NINETY one University of the South Pacific (USP) students are in Japan on a life-changing cultural experience, courtesy of the Kizuna Project.
The students form the first batch to have left the country under a new initiative by the Japanese government which gives them the chance to gain perspectives into the Japanese way of life.
The initiative includes a fully-funded fortnight's stay in Japan for study tours, under the Kizuna Project - or the "Bonds of Friendship" project.
The $5.5million funded initiative was launched in July at the USP's Japan-Pacific ICT Centre and covers 14 Pacific Island countries including Fiji.
The director of the USP Marshall Islands campus, Dr Irene Tafaaki, said the Marshall Islands students were excited about the trip.
She said the project had created stronger bonds of association between the Marshall Islands campus and Japan as well as the students.
USP Vice-Chancellor Prof Rajesh Chandra said the project would build a deep and meaningful relationship between Pacific Island countries and Japan.