In a major boost for youth diplomacy, five outstanding Pakistani university students have been chosen to represent Pakistan in Japan’s flagship JENESYS 2025 program. The group will fly to Tokyo on December 16 for an all-expenses-paid, week-long exchange focused on “Environmental Sustainability and Disaster Resilience” – two areas where Japan leads the world.
They will join 30 other high school and university delegates from SAARC nations (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan) in a 35-member cohort hand-picked for academic excellence and leadership potential.
What is JENESYS and Why It Matters in 2025
Launched in 2007 and revived in full force after the pandemic, the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) is one of Asia’s most coveted youth mobility programs. Fully funded by the Japanese government, it has already brought over 40,000 young people from the Asia-Pacific to Japan with a simple but powerful goal: build the next generation of friends who understand and trust each other.
This year’s theme couldn’t be more relevant:
- Japan is the global gold standard in earthquake-resistant infrastructure and tsunami early-warning systems.
- Pakistan faces rising climate threats – from the devastating 2022 floods to glacial lake outburst risks in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Both nations are racing toward net-zero goals while balancing rapid urban growth.
Participants will visit cutting-edge facilities like the Fukushima Recovery Site, Toyota’s hydrogen plants, and Tokyo’s state-of-the-art flood-control centers – experiences few students anywhere get to see up close.
A Packed Itinerary Designed to Inspire
December 16–23 schedule highlights:
- Lectures by Japan’s top climate scientists and disaster-management experts
- Hands-on workshops on renewable energy and urban resilience
- School visits and youth discussions with Japanese students
- Traditional homestay with Japanese families – the emotional heart of every JENESYS trip
- Cultural immersion: tea ceremony, calligraphy, and a possible winter illumination festival
“You Are Pakistan’s Cultural Ambassadors” – Japanese Ambassador
At a lively pre-departure orientation held at the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad, H.E. Ambassador Akamatsu Shuichi personally met the five students and delivered an inspiring message:
“I hope this trip becomes one of the best memories of your university life. Live fully with your Japanese host families, ask bold questions, and share Pakistan’s rich culture proudly. When you return, you will carry the responsibility – and the joy – of being bridges between our two nations.”
The Ambassador highlighted how past JENESYS alumni from Pakistan have gone on to become journalists, climate activists, engineers, and even diplomats – proof that one week can spark lifelong connections.
Why Japan Keeps Investing in Pakistani Youth
Despite economic challenges at home, Tokyo has quietly increased JENESYS slots for Pakistan in recent years. Japanese officials point to three reasons:
- Growing people-to-people ties (over 20,000 Pakistanis now live and work in Japan).
- Shared interest in disaster-risk reduction – Japan provided critical help during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and 2022 floods.
- A strategic bet on South Asia’s young demographic dividend.
For the five selected students, the trip is more than travel – it’s a launchpad. Many previous participants have earned scholarships to Japanese universities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Hokkaido) or landed roles in Japanese companies operating in Pakistan (Toyota, Suzuki, Panasonic).
How to Follow Their Journey
The Embassy of Japan and the students will share live updates on Instagram and TikTok using the official hashtag #JENESYS2025Pakistan. Expect stunning photos of snow-capped Mount Fuji, heartfelt homestay moments, and Pakistani students teaching their hosts how to make perfect biryani.
As one excited participant told reporters after the orientation: “I’ve only seen Japan in anime and textbooks. In ten days I’ll be living it – and bringing a little bit of Pakistan with me.”
