We are a network for Japanese nationals who have studied in Sweden, and non-Japanese nationals who have studied in Sweden and currently reside in Japan. SWAN Japan has its roots in Tokyo's Swedish Embassy and became an independent, officially certified alumni network acknowledged by the Swedish Institute in 2017. Ever since our inception, we maintain close ties with the Embassy as well other important organizations within the Sweden community in Japan. Another partner of ours is the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCJ) which among other things supports job seekers at Swedish companies. You can access their career page here. We also work closely with SWEA Japan, an organization that has existed in Tokyo since 1988.

Most of are members are Japanese nationals, but non-Japanese nationals who currently reside in Japan are also welcome to join our network. As of March 2023 we have over 693 members, and hope to grow more in the years to come. As we are a Swedish Institute certified organization, we join SIs global network of alumni associations and annual conferences, where alumni networks across the globe come together to share experiences and discuss improvements.  

Why?

Our aim is to create a broad network of Swedish Alumni in Japan through which we hope that our members can maintain a close link to Sweden. In short, we hope that SWAN Japan will provide its members with opportunities to nourish their Sweden connection and create a network of people who share the same background.

SWAN Japan's activities include seminars, workshops and networking activities. Our board is elected bi-annually at our Annual General Meeting that is open to all members. While the board is handling the operational tasks, we encourage all our members to come to us with ideas! Anyone can create an event, so please do contact the board with any ideas you may have.

Some of our past events include midsummer celebrations, crayfish parties, kubb field days, democracy fika, Swedish language cafés, career days, casual networking events, and much more! In addition to our own events, SWAN Japan members often get invited to exlusive events with our partners - the Embassy of Sweden and SCCJ. We aim for a good balance of online and offline events.

Who can join?

To join the network you need to either be a Japanese national who has studied in Sweden (can live anywhere in the world) or a non-Japanese national who resides in Japan. Membership with us is free. Please see more details in our membership page where you can also register.