October 2024

Led by LEDGE, Japan’s dedicated public interest litigation organization, this 12-month project aims to forge pro bono partnerships between U.S. law firms operating in Japan and Japanese litigators. The goal is to strengthen the underdeveloped public interest litigation ecosystem by leveraging the robust U.S. pro bono culture. The initiative involves assessing U.S. firm capacity, followed by launching a pilot program where a selected firm contributes legal research and strategic advice to an active public interest case.

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Grant Awarded: $40,000

ImpactShare formalizes its unique knowledge platform to advance impact capital flow between the US and Japan. The initiative addresses the complexity and limited connectivity surrounding impact investing by sharing US and European insights, case studies, and methodologies with Japanese practitioners. Core activities include delivering firsthand interviews, offering networking events, and providing lectures/videos to expand knowledge. Ultimately, ImpactShare aims to attract global capital and evolve into a specialized impact investment think tank.

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Grant Awarded: ¥8,163,289

The Tsunageru ABA – World Autism Summit, led by the Asia-Pacific ABA Network, is a three-day convention in Hakodate, Hokkaido (September 2025). It aims to strengthen US-Japan ties and introduce the effective, US-developed Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment model for ASD. The event facilitates networking between US experts and Japanese professionals/families through workshops and seminars. This initiative is timely as behavioral science is now mandatory in Japanese medical education, promoting international standards for ASD treatment.

Location: Hokkaido, Japan
Grant Awarded: ¥7,000,000

The National Japan Bowl, presented by the Japan-America Society of Washington DC, is America’s premier high school Japanese language competition. The project's core mission is to foster the next generation of talent needed to support the US-Japan partnership by inspiring students and offering administrators a tool to advocate for investment in Japanese language programs. The 33rd annual event, co-hosted by the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies and centralized at Johns Hopkins SAIS, aimed to enhance the student experience through direct engagement with Japan studies faculty and leveraging the downtown DC location for increased visibility. The two-day competition holistically assesses language, culture, and current events.

Location: Washington, D.C.
Grant Awarded: $12,500

The Asia Society Policy Institute proposes a one-year project examining how the U.S.-Japan alliance is adapting to growing threats and changes in the U.S.-Japan relationship under the Trump 2.0 Administration. The project will analyze the resilience of bilateral cooperation in the midst of turbulence in the trade relationship, as well as how Japan has responded by enhancing its own defense capabilities and deepening engagement with other like-minded countries. Through interviews and consultations with USG and GoJ officials, congressional staff, experts, and journalists in both Japan and the U.S., it will examine how domestic political trends in both countries, economic expectations of Tokyo, and trust in U.S. security commitments have altered the alliance, and the opportunities and risks that both countries face. The project will provide concrete policy recommendations for how to strengthen the partnership in a changing geopolitical landscape.

Location: New York, NY
Grant Awarded: $72,403

The Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York, under the Japanese American Association of New York, is creating an online exhibit, “Exhibiting JAPAN,” comparing the 1939-1940 and 1964-1965 New York World's Fairs. The project analyzes the evolving US-Japan relationship, examining how U.S. occupation and socio-political upheaval influenced the Pavilions' presentations. Launching in March 2026, the interactive digital exhibit will feature virtual 3D architectural models, maps, photographs, and films, accessible in English and Japanese.

Location: New York, NY
Grant Awarded: $29,700

Led by experts from the University of Tokyo, Stevens Institute of Technology, and the University of Maryland, this project systematizes experience with Nature-based Solutions (NBS) for coastal resilience. Addressing intensifying climate-induced coastal risks, the initiative first creates a database of implemented NBS projects in the US and Japan. Subsequent comparative case studies extract practical lessons learned and best practices. The findings will guide future NBS implementation and inform policymakers in both countries and globally.

Location: Tokyo, Japan / Hoboken, NJ
Grant Awarded: $43,869

The International Foster Care Alliance (IFCA) youth project leverages US-Japan foster youth collaboration to reform child welfare. Through four exchanges (2025–2027), the goal is to establish Japan’s first Youth Advisory Board (YAB), utilizing US models for youth rights and engagement. The initiative also drives reform for mental health care affecting Transition-Age Youth (TAY) in both countries. Activities include workshops, site visits, and a Traveling Exhibition of Foster Youth Art.

Location: Seattle, WA
Grant Awarded: $34,000