April 7 - At the U.S. Embassy, we are trying to facilitate the exchange of American and Japanese scientists. Every summer the National Science Foundation partners with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science to bring graduate students from the U.S. and other countries to Japan to engage in science and engineering research and develop relationships with colleagues. This summer, 65 U.S. graduate students will spend 10 weeks at 33 universities and research institutes located across Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Since its inception in 1990, over 1,100 students have participated in the Summer Institute. The connections the students make through the summer experience last a lifetime, leading to long-term collaborations in science and engineering.

President Obama is famous for the slogan, "Yes we can!" I believe that the vigorous exchange of the best scientific minds between our two countries means that we can and will address serious challenges such as climate change. I'd love to hear from you about other ways in which we can work together to advance our scientific knowledge.

Until next time,

Jim