Award,Grants & Subsidies for Political Studies

Current engagements:

1. The Sakurada-kai Award for Political Studies
2. Political Research Grants
3. Publishing Grants for Political Studies
4. Publishing Grants for Political Studies for Doctoral Programs
5. Joint Political Research Grants
6. Open Call Grants for Political Research
7. Subsidy for the Japanese Political Science Association (JPSA)
8. Subsidy for the Japanese Conference for the Study of Political Thought (JSCPT)
9. Subsidy for the Association for Promoting Fair Elections
10. Subsidy for the Japanese Association of Electoral Studies (JAES)
※For the above 1 to 5, 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?

Awarded annually since 1983, based on a strict selection process, to books in the field of political science at designated universities that are deemed to have made outstanding research achievements in the previous year. The relevant achievement is awarded either the Sakurada-kai Award, the Special Achievement Award, or the Incentive Award.

Selection Process

Selection for the “Sakurada-kai Award” is entrusted to a selection committee consisting of nine members recommended by the presidents of the designated universities. Selection is made at five regular meetings from May to December, with the final decision in December.

Application Requirements for Sakurada-kai award

1.Candidates:

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

2.Acceptable Work:

Must be in a book format published the previous fiscal year in Japan or overseas written in either Japanese or English endorsed by the dean of political science of a designated university.

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 Selection Committee.

4.Application Document:

Must submit 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 Secretariat through designated university’s application office.

Announcement of Award Winners and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be announced  in December, followed by an award ceremony in January.

Joint Political Research Grants

Joint research on one theme in the field of political science, represented by a full-time professor or associate professor from eight designated universities, is eligible for grants, and researchers from other than the designated universities can also participate as project team members. The subsidy period is 3 years. The upper limit of the subsidy is 2 million yen per year. One case per year is granted.
The grant recipient  will be examined and decided by a selection committee made up of professors from eight designated 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 Sakurada-kai 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)
課程博士政治学術図書出版助成申請1,2 : Application for Publishing Grant (sent 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
共同政治研究助成提案書 : Joint Political Research Grant Proposal
共同政治研究助成申込書 : Joint Political Research Grant Application(to be submitted by the Dean)

Deadline for Submissions

Publishing Grant : April 25
Publishing Grant for Doctoral Programs : April 25
Sakurada-kai Award : July 20
Joint Political Research Grant : July 20
Political Research Grant : November 30