SAKURA SCIENCE Exchange Program

SAKURA SCIENCEHigh School Program
Activity Report 2018

Table of Contents
About the SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program......... 3
Courtesy Visit to Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Former
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (MEXT) .......................................................... 4Group 1 ............................................................................. 5Group 2 ............................................................................. 6Group 3 ............................................................................. 7Group 4 ............................................................................. 8Group 5 ............................................................................. 9Group 6 ........................................................................... 10Group 7 ........................................................................... 11Group 8 ........................................................................... 12Group 9 ........................................................................... 13Group 10 ......................................................................... 14Group 11 (Special Program for Latin America) ........... 15
Results of Participant Survey ........................................ 16
About the Cover Photographs
A Cambodian student’s visit to
the library at Ichikawa Gakuen
Ichikawa Senior High School,reading a book(May 17, 2018)

A Indian student’s visit to JAXA’s
Tsukuba Space Center, wearing
a space suit
(May 24, 2018)

A Chinese student’s visit to theTokyo Institute of Technology,
eagerly taking photos of a hugesupercomputer(July 11, 2018)

2

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

About the SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program
The SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program (SSHP)
was launched in FY2014 as part of the SAKURASCIENCE Exchange Program (Sakura Science Plan)
operated by the Japan Science and Technology
Agency (JST). In FY2014, the number of applicablecountries and regions for the program totaled 14.
The SSHP invites promising high school students, aswell as supervisors, from Asia and elsewhere to
Japan to participate in an exchange program speciallyplanned by JST.
The students take part in special classes taught by
top scientists in Japan (including Nobel laureates),
visit prominent universities and research facilities,
interact with Japanese high school students, andexperience Japanese culture. The program aims toenhance the visiting high school students’ interest inscience and technology in Japan, and to further theirtalents as global human resources that are requiredby Japan’s universities, research institutions, andcompanies. In doing so, the program seeks tocontribute to the development of science andtechnology globally.

SSHP in FY2018
In FY2018, the SSHP invited a total of 1,142
outstanding high school students and supervisors
to Japan from 28 countries and regions* in Asia andthe Pacific Islands, in addition to six Latin countries
as a special program.
The students were divided into 11 groups andparticipated in specially planned and diverse
programs over the course of seven days and six
nights over the period of early April 2018 until theend of November.
Visiting Japan for the first time, the participating
students encountered advanced science andtechnology that fully engaged their curiosity, before
returning to their home countries. In a postparticipation questionnaire, approximately 99% of
the high school students responded that they hope
to return to Japan, creating expectations that thestudents will act as bridges between their countries
and Japan in the future.

Number of Participants by Country and Region(Unit: Persons)
Area

Country/Region

Students Supervisors

Total

China
Republic of Korea

279
30

47
5

326
35

Mongolia

10

2

12

TaiwanBrunei
Cambodia
Indonesia
Malaysia
SouthMyanmar
East
Philippines
Asia
Laos
Singapore
Thailand
Viet Nam
Bangladesh
BhutanSouth- India
West
Maldives
Asia
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Kazakhstan
CentralTurkmenistan
Asia
Uzbekistan
Fiji
Pacific Papua New Guinea
Islands Samoa
Tonga
Argentina
BrazilChile
Latin
America Colombia
Mexico
Peru
Total

30
10
10
48
30
30
20
10
10
36
30
19
10
209
5
10
20
10
10
10
10
5
5
5
5
5
21
5
10
10
4
971

5
2
2
8
5
5
4
2
2
6
5
4
2
36
1
2
4
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
2
1
171

35
12
12
56
35
35
24
12
12
42
35
23
12
245
6
12
24
12
12
12
12
6
6
6
6
6
24
6
12
12
5
1,142

East
Asia

Number of Participants by Area (Unit: Persons)
24
36

65
408
334

275

East Asia
Southwest Asia
Southeast Asia
Central Asia
Pacific Islands
Latin America

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 20183

Words of Encouragement to the Students
from Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi,
the Former Minister of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)High school students from three Asian countries in Group 9 of the SSHP (two each from Brunei,
China, and Singapore) and two supervisors made a courtesy visit to Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi, theFormer Minister of MEXT on July 19, 2018.
Three high school students from the group recalled their experience in the program in Japan.
They looked back at their experience participating in the special lesson by Nobel laureate Dr.
Toshihide Maskawa. They also recalled their discussion with Dr. Mamoru Mohri, an astronautand the Director of the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, and their visits
to prominent universities and research institutions. They openly expressed such emotions as, “Ifeel honored by these valuable experiences” and “I am delighted that my dream of coming toJapan has come true.”
Responding to these comments, Mr. Hayashi further encouraged them, “Science and technology
is a major force to make our lives better. I look forward to seeing your generation grow up, andI believe that this universal exchange with students of the same age has been an extremely
valuable experience. Today, I heard that you enjoyed this program and I was able to learn a lot
from all of you. The encounters at SAKURA SCIENCE make your future life brighter, so I want
you to cherish the bonds.”
After taking commemorative photographs with the students, Mr. Hayashi warmly shook handswith each of them. They were still excited after leaving the meeting room.

4

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Group 1

S chedule

April 8 (Sun) to 14 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Students Supervisors

Total

Bangladesh
India
Indonesia
Kazakhstan
Maldives
Sri Lanka
Turkmenistan
Total

19
30
24
10
5
10
10
108

23
34
28
12
6
12
12
127

April 9

4
4
4
2
1
2
2
19

April 8(Sun)

April 9(Mon) Visit to Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Senior High School (Special lecture by
Dr. Takaaki Kajita, etc.)

April 10 (Tue)

Arrival in Japan; Orientation

Visit to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC); Tour of
Kamakura

April 11 (Wed) Visit to Yokohama National University, Chiba University, or National Institute ofRadiological Sciences
April 12 (Thu)Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

April 13

Visit to University of Tsukuba or Tokyo Metropolitan University
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony(Fri)

April 14 (Sat)Special lecture by Prof. Takaaki Kajita

Departure from Japan

April 10Visit to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth
Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

The students attended a special class by Prof. Takaaki Kajita, theNobel laureate in Physics in 2015, together with students from
Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Senior High School.
After speaking about what sparked his interest in physics, Prof.
Kajita gave an easy-to-understand talk on his discovery of how
subatomic particle neutrinos that were considered to have zero
mass actually have mass so that even high school students
could understand.

Students toured the maintenance facility of the deep sea
cruising autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) “URASHIMA”
and a hyperbaric chamber facility where deep sea conditions canbe reproduced. In addition, the group took photographs seatedin the cockpit of a life-size replica of Japan’s pride and joy, the
SHINKAI 6500 manned research submersible, as theyexperienced what it is like to be a pilot.

Prof. Kajita speaking to high school students

In front of the wide-area seabed research vessel “KAIMEI”

April 11

April 13

Visit to Yokohama National University

Visit to the University of Tsukuba

In the outline of the university, the students received a thoroughexplanation of useful information such as the allure and tuition as
well as programs in English. In addition, many foreign students
from India and Bangladesh met with the group and talked aboutlife at the university, where foreign students make up 10% of
the student population (including graduate students), in detail tohigh school students from their home countries.

After listening to the outline of the university and necessary
information for studying here, the group strolled around thesecond largest campus in Japan. The students were impressedwith the size of the campus as well as its famous beauty andenthusiastically took photos with their smartphones. Moreover,the students visited “COMA,” one of Japan’s top-tiersupercomputers in terms of processing performance, in theCenter for Computational Sciences.

High school students listen intently to the outline of the university

In front of the Miserere statue on campus

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 20185

Group 2

S chedule

April 15 (Sun) to 21 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

India

Students Supervisors30

5April 15 (Sun)
Total

April 16 (Mon) Visit to SPring-8, the K computer or National Institute of Technology, Akashi College; Tour of
Himeji Castle

35

April 17 (Tue)Visit to Kobe University, Kyoto University, or Kyoto Institute of Technology; Travel to Tokyo

Malaysia

30

5

35

April 18 (Wed) Visit to Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School (Special lecture by Prof. Akira
Fujishima, etc.)

Thailand

36

6

42

April 19 (Thu)Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

Total

96

16

112

April 20

Tour of the Sodegaura LNG Terminal of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., or JAXA Tsukuba Space Center
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony(Fri)

April 21 (Sat)

April 16

6

Arrival in Japan; Orientation

Students were split into three small groups

Departure from Japan

April 17

Visit to the Kyoto Institute of Technology

The students were divided into three groups. The first group
visited “SPring-8” and “SACLA” in RIKEN, the second group
visited the K computer in the same RIKEN facility, and the thirdgroup visited the National Institute of Technology, Akashi College.
Following an explanation, the second group was able to see thesupercomputer up close through glass.

After greetings by university Vice President Giuseppe Pezzotti,
the students watched a university introduction video. Students
also participated in programs related to different fields such as alecture on natural rubber and an introduction to research on
green innovation as well as an applied biology lecture and alaboratory visit. At lunch the students enjoyed making “chirashi
sushi” together with foreign and Japanese students from theuniversity.

Seeing the next-generation supercomputer “Kei” up close

Making chirashi sushi!

April 18

April 19

Special lecture by Prof. Akira Fujishima

Tour of the National Museum of Emerging
Science and Innovation (and meeting withits director, Dr. Mamoru Mohri)

In Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School, students
participated in a special class by former President of the Tokyo
University of Science, Prof. Akira Fujishima, who received theOrder of Culture in 2017. Students learned that photocatalysis,
which Prof. Fujishima is an expert of, is widely used in common
objects (external walls of houses and air cleaners, etc.), and that
this technology can even be used in producing artificial
diamonds, which created a stir among the students.

Director Mamoru Mohri of the National Museum of Emerging
Science and Innovation, who was also an astronaut, welcomed
the students and gave a lecture. The high school students were
captivated by Director Mohri’s interesting stories about what
sparked his interest in becoming an astronaut, his time in space,and his role and future possibilities in society as a person
involved in science and technology.

Prof. Fujishima speaking to students

Group photograph with Director Mohri

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Group 3

S chedule

May 13 (Sun) to 19 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Students Supervisors

May 13 (Sun)Total

May 14 (Mon) Visit to YASKAWA Electric Corporation or Toyota Motor Kyushu
May 15 (Tue)Cambodia

10

2

12

India

33

6

39

Myanmar

30

5

35

Total

73

13

86

Visit to Kyushu University or Kyushu Institute of Technology

May 16 (Wed) Travel to Tokyo; Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
May 17 (Thu)

Visit to Ichikawa Gakuen Ichikawa Senior High School (Special lecture by Prof. Ryoji
Noyori, etc.)

May 18

Visit to Waseda University or International University of Health and Welfare
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony(Fri)

May 19 (Sat)May 14

Arrival in Japan; Orientation

Visit to YASKAWA Electric Corporation

Departure from JapanMay 15

Visit to Kyushu University

Students were able to watch different types of robots being
assembled one after another at YASKAWA Electric’s plant.
Furthermore, in the robot battle game exhibit at the YASKAWA
Innovation Center, the students were impressed with the speed
and accuracy of robot movements. In a corner displaying robots
for medical use, the students found a robot that reproduced
flexible arm movements to be extremely interesting.

Students learned about energy research that uses geothermalheat and hydrogen. Numerous questions, such as “How do you
find the heat source for geothermal power generation?” and“How long can hydrogen energy be stored?”, were raised. The
group also met with foreign students from their home countries
and gathered information on how to study in Japan, etc.

Enthusiastically taking photos of a cutting-edge robot

Visit to Kyushu University’s hydrogen station

May 17

Interaction with Ichikawa Gakuen
Ichikawa Senior High School Students

May 17

Special lecture by Prof. Ryoji Noyori

At Ichikawa Gakuen Ichikawa Senior High School, which isdesignated as a Super Science High School (SSH), students
became acquainted with students from this school. Following awelcome party, the group took part in a regular class. Although
the lesson was conducted in Japanese, as the students learned
more by listening to English explanations, the visiting Asian highschool students and Japanese students quickly became friendly.

Students participated in a special lecture at Ichikawa Gakuen
Ichikawa Senior High School by Prof. Ryoji Noyori, the Nobel
laureate in 2001 in Chemistry. Prof. Noyori talked about
interesting stories including how his interest in science
originated from when he was small and learned that rayon ismade from coal, water, and air, and how he was inspired by theNobel Prize of Dr. Hideki Yukawa to become a scientist.

An Indian high school student participating in a class with Japanese students

A high school student asking Prof. Noyori a question

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 20187

Group 4

S chedule

May 20 (Sun) to 26 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Students Supervisors

May 20 (Sun)
Total

India

56

11

67

Philippines

20

4

24

Total

76

15

91

May 22 (Tue)May 24 (Thu)Tour of JAXA; Visit to Ibaraki Prefectural Namiki Secondary School or Rikkyo University(Experiment lab with Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, etc.)

May 25

Visit to the University of Tokyo or Keio University
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony(Fri)

Visit to Rikkyo University

Departure from JapanMay 22

Tour of the National Research Institute for
Earth Science and Disaster Resilience

Following an explanation about life in Japan and the university
from Prof. Mao Minoura of the Department of Chemistry at theCollege of Science, students were split into small groups to tour
the campus. Students visited the beautiful historical red brickivy-covered structure of the main building, a solemn chapel, andthe library on a beautiful sunny day in May and enjoyed theatmosphere of a Japanese university while taking many pictures.

After hearing about the research institute, students experienced
a portable earthquake simulator that recreates actual large-scale
earthquakes from the past. Since images within the room froman earthquake were simultaneously displayed on a large screen,
students were able to experience how the shaking and length
differ depending on the type of earthquake. During the tours of
the large-scale rainfall and earthquake simulators, everyone wassurprised by how serious rainfall and earthquakes could be.

Students touring the university’s beautiful campus

Sitting in the portable earthquake simulator

May 24

8

Tour of Kimitsu Works of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, tour of National
Institute for Materials Science and JAXA Tsukuba Space Center, or tour of National
Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience

May 23 (Wed) Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

May 26 (Sat)May 21

Arrival in Japan; Orientation

May 21 (Mon) Visit to Rikkyo University (Experiment lab with Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, etc.) or visit to
National Institute of Technology, Kisarazu College

Tour of JAXA (Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency)

May 24

Visit to Namiki Secondary School

JAXA is developing the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” of
the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting 400 km above theearth. Students were able to visit an actual control room, and thelarge screens in the front and current images of the ISS and thespace center in the United States captivated the high school
students.

Following a welcome party in a hall, students were split into
small groups to visit classrooms. The high school was busy withpreparations for an upcoming cultural festival, and high school
students from India provided a helping hand and tried origami(paper folding). Although proficient in English, explaining how to
fold origami proved to be a challenge for some of the students at
Namiki. Nevertheless, all seemed to enjoy the time spent
together.

In front of the successive rocket models

Self-introductions by the students

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Group 5

S chedule

May 27 (Sun) to June 2 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Students Supervisors

Total

Brazil

21

3

24

India

36

6

42

Taiwan

30

5

35

Total

87

14

101

May 28

Details of Tokyo Group (Brazil and Taiwan)
Details of Hiroshima Group (India)
May 27 (Sun) Arrival in Japan; Orientation
Arrival in Japan; Orientation
May 28 (Mon) Tour of Tokyo University of Science
Visit to Hiroshima University Senior High(Mathematics class of Prof. Jin Akiyama)
School; Tour of Hiroshima Peace Memorial
or University of TsukubaMuseumMay 29 (Tue) Visit to University of Tsukuba; Tour ofTour of Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc.;CYBERDYNE Inc.
Visit to Hiroshima University
May 30 (Wed) Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, including a lecture by
Dr. Mamoru Mohri
May 31 (Thu) Visit to Toyo University or Chiba Prefectural Kashiwa High School
June 1 (Fri) Tour of JAXA Sagamihara Campus and Nissan Motor Company Yokohama Plant or visit toTokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony
June 2 (Sat) Departure from Japan

Visit to Hiroshima University
Senior High School

May 28Mathematics class by Prof. Jin Akiyama
at the Tokyo University of Science

In a welcome ceremony, the students were split into small
groups to enjoy interacting with the high school students. In ademo lesson experience, students participated in a solar energy
experiment in a physics class and quiz competition on parity inmathematics. The supervisors, who are teachers, also
participated in classes in their specialty fields and commented
that the demo lessons would be useful in their future lessons.

Students participated in a “Math Spectacular Show” by Prof. Jin
Akiyama. He announced that he would make all those who hatemath like math in this class and explained the world of topology
by making heart and rectangle shapes with paper rings. He also
explained the Pythagorean theorem with his own tools in aneasy-to-understand way.

In front of the Atomic Bomb Dome

Enjoyable math class with Prof. Akiyama

May 31

June 1

Visit to Toyo University

Visit to the Tokyo University ofAgriculture and Technology

Students participated in a lab tour hosted by Indian students
studying at Toyo University and a demo lesson. The lesson by aprofessor from the Faculty of Information Sciences and Arts
included an explanation on subway design that used CG and an
introduction to a device that automatically types up English
sentences. The director of the Bio-Nano Electronics ResearchCenter talked about soccer ball-shaped molecules in his lecture.

The group visited a research site for blueberry cultivation in the
Global Fruits Factory. Students learned about the aim of theresearch, which is to grow abundant blueberries throughout theyear by adjusting room temperature and sunlight to create thefour seasons. Students also attended lectures on the “recovery ofagriculture in Fukushima following the nuclear accident” and“cacao production in Guiana” to experience classes in theuniversity.

Lab tourStudents learning about olive research in a greenhouse

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 20189

Group 6

S chedule

June 17 (Sun) to 23 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Total

India

24

4

28

Indonesia

24

4

28

Republic of Korea

30

5

35

Viet Nam

30

5

35

Total

108

18

126

June 18

Visit to Ritsumeikan Keisho
Senior High School

June 19

Visit to Hokkaido University

After a welcome ceremony by the high school Brass Band Cluband Cheerleading Club, small groups comprised of students
from three different countries (Japan, India, and Viet Nam)created hovercraft. Since there was no design chart, students
conducted test runs and held a contest while exchanging
opinions, which seemingly strengthened the bonds in thegroups. Students also experienced a tea ceremony and visitedthe Kendo Club.

Students were split into small groups to visit laboratories. The
high school students listened to easy-to-understand explanationsof highly specialized research contents by each lab with greatinterest and showed keen interest in the cutting-edge
equipment. Foreign students from India and Viet Nam also
participated in an exchange session and the high school students
listened to details of life in Japan for foreign students.

Hovercraft competition on who can fly the farthest

Students intently listening to an explanation

June 2110

Students Supervisors

Details of Tokyo Group (India, Indonesia,
Details of Hokkaido Group
Republic of Korea, and Viet Nam)
(India and Viet Nam)
Arrival in Japan; Orientation
June 17 (Sun) Arrival in Japan; Orientation
Visit to Ritsumeikan Keisho Senior High School
June 18 (Mon) Visit to Rikkyo University (Experiment labwith Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, etc.)
Visit to Hokkaido University
June 19 (Tue) Tour of JAMSTEC and Kamakura
June 20 (Wed) Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, including a lecture by
Dr. Mamoru Mohri
June 21 (Thu) Visit to Rikkyo University (Experiment lab with Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, etc.) Saitama
Prefectural Urawa High School, or Senior High School at Sakado, University Tsukuba
June 22 (Fri) Visit to JAMSTEC Yokosuka Headquarters, Tokyo University of Science, Hosei University,
or Ochanomizu University
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony
June 23 (Sat) Departure from Japan

Visit to Saitama Prefectural Urawa
High School

June 22

Visit to Ochanomizu University

Students from the Republic of Korea joined a lesson with Urawa
High School students. In the chemistry class, students formed
teams and carried out experiments to identify the reagent
names of unknown powders. It was not an easy task, but theJapanese and Korean students communicated in English topredict the name of the powder. Students enjoyed tacklingdifficult questions by using English.

The leafy, serene campus is home to many buildings registeredas Tangible Cultural Properties in Japan. After a welcome speech
by Vice President Yasuko Sasaki, the students went on a campus
tour, and even though it was the rainy season students enjoyedbeing guided around by foreign students on this bright, summerlike day.

Identifying the reagent name through the experiment

Taking in the greenery on campus

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Group 7

S chedule

July 1 (Sun) to 7 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

BhutanChina
Fiji
Mongolia
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Tonga
Uzbekistan
Total

July 3Students Supervisors

10
42
5
10
5
5
5
10
92

2
7
1
2
1
1
1
2
17

Total

12
49
6
12
6
6
6
12
109

July 1
July 2
July 3
July 4
July 5
July 6

July 7

Details of Nagoya Group (Bhutan, China,
Details of Kyushu Group (Pacific Islands)
Mongolia, and Uzbekistan)(Sun) Arrival in Japan; Orientation
Arrival in Japan; Orientation(Mon) Tour of the city of Nagoya
Tour of YASKAWA Innovation Center(Tue) Visit to Nagoya University (Special class by Visit to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Prof. Hiroshi Amano and other event)(Wed) Visit to Meijo University and Meijo
Visit to National Institute of Technology,
University Senior High School
Kitakyushu College(Thu) Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, including a lecture by
Dr. Mamoru Mohri, and tour of the city of Tokyo(Fri) Visit to Shibaura Institute of Technology (China); Tour of Kazusa DNA Research Institute(Uzbekistan, Bhutan, and Mongolia) or National Research Institute of Fisheries Science(Pacific Islands)
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony(Sat) Departure from Japan

Special class by Prof. Hiroshi Amano at
Nagoya University

July 3

Visit to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Prof. Hiroshi Amano, the Nobel laureate in Physics in 2014, gavethe students a lecture about blue LED, for which he received theNobel Prize, and explained his career up to that point in addition
to his field of expertise. In a Q&A session, students asked
numerous questions including the difference between
innovation and invention and how to decide on one’s field ofexpertise.

The student visit was met by heavy rain and strong wind from atyphoon. The Admissions Office manager outlined how theuniversity values the importance of communication and features
diversity and introduced Beppu City, where the university is
located. High school students interacted with Japanese students
by participating in a career design class, a Japanese-language
class, and so on.

Prof. Amano speaking to students

Discussion became animatedJuly 4

Visit to Meijo University and
Meijo University Senior High School

July 6

Tour of the Kazusa DNA Research Institute

Following an explanation outlining the university, students
created an LED lamp together with Meijo University graduate
students. It took some high school students a few tries to get
the knack of using a soldering iron since it was their first time,
but all the students enjoyed the experiments with support fromthe graduate students. Later, they moved to Meijo University
Senior High School to participate in an exchange program.

The Kazusa DNA Research Institute leads the world in DNA
research as the world’s first research institution specializing inDNA. Following arrival, students attended a lecture introducing
the research center. The institute has mapped the entire genome
arrangement of “blue green algae,” and the high school students
were particularly surprised to see the thickness of a document
listing the entire genome (3.57 million letters). Students also
conducted a DNA extraction experiment.

Struggling with a soldering ironExperiment on how to use micro pipette for transfers of very small amounts of liquid

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 201811

Group 8

S chedule

July 8 (Sun) to 14 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Total

China

70

12

82

Nepal

10

2

12

Pakistan

20

4

24

Total

100

18

118

July 1012Students Supervisors

July 8July 9Details of Tokyo Group (China, Nepal, and Pakistan)
Details of Sendai Group (China)(Sun) Arrival in Japan; Orientation
Arrival in Japan; Orientation(Mon) Visit to Tokyo Institute of Technology (Experiment lab with
Visit to Tohoku University (Tour of Tohoku
Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, etc.); Tour of National Astronomical University Archives and other events)
Observatory of Japan, the Institute of Statistical
Mathematics and National Institute of Polar Research

Visit to Tokyo Metropolitan Hibiya High Schoolor Saitama Municipal Omiya Kita High School
July 11 (Wed) Tour of JAMSTEC and Kamakura
July 10(Tue)

July 12(Thu)

July 13(Fri)

July 14(Sat)

Visit to Tokyo Metropolitan Hibiya
High School

Visit to Miyagi Prefectural Sendaidaiichi
High School
Visit to Tokyo Institute of Technology (Experimentlab with Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, etc.)
Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, including a lecture by Dr. Mamoru
Mohri; Tour of Akihabara; Visit to the Embassy of Pakistan (Only for the Pakistan group)
Visit to Saitama University or the University of Tokyo
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony
Departure from Japan

July 11

Visit to the Tokyo Institute of Technology

Following an explanation of the long-running high school,
Chinese high school students were split up into small groups
and participated in regular classes for second year and third year
high school students. Chinese high school students withoutstanding results in the International Junior Science Olympiad
in China participated in a science course class. The Japaneseand Chinese high school students eagerly tackled universitylevel questions while communicating with each other in English.

Chinese high school students energetically participated in thisday’s program despite the ongoing severe heat wave. Following
an introduction to the university, students saw the Tokyo Instituteof Technology’s ultra high-performance supercomputer
TSUBAME3.0. Students enthusiastically learned about theworld’s No. 1 ranked supercomputer in 2017 in terms of energy
efficiency.

Working together with Japanese students in a physics class

Listening intently to an introduction on the university

July 11

July 12Experiment lab with Prof. Hideki Shirakawa

Visit to the Pakistan Embassy in Tokyo

Students participated in an experiment lab by Prof. Hideki
Shirakawa, the Nobel laureate in Chemistry in 2000. The theme
was “Let’s create an EL element by synthesizing conductive
plastic.” Once Prof. Shirakawa started to explain the scientificstructure of plastic and the synthesizing process of conductive
plastic, everyone listened eagerly while taking notes. The EL
element lit up at the end, bringing the experiment to a
successful close.

In response to an invitation from the Ambassador of Pakistan,
Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, the high school students visited the
Pakistan Embassy. This year, all of the talented high school
students visiting Japan from Pakistan were girls, which gave theimpression that Pakistan is also nationally focusing on education
for girls. Ambassador Khan, who also has experience studying inJapan, encouraged the students to grab hold of every opportunity
and imagine studying in Japan.

Hands-on guidance from Prof. Shirakawa

Ambassador Khan encouraging high school students

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Group 9

S chedule

July 15 (Sun) to 21 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

China

Students Supervisors

71

12

July 15 (Sun)

Arrival in Japan; Orientation

Total

July 16 (Mon) Visit to Ritsumeikan Senior High School, including a special class by Prof. Toshihide
Maskawa

83

July 17(Tue)

Visit to Ritsumeikan University

Singapore

10

2

12

July 18 (Wed) Interaction with students of Aichi Prefectural Meiwa Senior High School; Tour of Nagoya
City Science Museum

Brunei10

2

12

July 19(Thu)

Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, including a lecture by
Dr. Mamoru Mohri

Total

91

16

107

July 20(Fri)

Visit to Sophia University or Meiji University
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony

July 21(Sat)

Departure from Japan

July 16

Visit to Ritsumeikan Senior High School

July 16

Special class by Prof. Toshihide Maskawa
at Ritsumeikan Senior High School

Since the students had been interacting with Ritsumeikan Senior High School
students who were their “supporters” from the time of their arrival at theiraccommodation, both sets of high school students were already wellacquainted during the visit to Ritsumeikan Senior High School. The school tour
and exchange event became animated, and the high school students werereluctant to leave in the end and wished they could have spent more time
together with the Ritsumeikan Senior High School students. It seems they
forged unforgettable friendships from dining and spending evenings together.

A special class by Prof. Toshihide Maskawa starting with an
introduction by Ritsumeikan Senior High School students was carriedout in a discussion format with Principal Horie of Ritsumeikan SeniorHigh School. The discussion was about familiar topics for high school
students such as Prof. Maskawa’s school days and what made him
want to become a researcher. In the Q&A session, many questions
including “How did you come up with the research theme?” and“How do you stay motivated?” were asked and answered.

Exchange event came to life

Prof. Maskawa answering questions

July 18

Visit to Aichi Prefectural Meiwa SeniorHigh School

July 20

Visit to Meiji University

In a poster presentation by Meiwa Senior High School students,
the high school students from other Asian regions proactively
exchanged opinions with Meiwa Senior High School students.
The high school students were impressed by the oral researchpresentations in English by Meiwa Senior High School students infront of the large audience. In the afternoon, the students headed
to the Nagoya City Science Museum and furthered theirinteraction while enjoying the museum including the planetarium.

After an overview of the university, students visited labs in
Applied Chemistry, Computer Science, and Electronics andBioinformatics. In the Electronics and Bioinformatics lab, Prof.
Osamu Ono introduced a case example of Brain Computer
Interface (BCI) technology for rehabilitating stroke patients. BCI
technology enables what you think in your head to be read by acomputer and move a machine. Students also experienced
using the device.

Trying out a display in the Nagoya City Science Museum

Chinese high school student wearing the device

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 201813

Group 10

S chedule

July 22 (Sun) to 28 (Sat) of 2018
Country/Region

Total

China

96

16

112

Colombia

10

2

12

Laos

10

2

12

Total

116

20

136

July 23

Visit to Waseda University Honjo SeniorHigh School

July 25

Special lecture by Prof. Makoto Kobayashi

In the welcome party, Chinese students also conductedpresentations about their high schools and gave a performance
to deepen mutual understanding. In the cooking class, students
cooked miso soup with Honjo Senior High School students andtried their miso soup with a lunch box at lunch while enjoying
some conversation. In an experiment class in the afternoon as
well, both Japanese and Chinese students eagerly worked
together on an assignment.

Students visited the High Energy Accelerator Research
Organization (KEK) and spent the entire day learning about
elemental particles and accelerators. In the morning, they
toured a large facility by bus, while in the afternoon the students
participated in a special lecture by Prof. Makoto Kobayashi,
recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2008. Even though thelecture was at a high level, the high school students tried hard tounderstand the details.

Chinese high school student awkwardly cutting tofu

Prof. Kobayashi speaking to students

July 26

14

Students Supervisors

Details of Okayama Group (China)
Details of Tokyo Group (China, Colombia, and Laos)
July 22 (Sun) Arrival in Japan; Orientation
Arrival in Japan; Orientation
July 23 (Mon) Visit to Waseda University Honjo Senior
Visit to Upper Secondary Division ofHigh School
Tamagawa Academy
July 24 (Tue) Visit to Tokyo University of Marine Science Visit to Tokai University
and Technology
July 25 (Wed) Visit to High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) (Special lecture by Prof.
Makoto Kobayashi)
July 26 (Thu) Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, including a lecture by
Dr. Mamoru Mohri
July 27 (Fri) Visit to University of Tokyo, University of Electro-Communications, or Chiba Institute ofTechnology
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony
July 28 (Sat) Departure from Japan

Courtesy visit to the Ambassador ofColombia in Japan

July 27

Visit to the University ofElectro-Communications

Students went to the Embassy of Colombia in Tokyo to pay a
courtesy visit to the Ambassador, H.E. Gabriel Duque, wearing amatching T-shirt gifted from the Colombian Ministry of Education.
Ambassador Duque invited the Colombian students to his
residence and listened as they talked about the contents of the
program and their impressions of Japan. He also participated in
the closing ceremony held at JST on the final day of the program.

In the Robot-mech Club, students tried a simulator that enables
them to feel drunk and operated a robot that can do pantomime.
In addition, students experienced a bionic arm for people
without arms due to congenital disorders or accidents. Students
also interacted with foreign students, and some students
commented that they were able to imagine what it is like to
study in Japan.

Taking a photo with Ambassador DuqueStudents surprised by the realistic texture of an artificial hand

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Group 11

S chedule

November 25 (Sun) to December 1 (Sat) of 2018

November 25 (Sun)(Special Program for Latin America)

Country/Region

Students Supervisors

Argentina

5

1

Total

6

November 27 (Tue)November 28 (Wed) Visit to Azabu University; Tour of Edo-Tokyo Museum; Visit to the Embassy of Peru
in Tokyo, Japan (Only for the Peru group)

Chile

5

1

6

Mexico

10

2

12

Peru

4

1

5

Total

24

5

29

November 27

Arrival in Japan; Orientation

November 26 (Mon) Tour of Sony ExploraScience; Visit to Chiba Institute of Technology, Tokyo Skytree
Town Campus
Visit to Meikei High School and JAXA Tsukuba Space Center

November 29 (Thu)Tour of National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation; Tour of Minato
Resource Recycle Center; Visit to the Embassy of Chile, Argentina, or Mexico(Only for the group concerned)

November 30(Fri)

Visit to Tokyo University of Science Kagurazaka Campus
Closing Ceremony and Farewell Ceremony

December 1(Sat)

Departure from Japan

Visit to Meikei High School

November 28

Visit to Azabu University

Following a school tour while enjoying displays of paintings andcalligraphy by Meikei High School students in the school, students
participated in regular classes. After becoming more comfortable witheach other through playing a game in English class, each group enjoyedconversing with Meikei High School students. In a math class, students
from South and Central America were respectively paired withJapanese students and worked on difficult questions, while in thephysics and biology classes, students worked together on experiments.

Prof. Hong-Kean Ooi from the School of Veterinary Medicine
gave the students a lecture on parasitology in Spanish. In
particular, everyone intently watched a video showing a malariatransmitting mosquito suck blood. Afterwards, the students
asked many questions. Following the lecture, the students
visited the Life Museum of Azabu University, where the highschool students picked up an elephant bone and were surprised
to find how heavy it was.

High school students from South and Central America enjoying a game in the English classHigh school students intently listening to Prof. Ooi

November 28~29

November 29

Visits to Embassies

High school students visited the embassies of their homecountries in Japan.

(From top left, clockwise)
Embassy of Argentina (Ambassador Alan Beraud on the right), Embassy of Peru, Embassyof Mexico (Ambassador Almada Lopez on the right), and Ambassador of Chile Julio Fiolmaking a speech at the closing ceremony

Tour of the Minato Resource
Recycle Center

After learning about the garbage treatment process in a video,
high school students saw the machine in operation from aviewing area. The students were wowed by how the various
types of bottles on the conveyor were automatically sorted anddestroyed by color. It seems that sorting out garbage by garbage
types for the purpose of recycling was a surprise for high school
students from South and Central America.

Students were surprised to find brand-new furniture being sold as recycled items

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 201815

Results ofParticipant Survey

 AKURA SCIENCE High School Program FY2018
S
participants (including supervisors)
Questionnaire method Questionnaire form filled in at the end of the program
Number of persons targeted 1,142
Valid responses
1,142
Response rate
100%
Survey targets

Q1 What was your impression of Japan before

participating in this program?

0.1%
0.5%

1.3%

Q2 What was your impression of Japan afterparticipating in this program?
0.1%
0.1%

0.4%
15.1%

38.4%

59.7%
84.3%

Very goodNot very goodNo comment

Very goodNot very goodNo commentGood
Not goodGood
Not good

Q3 Were you satisfied with the program?
0.6%
0.7%

1.5%

Comments from persons who responded with either “Very satisfied” or “Relatively satisfied”• I am pleased that I could think more deeply about science. (India, 17)• The program was wonderful since I was able to learn about Japan, and get acquainted
with people from various countries. (Kazakhstan, 16)• I felt Japan is progressing even more day by day even though it is already an advanced
country. (Bangladesh, 16)

25.0%
72.2%

• I understand that the best education system that creates talented people has been
established in Japan. (Indonesia, 17)• Since I wanted to visit Japan from when I was small, I was able to obtain many things
such as friends, experiences, knowledge, and unforgettable memories. (Myanmar, 15)

Very satisfied
NeutralNo comment

Relatively satisfied
Not satisfied

Comments from persons who responded with either “Neutral” or “Not satisfied”• I was looking forward to experiencing Japanese culture, but I couldn’t do that quite
enough. It was very disappointing since we can experience Japanese culture really onlyin Japan. (Republic of Korea, 16)

Q4 Would you recommend receiving higher education in Japan to a friend?
2.4%

0.3%

• I think it is true that some Japanese schools are better than schools in my home country,
that the environment is great, and that they have a wide variety of curriculum. In addition,
the cost is lower than studying in Europe, etc. (China, 16)• Japanese education focuses on practical learning, and the education standards are high.
(Supervisor, Bangladesh, 54)

28.7%
68.6%

• Not only did I learn many things but I also learned how to adopt what I learned into daily
life. This will be useful for my future research. (India, 16)• I would like to participate in classes in Japanese high schools again since I wanted tolearn more about the science that high school students were studying. (Thailand, 17)• Yes, because I think Japan values education very much and investment in research andinnovation is high there. (Brazil, 17)

Would strongly recommend
Would not recommend

16

Would somewhat recommend
No comment

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 2018

Q5 Would you like to come backto Japan?

Q6 (For persons who responded with either “I would very much like to” or “I would like to” in Q5)

In what capacity would you like to return to Japan? Why?
0.3%

0.4%

0.3%

9.0%
20.0%
49.2%
79.3%

I would very much like to
I wouldn’t particularly like to

Q6 Comments

41.5%

I would like to
No comment

concerning returning
to Japan in Q6

Foreign student
Company employee

Researcher
Other(1) Those wanting to study abroad• I would like to study in a Japanese university very much. I think I will be able to learn many things inJapan, and I will be able to use and share the knowledge I obtain in Japan in my home country.
(Kazakhstan, 17)• Thanks to SAKURA SCIENCE, I am more interested in science and technology. Since the progress ofscience and technology will help the lives of people, I would like to be involved in science andtechnology as well. (Supervisor, Turkmenistan, 25)• Japan is developed and its technology is also advanced. Laboratories and students are great andactive. I would like my home country to grow like Japan. (India, 17)• The university level is best. Japan is surely the most suitable place to pursue specialized and technicalgoals. (Philippines, 17)(2) Those wanting to become researchers• I would like to study the environment, in particular about global warming. (Viet Nam, 16)• Since Japan has so many Nobel laureates and there are plenty of things you need, the country is
attractive. (Republic of Korea, 17)• I think working with Japanese people will be very fun. (China, 15)(3) Those wanting to become company employees• The working environment and housing environment in Japan looks good. (Maldives, 17)• I would like to work in Japan by being dispatched from a company in my home country. (China, 15)

Q7 What did you learn

in Japan?

• I deepened my understanding of Japanese culture and the education system, and interacting withstudents in the same generation as me from other countries expanded my views. I was lucky to beable to be exposed to Japan’s high-level science and technology. My knowledge has certainly
increased. (China, 17)• I found that Japan is a neat, orderly, and culturally rich country. I also found that the country is themost suitable place to learn science. (Peru, 16)• I feel that Japan has a vision for the future and thinks not only about the present but also about the
future of the world. (Mexico, 17)• Japan’s manner is extremely reasonable. Society is very developed. All of the facilities were designedwith an awareness of ergonomics. (China, 17)• I think that science is for all human beings. The world should work together for the progress ofscience. (Bangladesh, 15)• I was able to acquire a large amount of scientific knowledge that I would not learn in school.
(Indonesia, 17)• Mutually caring about others will lead to a peaceful society. (Malaysia, 15)

SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Activity Report 201817

Japan Science and Technology Agency
Department of SAKURA SCIENCE
5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8666
Tel: +81-3-5214-8996, Email: ssp.press@jst.go.jp
March 2019