Areeba Zafar Makes History in Japan AI Program

For Areeba Zafar, a final-year Computer Science major at the University of Technology (UTech), the journey from classroom to cutting-edge technology labs in Japan has been nothing short of extraordinary. 

Zafar was selected in the November 2025 cohort as the only Jamaican, and the sole female representative from the Latin America and Caribbean region, for the highly competitive “Internships in Japan for AI and Tech” program, organized by the Government of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and managed by Pasona.

Out of more than 14,000 global applicants, with a regional pool of 5,231, only 50 candidates earned the opportunity to travel to Japan for the fully funded 1.5-month internship. 

Zafar distinguished herself in the rigorous IT contest that served as the entry assessment, placing in the S-Rank, the top 0.4% of contestants. Her achievements did not go unnoticed: she was selected as the representative speaker for all 50 interns at the official award ceremony, a role that highlighted her exceptional talent and leadership.

Areeba’s story is now featured as a case study on the program’s official website, inspiring young tech enthusiasts across the globe. Read her case study at: https://japaninternshipglobal.go.jp/case1

Early Passion for Technology

Areeba’s aptitude for IT was evident early. A graduate of St. Andrew High School for Girls, she placed second in both IT and EDPM in the Caribbean Secondary Education Council (CSEC) Examinations in June 2022. At UTech, she has continued to excel academically while immersing herself in practical, industry-focused experiences.

Contributions at Value Solutions Co., Ltd.

During her internship in Japan, Zafar was placed at Value Solutions Co., Ltd., where she made significant contributions to the NONFreeze product line and several internal tools. She explained, “My main deliverable was the NONFreeze Verification Tool, a C# WPF desktop application performing real-time network health checks via ICMP ping sweeps and TCP port monitoring to verify device availability across endpoints. I also built a companion NONFreeze Scanner Application and a Configuration Automation Tool to reduce manual deployment work and configuration drift.”

She didn’t stop there. Areeba developed a full-stack, bilingual (English/Japanese) NONFreeze Inventory Management System using PHP 8, MySQL, and Bootstrap, handled firmware development on the Renesas EK-RA6M5 evaluation kit with C and FreeRTOS, and translated technical manuals and corporate website content from Japanese to English, ensuring precise technical accuracy.

A Cultural Exchange Beyond Technology

Areeba’s time in Japan was as enriching culturally as it was professionally. Value Solutions made special accommodations for her as a practicing Muslim, arranging halal meals and prayer breaks, and organized cultural experiences including a trip to Mount Fuji and a tour of Akihabara where she and the team wore traditional kimonos. “The thoughtfulness and respect they showed me as a Jamaican and as a Muslim is something I’ll carry with me for a long time,” she reflected.

Looking Ahead

Zafar recently completed her internship at EY (Ernst & Young) Jamaica, where she had been working as a Cybersecurity Intern in technology consulting, a position she paused to pursue the Japan opportunity. With graduation approaching, she has a number of job offers lined up, but plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Cyber/Digital Forensics while continuing to build her career in technology.

Her exceptional journey is now a beacon for Jamaican youth, particularly young women, to apply for the next cycle of the “Internships in Japan for AI and Tech” program, continuing to represent Jamaica on a global stage.

Areeba Zafar’s story is a testament to talent, perseverance, and the power of opportunity, proving that even a single determined individual from the Caribbean can make waves in the global tech arena.

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