCCJ’s monthly magazine No. 1 Shimbun. Winners will also be asked to submit a short article (200-300 words) detailing how the scholarship award is helping them in their journalism pursuits by June 30 for publication in the club magazine (comments may also be used in promotion and fundraising materials).

Please see below for entry details and background on the FCCJ.

(Students interested in journalism are also invited to apply for the FCCJ’s student membership program. Accepted students will be given a limited complimentary membership to the club for one year.)

ENTRY DETAILS
Students can apply by submitting an application form, resume, copy of a student photo ID, a brief statement explaining what you would use the prize monies for, and ONE of the following (Please see the accompanying attachment “How to submit a winning entry” for tips and suggestions):

PRINT: An 800-1,200 word unpublished article in English on one of topics.
Applicants are encouraged to include photos with their text but not required to do so.

PHOTO: A 200-250 word written introduction about what the photos are meant to convey as a journalistic work and a selection of at least ten 8x10 photos (color or black and white) on one of the topics with captions. Students may also submit a contact sheet or a group of digital photo thumbnails in addition to the photos. Entries must be printed photographs. Digital images on CDs and DVDs will not be considered due to the nature of the judging process.

VIDEO: 1.5 minute – 3 minute television story package on one of the topics. Video contributions should be in spirit and principle the sole work of one individual although cited assistance from outside sources is permitted.

THE TOPICS (Choose one):

- The impact or influence of Japanese culture on the rest of the world: Interest in Japanese culture (sports, literature, food, anime, music, movies…) is increasing throughout the world. Pick one aspect of Japanese culture, find an interesting story about how that is being “exported” outside of Japan and tell us about it.
- Japan – an aging society: Japan’s population is aging at a far greater pace than the rest of the world. In the next few years alone, an unprecedented number of workers are expected to retire, while the rate of birth remains one of the lowest in the world. How is this changing society, business or culture? Find an interesting story about a person or trend and tell us about it.

**** Entries must be in English****

AWARD:
First Prize 500,000 yen
Second Prize 300,000 yen
Third Prize 200,000 yen

DEADLINE: January 19, 2009
(Overseas applications that are received after Jan. 19 will still be accepted as long as a copy of it is emailed to daibo@fccj.or.jp by the deadline)

An announcement will be made in early February and awards will be presented at a dinner honoring winners at the FCCJ on March 26, 2009.

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS: Yukari Iwatani Kane, Alan Brender

CONTACT:
Takako Daibo
Yurakucho Denki North Building 20F
Yurakucho 1-7-1, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-0006
Email: daibo@fccj.or.jp
Tel: 03-3211-3161

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan is a shadan hojin non-profit organization, established in November 1945, to promote friendship, harmony and mutual welfare among its members, to defend the freedom of the press, and to increase friendly relations between Japan and other countries. The first members were a group of journalists accredited to General Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters. The club has since grown to more than 300 working journalists, representing news organizations from around the world. FCCJ is run by an elected board of directors and appointed committees.