Big League Giving, Local Impact: USJF and the Dodgers Invest in Japan’s Future with Targeted Philanthropy

The Dodgers are in Japan—and this time, they’re not just playing ball. In the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series, they beat the Chicago Cubs twice at the Tokyo Dome. Just as important as the final score was the goodwill and support they extended to children across Japan. They’ve teamed up with the United States-Japan Foundation to support youth-focused nonprofits doing extraordinary work throughout the country. It’s a powerful model we believe in: cost-sharing, where local expertise meets global reach.

Not Just a Donation—A Smarter Way to Give

This partnership was launched immediately after Stan Kasten, President & CEO of the Dodgers, joined the USJF board earlier this year.

Rather than make a one-off donation, the Dodgers chose to work through USJF to identify grassroots Japanese nonprofits with a proven record of impact. Together, they co-funded a grant program with $100,000 from the Dodgers and $100,000 from USJF. The result? Targeted support that strengthens civil society in Japan and creates opportunities for young people to thrive.

As the CEO and President of USJF Jacob Schlesinger notes, “Teaming up with the Dodgers is very exciting for us. It leverages our position as strongly linked to major players in the U.S. who are looking to maximize their own philanthropy while taking advantage of our close relationship with Japanese organizations. Bringing Stan onto the board has already yielded great results."

For USJF, partnering with the Dodgers is a powerful opportunity to expand its mission. By co-funding these efforts, USJF stretches its resources further, amplifying its ability to strengthen civil society in Japan. This collaboration is more than a financial commitment—it’s a model for how U.S. businesses and philanthropic organizations can work together to create a lasting, cross-sector, and cross-border initiative to effect social change.

The Dodgers, Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki: Giving Back On and Off the Field

The Dodgers’ commitment to the Los Angeles community is well documented. Their Community Relations and Government Affairs team spearheads the organization’s civic and philanthropic efforts, building strong relationships with local leaders, government entities, community stakeholders, and players and their families. Through the Dodgers Foundation, the team has given more than $63 million to improve education, health care, housing, and to promote social justice.

Beyond that, the team’s Japanese players—Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki—are all actively engaged in initiatives that give back to youth in both the United States and Japan.

Shohei Ohtani has inspired young athletes through baseball clinics and workshops in Japan, while also boosting community pride in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo. Last year, he and the Dodgers organization donated $1 million to survivors of the earthquake on Japan’s west coast, as well as $500,000 to help rebuild Los Angeles after the wildfires this winter.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has deep ties to Okinawa, started the Miyagi Daiya Foundation in 2022 to support mentorship programs for aspiring baseball players in Japan and to promote cultural exchange between Japanese and American fans. Alongside ANA, he helped bring children from Okinawa—a region known for its love of baseball—to attend the MLB game between the Dodgers and Cubs.

Roki Sasaki, who is from Rikuzentakata and lived through the traumatic 2011 tsunami—losing his father and paternal grandparents—has donated over 10 million yen to Iwate Prefecture to support wildfire relief efforts. His work is uplifting the next generation of players across the globe. Their involvement reflects a shared value: that sports can foster connection, confidence, and opportunity.

Four Nonprofits, One Shared Goal: Supporting Japan’s Youth

We were proud to celebrate this partnership and honor the four awardees during a special ceremony with the Dodgers at Keio University on March 17. Together, USJF and the Dodgers are supporting four remarkable organizations leading change on the ground in Japan. Tomoyuki Watanabe, the USJF Vice President and Managing Director, notes, "We were overjoyed with the opportunity to collaborate with the Dodgers. We know the Japanese nonprofit scene quite well, so it was not difficult for us to identify worthy and respected organizations, supporting them to continue doing their excellent work."

Churayui (Okinawa)
Churayui is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe space for children and young people facing challenges like truancy, social withdrawal, or poverty. Acting as a bridge between home and society, it offers an environment where they can be themselves, explore their potential, and take steps toward a brighter future. As Tomoko Imagi, Director of Churayui, explains: “We plan to use the grant we received to help fund the opening of a community café—a space where children and young people can freely gather and even have opportunities to work. We remain committed to doing our utmost so that every child and young person can live a life filled with hope.” We also note that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was born in Okinawa and his mother is Okinawan. After the Dodgers won the World Series last year, he visited Naha “to be with my people and celebrate with you guys, together.”

Musubie (National)
A champion of kodomo shokudō (children’s cafeterias), Musubie supports over 8,000 meal sites across Japan that provide food, friendship, and community to children in need. Their efforts include supporting regional networks of children’s cafés, collaborating with companies and organizations eager to make a societal impact, and undertaking surveys, research, and outreach initiatives. Rie Mishima, Executive Managing Director, explains:  “With this generous funding, we will continue to make every effort to ensure that we continue to deliver kindness to children rather than loneliness. We are honored by this support and hope to have a long partnership with the U.S.-Japan Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

VAMOS TOGETHER (Tokyo)
Founded in April 2020 by baseball legend Alex Ramirez and his wife Miho, VAMOS TOGETHER is a nonprofit organization striving for inclusiveness. It empowers children with Down syndrome and other special needs to learn and thrive alongside children without disabilities. With a mission to foster independence, uncover talent, and create future opportunities, the organization brings smiles to children and families while building connections that lead to meaningful societal change.

U.S.-Japan Council (Tokyo & U.S.)
Through the TOMODACHI Initiative and other programs, the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) cultivates the next generation of leaders and strengthens U.S.-Japan ties through education and exchange. These funds will support Kibou (Hope) for Los Angeles (KLA), a cross-cultural program empowering youth in Altadena, California, through resilience, leadership, and community rebuilding. Audrey Yamamoto, President & CEO of USJC, shared:
“We are deeply grateful to the Dodgers and the United States–Japan Foundation for partnering with us to turn tragedy into transformation. By connecting Altadena’s next generation of leaders with the Tohoku region of Japan that has rebuilt and thrived after disaster, we are creating a powerful opportunity for healing, learning, and future leadership.” It is especially meaningful that both Ohtani and Sasaki are from Tohoku, as this effort connects their Japanese and American hometowns.

Each of these organizations brings vision, compassion, and innovation to their work—and we are honored to help amplify their impact.

More Than a Moment—A Model for the Future

At USJF, we see this initiative as more than a one-time grant. It’s a blueprint for how U.S. organizations can engage with Japan in ways that are thoughtful, strategic, and community-driven. By connecting global partners with local expertise, we can build something lasting—something that empowers the next generation on both sides of the Pacific.
We’re grateful to the Dodgers for their partnership and to the four nonprofits for the vital work they do every day.

Let’s keep building—together.