The Kyrgyz State Medical Academy (KSMA) initially planned to implement the Kyrgyz-Japanese Center for Educational and Cultural Exchange project in cooperation with the Japan Reigi-Sahou Association. The initiative was aimed at promoting cultural exchange in the fields of education and medicine, expanding international internship opportunities, and facilitating employment opportunities in Japan.
Within the framework of the Japanese educational program designed to provide professional training and develop globally competent human resources, KSMA students completed courses in the Japanese language, Japanese culture, and business etiquette.
Student recruitment was organized for a comprehensive educational program consisting of three components in the Japanese style:
- Japanese language;
- Japanese etiquette and manners;
- Professional education and training.
The Japanese language course was conducted at KSMA with the participation of a native Japanese language instructor to prepare students for a subsequent 10-month nursing care placement in Japan. The course was taught by Visiting Professor Takumi Ishiwatari.
Eligibility requirements included:
- KSMA students, including final-year students;
- willingness to take a one-year academic leave (or otherwise meet the academic requirements of the program);
- motivation to study the Japanese language and culture free of charge.
Following the dissolution of the Japan Reigi-Sahou Association, KSMA was invited to continue this cooperation with Yuyuusha Co., Ltd.
Today, the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy named after I.K. Akhunbaev actively develops international cooperation with Yuyuusha Co., Ltd. in the fields of practical training and academic mobility.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the parties, KSMA students are offered the opportunity to undertake long-term professional internships in Japan for up to ten months. The program enables participants to acquire practical skills in real working environments under the supervision of experienced mentors, while the internship outcomes are recognized by the Academy as an integral part of the educational curriculum.
The partner organization is responsible for arranging practical training, appointing supervisors, providing accommodation, paying participants a monthly allowance during the internship, and reimbursing transportation expenses related to the placement in Japan.
KSMA, in turn, selects and prepares participants, conducts pre-departure orientation sessions, monitors the quality of the internship, and recognizes the learning outcomes in accordance with the Academy's academic regulations.
This cooperation contributes to the development of international academic mobility, strengthens students' professional competencies, broadens their practical experience, and further enhances partnership between the Kyrgyz Republic and Japan.
Since June 2026, two students from the Faculty of Medicine of KSMA—Marsel Abdybaliev and Amar Zhenishov—have been sent to Japan under this program.
