The United States of America is one of Japan’s top partners in the world, and the Japan Foundation’s projects within the U.S. are among our most important.
Since its inception in 1972, the Japan Foundation has respected academic freedom in the U.S. and has offered grant programs in academic research and intellectual dialogue.
In the field of Japanese Studies, the Japan Foundation has always relied on the insights of the American Advisory Committee (AAC). The AAC is a group of fifteen experts in the U.S. who screen fellowship and grant applications. The Japan Foundation selects proposals based on their recommendations. We continuously try to improve our programs and enhance the transparency of our screening procedures under the guidance of the AAC.
The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) is also currently discussing how to improve its operations of the Abe Fellowship Program with its partner organization, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC). The Japan Foundation recognizes that what happened in 2015 was regarded as unacceptable. We both came to the conclusion that we need to take concrete actions to avoid a reoccurrence of such a case. The Japan Foundation welcomes that the SSRC has taken appropriate steps, and looks forward to continuing to assure academic integrity as in the past.
The Japan Foundation will sincerely keep working to support Japanese Studies in the U.S. and to promote exchanges between the U.S. and Japan.
The Japan Foundation
March 4, 2020
