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Leaders from Japan and the United States will gather for The Future of Philanthropy in Japan, a discussion organized around the release of the 2025 Global Philanthropy Environment Index. The program will feature Jacob M. Schlesinger (President & CEO, United States-Japan Foundation), Daisuke Kan (President of Cheerio Corporation Ltd. and US-Japan Leadership Program Fellow: 2014, 2015), Miyoko Demay (Executive Representative–Japan, World Monuments Fund and Outside Board Director, Nintendo Co., Ltd.), Dr. Sheila A. Smith (Council on Foreign Relations), Afshan Paarlberg (IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy), and Dr. David Janes (Vice President, International House of Japan; former senior program officer at USJF, USJLP Fellow 2002, 2003). Together, they will consider how philanthropy can respond to emerging challenges and opportunities in both countries.
The Global Philanthropy Environment Index (GPEI), produced by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, is one of the most comprehensive benchmarks of the enabling environments for philanthropy around the world. Its 2025 release offers timely insights into the regulatory, social, and cultural conditions that shape giving, including in Japan. This event will provide a Japan-focused readout of the report’s findings, followed by a wide-ranging conversation on the future of philanthropy across sectors.
In bringing together voices from business, academia, nonprofit leadership, and international affairs, the event aims to highlight how philanthropy is evolving to meet new global realities. Speakers will reflect on how Japanese traditions of giving are adapting to contemporary challenges, how cross-border collaboration is expanding opportunities for impact, and how both countries can learn from each other to strengthen civil society.
Philanthropy has always been central to the mission of the United States-Japan Foundation, and the Foundation is well represented in this important conversation. By supporting nonprofits, scholars, and leaders across borders, USJF seeks to foster a culture of giving that strengthens U.S.-Japan ties and advances solutions to global issues. For related articles, please see “Can Japan’s Philanthropy Sector Catch Up?” by our Japan Representative, Haruto Okabe, and our 3-part series “Giving in Japan Today and Tomorrow,” by the Japan Fundraising Association.
The Future of Philanthropy in Japan will be held on September 30, 2025, at 7:00–8:15 PM (U.S. Eastern Time) / October 1, 2025, at 8:00–9:15 AM (Japan Standard Time). For details and registration, please visit https://go.iu.edu/8ufk.
