2026-27 REISCHAUER INSTITUTE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS IN JAPANESE STUDIES

Applicant Deadline: December 19, 2025 (Friday), 5:00pm EST

The Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies (RIJS) at Harvard University will offer several Postdoctoral Fellowships in Japanese Studies to recent Ph.D. graduates of exceptional promise, to provide the opportunity for postdoctoral fellows to turn their dissertations into publishable manuscripts and to continue their research in Japanese studies.

[ONLINE APPLICATION HERE]

APPOINTMENT TERM:
Year-long appointments, commencing August or September 2026.

FELLOWSHIP GRANT:

• Stipend of $70,000 and research funds up to $5,000. This appointment is eligible for subsidized medical, dental, vision, and other benefits through Harvard University.
• Postdoctoral fellows will be provided office space, as well as access to the libraries and resources of Harvard University.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Postdoctoral fellows are expected to reside in the general, greater Boston/Cambridge area in order to fully participate in RIJS activities and events during the appointment term. Postdoctoral fellows will also be expected to give a presentation at the RIJS Japan Forum lecture series.

ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must have received their Ph.D. in 2021 or later, in Japanese studies, in any area of the humanities or social sciences. RIJS especially encourages applications from those who have not previously held postdoctoral appointments at Harvard. Those who are selected to receive fellowships must have a Registrar-certified Ph.D. degree by June 30, 2026. Please note that the fellowship is contingent upon degree documentation and is subject to rescission if the deadline is not met.

***Applicant Deadline: December 19, 2025 (Friday), 5:00pm EST***
***Recommender Deadline: January 9, 2026 (Friday), 5:00pm EST***
Please note: The applicant and recommender deadlines were separated due to the nature of Harvard's online application system. Only after the application is submitted will the recommender be notified of the recommendation letter request. Applicants, to ensure a smooth process, please communicate with your recommenders in advance of the first deadline on December 19.

______________________________________________________________

Gavin H. Whitelaw, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

CGIS South Building, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

+1 (617) 495-9206 |  whitelaw@fas.harvard.edu | http://rijs.fas.harvard.edu