Long-Term Programs

KCCP Long-Term Programs, which spans for a year or more, are graduate and post-graduate scholarships offered to individuals who want to study at higher education institutions in Japan. Designed for young government personnel and researchers who will assume leadership roles in their home countries, scholars gain essential skills, knowledge, and networks to address development issues and support ongoing JICA projects in their countries. In the long run, these programs aim to strengthen the partnership between the Japanese government and the participating countries.

The study areas differ based on the expertise of Japan’s comparative advantages, partner Japanese universities’ field expertise, and the program’s priority fields essential for the development of the participants' home countries.

The Agri-Net Program is a relatively new long-term training program to foster young / mid-career government professionals, academicians, and leading human resources who are capable to influence positive change in various fields under the agriculture sector of target countries including the Philippines either through policy reforms and interventions or contribute to its socioeconomic development in the near future.

It is anchored on the Sustainable Development Goal 2: End Hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture and JICA’s Global Agenda no. 5:Agriculture and Rural Development. Its objectives include the development of human resources of public and private sectors under JICA’s Global Agenda and strengthen a human network between the Philippines, Japan and other partner countries in the sector.

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, stipulates that all parties, including developing countries, shall develop Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and gradually increase their NDC targets while implementing climate change measures (Article 4). All parties are also recommended to develop and notify a long-term strategy for low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development (long-term low emission development strategy/long-term strategy) (Article 4). On the other hand, in terms of adaptation to the effects of climate change, it stipulates the preparation and implementation of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) (Article 7), as well as the preparation and updating of a national GHG inventory and the submission of a biennial transparency report describing the implementation and achievement of NDCs (Article 13).However, many developing countries do not have sufficient funds, technology, and capacity to properly plan and implement the items stipulated in the Paris Agreement and thus require supports. The Climate Change Policy Program will focus on capacity building for the formulation and implementation of various policies, institutions, and plans in response to the Paris Agreement. The objective of this program is to develop core human resources in the field of climate change countermeasures for developing countries to appropriately plan and implement matters in line with the Paris Agreement.

Those who belong to the government or relevant government agencies responsible for the development and implementation of Nationally Determined Contribution and/ or Long-term Low Emissions Development Strategies are the target applicants of this program.

It is the aim of the "Core Human Resource Development for Road Asset Management" to foster young leaders of governmental officials, educators and researchers who contribute to the road asset management in developing countries. This program offers opportunities for such personnel to study at graduate courses for master’s degree / doctorate degree in Japanese graduate schools as international students. Beyond acquisition of skills and knowledge, this program also aims to have the participants understand and familiarize themselves with Japanese culture and systems. The expected outcome of the program is to develop a network of potential contributors to the road asset management in the development countries.

This program is designed for the following two types of personnel: (1) Governmental officials who take part in policy making and administration related to road asset management in central/regional government, governmental research institutions or other related public organizations in the road asset management sector, and (2) Educators/ Researchers who are responsible for education and research in the road asset management sector in higher education and research institutions in target countries.

In In many cities, the problem of waste management including limited collection service and inappropriate disposal is getting more and more serious along with the rapid urbanization and population influx. To sustain appropriate waste management, the consolidation of human and organizational capacity and financial sustainability is the key. However, for developing countries, where waste management is not given high priority in policy agenda, fostering human resources who will lead effective improvement of the sector is always the challenge. To contribute to the creation of clean cities, JICA is conducting the cooperation of improvement of the competence of administrative organizations under the “JICA Clean City Initiative (JCCI)”. This program is designed to promote appropriate solid waste management (SWM) through enhancement of human and organizational capacity of the countries. To this end, in cooperation with other programs such as JPRISM and ACCP, this program provides opportunities to participants to study in Japan to deepen knowledge and enhance their capacity for planning and management of SWM.

The objective of the program is to strengthen capacity of potential future leaders who will engage in SWM in national/central government and/or cities of the target countries. The graduates of the program are expected to lead improvement of SWM of their countries/cities to promote appropriate SWM and thereby contribute to achievement of the SDGs.

The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Leaders Capacity Development for Sendai Framework Implementation (FY2025) program is a Master’s/Doctoral scholarship, offered by JICA in collaboration with Japan’s top-ranked universities. The program combines a graduate-level study and research experience with additional DRR-focused training to equip participants with the skills needed to lead in disaster resilience. Target applicants should be officers from DRR or space-related government organizations and have at least 5 years of DRR work experience. It is expected that they have potential to lead in DRR and contribute to JICA's global DRR agenda.

This program began in JFY 2017 with the goal of enhancing capacity for response, prevention, and preparedness against public health emergencies. JICA recognizes the threat that emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases pose a threat to global health security. In the backdrop of the Ebola viral disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa in 2014, the Japanese government conducted the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) and adopted the Nairobi Declaration, wherein it committed to the provision of human resource development in Africa to combat infectious disease. At the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit in 2020, the Japanese government further expressed its commitment to greater cooperation in strengthening ASEAN's responsive capacity to infectious disease control.

With these experiences in mind, the Advanced Training Program for Fostering Global Leaders on Infectious Disease Control to Build Resilience against Public Health Emergencies was crafted. It aims to train policymakers that can contribute to the enhancement of public health emergency preparedness and response and demonstrate leadership in building public health systems worldwide. The programs objectives are as follows:

A lot of developing countries are aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 or 2070. Variable renewable energy sources that have high bankability are rapidly increasing in developing countries through private sector investments. On the other hand, as the ratio of variable renewable energy increases, adjustment capabilities with batteries and backup power sources are required for stable power supply. But these adjustment costs are not properly reflected in tariff and cost structure of power supply. To realize healthy investment environment, carbon neutrality and stable and affordable energy supply, the government must formulate and implement energy transition policies that incorporate short-term and long-term perspectives. Those developments which need huge initial investment cost such as hydro power generation and installation of next generation decarbonization technologies with uncertainty are high risk for private companies, so Government must promote investments for those technologies with long-term plans and strategies.

Having this in mind, JICA implements “GX Human Resources Development” to develop core human resources for energy transition toward carbon neutrality in developing countries. The objective of this program is to develop core human resources such as governmental officials, academicians and researchers who contribute to the energy transition toward carbon neutrality in developing countries.

The Human Resources Development in Science, Technology, and Innovation - AUN/SEED-Net emerged in JFY 2023 to support the objectives of the AUN/SEED-Net during the transition period of between JFY 2023-2026. The AUN/SEED-Net or the ASEAN University Network/Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network itself was established in 2001 in order to advance human resource development in engineering for the sustainable socio-economic development of the ASEAN region. Full-scale operations of the network picked up in 2003 with the support of JICA, and through the years has continued to evolve with the collaboration of Japanese Partner Universities (JPU), ASEAN Member States (AMS), and AUN/SEED-Net Member Institutions (MI).

The program's objective is to strengthen the connection between and the educational and research capacity of AUN/SEED-Net Member Institutions and Japanese Partner Universities, by way of providing Doctoral study opportunities in the field of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI).

The "Human Resources Development in Space Technology Utilization (for SDGs)", a collaboration between JICA and JAXA, is designed specifically for administrative officers, researchers, and engineers from space-related government agencies. It aims to advance the SDGs by fostering a sustainable network of professionals and institutions across Space Organizations, Universities, and Private Companies in both target countries and Japan. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s space-related technologies and their applications in areas such as agriculture, disaster management, and forestry. This program seeks to develop core human resources within space-related organizations, empowering them to promote the Japanese space industry through Master’s or Doctoral studies. In addition to long-term academic study abroad, participants will engage in short-term, space-related training sessions conducted in Japan.

The global demand for mineral resources is expected to increase in line with the long-term prospects for world economic growth. Under these circumstances, developing countries with mineral resource potential are striving to promote mining industries. These countries are placing more importance on mining activities to support future economic development. However, governments of developing countries need more capacity and knowledge to promote and regulate mining companies. For foreign mining companies to make decisions to participate in mineral businesses of developing countries, there are many aspects that need to be clarified, such as the existence of sound legal systems and their enforcement, basic geological information, infrastructure, political and/or social risk, and security risk.

The objective of the KIZUNA Program is to support governmental officials, educators and researchers who contribute to the mining development in developing countries. Applicants are required to have clear understanding of the objectives of the program and have a strong will to contribute to the development of the mining sector in their home countries as well as to strengthen the linkage between their countries and Japan after returning home country.

JICA is implementing the program on “Investment Promotion and Industrial Development in Asian Region” thorough technical cooperation, loan and grant aid cooperation schemes under Official Development Assistance (ODA). The program focuses on creating business linkages between industries of Japan and other Asian region. Under the program, Knowledge Co-Creation Program for Long-Term Participants on “Investment Promotion and Industrial Development for Asian Region” had commenced in 2019 in order to contribute for the development of human resource who can bridge between industries of Japan and other Asian region. It provides opportunity for participants to join masters’ course or doctoral course at graduate school of Japanese University.

The program’s primary objectives include developing a robust human resources network that can improve the business environment in participants’ home countries, facilitate business linkages with Japanese industries, and promote investments from Japan, aligning with JICA’s Global Agenda. Ideal candidates for this program are young or mid-career government officials at departments and agencies responsible for investment promotion and industrial development.

The “Solving Social Challenges by ICT – Training Program for Cybersecurity” is designed to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities across partner countries over the medium to long term by enhancing the expertise of core personnel selected from leading organizations involved in JICA’s technical cooperation projects. Through this targeted training, participants are expected to develop high-Level expertise in cybersecurity infrastructure for their respective countries, establish and reinforce of mid- and long-term collaborative relationships between Japan and the partner countries, contributing to a more secure and interconnected global digital environment.

The program primarily targets young and mid-career professionals who are currently engaged in or are preparing for influential roles within government, academia, and cybersecurity institutions. Ideal candidates are individuals affiliated with departments focused on cybersecurity, such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), National Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), and universities. By nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity experts, this program aims to create a resilient network of professionals committed to advancing cybersecurity on a global scale.

Water Engineering Utility Management Future Leaders Training Program is a Master's Degree Program offered by the University of Tokyo for Asian Region and Toyo University for African Region in collaboration with JICA. The objective of the training is to provide future leaders with the knowledge, skills, and capacity to design, operate, and manage water utilities.

Target applicants should be from water utilities or ministries in charge of water supply, and have at least at least three (3) years of practical experience in waterworks, government agencies, ormwater utilities in charge of water supply in the country.