In the last several decades, women in Japan and the United States have assumed increasingly important roles in the transformation of their societies. In both countries, women have become leaders in their communities, promoting voluntarism and seeking to address problems in the areas of community development, childcare, education, public health, the environment, are for the aged, and other issues. However, in spite of the many common concerns faced by women in these two countries, there have been relatively few opportunities for Japanese and American women leaders at the local and national levels to meet, discuss issues, or join forces in addressing common problems.

To stimulate greater dialogue among women in these countries, the Institute of International Education (IIE) and JCIE jointly initiated the Japan-US Women Leaders Dialogue with support from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) and other donors. The Dialogue was created to provide opportunities for Japanese and US women leaders to exchange ideas on major social issues facing their communities and to discuss the role women play in addressing these issues through leadership in nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), citizens groups, and voluntary service activities. The program was designed to enhance mutual understanding and to stimulate the development of networks through which the participants in the Dialogue would be able to work together on issues of professional concern. 

A delegation of six women leaders from various regions of the United States traveled to Japan in January–February 1993, and six Japanese women leaders visited the United States in June of the same year. This publication is a report on their findings.