Mayumi Nakata

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Why did you decide to study in Japan?

I took into consideration that Japan is an investor in education where I could acquire knowledge and support that I would not find in my home country.

How was your life in Japan?

Pros: A very safe country that invests in education, studies and technology.
Cons: Living in a country with a culture and social organization very different from mine, brought some stresses in my daily life.
The great difference of the Nikkei Schorlarship is the power to concentrate Nikkeis from all over the world but regardless of the country where they were born, they had similar experiences. As fellows we have the opportunity to develop projects and trainings, gaining experience with group work.

Tell us about your past study or research.

My current research focuses on the consequences of the Gorkha earthquake has caused in the mountainous regions of Nepal in 2015. I have been developing and improving a simulator capable of predicting landslides in order to find ways to mitigate the consequences of disasters and warn the local population.

Did your consciousness as a Nikkei change in any way through studying in Japan?

My consciousness as a Nikkei grew stronger after my stay in Japan. We had a lot of training (HNK, YK, Summer Workshop, FNK) where it was always possible to talk about being Nikkei. And these conversations were enriched by Nikkeis from different parts of the World.

Tell us about your plan after graduation.

I am a researcher. I am in a project related to the landslides that occurred in Nepal until March 2019. This Project is sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, who has provided with a financial support for conducting field surveys in Nepal; the support is “Detection of earthquake-induced shallow and deep-seated tectonic deformations and stresses and its implication to land conservation strategies,” Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), No. 26249069 (Leader: Kazuo Konagai).

Please give a message to students who are considering studying in Japan.

Keep in mind that life away from home is never easy, but this is a great opportunity to experience a different culture and have new personal and professional experiences.

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