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SMIPRP Education

Modes of Training

Our program is composed of various modes of training: lectures, individual supervision, practicum, and field trips. We believe that a mix of approaches to learning and development helps enhance our program by enabling students to learn by themselves, with instructors and from each other.

Modes of Training

  1. Lectures

    Most courses are given in the form of lectures. Our lecture classes (modules) run with an average of five students – small enough to encourage questions and discussions.

  2. Individual Supervision

    This is an essential training mode for thesis preparation, with required Thesis 1 (A) and (B) courses, as well as optional meetings held outside regular classroom hours by appointment.

  3. Practicum

    The customs practicum features lectures, workshops, and seminars, and involves visits to regional customs, policy implementation/enforcement, examination, and other management issues. The practicum also involves the presentation of a paper and an additional opportunity to attend workshops led by the Japanese Customs teaching staff.

  4. Field Trips

    During the field trips, scholars visit private firms, public offices, and cultural sites to acquire practical knowledge and a feeling for the Japanese economy and society. In the program, we try to present scholars with the contrasting realities of the Japanese economy.

Academic Curriculum and Courses in 2025

The following courses are offered during 2025-2026. Please bear the notes in mind as follows;

Course Title Credit Semester Instructor
<Strategic Management>
Competitive Strategy Ⅰ 2 Spring  Naoto Nadayama
Competitive Strategy Ⅱ 2 Autumn  Naoto Nadayama
 Management Ⅰ 2 Spring  Jiro Usugami
 Management Ⅱ 2 Autumn  Jiro Usugami
Organizational Management Ⅰ 2 Spring  Kyoko Kato
Organizational Management Ⅱ 2 Autumn Kyoko Kato
HRM & Leadership I 2 Spring Yukiko Nakagawa
HRM & Leadership Ⅱ 2 Autumn Yukiko Nakagawa
<Intellectual Property Rights>
 Intellectual Property Rights Ⅰ 2  Spring  Tatsuya Saito/Tomoyuki Kanai/Ai Nemoto
 Intellectual Property Rights Ⅱ 2  Autumn  Tatsuya Saito/Tomoyuki Kanai/Ai Nemoto
 IPR Enforcement at the Border 2 Spring  Kenichi Tagami
 Copyright Law 2 Spring  Daiki Ishikawa/Atsushi Okada
<Customs Administration>
 Practicum in Customs Administration 2 Spring Yoshihiro Kosaka
 Customs Law 2 Spring Jitsuya Hasegawa
Customs Tariff Law 2 Spring Jitsuya Hasegawa
Customs Reforms & Modernization 2 Autumn  Yuko Tsuda/Takemasa Murayama
 <Research Methodology>
 Master's Thesis Ⅰ (A) *Required 2 Spring  Usugami/Nadayama/Nakagawa/Kato
 Master's Thesis Ⅰ (B) *Required 2 Autumn  Usugami/Nadayama/Nakagawa/Kato
Statistical Analysis 2 Spring  Michiko Miyamoto
 Academic Writing 2 Spring  Andrea Corina Cinteza
 Writing the Research Paper 2 Autumn  Andrea Corina Cinteza
Japanese language No credit Spring & Autumn Satoko Watanabe

01. A minimum of 30 credits is required to graduate.
02. Master's Thesis I (A) & I (B) are compulsory to write the thesis under a supervisor whom students are required to choose from the full-time faculty members (Jiro Usugami / Kyoko Kato / Naoto Nadayama / Yukiko Nakagawa) upon respective research themes.

03. Japanese language courses (non-credit) are offered both in Spring and Autumn semesters.

Academic Calendar

2025-2026 Academic Year

Spring
Date Event/Deadline
April 1
Entrance Ceremony Academic Orientation/Master Thesis Orientation
Medical Check-up
April 5
Spring Semester Begins
April 15
Course Registration of the First Semester Ends
July 31
Spring Semester Ends
August 1 - September 19
Summer Break
Autumn
Date Event/Deadline
September 20
Autumn Semester Begins
September 26
Course Registration of the Second Semester Ends
End of September or Early October
Interim Presentation
October 31 - November 2
Aoyama Campus Festival
December 23 - January 4
Winter Break
January 5
Autumn Semester Resumes
Late January
Submission of Master's Thesis
February 3
Autumn Semester Ends
February 4
Spring Break Begins
End of February
Final Presentation and Defense
March 25
Graduation Ceremony

Thesis titles of the academic year 2024-2025 graduates

For your reference, the following is a list of thesis titles during the academic year 2024-2025.

  • 01.Assessing the Effectiveness of Reward Policies on the Job Performance of Customs Officials: A Study of Bangladesh Customs–Khan Md Shamsul Arafin
  • 02.The Role of Project Management in Botswana Customs Modernization Projects‐Manguba Phemelo
  • 03.Improving Trade Facilitation Through Coordinated Border Management: The Case of the Gambia Customs and Excise Department-Darboe Bintou S.
  • 04.Assessing the Effectiveness of Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement by Ghana Customs in Cross-Border Trade: Perspectives from the African Continental Free Trade Area-Kugblenu Godwin Sena Kwaku
  • 05.Assessing the readiness of customs administration and the business community for the implementation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) border enforcement in Malawi: Focusing on counterfeits goods, enforcement barriers, facilitators and anticipated long-term outcomes-Petross Chinsinsi
  • 06.Investigating Perceived Career Plateau Impacts on Job Satisfaction, Work Motivation and Job Integrity: A Case Study for Royal Malaysian Customs Department.–Farah Diyana binti Azlan
  • 07.Introduction of IPR Border Enforcement Measures in the Maldives: Barriers and Facilitators-Sabaahath Sabree
  • 08.The Impact of Training and Development on Employee Performance: Namibia Revenue Agency (Customs and Excise Department)-Amutenya Wilhelmina Mwadhina
  • 09.Exploring the Link between Exposure to Violence to Customs Officials’ Productivity: A Study of the Nigeria Customs Service-Ugbah Tavershima Daniel
  • 10.Turnover Intention and Job Embeddedness of Generation Z Employees of the Thai Customs Department-Hiranaburna Asda