Four Solomon Islanders awarded the 2026 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
2026/3/25
In the accompanying photo, from left:Mr Kenneth Leni Gatu, Mr David Aram, Ambassador Keiichi HIGUCHI, Ms Ariella Hoala Levo, Ms Elnisha Talota
Mr Kenneth Leni Gatu
Mr David Aram
This year, the following four Solomon Islanders were awarded with the 2026 Japanese Government (MEXT :Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Scholarship to study in Japan. And on 25th March, they paid a courtesy call on Ambassador His Excellency HIGUCHI Keiichi before their departure for Japan.
With these additions, the total number of Solomon Islanders who will have studied in Japan under the MEXT Scholarship Program since 1993 will be 102.
During the courtesy call, Ambassador HIGUCHI warmly congratulated the four successful students and encouraged them, noting that although living in Japan may present challenges—such as learning the language and adapting to the food culture—he himself had lived in several countries and understood the difficulties of adjusting to a new environment. Drawing on his own experiences, he reassured the students that it is also an interesting and rewarding experience. He advised them to stay positive and do their best and emphasized the importance of resetting themselves both physically and mentally at the end of each day.
One of the students described the moment as “bittersweet,” saying that they felt both excited and worried. The four students shared that they are looking forward to learning about Japan’s technology, skills, and culture, while also expressing concerns about the language—especially about their first day upon arrival. They expressed strong optimism as they prepared for this new chapter in their lives.
These four students will leave for Japan to begin their studies in the first week of April.
The government of Japan operates 5 types of Scholarship (MEXT) for students and workers in Solomon Islands. Applications for the four types of them for 2027—(1)Undergraduate, (2)Specialized Training College, (3)College of Technology, and (4)Research—are scheduled to open in April. In addition, the Teacher Training is scheduled to open in January. We encourage interested applicants to visit our website and Facebook page for more details, including last year’s guidelines for reference, and to prepare for the official application opening in April once the updated information becomes available.
<Website> Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands
https://www.sb.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/culture.html
<Facebook> Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands
https://www.facebook.com/japanemb.solomon/
- Research Student, Ms Elnisha Talota (Kyushu University)
- Research Student, Mr David Aram (Hokkaido University)
- Research Student, Mr Kenneth Leni Gatu (Komatsu University)
- Undergraduate Student, Ms Ariella Hoala Levo (ABK Gakkan Japanese Language School)
With these additions, the total number of Solomon Islanders who will have studied in Japan under the MEXT Scholarship Program since 1993 will be 102.
During the courtesy call, Ambassador HIGUCHI warmly congratulated the four successful students and encouraged them, noting that although living in Japan may present challenges—such as learning the language and adapting to the food culture—he himself had lived in several countries and understood the difficulties of adjusting to a new environment. Drawing on his own experiences, he reassured the students that it is also an interesting and rewarding experience. He advised them to stay positive and do their best and emphasized the importance of resetting themselves both physically and mentally at the end of each day.
One of the students described the moment as “bittersweet,” saying that they felt both excited and worried. The four students shared that they are looking forward to learning about Japan’s technology, skills, and culture, while also expressing concerns about the language—especially about their first day upon arrival. They expressed strong optimism as they prepared for this new chapter in their lives.
These four students will leave for Japan to begin their studies in the first week of April.
The government of Japan operates 5 types of Scholarship (MEXT) for students and workers in Solomon Islands. Applications for the four types of them for 2027—(1)Undergraduate, (2)Specialized Training College, (3)College of Technology, and (4)Research—are scheduled to open in April. In addition, the Teacher Training is scheduled to open in January. We encourage interested applicants to visit our website and Facebook page for more details, including last year’s guidelines for reference, and to prepare for the official application opening in April once the updated information becomes available.
<Website> Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands
https://www.sb.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/culture.html
<Facebook> Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands
https://www.facebook.com/japanemb.solomon/
Ms Ariella Hoala Levo
Ms Elnisha Talota