📩 Introducing the USJF Quarterly Newsletter Each edition brings highlights from across the USJF to your inbox: USJLP announcements, Community News, new grantee stories, and sector trends. Sign up today at us-jf.org/en/#usjfNews... to be the first to know about our latest updates.

📈 New Trends & Trendsetters: Advocacy Delve into how Japanese and U.S. nonprofits adapt advocacy strategies to navigate political challenges, emphasizing relationships, research, and cultural context for impactful change. us-jf.org/en/trends-an...

Come join us online on September 30 at 7:00 PM ET / October 1 at 8:00 AM JST for a lively discussion on the future of philanthropy in Japan and the U.S. Find out more and register below. us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: Connecticut College “Although there was a language barrier between the two groups, the musicians learned how to communicate through music.” See how their concert tour to Tokyo fosters cross-cultural collaboration and inclusion. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

📈 New Trends & Trendsetters: Funding Crisis Look into how nonprofits in Japan and the U.S. are navigating financial crises and fostering resilience through innovative strategies and community support. us-jf.org/en/trends-an...

The new documentary, Atomic Echoes: Untold Stories from WWII, produced by novelist and journalist Karin Tanabe (USJLP 2019, 2022) and co-creator Victoria Kelly, began airing nationally on PBS on August 1 and will be available to stream on the PBS app until October 1. us-jf.org/en/news/atom...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: L+P Foundation "We believe eating together and sharing culinary traditions can invite conversation without being confrontational." Find out how Lisa and Pierre blend food and storytelling to foster cultural dialogue and justice. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

Dr. Koji Murata, Professor and former President of Doshisha University and USJLP Fellow (2000), reflects on U.S.-Japan relations in an essay titled "The End of the ‘Japan Hands’ Era–or a Rebirth?" in the August 2025 issue of Chuo Koron. us-jf.org/en/news/dosh...

Join us on August 22, 9:30 AM ET / 10:30 PM JST for a conversation on U.S.-Japan defense cooperation and Indo-Pacific security, co-hosted by the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers and the United States-Japan Foundation. Find out more and register here: indopacificresearchers.org/u-s-japan-al...

Dave Cavell (@davidcavell.bsky.social), a U.S.-Japan Leadership Program Delegate (2025, 2026), reflects on his recent visit to Hiroshima in TIME magazine, tracing his journey from helping draft President Obama’s 2016 Hiroshima speech to meeting survivor Koko Kondo. us-jf.org/en/news/usjl...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: The Film Collaborative (@filmcollab.bsky.social) “It’s not about blame or analyzing history. It’s about honoring people who lived through something unimaginable, and making sure we don’t let it happen again.” Discover Atomic Echoes below. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

In April, Haruto joined us at Stanford to present on the social impact landscape in Japan as part of our seminar, hosted in partnership with @usjf.bsky.social, exploring #philanthropy and civil society in #Japan.

📈 New Trends & Trendsetters: Volunteering & Internship Explore how nonprofits in Japan and the U.S. can effectively engage volunteers and interns, transforming them into valuable contributors and future leaders in the sector. us-jf.org/en/trends-an...

🚨 Still accepting applications! 🚨 The Young Mayors Award from USJF offers ¥1M for a U.S. policy study trip to a mayor in Japan under 45 with bold ideas and a global outlook. Apply by July 31 or share with someone who should! us-jf.org/en/news/youn...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: Sumter County Georgia School District “The relationships you create can't be captured in words. It transforms your perspective on people, history, and peace.” Discover the 30-year legacy of cross-cultural exchange. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

Stephen D. Bloom, former CEO of the Portland Japanese Garden, will join the United States-Japan Foundation as a Senior Fellow in September, bringing strategies to expand impact and visibility, with a particular focus on the US-Japan Leadership Program. us-jf.org/en/news/lead...

Haruto Okabe, USJF’s new Japan Rep, breaks down the cultural and structural roadblocks to philanthropy in Japan in this exclusive piece on Alliance magazine—free to read for our network. Read the article and get the 30% subscription discount code below. us-jf.org/en/news/can-...

📈 New Trend & Trendsetters: Report on Japanese Philanthropy Despite cultural values of empathy, Japan’s nonprofit sector struggles to attract support. The "Giving in Japan Today and Tomorrow" series highlights Japan’s civil society, guided by a report from the Japan Fundraising Association. ⬇️

Haruto Okabe, a rising professional in Japan’s social-impact sector, has joined USJF as its new Japan Representative. He will lead the Foundation’s new Japan strategy, working with civil-society leaders to boost social impact and deepen U.S.-Japan ties. us-jf.org/en/news/us-j...

Caroline Kennedy has rejoined the USJF Board of Trustees. Kennedy served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017, then joined the USJF board in 2017. She left in 2022 to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Australia until December 2024. us-jf.org/en/news/caro...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: WELgee “There is huge potential for innovative approaches where refugees can achieve stable residency and a sense of belonging through employment and community integration.” Read more about how they empower refugees by focusing on their careers. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

📈 New Trend & Trendsetters: Corporate Sponsorship Explore how U.S. and Japanese nonprofits navigate corporate sponsorships, balancing funding needs with mission integrity to enhance social impact and foster collaboration across borders. Read more below. us-jf.org/en/trend-and...

We're proud to announce the USJLP Class of 2025 Delegates! These 43 rising leaders from the U.S. and Japan will convene in Kyoto this summer as the newest members of our dynamic network advancing cross-cultural understanding and collaboration. t.ly/USJLP2025Del...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: Diamond Diplomacy “This isn’t just a film about baseball. It’s about relationships—how something as simple as a game can bridge divides and bring people together.” Read more about how they are building cultural ties through baseball. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

📈 New Trend & Trendsetters: Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is a key fundraising tool for nonprofits in Japan and the U.S.—but differences in structure, regulation, and public response reveal how each country approaches it in distinct ways. Read more at us-jf.org/en/trend-and...

🌱 New Grantee Profile: LEDGE “In a time when human rights are under attack around the world, cross-border collaboration and solidarity have never been more critical.” Read more about how they are expanding access to justice in Japan. us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

🚨 Deadline: Saturday, May 10 The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (@icnl.bsky.social), with support from USJF, is offering a grant (up to $20K) to develop a university-level curriculum on nonprofit law or civil society in Japan. Learn more and apply at www.icnl.org/work-with-us...

📈 New Trend & Trendsetters: Report on Japanese Philanthropy Despite cultural values of empathy, Japan’s nonprofit sector struggles to attract support. The "Giving in Japan Today and Tomorrow" series highlights Japan’s civil society, guided by a report from the Japan Fundraising Association (JFRA).⬇️

🌱 New Grantee Profile: AlphaMundi Foundation “In a time when human rights are under attack around the world, cross-border collaboration and solidarity have never been more critical.” Read more about how they are mentoring Africa’s climate and gender innovators at: us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

Introducing our new series: Trend & Trendsetters 📈   From policy shifts to grassroots breakthroughs, we are tracking the big ideas, innovations, and best practices transforming the nonprofit sector in Japan and the U.S. in this new blog series from USJF. Follow along: us-jf.org/en/trend-and...

The Nihon Keizai Shinbun just published a timely article covering our recent event co-hosted with @aparc.stanford.edu. Nakafuji-san’s piece highlights USJF Board member Wendy Cutler’s remarks on the complex challenges facing trade negotiations in an era of tariffs. us-jf.org/en/news/nikk...

🚨Deadline: Tomorrow, April 25 Our grantee, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (@icnl.bsky.social), is accepting consultancy proposals for a USJF-funded project to explore pathways for legal reform supporting Japan’s civil society. Learn more and apply at www.icnl.org/work-with-us

Introducing our new series: Grantee Profile🌱 From baseball diplomacy to climate action in Africa to public interest law, the series features stories from the front lines of US-Japan collaboration. Follow us and meet our changemakers behind the work! #USJF us-jf.org/en/grantee-p...

The Dodgers are in Japan—and this time, they’re not just playing ball. They’ve teamed up with the United States–Japan Foundation to support youth-focused nonprofits doing extraordinary work throughout the country. #USJF #Dodgers us-jf.org/en/news/big-...

The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF) is proud to announce its 2025 grantees, awarding funding to a wide range of organizations working to deepen U.S.-Japan ties and address shared challenges through bold and innovative approaches. #USJF us-jf.org/en/news/unit...

The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF), in partnership with Stanford University Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (@stanfordpacs.bsky.social), is proud to host a seminar on civil society and social impact on April 15. us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

The United States-Japan Foundation is happy to co-host a symposium, "Recalibrating U.S.-Japan Collaboration in a Time of Tumult," with Stanford Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center on April 15. #USJF #Stanford us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

Jeffery W. Yabuki, the former CEO of Fiserv Inc., has joined the United States-Japan Foundation Board of Trustees. Yabuki has been named among the most innovative leaders in America by Forbes magazine for his transformational impact in business. #USJF us-jf.org/en/news/jeff...

The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF) is proud to support the launch of the Keio Leaders Program for Nonprofit Management (KEIO LEAP for Nonprofit)—an innovative initiative at Keio University designed to train the next generation of nonprofit leaders in Japan. us-jf.org/en/news/empo...

On February 20, USJF President and CEO Jacob Schlesinger met with Japan’s Minister of the Environment, Keiichiro Asao, who is a US-Japan Leadership Program Fellow (2001-2002) and a strong supporter of the USJF network. #USJF #USJLP us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

Great event by ImpactShare—everyone should check it out! prtimes.jp/main/html/rd...

USJF, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, will host a special event and award ceremony on March 17, 2025, at North Hall, Keio University's Mita Campus in Tokyo to four outstanding nonprofit organizations devoted to youth support in Japan. The event is open to all. #USJF #Dodgers us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

As we move into 2025, we are making important changes to ensure that our grants program is more flexible and responsive to the needs of applicants. #USJF #Grant us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball franchise, has joined the United States-Japan Foundation Board of Trustees. #USJF #USJLP #Dodgers us-jf.org/en/news/la-d...

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Elbridge A. Colby (USJLP 2010-2011) to serve as the Pentagon’s Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. #usjf #usjlp #americanpolitics us-jf.org/en/news/elbr...

The United States-Japan Foundation is hiring a new Tokyo-based Japan Representative to focus on strengthening ties between our organization and Japanese civil society. #usjf us-jf.org/en/news/usjf...

Internationally celebrated Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima has been named a Trustee at the United States-Japan Foundation (USJF), further strengthening her influential role in promoting cross-cultural exchange and collaboration. #usjf #usjlp us-jf.org/en/news/reno...

Three American members of the United States-Japan Foundation's US-Japan Leadership Program network won their elections on November 5 - two to the U.S. Congress, and one to a state Senate. #usjf #usjlp #americanpolitics us-jf.org/en/news/thre...

Five members of the United States-Japan Foundation's US-Japan Leadership Program network were re-elected to Japan's parliament in legislative elections held Sunday. #usjf #usjlp #japanesepolitics us-jf.org/en/news/five...

David H. Slater, a leading scholar in cultural anthropology and Japanese Studies, has joined the United States-Japan Foundation as its new Communications Manager. #npo #usjf #usjlp us-jf.org/en/news/japa...