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  • April 10-11, 2006 - Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue
    JCIE facilitated the 17th meeting in Tokyo of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD), a mutlilateral, track-two forum bringing together high level officials and nongovernmental experts from China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. Since 1993, the NEACD has been operated by the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation of the University of California, San Diego, and it keeps vital lines of communication open in Northeast Asia by providing regular forums for participants to candidly discuss regional security issues. JCIE serves as the Japan secretariat for the NEACD.

Fighting A Rising Tide

  • April 2006 - Publication of Fighting A Rising Tide: The Response to AIDS in East Asia
    The HIV/AIDS epidemic poses one of the gravest human security threats of the 21st Century to Asia. In this volume, experts from around East Asia examine how governments, civil society, corporations, and the media are responding to the regional spread of HIV/AID. This publication, which comes out of a yearlong study through the Friends of the Global Fund, Japan, also compiles recommendations for joint regional responses to the epidemic.

  • March 10, 2006 - Africa Workshop: Evaluating Human Security Projects
    Twenty representatives from UN agencies, other international organizations, and academic institutions gathered at a JCIE workshop in Pretoria, South Africa, to explore the relevance of the human security concept to African countries, particularly in the search for new approaches to dealing with HIV/AIDS, and discuss  draft recommendations to the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) for evaluating projects employing human security approaches. The workshop  discussions were based on observations that a JCIE research team made while conducting site visits to UNTFHS-supported projects in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

  • March 1, 2006 - New York Workshop: The Intellectual Underpinnings of U.S. Policy Toward Asia
    Nearly 20 senior Asia experts convened for a joint workshop to assess how the American academic and policy communities are following developments in Asia in light of ongoing regional integration and efforts to construct an East Asia community. Hitoshi Tanaka, JCIE senior fellow and former deputy minister of foreign affairs; Professor Hugh Patrick of Columbia University; and George Packard, president of the U.S.-Japan Foundation served as speakers. The workshop was co-organized with the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership.

  • January 31 - February 2, 2006 - Diet Delegation Discusses U.S.-Japan Cooperation in East Asia
    Three of the most influential and articulate foreign policy experts in the Diet visited Washington, DC, as part of JCIE's U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program to exchange views on international security, the future of East Asia, and China-Japan-U.S. relations. Representative Ichiro Aisawa (acting secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party), Representative Shigeru Ishiba (former defense minister), and Representative Takeshi Iwaya held discussions with a wide range of top leaders, including Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, key Congressional members, and think tank experts.

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    2005 Activities

  • December 30, 2005 - "New Pyongyang Approach Needed: Summit Architect " - Japan Times interview of JCIE Senior Fellow Hitoshi Tanaka

  • October 2005 - Issue 11 of the Civil Society Monitor [pdf] focuses on the role of Japanese civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

  • October 24, 2005 - Workshop: Engaging the United States in an Emerging East Asia Community
    Growing economic integration and political cooperation among countries in East Asia have increasingly been associated with aspirations to build an East Asia regional community, and it is crucial that the United States and East Asia remain constructively engaged in a dialogue about the community-building process. JCIE and the United States Asia Pacific Council have launched a study and dialogue on this topic and, on October 24, a workshop was held in Washington, DC, with prominent experts from East Asia and the United States. The following day, on October 25, the participants presented their arguments to the public at the USAPC Washington Conference on "New Challenges in the Transpacific Partnership." See the workshop agenda and participants.

  • August 15 , 2005 - "Strengthening Japan-China Grassroots Exchange" - GrassNet article by JCIE Chief Program Officer Toshihiro Menju.

  • June 30, 2005 - Commemorative Symposium: "The East Asian Regional Response to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria"
    P.M. Koizumi addresses FGFJ Symposium
    Prime Minister Koizumi speaks as former prime minister Yoshiro Mori looks on.
    A major symposium examining East Asian regional cooperation the fight against AIDS was held in Tokyo in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Kyushu-Okinawa G8 Summit. In his address, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced that Japan is dramatically raising its commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to $500 million and urged greater international cooperation in battling the spread of AIDS in Asia. The symposium brought together more than 100 government, business, philanthropic, and civil society leaders from around the world and was co-sponsored by Friends of the Global Fund, Japan, a private support group for which JCIE serves as secretariat.

  • June 2005 - Publication of Asia Pacific Security Outlook 2005
    APSO2005The Asia Pacific Security Outlook series monitors changing perceptions of key defense issues and national contributions to regional and global security from the perspectives of member countries of the ASEAN Regional Forum. Edited by Charles E. Morrison, the 2005 edition assesses the defense policies of 18 countries and regions, and it presents thematic essays on human security and the search for paths to peace in South Asia. The Outlook is sponsored by ASEAN-ISIS, the East-West Center, and JCIE.

  • April 2005 - Publication of Issue 10 of the Civil Society Monitor
    The April issue of the Civil Society Monitor, one of the only English-language sources of information on Japan's nonprofit sector, features articles about Japan's response to the December 2004 tsunami, the growth of international development NGOs, and nonprofit sector reform in Japan.
    >>>Download in pdf form.
  • February 25-26, 2005 - Workshop: Engaging the United States in an Emerging East Asia Community
    A sense of regional community has been emerging among countries in East Asia in recent years as their economic, political, and cultural ties have deepened. It is crucial, however, to ensure that the United States and East Asia remain constructively engaged as integration and political cooperation grow in the region. JCIE and the United States Asia Pacific Council, a program of the East-West Center, have launched a study and dialogue on this topic, and, on February 25-26, an initial workshop was held in Tokyo, with prominent experts and opinion leaders from East Asia and the United States, as well as guest speakers such as José Ramos-Horta, foreign minister of Timor-Leste, and Hitoshi Tanaka, Japan's deputy foreign minister. See the workshop agenda and participants.
  • January 15-29, 2005 - U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program
    From January 15 to 28, nine participants in the 23rd U.S. Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program visited Japan to meet with top political and economic leaders and analysts in Tokyo, Yamagata, Osaka, and Kyoto. Jointly organized by JCIE and the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), this annual bilateral exchange program involves promising political leaders from Japan and the United States in intensive two-week study tours designed to enhance their understanding of U.S.-Japan relations.

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2004 Activities

  • October 4-5, 2004 - Conference: Lessons in Rebuilding Relations Between Nations: The Role of Philanthropy in Postwar US-Japan Relations, 1945-75
    JCIE brought together nearly 100 leaders from the fields of civil society, philanthropy, and government to review the contributions of American and Japanese philanthropy to U.S.-Japan relations after the devastation of World War II and draw contemporary lessons from this experience. The conference, which was held in Tokyo, featured keynote speeches from Susan Berresford, president of the Ford Foundation, and Sadako Ogata, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The conference drew on a series of historical studies which will be compiled for publication in 2006
  • September 25-October 8, 2004 - 19th Japanese Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program
    From September 25 to October 8, seven participants in the 19th Japanese Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program visited Washington DC, Ohio, and New Mexico to meet with senior government officals, representatives from political parties, local elected officials, and leaders from the business and nonprofit sectors. Jointly organized by JCIE and the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), this annual bilateral exchange program involves promising political leaders from Japan and the United States in intensive two-week study tours designed to enhance their understanding of U.S.-Japan relations.
  • September 16, 2004 - JCIE Parliamentary Seminar
    Representative Koichi Kato, former Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party discussed the future of U.S.-Japan relations in the East Asian context in a small seminar held in New York City. The seminar was organized as part of JCIE's U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program, which seeks to encourage U.S.-Japan cooperation on issues of common concern
  • September 2004 - Publication of Human Security in the United Nations
    Through case studies of projects funded by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (TFHS), this report examines how the concept of human security can be translated into concrete activities. (Download PDF)
  • August 8-15, 2004 - 18th U.S. Congressional Staff Exchange Program
     Seven senior Congressional staff visited Japan as part of the 18th Delegation of the U.S. Congressional Staff Exchange Program. They were briefed on Japan's policymaking process and its political and economic prospects by a wide range of analysts, and they met with the leadership of Japan's major political parties, business and governmental leaders, and other experts to discuss U.S.-Japan relations, regional community building, and other foreign policy issues.
  • June 2004 - Publication of Japan's Response to the Spread of HIV/AIDS
    One of the first efforts to portray in English how various actors in Japan have been addressing the domestic and global spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, this report examines the spread of the disease in Japan and efforts by Japanese government agencies and civil society organizations to combat it at home and abroad.
    >>>Download in PDF form.
  • June 2004 - Publication of Issue 9 of the Civil Society Monitor
    The June issue of the Civil Society Monitor focuses on the funding issues facing Japanese NPOs and the new community-based funding intermediaries that are offering crucial support at the local level. This issue also provides a commentary on the government's recent interim report on the discussions concerning public interest corporation reforms in Japan.
  • May 2004 - Publication of Asia Pacific Security Outlook 2004
    APSO2004The Asia Pacific Security Outlook series monitors changing perceptions of key defense issues and national contributions to regional and global security. Edited by Charles E. Morrison, the 2004 edition assesses 18 countries and presents thematic essays on three major subregional problems: the North Korea nuclear threat in Northeast Asia, terrorism in Southeast Asia, and the search for paths to peace in South Asia. The Outlook is sponsored by ASEAN-ISIS, the East-West Center, and JCIE.
  • May 27, 2004 - JCIE/USA Receives Foreign Minister's Commendation
    On May 27, JCIE/USA was awarded the Foreign Minister's Commendation by the Government of Japan in recognition of its longstanding work to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations. The award was made to a number of individuals and organizations nationwide in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the US-Japan relationship.
  • March 22, 2004 - Conference: The Human Security Challenges of AIDS and Communicable Diseases in Asia
    On March 22, 2004, together with the Asia Society, JCIE co-sponsored a major international conference in Tokyo to address the need for increased regional and global collaboration in the fight against the AIDS epidemic and other public health challenges to human security. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori made the opening remarks, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (Chairman of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) gave the keynote address.


  • March 2004 - Publication of The Rise of China and a Changing East Asian Order
    RiseofChinaThe rise of China has been met with ambivalent reactions from other countries in the Asia Pacific region, as it presents both opportunities and challenges for regional stability and community building. In this book, 16 intellectual leaders from China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN member countries, and Australia/New Zealand offer their perspectives on China's development and the impact on the region. They analyze issues such as the country's changing role in Asia, the domestic dynamics related to its political and economic development, and the impact of its rise on its relations with other countries in the region.
  • January 11-15, 2004 - 24th Diet Delegation to the United States
    From January 11 to January 15, seven Diet members visited the United States as part of JCIE's U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program for meetings with top politicians, policymakers, analysts, and business leaders. Highlights of the trip included meetings with Dr. Henry Kissinger, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Congressional members, and senior officials in the Bush administration. Since its inception in 1968, this program has brought more than 270 members of the U.S. Congress and Japanese Diet to their counterparts' countries. (View the participant list and program schedule.)
  • January 13 & 14, 2004 - JCIE Parliamentary Seminar
    Diet leaders taking part in the 24th Diet Delegation to the United States, spoke in a set of public seminars in Washington, DC, and New York City. All seven delegation members, representing the major ruling and opposition parties, participated in a January 13 luncheon seminar on the topic of "Japanese Politics After the General Election" that was held in Washington with the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) The following day, four of the delegation members discussed "The Outlook for Japanese Politics and U.S.-Japan Relations in 2004" at a seminar held in cooperation with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York. Each seminar draw an audience of more than 70 leaders from the U.S.-Japan community.
  • January 2004 - JCIE announces that the GrassNet E-Magazine is now available in English
    GrassNet, a monthly e-magazine published by JCIE, reports on new trends, issues, and developments in the field of local-level international exchange and cooperation activities in Japan. Selected articles on issues such as nonprofit funding sources in Japan, community-level overseas development aid, and the overseas cooperation activities of Japanese nonprofit organizations are now available online.

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2003 Activities

  • December 14-20, 2003 - U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program
    As part of JCIE's U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) visited Japan to meet with representatives of the country's major political parties, senior policymakers, and leaders from the fields of civil society, and business. In its 35-year history, the program has brought over 270 individual members of the U.S. Congress and Japanese Diet to visit their counterparts' countries for a series of dialogues and briefings on foreign policy, security, trade, and other pressing issues.
  • December 2003 - Publication of Issue 8 of the Civil Society Monitor
    The December issue of the Civil Society Monitor, one of the only English-language sources of information on Japan's nonprofit sector, focuses on efforts to reform the legal framework for nonprofit organizations in Japan. A series of revisions to the NPO law and the tax system for civil society organizations classified as "NPOs" are encouraging the development of the sector, but the outcome of the current reevaluation of the legal framework governing "public interest corporations," the category that encompasses most of Japan's major civil society organizations, remains highly controversial. This issue includes the revised text of the NPO Law and an outline of the 2003 Revisions to the Special Tax Measures Law.
  • December 2003 - Publication of ASEAN-Japan Cooperation: A Foundation for East Asian Community
    ASEAN-JapanJapan and the ASEAN countries share a long history of cooperation, and recent regional and global developments point to the urgent need to further enhance political, economic, and sociocultural cooperation. This volume assesses the importance of enhancing the ASEAN-Japan relationship as a step toward building a greater East Asian regional community. Contributors to the volume include international relations experts from the Asia Pacific region, who assess the relationship and propose how it can be strengthened.
  • December 2003 - Publication of Humanitarian Intervention: The Evolving Asian Debate
    Humanitarian InterventionUntil the terrorist acts on September 11, 2001, most Asian countries were reluctant to condone forceful intervention, especially intervention based on humanitarian reasons. Events such as the Indonesian "haze problem" and post–9-11 terrorist threats, however, have led many Asians to rethink the issue. This volume, edited by Koji Watanabe, offers a comparative analysis of Asian views on the nature and legitimacy of humanitarian intervention. Scholars from China, India, Japan, South Korea, and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) examine several interrelated factors affecting the attitudes of Asian countries on the issue.
  • November 7, 2003 - JCIE Parliamentary Seminar
    Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA) discussed the Congressional agenda with a particular focus on energy policy in a JCIE seminar held in New York City. The seminar was organized as part of JCIE's U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program, which seeks to encourage U.S.-Japan cooperation on issues of common concern.
  • October 18-31, 2003 - U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program
    The Twenty-Second U.S. Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program visited Japan to meet with top political and economic leaders and analysts in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Kyoto, Himeji, and Kita-Kyushu. Jointly organized by JCIE and the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), this annual bilateral exchange program engages young leaders from Japan and the United States in an intensive two-week study tour aimed at enhancing their understanding of U.S.-Japan relations.
  • October 2003 - Publication of A Gender Agenda: Asia-Europe Dialogue 2
    Gender Agenda 2This volume is a report on the September 2002 conference of the same name, which was part of a project conceived to facilitate a dialogue on broad gender issues between two major regions of the world, Asia and Europe. The premise of the conference was the need to change the current imbalance in the representation of women and men in political and economic life. The report consists of an overview, a summary of discussion, and two study groups' papers providing case studies from countries such as South Korea, Malaysia, and Finland on how women and men can cooperate to correct gender inequalities in politics and decision-making.
  • September 2003 - Publication of Coping with 9-11: Asian Perspectives on Global and Regional Order
    Coping with 9-11 The series of events surrounding 9-11 as well as subsequent events have altered the focus of international relations and redefined global priorities. Clearly, a new global order is in the making, and the international community has been trying to understand the implications of 9-11 not only for the countries directly concerned but for the whole world. This book, edited by Han Sung-Joo, looks at the initial phase of the post–9-11 global and regional settings, as well as the response of Asian countries.
  • July 19-August 1, 2003 - U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program
    The eight participants in the Eighteenth Japanese Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program visited Washington DC, Maryland, Alabama, and Los Angeles to meet with senior government officals, representatives from political parties, local elected officials, and leaders from the business and nonprofit sectors. Jointly organized by JCIE and the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), this annual bilateral exchange program involves young leaders from Japan and the United States in an intensive two-week study tour that aims to enhance their understanding of U.S.-Japan relations.
  • July 12-13, 2003 - Tokyo Workshop on the Role of Philanthropy in Postwar U.S.-Japan Relations (Tokyo, Japan)
    After World War II, a dramatic change in perceptions and values enabled two bitter foes, Japan and the United States, to become the closest of allies. This transformation was made possible only by the often overlooked activities of foundations and individual philanthropists. In order to chronicle this untold story and draw broader lessons from this experience, JCIE is conducting a major study that examines the long-term impact of philanthropic activities on the bilateral relationship. As part of this project, a workshop was held on July 12-13, 2003 where project researchers presented their findings on topics such as the role of Japanese corporate philanthropy and foundation support for grassroots exchange.


  • May 2003 - Publication of Asia Pacific Security Outlook 2003
    Asia Pacific Security Outlook 2003 The Asia Pacific Security Outlook series, edited by Charles E. Morrison, monitors changing perceptions of national security environments, key defense issues, and national contributions to regional and global security.


  • March 10, 2003 - JCIE/USA Relocates
    JCIE announced the relocation of its U.S. office in February 2003 at an Open House on March 10, 2003. The new office address and phone number is 274 Madison Avenue, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10016, (212) 679-4130.
  • March 8-9, 2003 - Cambridge Workshop on the Role of Philanthropy in Postwar U.S.-Japan Relations (Cambridge, MA)
    As part of its project on the role of philanthropy in postwar U.S.-Japan relations, a small group of experts on area studies and American studies in Japan convened on March 8-9, 2003 to discuss the impact of U.S. foundations on these fields.
  • February 2003 - Publication of Japan's Road to Pluralism: Transforming Local Communities in the Global Era
    Japan's Road to PluralismIn this volume, edited by Furukawa Shun'ichi and Menju Toshihiro, seven Japanese sociologists discuss and analyze how governmental structures have been undergoing profound change at the grassroots level in Japan due to decentralization and globalization. The book chronicles practical and incremental changes in community-level governance, and how these changes have redefined the duties of prefectures and local authorities and their interaction with a newly vocal civil society.

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2002 Activities

  • December 2002 - Publication of Containing Conflict: Cases in Preventive Diplomacy
    Containing ConflictThe nature of today's post-cold war security environment is such that smaller-scale regional and ethnic conflicts predominate, bolstering the need to strengthen peace-keeping mechanisms and to engage in preventative diplomacy. This volume, edited by Sato Hideo, features five Japanese international relations experts who examine such topics as UN reform for the enhancement of preventive diplomacy capabilities; post-conflict peacebuilding; the impact of forced displacement of populations on conflict prevention efforts; and the connection between human rights, democratization, and preventive diplomacy.
  • November 20, 2002 - U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program, Study Group for Young Members of the Diet
    As part of the Joint Parliamentary Study and Dialogue Project on U.S.-Japan Security Relations in Asia Pacific, JCIE organizes multiparty study groups of young, emerging Diet members. On November 20, 2002, a dialogue was held in Tokyo with Professor Ezra Vogel of Harvard University.
  • November 19, 2002 - International House Workshop on the Role of Philanthropy in Postwar U.S.-Japan Relations (Tokyo, Japan)
    On November 19, 2002, as part of its project on the role of philanthropy in postwar U.S.-Japan relations, JCIE held a one-day workshop at the International House in Tokyo, Japan, where recipients of American philanthropy came together with academic experts to discuss Japanese perspectives on postwar philanthropy and the development of Japan's intellectual community.
  • November 12, 2002 - U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program, Study Group for Young Members of the Diet
    On November 12, 2002, Ambassador Thomas Foley, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives spoke with study group members in Tokyo on various issues of importance to the U.S.-Japan relationship.
  • November 9-22, 2002 - U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program
    The Twenty First American Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program travelled to Japan on November 9-22, meeting with top political and economic leaders and analysts in Tokyo, Hachioji, Nagoya, and Kyoto.
  • November 2002 - Publication of Policymaking in Japan: Defining the Role of Politicians
    Policymaking in Japan The struggle between politicians and bureaucrats for control over public policy decisionmaking has a particular intensity in Japan. Policymaking in Japan, a unique volume edited by Columbia University Professor Gerald L. Curtis, offers the perspective of six politicians from the Liberal Democratic, Democratic, and New Komeito parties. Each takes up a specific policy issue and discusses the role that politicians play in the policy process.


  • November 2002 - Publication of Governance for a New Century: Japanese Challenges, American Experience
    Governance for a New CenturyFocusing on the volatile period of Japanese politics since the burst of the bubble economy in the 1990s, Governance for a New Century discusses Japanese public opinion, elections, political finance, party politics, policymaking, institutional reform, and the role of the private sector in public affairs. Five Japanese scholars and practitioners write about the efforts underway in Japan to restructure its electoral and governing processes and to cope with its major policy challenges, and five American policy experts respond with insights from the American experience.
  • October 12-13, 2002 - Pocantico Workshop on the Role of Philanthropy in Postwar U.S.-Japan Relations (Tarrytown, NY)
    As part of JCIE's project on the role of philanthropy in postwar U.S.-Japan relations, leaders and analysts in the fields of philanthropy and U.S.-Japan relations gathered in a two-day workshop on October 12-13, 2002 at the historic Pocantico Conference Center to share their experiences.
  • October 3-November 30, 2002 - Political Dialogue Program in the United States with Rep. Koichi Kato
    As part of its Political Dialogue Program, JCIE facilitated the U.S. visit of Koichi Kato, former Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party and Minister of State for Defense, during the months of October and November 2002, when he was teaching at Columbia University as a visiting professor. In addition to numerous engagements in New York, Rep. Kato spoke at public seminars in Washington, DC and Boston on Japan's future role in the world.
  • June 17-28, 2002 - U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program
    The Seventeenth Japanese Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program visited the United States from June 17-28, 2002, travelling to Washington DC, Boston, Montana, and San Francisco where they also met with senior government officals, representatives from political parties, local elected officials, and leaders from the business and nonprofit sectors.
  • "The Roles and Priorities of Foundations in Asia"
    Presentation by Tadashi Yamamoto, JCIE President
    On May 10, 2002, at the "Asia Confers 2" conference of the CAFO (Conference on Asian Foundations and Organizations), Tadashi Yamamoto outlined the changing context of Asian civil society and spoke about the roles and priorities of foundations in Asia. Download a copy of the presentation as a PDF document  (30.8K)
  • April 8-14, 2002 - Study Mission to the United States on Improving the Accountability, Transparency, and Self-Discipline of Private Philanthropy
    On behalf of the Japan Association of Charitable Organizations (JACO), JCIE arranged a study mission to the United States from April 8 to April 14, 2002 as a part of a new initiative to promote private philanthropy and the development of civil society in Japan. The mission was comprised of fourteen executives from Japanese philanthropic organization who came to the United States in order to accumulate information useful to them in their efforts to enhance the internal governance and organizational effectiveness of Japanese philanthropic organizations. They visited BBB Wise Giving, the Council on Foundations, BoardSource, the Urban Institute's National Center for Charitable Statistics, and OMB Watch in Washington, D.C.; GuideStar and the Williamsburg Colonial Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia; and the Peter F. Drucker Foundation, the New York Community Trust and the Ford Foundation in New York City. During the course of the trip, they held talks with prominent leaders in the nonprofit sector such as Barnett Baron, executive vice president of the Asia Foundation, Susan Berresford, president of the Ford Foundation, and Colin Campbell, chairman and president of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and former president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. JCIE's support in organizing the study mission represents a new phase in its efforts to promote private philanthropy and civil society in Japan.
  • March 24-30, 2002 - Twenty-fifth U.S. Congressional Delegation to Japan
    The 2002 U.S. Delegation of the U.S.-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program visited Japan from March 24 to 30, 2002 to meet with the top leadership of Japan's major political parties, senior policymakers, and cabinet officials such as Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and Economy Minister Heizo Takenaka. The delegates discussed key policy issues facing the United States and Japan including trade, IT-related issues, and economic and financial reform. They also shared views on foreign policy and spoke about potential areas of cooperation in the wake of September 11. Participants included Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA), Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC), Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). (See Program Report)
  • February 17-24, 2002 - U.S. Congressional Staff Exchange Program
    The 17th Delegation of the U.S. Congressional Staff Exchange Program visited Japan from February 17-24, 2002. The seven participants of the delegation began their trip in Tokyo where they met with high-ranking officials and leaders of Japan's political parties. The delegates were given the opportunity to discuss the current state of politics and policymaking in Japan, and reflect upon the differences in legislative staff systems between the United States and Japan. (See Program Report)

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2001 Activities

  • September 2001 - A-50 Caravan
    In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the San Francisco Peace treaty, which formally brought World War II to a close, a variety of activities were planned as a way for the Japanese people to express their appreciation to the United States for the assistance they have received during the postwar period. As part of these activities, JCIE/USA, JCIE/Japan, and the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) organized an A50 Caravan, which was made possible by generous support from private donations and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP). (The "A" stands for Appreciation and America, and the "50" stands for the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco Peace Treaty as well as the 50 states.) The Caravan featured 15 teams of three Japanese participants each who set out from San Francisco after a series of ceremonies on September 8, 2001, and planned to travel to two American cities to participate in seminars and activities analyzing and reflecting on the U.S.-Japan relationship, then convene in Washington DC for closing ceremonies on September 14, 2001. The program was cut short after the first set of visits by the September 11 tragedy.
  • June 2001 - JCIE/USA Seminar Series in Washington, DC and New York
    As part of a campaign to broaden its outreach within the United States, JCIE recently launched a seminar series that focuses on pressing issues related to civil society, international relations, globalization, and U.S.-Japan relations. In June 2001, a set of seminars focused on the state of the U.S.-Japan bilateral relationship. Based loosely on two JCIE publications, New Perspectives on U.S.-Japan Relations and The Japan-U.S. Alliance: New Challenges for the 21st Century, the seminars included New Perspectives volume editor Gerald Curtis, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University; Thomas Foley, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan; Takashi Kiuchi, Economic Advisor and former Chief Economist of Shinsei Bank; Akihiko Tanaka, Professor of International Politics, Tokyo University; and Tadashi Yamamoto, President, JCIE.
  • March 2001 - JCIE/USA Seminar Series in Washington, DC and New York
    The March 2001 seminars series examined the growing influence of transnational networks of civil society groups that have made their voices heard in international policy debates through activities ranging from the landmines campaign to the Seattle protests against the WTO. The seminars featured panelists who contributed to The Third Force: The Rise of Transnational Civil Society, a recent publication edited by Ann M. Florini and published by JCIE and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

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