From Ambassador (SJSF Scholarship Award Ceremony)
2026/4/30
On April 15th, I attended the scholarship award ceremony of the Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation (SJSF). Thirty individuals from Iceland received the scholarship this year (13 males and 17 females), and 18 of them attended. This day happened to be the birthday of former President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, making it an opportunity to reflect on the role she played, including her role in gender equality.
At the ceremony, I spoke about the importance of strengthening relations between Japan and Iceland through people-to-people exchanges, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. I also mentioned that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is Japan's first female Prime Minister. Then, Associate Professor Kristin Ingvarsdóttir of the Department of Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Iceland spoke about Vigdís being the world's first female President and her significant role in launching the scholarship program in 1985 through cooperation with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
The award ceremony was attended by Prof. Guðrún Nordal, Director of the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies and a board member of the SJSF, and Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Iceland Anna Agnarsdóttir, who previously served as a board member, and they shared in the joy of the award.
I understand that over the 35 years from 1991 to 2025, SJSF Iceland has provided grants to approximately 320 projects (individuals and organizations), and that about 50% of the applicants were women. It is highly appreciated that this scholarship has made a significant contribution to nurturing human resources who will serve as a bridge between Japan and Iceland, as well as the dedicated work of those who have supported its operation. I would like to stress that people-to-people exchanges play an increasingly important role in the current international climate.
Also in attendance was Linda Ólafsdóttir, author of “I Dare! I Can! I Will!: The Day the Icelandic Women Walked Out and Inspired the World”. She was one of the scholarship recipients. I expect Linda's participation in a gender-related event in Japan to be very meaningful.
At the ceremony, I spoke about the importance of strengthening relations between Japan and Iceland through people-to-people exchanges, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. I also mentioned that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is Japan's first female Prime Minister. Then, Associate Professor Kristin Ingvarsdóttir of the Department of Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Iceland spoke about Vigdís being the world's first female President and her significant role in launching the scholarship program in 1985 through cooperation with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
The award ceremony was attended by Prof. Guðrún Nordal, Director of the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies and a board member of the SJSF, and Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Iceland Anna Agnarsdóttir, who previously served as a board member, and they shared in the joy of the award.
I understand that over the 35 years from 1991 to 2025, SJSF Iceland has provided grants to approximately 320 projects (individuals and organizations), and that about 50% of the applicants were women. It is highly appreciated that this scholarship has made a significant contribution to nurturing human resources who will serve as a bridge between Japan and Iceland, as well as the dedicated work of those who have supported its operation. I would like to stress that people-to-people exchanges play an increasingly important role in the current international climate.
Also in attendance was Linda Ólafsdóttir, author of “I Dare! I Can! I Will!: The Day the Icelandic Women Walked Out and Inspired the World”. She was one of the scholarship recipients. I expect Linda's participation in a gender-related event in Japan to be very meaningful.