Aleksandar Kvastek, a Master studies student at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, is one of the five winners of the Sakura stipend competition for the year 2018/2019 organized by the Japan Tobacco International company in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Serbia.

Students of all universities in the Republic of Serbia had the right to participate in the competition. The committee has selected the best five applications with proposals for research projects that can improve the cooperation between Serbia and Japan, within five areas (one project per area): psychology, Kaizen management, economy, art and law. In addition to the research papers, the competition valorized the successes achieved during studies, the average grade, as well as a recommendation from one of the professors. Aleksandar Kvastek’s awarded paper is entitled: „The comparison of penal reaction in Serbia and Japan“.

The official scholarship award ceremony was held in the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Serbia on May 29th, 2019. The winners were congratulated by Junichi Maruyama, the Ambassador of Japan in Serbia, and Goran Pekez, the director of corporate business and communications in the Japan Tobacco International company for Western Balkans. Sakura scholarships have been awarded since year 2011 with the goals of giving incentive for the research of Japanese society and culture in the Republic of Serbia and strengthening Serbian-Japanese friendship.