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Center of Ocean and Atmospheric Research
Dr. Nicolás J. Cosentino
Center of Ocean and Atmospheric Research
Special Experience in Japan
As I wrap up my 6-month trip to Japan, I look back at all the experiences I have been through, and I cannot but smile. From the forging of long-lasting academic relationships, exciting new science, new friends, unforgettable travels, and deep learning, I return to Argentina a better, more complex person. This is a character-building experience that I will always cherish.
As is usually the case with me, academic visits allow me to get to know foreign cultures, beyond superficial tourist escapades. Since I can recall, the word “Japan” has been shrouded in mystery. Indeed, before this trip, I had no academic ties to Japan, but a strong desire to connect to this country. Six months after my arrival, I feel I understand better what Japan and its people are, what they offer to the world, and what we as foreigners can offer Japan.
When I learned of the scholarship offered by the Matsumae International Foundation (MIF), I immediately set it upon myself to find a colleague in Japan with whom I shared a scientific interest. The name “Dr. Akinori Ito” from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) quickly came to mind, and upon a first email contact, Akinori and I prepared a research project and submitted it to the MIF.
The experience has been very positive from even before reaching Japan. The MIF has provided great support, both financially, logistically, and in other respects as well. I appreciate the effort to imbue the fellow’s visit with cultural context, most clearly through the study tour to Hiroshima, but also through a strong introduction to the legacy of Dr. Shigeyoshi Matsumae. This fellowship is not just a scientific visit. If one is open and willing, it can also be a deep dive into Japanese culture and into the ideals of international peace put forward by Dr. Matsumae.
I would like to thank the MIF and JAMSTEC, as institutions, but also to their people, who have helped make my trip a special one. Now I return to Argentina with a strong desire to spread the word about Japanese academia, Dr. Matsumae’s legacy, and more generally, about Japan.
December 2025
Researcher, Center of Ocean and Atmospheric Research (CIMA), French-Argentine Institute of Studies on Climate and its Impacts (IFAECI)
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