About the U.S.-Japan Foundation

Mission & Values

The United States-Japan Foundation is an independent philanthropic organization working to strengthen bilateral ties and address shared challenges. We empower next-generation leaders and fund innovative initiatives, catalyzing collaboration and exchanges among stakeholders in search of solutions.

In an era characterized by uncertainty and division, we believe that a robust U.S.-Japan relationship is vital to global peace, prosperity, stability, and sustainability in the 21st century. We are committed not just to maintaining that friendship but empowering it for greater good: helping each other address problems and jointly extending that support to friends in the region and around the world. A core part of our strategy is to bolster civil society in each country, bringing together talent and resources to create a thriving community.

Board and Staff

A group of experienced leaders from both sides of the Pacific in business, politics, academia, national security, communications, technology, nonprofits, and finance.

Our Board

History

The United States-Japan Foundation was launched in 1980 to strengthen cross-cultural fellowship.

Born out of a conversation between friends, the United States-Japan Foundation was launched in 1980 to strengthen cross-cultural fellowship. The original endowment was provided by Japanese industrialist Ryōichi Sasakawa, who created the organization in partnership with American diplomat Angier Biddle Duke and his wife, Robin Duke, herself later a diplomat, and a women's rights activist. Together, the Dukes and Sasakawa sought to quell rising trans-Pacific tensions by promoting a deeper understanding of one another’s cultures, histories, and policies.

Now, more than 40 years later, US-JF has evolved that mission, turning friendly cooperation into active collaboration, and forging new paths for those seeking to spark change.