Help 2000 students from US & Japan connect online!

From September 2025 to February 2026, Kizuna Across Cultures successfully completed the 14th year of Global Classmates, a six-month bilingual online exchange program connecting high school students across the United States and Japan. This year’s program brought together 735 students from 26 high schools in Japan and the U.S.—spanning 11 U.S. states and 12 Japanese prefectures. 

This year, all 12 exchange pairs maintained consistent, high-quality communication from start to finish of the program. This was reflected in the exit survey, where 95% of students and 100% of teachers reported being satisfied with the program. Once again, we were able to deliver a successful online international collaborative learning experience, reaffirming its value and impact.

This year, all participants created self-introduction videos at the beginning of the exchange. Seeing and hearing each other from the outset helped quickly build familiarity and a sense of comfort, leading to a smooth start. In addition, the use of live video exchanges reached an all-time high, with around 70% of pairs participating in video calls. These live interactions added greater depth to the regular written exchange.

In addition, all pairs engaged in the social issues topic, “Generative AI in Our Lives: Past Experiences and Future Possibilities.” The discussions showed that the way students actually perceive and use generative AI differed in many ways from the images we had previously held, which were shaped primarily by media impressions. Through direct dialogue on the topic, students were able to develop a more nuanced, multi-dimensional understanding of AI. It also became clear that such exchanges deepen understanding in a more layered and meaningful way, highlighting one of the key strengths of online international exchange: its ability to address timely topics—those that are highly relevant yet still lack sufficient data or established perspectives—while providing a space for students to openly share information and exchange opinions.

With the spread of generative AI making translation and text creation increasingly effortless, the very meaning of learning a foreign language is being called into question. However, through our students’ interactions, the importance of authentic, human-to-human communication has come into focus. With Global Classmates, while the use of generative AI is permitted depending on the context, its implementation is left to the discretion of each teacher. Survey results from this year’s exchange program suggest that over-reliance on AI for accuracy and clarity can dilute a student’s individuality and make it harder to form genuine connections. On the other hand, it also became clear that the effort to express one’s own thoughts in one’s own words, even imperfectly, helps foster trust and meaningful relationships.

Based on these results, we believe that in an era where we coexist with generative AI, the ability to build relationships with others using one's own words is becoming increasingly important. This aligns with the importance of "intercultural competence"—the ability to build trust and collaborate with people from different backgrounds—which KAC has long advocated. Bearing this perspective in mind, we will continue to develop this program further.

As the 2025–2026 program concludes, we celebrate the meaningful conversations, friendships, and intercultural growth that took place. We thank all participating students, teachers, and schools for making this year’s Global Classmates such a vibrant and impactful experience.

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