On 10 April 2018, AFS Japan National Chair, Mrs. Akiko Kato and AFS Japan National Director, Mrs. Junko Kawano and AFS Thailand National Director, Ms. Chirawatana Charoonpatarapong visited Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan. They have discussed with Mr. Yasuhiro Obata, Director of International Education Division on the new scholarship Program, named Kakehashi Project, focused on facilitating intercultural exchange and understanding between teenagers in Japan and 20 other Asian countries. The first 32 students in 5 countries; Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam who will arrive in Japan in August 2018 for a six-month high school program have been selected by AFS Thailand.