Fellow Follow Up Programme

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Fellow Follow Up Programme

The Fellow Follow Up Project is a new programme dedicated to document all recipients of The Japan Foundation Fellowship Programme, past and present to catch up on their experiences during their fellowship and what they are up to in present time. These interview series aims to invite interested researchers to better understand the application process and expectations as a fellow under The Japan Foundation. 

FELLOW FOLLOW UP:

Prof. Dr. Kuik Cheng-Chwee, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) 

Recipient of The Japan Foundation Southeast Asia Partnership (JFSEAP) Program: Visiting Fellowship (Inbound), FY2025 

Japan’s Role in Southeast Asia’s Evolving Multi-Alignments: Official Security Assistant as a Catalyst for Indo-Pacific Cooperation

Name Prof. Cheng-Chwee Kuik
Designation Professor, Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Brief Prof. Kuik does research on Japan as a key strategic and economic diversification partner in terms of Southeast Asia’s efforts to pursue longstanding “non-alignment” policy ends via the means of “multi-alignments” and multi-partnerships via Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA).
Read the Interview Here!
Prof. Kuik with Interviewer, Ms. Sirotulnaimah Mathasan

FELLOW FOLLOW UP:
Dr. Mohd Suhaimi Mohamad, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) 

Recipient of JF-JSA-ASEAN Fellowship Progam (2025)

Tailoring Malaysia’s Adolescence Mental Health Support Module among at-risk adolescents from Japan’s Comprehensive Mental Health Strategies

Name Dr. Mohd Suhaimi Mohamad
Designation Deputy Dean, Industrial and Community Engagement (HEJIM), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UKM.
Brief Dr. Suhaimi’s fellowship saw him in Hokkaido, where he focused on enhancing psychosocial support for adolescents with mental health issue from a comparison study of Malaysia-Japan.
Read the Interview Here!
Dr. Mohd Suhaimi with Interviewer, Ms. Syahindah Shaffie

FELLOW FOLLOW UP:
Mdm. Aznur Aisyah Abdullah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) 

Recipient of The Japan Foundation JF-JSA-ASEAN, FY2026

Analyzing How Formal Conversational Strategies and Politeness Are Portrayed in Manga To Help Learners Navigate Real-Life Japanese Communication Without Overburdening Interactions

Name Madam Aznur Aisyah Abdullah
Designation Japanese Language Teacher, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Brief Madam Aisyah’s research brought her to Rikkyo University where she explored how politeness, formality, and communication styles are represented via manga, specifically through its linguistic and cultural contexts and how it affects the Japanese society.
Read the Interview Here!
Mdm. Aisyah with Interviewer, Ms. Elysa Batrisyia

FELLOW FOLLOW UP:
Dr. Jasmine Yeap Ai Leen, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Recipient of The Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Fellowship, FY2024

*Note: The Programme for ASEAN researchers has changed its name to ‘JF-JSA-ASEAN Fellowship Program [WA 2.0].
For further information, refer to the Japan Foundation (HQ) website HERE.

A Cross-Cultural Study on the Healing Effects of Japanese Pop Culture Among Malaysian and Japanese Youth

Name Dr. Jasmine Yeap Ai Leen
Designation Senior Lecturer, School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Brief Dr. Jasmine’s study investigates the therapeutic potential of Japanese pop culture, such as anime, manga, and kawaii products, in improving the well-being of Malaysian and Japanese youth. It aims to explore how engagement with these cultural elements aid in emotional solace and stress reduction. The research is distinct in focusing on the psychological impact of Japanese pop culture, diverging from typical analyses of its global appeal. This comparative study between Malaysian and Japanese youth examines how cultural engagement influences and is influenced by individual experiences and identities.
Read the Interview Here!
Dr. Jasmine with Interviewer, Ms. Ayuni Jenol