US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange

1968–Present

The US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brings members of the US Congress and Japanese Diet to one another’s countries for a series of intensive dialogues with leaders from a broad range of fields. Over the years, participants in the US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program have risen to influential positions in their respective countries, bringing with them an enhanced understanding of the US-Japan relationship.

This nongovernmental, nonpartisan program was conceived in 1967 at a conference of high-level American and Japanese political, opinion, and business leaders held in Shimoda, Japan. The Shimoda Conference pointed out the growing role of legislators in US-Japan relations as well as their relative lack of knowledge about each other’s societies. To remedy this, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield called for the creation of a nongovernmental political exchange program between the two countries. When the US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program was launched in 1968, its initial focus was on introductory generalities, but with the maturation of the US-Japan relationship, the focus has shifted to the enhancement of dialogue on bilateral and global policy issues.

 

In 2023, JCIE's all-women delegation of Diet members and business leaders met with their Congressional counterparts
US alumni include:

Howard Baker, Joaquin Castro, Thomas Foley, Richard Gephardt, Al Gore, Mazie Hirono, Dan Quayle, Donald Rumsfeld

100
participants to date
Japan alumni include:

Takako Doi, Kiichi Miyazawa, Yoshiro Mori, Keizo Obuchi, Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Keizo Takemi, Seiji Maehara, Seiko Noda

PROGRAM NEWS


2023 Japanese Women Leaders Delegation to the US

September 11–15, 2023 | Washington DC

JCIE brought a delegation of six Japanese women leaders from political and business sectors to Washington DC to participate in a weeklong series of activities to explore issues related to US-Japan rel…


2019 Japanese Diet Delegation to the US

September 17–20, 2019 | Washington DC

The 2019 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 30th delegation of Japanese diet members and parliamentarians to the US, where they met and engaged in discussions with members of Congress…


2017 US Congressional Delegation to Japan

October 28–30, 2017 | Tokyo

The 2017 US Congressional Delegation brought two Congress members and a Congressional staff member to Japan, where they met and engaged in discussions with policy experts, government officials, and Ja…


2017 Japanese Women Leaders Delegation to the US

September 11–17, 2017 | Washington DC, New York

JCIE’s 2017 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program delegation from Japan was comprised entirely of women for the first time ever. Five impressive legislators and one senior journalist joined us for a…


2015 Japanese Diet Delegation to the United States

September 28–October 2, 2015 | Washington DC

The 2015 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 28th delegation of Japanese diet members and parliamentarians to the US, where they met and engaged in discussions with members of Congress…


2014 Japanese Diet Delegation to the US

April 27–May 1, 2014 | Washington DC

The 2014 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 27th delegation of Japanese Diet members to the US, where they met with Congressional leaders, think tank experts, and business executives.


2013 Japanese Diet Delegation to the US

April 30-May 3, 2013 | Washington DC

The 2013 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 26th delegation of Japanese Diet members, accompanied by four of Japan’s most promising younger policy experts, to the United States, where…


2011 US Congressional Delegation to Japan

February 20–24, 2011 | Tokyo

The 2011 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 26th delegation of US Congressional members to Japan, providing an opportunity for them to meet and engage in discussion with US Embassy of…


2007 US Congressional Visit to Japan

April 7–15, 2007 | Tokyo

The 2007 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought Rep. Rick Boucher to Japan, where he engaged in discussion with government officials, business executives, and NGO experts about new energy tec…


2006 Japanese Diet Delegation to the US

January 31–February 2, 2006 | Washington DC

The 2006 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 25th delegation of Japanese Diet members to the US, providing an opportunity for them to speak with members of US Congress, international s…


2004 Japanese Diet Delegation to the US

January 11–15, 2004 | New York, Washington DC

The 2004 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 24th delegation of Japanese Diet members to the US, where they met and engaged in discussions with business executives, journalists, and to…


2003 US Congressional Visit to Japan

December 14–20, 2003 | Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Japan

The 2003 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought Rep. Brian Baird to Japan, where he engaged in discussions with Japanese Diet members, business executives, and leaders of the nonprofit sector…


2002 US Congressional Delegation to Japan

March 24–30, 2002 | Tokyo

The 2002 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 25th delegation of US Congressional members to Japan, providing an opportunity for them to meet and engage in discussion with Japanese Diet…


2001 Japanese Diet Delegation to the US

March 18–22, 2001 | Washington DC, Seattle WA

The 2001 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 23rd delegation of Japanese Diet members to the US, where they met and engaged in discussions with policymakers, journalists, and top polit…


1999 US Congressional Delegation to Japan

December 7–12, 1999 | Tokyo

The 1999 US-Japan Parliamentary Exchange Program brought the 24th delegation of US Congressional members to Japan, where they met and engaged in discussion with the Prime Minister, Diet members, and l…