Japan-America Society of the State of Washington

What Japan-America Society of the State of Washington does

The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington (JASSW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on July 24, 1923, that promotes mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Japan and Washington State. It serves three principal constituencies: the Japanese-American business community (corporate members and individual professionals), K-12 students across Washington State (through its Japan In the Schools program reaching over 3,000 students annually), and non-native English-speaking entrepreneurs (through free Small Business Resiliency Network services). The organization delivers its mission through educational programs (Japan In the Schools, America In the Schools, Friendship Circle, Japanese Language Festival), cultural and networking events (JAS-NET, Japan Currents seminars, Celebrate Washoku), and signature annual fundraisers (Holiday Gala Dinner & Auction, Annual Golf Tournament, Annual Meeting & Spring Gala), with the 101st Holiday Gala raising approximately $120,000.

There is no proprietary technology underlying JASSW's offerings; the organization operates a WordPress-based website (jassw.org) with NeonCRM for membership management and Simpletix for event ticketing. Its primary intangible assets are a century of brand recognition and institutional partnerships with the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle, the Japan Business Association of Seattle, the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) network of 40 societies, the University of Washington (Japan Currents seminars, Foster School of Business), and corporate members including Starbucks, Mitsui & Co., Weyerhaeuser, Delta, Sojitz, Nichirei, and Shin-Etsu. The Society is governed by a Board of Directors under a rotating Chair (Masami Katayama 2024-2025, Yuka Shimizu 2025-2026, with Josh Ishibashi and Chair-Elect Keisuke Greg Umeki noted in 2026) and led by Executive Director Misa Murohashi.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit stack: (1) recurring individual membership dues ($20 student, $30 senior 65+, $60 regular) and corporate membership tiers; (2) transaction-based event revenue from JAS-NET ($25 member/$40 non-member), seminars, and picnics; (3) corporate sponsorship at Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Friendship levels; and (4) grants and donations such as the $5,000 Weyerhaeuser grant for JIS programming. GTM is community-led and event-driven, with no paid acquisition; outreach runs through organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube), email newsletters, and direct sales to corporate members. Operating geography is regional (Washington State) with bilateral ties to Japan.

Name

Japan-America Society of the State of Washington

Legal name

Japan-America Society of the State of Washington

Website

https://jassw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1923 that fosters U.S.-Japan relations through K-12 educational programs reaching 3,000+ students, business networking events, cultural festivals, and small business support for non-native English-speaking entrepreneurs in Washington State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mercer Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual and corporate members providing access to events, networking, and programs
2. Event Revenue: Ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction proceeds from events including Holiday Gala, Golf Tournament, Annual Meeting, and JAS-NET networking events
3. Grants and Donations: Corporate grants (e.g., Weyerhaeuser $5,000 for Japan In the Schools program), foundation support, and individual donations supporting educational programs
4. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships at various levels (Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Friendship) for events and programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Japan-America Society of the State of Washington (JASSW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1923 that delivers cultural exchange, educational, and business networking programs between Japan and Washington State. It sells annual memberships (individual and corporate tiers) and operates an event-based portfolio including the Holiday Gala Dinner & Auction, Annual Golf Tournament, Annual Meeting & Spring Gala, JAS-NET networking series, and Japan Currents seminars. It also runs the Japan In the Schools K-12 educational program reaching over 3,000 students per year and provides free small business support services for non-native English-speaking entrepreneurs.

Product overview

The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of cultural exchange, educational, and business support programs. The organization's offerings span educational initiatives (Japan In the Schools, America In the Schools, Friendship Circle, Japanese Language Festival), networking events (JAS-NET, Annual Meeting), cultural programming (Japan Currents seminars, Celebrate Washoku), and small business support services (Small Business Empowerment Academy, Food Business Incubation Kitchen). Major annual events include the Holiday Gala Dinner & Auction, Annual Golf Tournament, and Annual Meeting & Spring Gala. The organization also provides membership programs for individuals and corporations seeking to engage in Japan-Washington relations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Japan In the Schools (JIS) A free educational program that sends volunteer-led classroom visits to K-12 schools across Washington State, teaching Japanese customs, language, and daily life. It serves Washington State schools and reaches over 3,000 students annually.
• America In the Schools An English-language educational program providing downloadable teaching materials about American elementary school life, designed for use in Japanese schools to promote cross-cultural understanding.
• Japan Currents Seminar Series A seminar series exploring Japanese culture, business, and innovation topics (e.g., Japanese video game culture, AI and technology collaboration) with industry leaders and scholars, co-hosted with the University of Washington Center for Japanese Studies and the Foster School of Business Global Business Center.
• JAS-NET Networking Events A recurring networking event series that brings together professionals, business leaders, and community members to foster connections and exchange ideas related to Japan-Washington relations. Ticket pricing: $25 for members and local students, $40 for non-members.
• Small Business Empowerment Academy A free webinar series providing practical business education and support for small and micro business owners, offered in English and Japanese through the Small Business Resiliency Network partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce.
• JASSW Kitchen - Food Business Incubation and Shared Kitchen A food business incubation program providing shared kitchen space for entrepreneurs, supported by Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA) grants.
• Holiday Gala Dinner & Auction The organization's largest annual fundraiser featuring dinner, cultural performances, a live auction, and community celebration, typically held at The Westin Seattle. The 101st gala raised $120,000 in total, with $80,000 from the live auction alone.
• Annual Golf Tournament An annual fundraising golf tournament held at The Plateau Club, with proceeds supporting JASSW's educational and cultural programs.
• Annual Meeting & Spring Gala An annual premier networking event featuring business panels, cultural performances, and recognition of organizational achievements. The 2025 edition was held at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle's Chinatown-International District.
• Japanese Language Festival An annual event for high school students to learn and practice Japanese language and experience Japanese culture through interactive activities and games.
• Friendship Circle Program A cultural exchange program connecting Japanese and American students and community members for educational and friendship-building activities.
• Membership Program An individual and corporate membership program offering networking opportunities, event discounts, and participation in Japan-Washington cultural exchange initiatives. Tiered pricing: Regular Individual $60, Senior (65+) $30, and Student $20 annually; corporate sponsorship levels include Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Friendship tiers.
• Celebrate Washoku A series of events celebrating traditional Japanese cuisine (Washoku) with food education, chef demonstrations, and cultural programming.
• Minegishi Fellowship Program A 10-12 month fellowship program providing professional development opportunities for individuals interested in Japan-Washington relations and nonprofit management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 students reached annually through Japan In the Schools program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJASSW is one of independent members of NAJAS, a network of 40 independent nonprofit societies with over 12,000 corporate and individual members. NAJAS promotes the U.S.-Japan relationship across various topics and disciplines with focus on grassroots ties.
• Consulate-General of Japan in SeattlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks closely with Consulate-General to support trade, cultural exchange, and community engagement between Japan and Washington State
• Japan Business Association of SeattlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for business events, summer picnic co-hosting, and joint programming for Japanese business community in Seattle area
• University of Washington Center for Japanese StudiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Japan Currents seminar series exploring Japanese video game culture and cross-Pacific innovation
• Foster School of Business Global Business Center (UW)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Japan Currents seminar series exploring Japanese video game culture
• Davis Wright Tremaine LLPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue sponsor for JAS-NET events and partner for various programs including Aoyama Business School MBA student presentations
• Mitsui & Co. (USA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host for Speaker Session events including Plug and Play presentation at their Bellevue Office
• Wing Luke MuseummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Annual Meeting & Spring Gala 2025 at museum in Seattle's Chinatown-International District
• Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Washington State Department of Commerce to provide free small business support services to non-native English-speaking entrepreneurs
• Arboretum FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew corporate member through Executive Director Jane Stonecipher; handles operations of Seattle Japanese Garden
• Japan FairmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner10th anniversary cultural festival partnership; JASSW hosts booth and coordinates volunteer efforts for annual Japan Fair
• StarbucksmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate member since 1987; represented on JASSW board; Director of International Finance Masami Katayama serves as 2024-2025 Chair

Scale indicators10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Japan Society (New York): Largest and oldest U.S.-Japan cultural exchange society, headquartered in New York. Operates educational, business, and cultural programming for corporate and individual members pursuing U.S.-Japan relations, a directly comparable mission to JASSW.
• Japan America Society of Southern California: West Coast regional Japan-America society offering parallel cultural, educational, and business programming to corporate and individual members; a directly comparable peer in a neighboring U.S. Pacific region.
• Japan Society of Northern California: Northern California Japan-America society delivering event-driven networking, language, and cultural programming to the Bay Area's U.S.-Japan community; directly comparable in size, mission, and offering mix.
• U.S.-Japan Council: National U.S.-Japan bilateral relations organization connecting Japanese-American and American business, policy, and community leaders through programming comparable to JASSW's mission and members.
• Washington State China Relations Council: Washington State bilateral cultural and business society analogous to JASSW in structure and regional remit but focused on U.S.-China relations; serves the same regional audience and competes for member and corporate sponsorship attention.

Broad incumbents

• Asia Society: Large, established institution promoting U.S.-Asia engagement broadly, including Japan-related programming as part of a wider business, policy, arts, and education portfolio; overlapping mission but a much broader geographic and topical scope.
• The Japan Foundation: Japanese government-affiliated institution running international cultural exchange and Japanese-language programming globally; comparable educational and cultural mission to JASSW at significantly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Japanese American Citizens League: National nonprofit representing Japanese-American civic interests through educational, community, and advocacy programming; partial overlap with JASSW's cultural and community work but focused on the Japanese-American community domestically.

Others

• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization): Japanese government trade promotion agency supporting bilateral business engagement in Seattle and across the U.S.; a complementary ecosystem participant to JASSW's business-networking mission rather than a direct competitor.
• Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle: Official Japanese government mission that co-hosts programming with JASSW (including the AI & Technology Seminar); a strategic government partner rather than a direct competitor in the cultural exchange space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JASSWOrg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0DZGh3QyU6wl4cwXXOcPMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/JASSWOrg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/japan-america-society-of-the-state-of-washington
• Instagraminstagram.com/japanamericasocietyofwa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Japan-America Society of the State of Washington