This has been the case in every interview and presentation I've made in Japan, in English or Japanese. I wouldn't worry about the lack of laughs. I think stony silence must be considered the polite way to listen.
I've gotten some surprisingly positive results from interviews that I thought I'd tanked. Hang in there!
Government scholarships are often justified as a way for Japan to bring in future leaders from around the world, educate them in Japan and build positive relations with that person so that when they return to their home country, they will be a "bridge" between the two countries. As MEXT scholarship graduates rise through the leadership ranks in companies and governments in their home country, Japan hopes that they will remember their positive experience and help build stronger relations with Japan.
As several other commentators have said, they're not looking for people to work in Japan after graduation (we foreigners in Japan are not yet widely considered valuable or important assets to the Japanese economy).
Instead, talking about how you want to use Japan as a case study and apply the knowledge and connections acquired in Japan to contribute to development in your home country and build stronger relations between the two countries later could be beneficial in an Embassy interview.
Oh.. I did not mean to say you were late with the info.. rather I really do appreciate it, as I now know one can be complacent with his future. Lesson learned if it all falls down next time i will be sure to get it right.@kishimi8 That wasn't my intent! I guess several of my points were too late for a lot of folks on here.
At any rate, I meant that as a collection of "best practices" from my experience. I'm not saying you have to do it that way to succeed. I wish you the best of luck!
Dont worry about the Interview! I would rather have this kind of interview than the casual one! This atleast shows that you have indeed prepared your proposal properly and are able to defend it! おつかれさま!!Just got out of my interview and exams! There were only three of us at the consulate. :dead:
Exams: English was a breeze. It came first and it wasn't optional for me (even though I'm American). Japanese was difficult but I speak very limited Japanese. We were allowed to turn in a blank exam and one applicant did that. I did one section only before handing it in.
Then I had three hours to blow before my interview. Longest wait ever.
The interview was, unfortunately, not as casual as so many people were lucky to have! I was essentially grilled for 30-40 minutes on my proposal, on why Japan, what benefits I see with my research in the future. And if I didn't answer to the extent they wanted, they'd continue to press the topic. And the three (Japanese) men on the panel were stone-faced -- I'm used to getting at least a laugh or two during interviews, hah! They seemed reluctant to believe I could pull off the "messages" I aim to convey in the art I propose to make. They were also very concerned that I can't speak Japanese, despite the fact the program I want to enroll in is part of the English-speaking Global 30 programs at Keio. I'm really, really grateful for this forum! It prepare me for the really hard-hitting questions, haha!
Overall though, I think it went as well as it could. Now to wait. Patiently.
This has been the case in every interview and presentation I've made in Japan, in English or Japanese. I wouldn't worry about the lack of laughs. I think stony silence must be considered the polite way to listen.
I've gotten some surprisingly positive results from interviews that I thought I'd tanked. Hang in there!
congratulations!Passed first screening.
congratulations!
first screening is before or after the tests? they didn't tell us about it, they told us to come and attend the tests, then if we succeed we go into an interview.
I am more worried about 2nd screening after getting accepted by the university and the embassy.
Congrats!!Passed first screening.
Hi hojoojoh,Any Canadians applying this time around? The Montreal and Vancouver consulate websites have yet to post information for 2016 departures.
How many of you are in the humanities?
congrats @indojindesuEven i passed the first screening guys!!
Hi hojoojoh,
Been reading the forum from the start and finally decided to join. Another fellow Canadian here applying from Vancouver. At my interview and exams session on Monday, there were two other candidates applying for the research studies scholarship as well. Just out of curiosity, do you happen to know how many candidates applied through the Montreal consulate? Trying to get a sense of the level of competition across the country.
Ok sounds good. My field is in Materials Engineering, focusing on aerospace composite materials research. Wonder how many other Canadian engineering students are applying?Hiya, there were six of us.
I have heard that last year Vancouver sent two, while Montreal and Toronto sent four each.
What is your field?
Awesome! That's my field, too!Ok sounds good. My field is in Materials Engineering, focusing on aerospace composite materials research.
Hi @AmerikaJin5,Awesome! That's my field, too!
Where did you apply (preference list), and with which professors? I might know some of them
Thanku!congrats @indojindesu
Hi @AmerikaJin5,
I am applying at Kyoto Institute Technology (Professor Hamada) and Gifu University (Professor Nakai). Both are colleagues that have worked together at KIT.
Professor Hamada founded the Canada-Japan Workshops on Composite Materials, allowing Canadian Schools (including mine: UBC, Vancouver) to collaborate with Japanese researchers in the area of Composite Materials, and especially Composites Manufacturing and Processing.
Which school were you originally from in the states? I am sure my group at UBC (Composites Group) has surely interacted with members of your group at past conferences (SAMPE, ICCM,... etc.). Our group deals primarily with manufacturing and processing (very close ties with The Boeing Company here) and damage modelling.
How about yourself? Feel free to send me a p.m. Still figuring out how to use this forum!
Cheers.