The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Jacob M. Schlesinger, a distinguished journalist, author, and leader, as its new president and chief executive officer. USJF is the largest independent American foundation dedicated to fostering closer ties between the two countries, with assets of around $100 million.
Schlesinger will oversee the organization’s grants and its US-Japan Leadership Program, while working to boost the Foundation’s impact through new initiatives aimed at shaping the debate over the future direction of the bilateral relationship.
Schlesinger has deep professional and personal ties to Japan. He comes to the helm of USJF after a 36-year career at The Wall Street Journal, moving back and forth between Tokyo and Washington, D.C. He most recently lived in Japan from 2010-2015, where he served as the Journal’s Japan editor and Tokyo bureau chief. He will be based in Washington and visit Japan frequently.
Schlesinger was a member of the Journal team winning a 2003 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism, and the 2014 recipient of Stanford’s Shorenstein Journalism Award, presented annually to a reporter helping global audiences understand the complexities of the Asia-Pacific region. For the past year, he has been a fellow at Stanford’s Distinguished Careers Institute studying threats to democracy in the U.S. and abroad. He is the author of “Shadow Shoguns: The Rise and Fall of Japan’s Postwar Political Machine,” published by Simon & Schuster and Stanford University Press. Schlesinger serves as a trustee of the Japan Center for International Exchange/USA.
“After an extensive search in both Japan and the United States, the USJF Board of Trustees is thrilled to welcome our next president and CEO,” said Lawrence K. Fish, chair of the Foundation’s board. “Jake stood out among many qualified candidates for his deeply rooted appreciation of the U.S.-Japan relationship, his distinguished record of leadership and service, and bold strategic orientation. We cannot wait to see how he will apply his boundless energy and network to fill the Foundation’s ambition for greater impact across and beyond the bilateral relationship.”
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to work with such an esteemed organization that has done so much good over the years to foster better ties across the Pacific, and to succeed a long string of distinguished USJF leaders,” Schlesinger said. “I look forward to consulting in the coming weeks with a wide range of stakeholders to discuss how we can think creatively to update our mission and address the new challenges for the U.S, Japan, and the Asia-Pacific region.”
Since its founding in 1980, the USJF has awarded more than $100 million in grants in Japan and the U.S. for a wide range of causes, from cultural exchange to disaster resilience. The Foundation also runs the US-Japan Leadership Program, which, over the past 23 years, has brought together nearly 500 future leaders from both countries, from politicians and business leaders to artists and writers.
Schlesinger is the Foundation’s sixth president, succeeding Dr. James T. Ulak (2019-2022). Prior presidents were: Amb. Richard W. Petree (1981-1988), Amb. Stephen W. Bosworth (1989-1996), Amb. Julia Chang Bloch (1996-1998), and Dr. George R. Packard (1998-2019).
Schlesinger graduated from Harvard College with a BA in economics. He lives in Washington with his wife, Louisa Rubinfien, who grew up in Tokyo, earned her PhD in Japanese history from Harvard University, and teaches Japanese history at the University of Maryland. Rubinfien is on the board of the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C., and chairs the council for the Japan Bowl, an annual competition for US high-school students studying Japan.
For further information, please contact info@us-jf.org
Class of 2023 Announcement and Delegate Introductions (PDF)
The United States-Japan Foundation is proud to announce the Class of 2023 Delegates to the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP), a next-gen network of both rising and established thought-leaders, innovators and boundary-breakers in the U.S. and Japan now nearing 500 members since the Program’s inception in 2000.
The Program’s mission is to foster lifelong friendship, continuous dialogue, and greater shared understanding among leaders from a variety of backgrounds and professions in each country. It starts this process by selecting and bringing together approximately 40 Japanese and Americans, ages 28-42, to participate as Delegates to two intensive weeklong conferences (one in the U.S. and one in Japan) over two years. At theses annual conferences, Delegates engage in interactive discussions around current and historical topics of critical importance to understand and cross-examine in the U.S. and Japan, and experience cultural and recreational activities designed to cultivate a deeper appreciation and understanding of the individuals in each cohort and the host country. Towards the end of the conference week, Delegates are joined by Fellows (alumni who have successfully completed two conferences as Delegates) for a two-day reunion that serves to create new and strengthen existing inter-class connections.
In addition to leadership criteria, selections for each USJLP cohort aim to shape the unique delegation of first and second-year participants with a diverse representation of professions, geographic areas, and perspectives. This year USJLP is welcoming 23 incoming first-year Delegates (11 Americans and 12 Japanese) who will join 24 returning second-year Delegates (13 Americans and 11 Japanese) to comprise the Class of 2023 at the Program’s 22nd Annual Conference in Kyoto and Tokyo over July 23-30, 2023. Members selected for the USJLP Class of 2023-2024 will convene again for their second conference in the summer of 2024 in the USA.
Click to view the USJLP Class of 2023 Announcement and Delegate Introductions on USJLP.org
The US-Japan Foundation announces the appointment of Lawrence K. Fish as Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees effective October 20, 2022. Mr. Fish joined the Foundation’s Board in 2017 and has served as Chair of the Finance Committee. Mr. Fish is the former Chairman and CEO of Citizens Financial Group, Inc. He has been a leader across a range of philanthropic endeavors and has served with distinction on the boards of major educational and policy institutions. Through the auspices of the Fish Family Foundation, together with his wife Atsuko, he has extended innovative, long-term assistance for the victims of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters in Japan’s Tohoku region.
Fish succeeds James W. Lintott who joined the Foundation Board in 2007 and served for more than a decade as its Chair. Lintott has been active in US-Japanese business for decades and is an internationally recognized expert in foundation management. His association with the Foundation began in 2000 as a founding member of the United States Japan Leadership Program.
The Board of the United States-Japan Foundation and the Foundation’s President James Ulak wish to announce Dr. Ulak’s resignation effective October 31, 2022.
During his three-year tenure as President of the Foundation, Jim engineered a complete restructuring of the Foundation’s administrative and financial processes, reformed and energized the grants and leadership programs, and significantly broadened the Foundation’s constituencies. All of this was accomplished during the uncertainties of the pandemic period.
Jim looks forward to the next stage of his career which will include conducting research and publication in his field of expertise, Japanese art history, and consultation with public and private art collections in Japan, the United States and Europe.
The Foundation offers Jim heartfelt thanks for his contributions and wishes him great success in future endeavors. Likewise Jim thanks the Foundation for the opportunity to contribute in concrete ways to the enhancement of bonds between Japanese and American societies. He wishes the Foundation every success in continuing its important mission.
Since 2000, the US-Japan Leadership Program has been devoted to developing a network of friendship, communication and understanding among the next generation of leaders in our two countries. Over the course of two summers, 40 young leaders are brought together to form meaningful exchanges around important topics of unique and mutual interest. Once selected for the Program, participants gain lifelong access to the unique pool of USJLP talent, connections and opportunities.
To qualify for the 2023-2024 USJLP conferences, candidates must hold U.S. or Japan citizenship, be between the ages of 28 and 44* as of the first day of the 2023 conference (July 23, 2023), and have demonstrated leadership and achievement in their respective fields. USJLP strives to achieve a diverse and balanced class each year, and consideration will be given to leaders from a broad spectrum of careers and backgrounds.
The 22nd Annual Conference will be held in Kyoto and Tokyo from July 23-30, 2023. Delegates who start the Program in 2023 are expected to return for their second year at the 2024 Conference, to be held at a TBA time and location in the U.S. in July 2024 (planned). Learn more about USJLP conferences here.
To learn more about nominating a prospective candidate or supporting the candidacy of someone applying for USJLP, please click here.
The application deadline is Monday, December 5, 2022. The Foundation intends to notify applicants of results in February 2023.
Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV, personal statement, recommendation letter, and an application cover sheet. Visit the USJLP Applications page for complete details and necessary documents.
*Note on temporary upper age permission for the 2023-2024 cycle: An upper age of 44 is being permitted this cycle as a special, one-time accommodation for candidates who otherwise could not apply during the Program’s COVID-19 operations hiatus over 2020 and 2021. Age eligibility will return to 28-42 following the close of this cycle on December 5, 2022.
The United States-Japan Foundation joins the world in stunned mourning of the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Sadly, we have grown all too accustomed to the use of violence as a political tool. Whatever the motives, to see it employed in Japan is breathtakingly unexpected. Tragically, the Prime Minister’s life was taken while he exercised one of the most quotidian features of a democracy and open society—delivering a campaign speech prior to an election.
The Prime Minister had an undeniable presence on the world stage and projected Japan’s commitment to addressing global issues in partnership with the United States. His long tenure nurtured a sense of familiarity and dependability around the world.
We have lost a friend and offer our condolences to all who mourn him.
Class of 2022 Announcement and Delegate Introductions (PDF)
The US-Japan Foundation is proud to announce the Class of 2022 Delegates to the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP), a next-gen network of both rising and established thought-leaders in the U.S. and Japan now totaling 478 members since the Program’s inception in 2000.
The Program’s mission is to foster lifelong friendship, continuous dialogue, and greater shared understanding among leaders from a variety of backgrounds and professions in each country. It starts this process by selecting and bringing together approximately 40 Japanese and Americans, ages 28-42, to participate as Delegates to two intensive weeklong conferences (one in the U.S. and one in Japan) over two years. At theses annual conferences, Delegates engage in interactive discussions around current and historical topics of critical importance to understand and cross-examine in the U.S. and Japan, and experience cultural and recreational activities designed to cultivate a deeper appreciation and understanding of the individuals in each cohort and the host country. At the end of the conference week, Delegates are joined by Fellows (alumni who have successfully completed two conferences as Delegates) for a two-day reunion that serves to create new and strengthen existing inter-class connections.
In addition to leadership criteria, selections for each USJLP cohort aim to shape the unique delegation of first and second-year participants with a diverse representation of professions, geographic areas, and perspectives. This year the Program is welcoming 27 incoming first-year Delegates (14 Americans and 13 Japanese) who will join 20 returning second-year Delegates (9 Americans and 11 Japanese) to comprise the Class of 2022 at the Program’s 21st Annual Conference in Seattle from July 23-30, 2022. Members selected for the Class of 2022-2023 will convene for their second conference next summer, currently scheduled to be held over July 23-30, 2023 in Kyoto and Tokyo.
Click to view the USJLP Class of 2022 Announcement and Delegate Introductions on USJLP.org
Dr. Toshihiro Nakayama (USJLP 2009-10). Via/Keio University.
The United States-Japan Foundation is deeply saddened by the recent news of the untimely passing of Dr. Toshihiro Nakayama on May 1, 2022. Toshihiro was a prominent scholar on US-Japan relations, appreciated by millions of Japanese for his always insightful views on American politics and culture, and a Fellow of the US-Japan Leadership Program’s Class of 2009-10.
Toshihiro was a faculty member of Keio University’s Graduate School of Media and Governance, but his expertise was offered widely. His intelligence, experience and wisdom were indispensable resources to successive government administrations, to academia and to the public. As a USJLP Fellow, he was always accessible and generous with his time, consistently offering thought-leadership and provocative observations to numerous US-Japan Leadership Program in-network discussions.
In this particularly troubling time for the world, just when his words would offer balanced and well-informed perspective, his untimely loss is widely felt. He will be greatly missed by Foundation staff, trustees, his USJLP colleagues and friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know and learn from him.
Click here to view the PDF version of this announcement
US-Japan Foundation shifts to a once-a-year Grant Program
New Award Cycle
The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to announce a restructuring of its Grant Program annual awards cycle. Whereas in previous years, grants were awarded biannually (Spring and Autumn), the Foundation will award grants only in the Autumn starting from 2022. While a greater percentage of the Foundation’s available annual funds will be dedicated to thematic grants, applications in the legacy categories of Education, Policy and Communication & Public Opinion will also be considered.
2022 Theme: Disruption and Resilience
Based on the strong response to and ongoing relevance of the 2021 Disruption and Resilience theme, that theme will be continued in 2022. As in 2021, thematic grants will continue to present opportunities for a diverse range of individuals, sectors and disciplines to address issues of mutual consequence to American and Japanese societies. The Foundation will favor projects submitted by partnerships of Japanese and American applicants. Projects proposing one- and two-year durations will be considered. Funding for multi-year grants will be awarded annually (incrementally) based on satisfactory performance. Recipients of thematic grants will be fully informed about the contents of all other successful thematic applications. All awardees will be expected to interact in biannual gatherings (virtual) organized by the Foundation.
Sharing resources, methodologies, discoveries and critiques, each thematic cohort will be expected to devise a method of communicating its relevant insights to specialists and general audiences. The Foundation will actively monitor awards and peer perspectives may be solicited to evaluate the original application or to observe or assist the granteeʼs progress. Applications for grants proposing projects of one and two year durations will be considered.
Out of Cycle Requests
Out of cycle requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
COVID-19
The Foundation continues to honor and monitor varying restrictions imposed local and national jurisdictions attempting to contain the pandemic. Grant applicants submitting proposals that include requests for international travel funding should be aware of these changing restrictions and to expect consultation with the Foundation in the course of the application process. Also, any applications proposing group gatherings must comply with attendance limitations as determined by local jurisdictions.
Grant timeline for 2022 and beyond
Autumn cycle:
• June 1: LOIs due
• June 30: RFPs issued
• August 1: Proposals Due
• October (approx. 4th week): Grants awarded
The United States-Japan Foundation appreciates your understanding of these procedural changes and welcomes any queries. Please address any questions or concerns to: programs@us-jf.org
The United States-Japan Foundation is pleased to announce grants award during its Spring 2021 funding cycle. Click here to learn more.