This September, 70 university students from 35 countries in Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus took part in the MIRAI 2016 Summer Programme. “Mirai” is the Japanese word for future. The programme is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (European Policy Division) and organised by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) in cooperation with EFIL. MIRAI is a short-term youth exchange where university students who study Politics, Security Policies, Economics, International Relations, Asian Studies, Japan Studies or other related fields explore Japan for a week. Its main objectives are to promote mutual understandings, to enhance intellectual discussions and to build strong networks among future leaders of Japan and the world.