Since its inception 30 years ago in 1996, the Vulcanus in Europe programme has offered talented Japanese STEM students a unique opportunity for both professional and personal growth. Increasingly, European companies in sectors of strategic importance for EU–Japan cooperation, such as digital technologies, space, defence, advanced medical technologies, energy, and the environment, are showing interest in hosting Vulcanus interns and involving them in their R&D activities. To showcase the programme in action, the EU-Japan Centre interviewed two interns participating in the 2025–2026 edition.
Shohei Kajiwara, a PhD candidate at Sophia University (Tokyo), was hosted by a startup company in Aachen, Germany. His company, Fibrecoat, creates new materials by coating fibres to make them stronger, lighter, and more functional for use in industries from space and defence to electric vehicles and beyond. Although Shohei’s academic background is in chemistry, he has been able to make a meaningful contribution to the company, thanks to his interdisciplinary experience. During his internship, he researched how composite materials can protect and insulate spacecrafts from cosmic radiation, a key challenge for future space exploration. This experience helped Shohei realise that he could envision himself in professional roles beyond those traditionally associated with his field of study. He also learned that stepping outside of one’s comfort zone can build self-confidence, while bringing the Japanese principle of kaizen into the workplace.
Also based in Germany during his internship, Keita Toyama, a master’s student specialising in cryptography, has gained hands-on experience through his work at Airbus Defence and Space (ADS). Over the past months, he has been involved in the AEROSEC project which aims to develop a highly secure multi-cloud platform to support European defence initiatives and address interoperability gaps among European countries. His time at ADS has broadened his perspective on future career paths and strengthened his motivation to contribute to industrial cooperation between Japan, Europe, and other regions, by combining his academic expertise with the practical skills gained during his internship.
Japan is home to world-class STEM universities and brilliant students. Hosting a Japanese intern not only supports the student’s professional development but also brings valuable benefits to host companies. If you are interested in hosting a Japanese intern through Vulcanus in Europe, read more about the programme on our website.
Above: Keita Toyama, on the right, with his supervisor Hauke Ernst, in the middle, Digitalization Manager at Airbus
Cover picture: Shohei Kajiwara and his supervisor Felix Schmidt, Application Engineer for Space at Fibrecoat
Published: March 2026