Japan-US Friendship Commission

What Japan-US Friendship Commission does

The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) is an independent U.S. federal agency established by Congress in 1975 through P.L. 94-118, with the statutory mission of strengthening the U.S.-Japan relationship through educational, cultural, and intellectual exchange. Headquartered at 1201 15th St. NW in Washington, DC, the agency is governed by a board of 18 Commissioners (nine private citizens and nine U.S. government officials) and operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees led by Executive Director Paige Cottingham-Streater and Deputy Executive Director Niharika Chibber Joe. Unlike typical federal entities, JUSFC receives no funds from the U.S. general budget and is funded entirely by interest earnings on the Japan-United States Friendship Trust Fund, currently valued at approximately $35 million and mandated by law to be invested solely in U.S. Treasury instruments.

The agency operates a portfolio of core programs: an annual Institutional Grants Program supporting research, education, public affairs, and exchange across four strategic categories; the U.S.-Japan Creative Artist Fellowship Program jointly administered with the National Endowment for the Arts and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs (currently suspended due to budget constraints); the JUSFC-NEH Social Science Fellowships for advanced Japan-focused research in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities; the JUSFC/CULCON paid internship program; and the JUSFC Summer Institute, a two-week undergraduate immersion program in Japan. Distribution channels include electronic grant applications via Submittable, NEH and NEA websites for joint fellowships, and direct program delivery from the Washington office.

JUSFC's customer base spans U.S. academic and educational institutions, U.S. creative artists, social science scholars, undergraduate students, members of the U.S. legislative branch, and people-to-people organizations. Notable institutional grantees include the Mansfield Foundation, JCIE, USJETAA, U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation, National Bureau of Asian Research, East-West Center, NAJAS, and multiple U.S. universities. The agency's 50th anniversary in 2025 marks five decades of cumulative programmatic output: more than 200 American artists supported through the NEA partnership, more than 2,000 students funded to study in Japan, and more than 35,000 Americans having participated in the JET Programme, with 40,000+ JET alumni now connected through USJETAA's network of 19 alumni associations.

Name

Japan-US Friendship Commission

Legal name

Japan-US Friendship Commission

Website

https://jusfc.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission is an independent U.S. federal agency that funds educational, cultural, and research exchange programs strengthening the U.S.-Japan relationship through grants, fellowships, and scholarships, serving U.S. academics, artists, scholars, students, and legislators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Cultural Exchange Grants

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), University/Institutional Scholarships & Tuition Waivers (EDAIAOAG)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• Educational grantmaking
• Fellowship administration
• Bilateral diplomacy funding
• People-to-people exchanges

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Trust Fund Interest Earnings: JUSFC receives no funds from general revenues from the United States budget. It operates entirely from interest earnings from the Japan-United States Friendship Trust Fund, which originated from payments by the Government of Japan for post-war assistance provided by the United States. The Fund's current value is approximately $35 million. The agency's enabling legislation mandates that the Trust Fund be invested only in U.S. Treasury instruments.
2. Gifts and In-Kind Contributions: JUSFC's enabling legislation allows it to accept gifts and in-kind contributions, which the agency may disburse at its discretion within its approved budgetary authority.

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

JUSFC is an independent U.S. federal grantmaking agency that distributes interest earnings from the approximately $35 million Japan-United States Friendship Trust Fund to support U.S.-Japan educational, cultural, artistic, and scholarly exchange. Core offerings include an annual Institutional Grants Program for organizations, the Creative Artists Fellowship Program (with the NEA), Social Science Fellowships (with the NEH), a paid internship program, and a Summer Institute for undergraduates.

Product overview

JUSFC is a federal grant-making agency that operates several core programs to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations through educational, cultural, and intellectual exchange. The agency offers an Institutional Grants Program for organizations, the U.S.-Japan Creative Artist Fellowship Program (currently suspended), the JUSFC-NEH Social Science Fellowships for scholars, a paid Internship Program for students, and the Summer Institute for undergraduate students. JUSFC receives no funds from general revenues and operates entirely from interest earnings from the Japan-United States Friendship Trust Fund, with approximately $35 million in current value.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Institutional Grants Program

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 200 American artists supported through NEA partnership for residencies in Japan since 1978
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• United States Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme Alumni Association (USJETAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founded in 2015 as non-profit to connect 40,000+ JET alumni and 19 JET Alumni Associations across the United States. Recognized by CULCON as essential for advancing U.S.-Japan partnership.
• U.S.-Japan Bridging FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Founded in 1998 at CULCON's recommendation to address imbalance of student mobility (46,000 Japanese students in US vs 2,000 Americans in Japan). Created by JUSFC to support American students studying abroad in Japan. Has supported more than 2,000 students.
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1978Since 1978, JUSFC and NEA have worked with the Government of Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkacho) and International House of Japan (IHJ) to organize the U.S.-Japan Creative Artists Fellowship Program. The program offers residencies in Japan to American artists. Note: Currently suspended due to budget constraints.
• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint activity providing fellowships for advanced social science research on modern Japanese society, political economy, Japan's international relations, and U.S.-Japan relations. Awards support innovative research put in wider regional and global contexts.
• Government of Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkacho)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in U.S.-Japan Creative Artists Fellowship Program since 1978, collaborating on artistic exchange between the United States and Japan.
• International House of Japan (IHJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in U.S.-Japan Creative Artists Fellowship Program since 1978, providing residency support and program administration for American artists in Japan.
• Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE USA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading organization in U.S.-Japan legislative exchanges. Manages Congressional Staff Exchange Program and U.S.-Japan Women Leaders Dialogue. One of three leading organizations in U.S.-Japan legislative exchanges as featured in JUSFC's 50th anniversary series.
• U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Thomas S. Foley Legislative Exchange, organizing bilateral and trilateral talks between U.S. and Japanese legislators. Also organizes District Director Study Tours to Japan.
• Maureen and Mike Mansfield FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partner managing U.S.-Japan Space Forum and Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program for mid-level federal government employees. Led Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program, a Congressionally-established professional exchange.
• U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBinational advisory panel strengthening cultural and educational foundations of U.S.-Japan relationship. Established by U.S. and Japanese leaders in 1961. Ensures innovative ideas for cultural, educational, and intellectual exchange are implemented as operational programs. JUSFC Executive Director leads U.S. CULCON Panel.
• United States – Japan FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers U.S.-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP), a cross-sector network of American and Japanese leaders. Cameron McKinney selected as 2026 Delegate. Network connects more than 500 rising leaders from business, arts, government, philanthropy, and academia.
• Japan-America SocietiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of societies across the United States supported by JUSFC grants for partnership development among U.S.-Japan organizations. Includes National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) Richard J. Wood Art Curator Series.
• National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Pacific Trilateralism project increasing public understanding of U.S.-Japan-South Korea dynamics and joint efforts to strengthen trilateral relationships.
• East-West CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported for Japan Matters for America website project, creating online platform showcasing Japan's importance to the United States and vice versa.
• Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange program with more than 35,000 American participants who taught English in Japan. JUSFC supports alumni community through USJETAA and promotes continued engagement in U.S.-Japan relations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• East-West Center: U.S. federally-established center for Asia-Pacific cultural and educational exchange, founded by Congress in 1960. Shares JUSFC's mandate of building U.S. expertise on the Indo-Pacific and is itself a JUSFC grantee (Japan Matters for America).
• National Bureau of Asian Research: U.S. policy research institution focused on Asia that is itself a JUSFC grantee (Pacific Trilateralism project). Operates as both peer and partner, sharing JUSFC's mandate of building durable U.S. expertise on Asian affairs including Japan.
• Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation: Flagship JUSFC partner that administers the Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program for U.S. federal employees and the U.S.-Japan Space Forum. Shares JUSFC's mission of building U.S.-Japan policy expertise and operates as a closely aligned bilateral exchange funder.
• Japan Foundation: Japanese government-affiliated institution that performs the mirror-image function of JUSFC, running exchange programs, fellowships, and cultural grants to strengthen international understanding of Japan. JUSFC's Japan-based partners (Bunkacho, IHJ) operate in this same ecosystem.
• Asian Cultural Council: Philanthropy that funds cultural and artistic exchanges between the United States and Asia. Closely parallels JUSFC's Creative Artists Program (currently suspended) and is a natural alternative funding source for JUSFC's artist-residency grantees.
• United States-Japan Foundation: Private U.S. foundation with a parallel mission of strengthening the U.S.-Japan relationship through grantmaking in education, policy, and cultural exchange. Operates as the closest functional peer to JUSFC, complementing federal support with private philanthropic capital.

Emerging players

• Korea Foundation: Korean counterpart to the Japan Foundation, running cultural and academic exchange programs that strengthen U.S.-Korea ties. Operates in the same bilateral-relationship funding model as JUSFC but in a different country pairing; partners overlap in the trilateral context (e.g., NBR Pacific Trilateralism project).

Broad incumbents

• British Council: UK government's international organization for cultural relations and educational exchange. Functions as a structural analog to JUSFC's mission of sustaining bilateral cultural and intellectual ties, though at much larger scale and across many more countries.
• Henry Luce Foundation: Major U.S. private foundation with substantial Asia-focused programming, including the Luce Scholars program for U.S. professionals in Asia. Functions as a broader incumbent in the same philanthropic space as JUSFC's institutional grants.
• Fulbright Program / Institute of International Education: The largest U.S. government-sponsored international academic exchange program, operated by the Institute of International Education. Overlaps with JUSFC's education and fellowship programs but at vastly larger scale and across many countries, not bilateral U.S.-Japan focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/j_usfc
• Facebookfacebook.com/JapanUSFriendshipCommission
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/japan-u.s.-friendship-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Japan-US Friendship Commission