Federal fellows to spend a year in Japan

Eight federal employees will have the opportunity to travel to Japan and work for a year at their sister agencies in the Japanese government, under a fellowship program that aims to improve Japanese-American relations. The intensive, two-year exchange program is run by the Mansfield Center for Pacific Affairs, a nonprofit organization focused on improving understanding between the U.S. and Asia, in conjunction with the State Department and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The center is named for former Sen. Mike Mansfield, U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 1977 to 1989. Fellows spend their first year studying the Japanese language and area studies in the United States before they head off to Japan. Up to ten fellows are chosen each year. "The fellowships provide an unprecedented opportunity for U.S. federal employees to learn Japanese and work for a year as insiders in their counterpart agencies or ministries in Japan's government," said Mary-Jane Atwater, a spokeswomen for the center. During a Senate Governmental Affairs subcommittee hearing last week, witnesses testified that the government needs more highly trained employees with top-notch foreign language skills to serve in the defense and intelligence communities. The panel said there is a great need for fluency in several Asian languages, including Japanese. Applicants for Mansfield Fellowships must be U.S. citizens and current federal employees with at least two consecutive years of service at the time of application. The Mansfield Center will hold bi-weekly information sessions on the program beginning in October and ending March 1, 2001. Applications for the next group of fellows are due March 23. For more information on the exchange program, go to www.mcpa.org. The eight fellows currently participating in the program are: Ronda Balham, Department of Health and Human Services. Brunhilde Bradley, Navy. Monica Caphart, HHS. Marina Chu, Export-Import Bank. Roger Fernandez, Environmental Protection Agency. Inez Miyamoto, FBI. Jonathan Rudd, FBI. Constance Sathre, Commerce Department.