JCIE USA is now accepting applications for our 2026 US Congressional Staff Exchange Program! The program will take a bipartisan delegation of Congressional staffers to participate in a one-week study tour in Japan in October 2026 (final dates TBC). This year’s tour will be designed around the theme of A.I., technology, and innovation, among other key issues in US-Japan relations.
Since 1982, this program has provided participants with firsthand opportunities to deepen their understanding of Japan and the role of the US-Japan alliance in the Indo-Pacific region. The annual program has become the longest-running Congressional staff exchange program, with 237 alumni to date. Our alumni will have a chance to remain engaged in US-Japan relations after the study tour, through exclusive briefings in Washington DC and our alumni interview series.
During the trip, participants will meet with legislators, policymakers, and leading experts from academia, media, civil society, and the private sector to learn more about political, economic, and social trends in Japan, and exchange views on bilateral, regional, and global challenges of concern to both countries. In addition to Tokyo, the delegation is expected to visit Toyama in the Chūbu region. A globally recognized data-driven smart city that is expected to become Japan’s largest data center hub, Toyama is also known for its efforts to develop age-friendly communities.
The program is open to staff in both the House and the Senate. It is geared towards staff who are interested in foreign policy or Asia policy issues and dedicated to a career in public service. JCIE acts as the private travel sponsor of this program and will pay for the participants’ round-trip economy-class airfare between the United States and Japan, accommodations, meals, and other travel expenses incurred while in Japan. This year’s program is made possible by a generous grant from the Japan-United States Friendship Commission, a US federal agency. (Learn more about our past exchanges.)
If you are interested in participating in the program, please download our short application form and submit a completed copy to Kevin Bayes at [email protected] (cc: kbayes@
