Ship for World Youth is an exceptional international youth exchange program for the young leaders of the world fully sponsored by the Cabinet Office of the Japanese Government that aims to provide participants aged 18−35 with the opportunity to enhance their leadership and communication skills necessary to excel in an increasingly globalized world. One of the goals is to give the participating youth a chance to get to know diverse cultures, deepen the abilities for mutual understanding and broaden their perspectives. Being part of this program can be a life changing experience for many as participants spend about a month on a cruise ship named Nippon Maru and immerse in an intensive educational program, not forgetting to get acquainted with around 240 other participants on the ship.

The official goals of the program are as follows:

• To foster the spirit and practice of international cooperation;
  
• To promote friendship and mutual understanding between the youth of Japan and the youth of other parts of the world;
  
• To broaden the international awareness of participants;
  
• To develop youth capable of playing leading roles in various sectors of their societies and in turn contribute to the sound development of youth in their respective countries.