JT to grant 11 Asian student scholarships

Japan Tobacco Inc. said today that it would grant scholarships to 11 students from Asia as part of its 2014 Asian Scholarship Program (ASP) for human resource development in the region.

Aiming to promote international exchange and human resource development in Asia, the JT ASP was established in 1998 to offer financial support to Asian students.

Through the program, Asian graduate school and doctoral course students currently or imminently financing their own studies at 37 universities and colleges selected by JT throughout Japan will receive ¥150,000 each month for up to two years.

Every year JT awards scholarships to about 10 applicants, and a total of about 20 scholarship students study in each round of the program. There will be 21 scholarship students during this fiscal year, a number that includes the newly granted 11 students: four men and seven women.

A total of 194 students have been awarded scholarships since 1998.

As well as supporting study and research in Japan, JT offers also several opportunities to experience Japanese culture, establish networking with young JT employees and visit JT facilities.

“As a good corporate citizen, the JT Group has established various key areas for social contribution activities in the JT Group Social Contribution Policy, focusing on social welfare, arts and culture, environmental protection and disaster relief,” JT said in a note posted on its website.

“The JT Group will continue to conduct various social contribution activities including the JT Asian Scholarship Program.”