STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY
JCIE has a long tradition of leadership in promoting the development of vibrant nonprofit and philanthropic sectors and working to enhance the contributions of civil society to international relations. Our activities aim to promote a broader understanding of civil society, strengthen civil society’s role in governance, create collaborative networks among civil society organizations worldwide as well as with leaders in government, business, and other sectors.
CURRENT PROGRAMS
RELATED ACTIVITIES
CSO Roundtable on Japan's Support in Addressing the Global Crisis for Democracy and Human Rights
August 10, 2021 | Online
JCIE hosted a roundtable which brought together participants from a variety of Japanese and international CSOs to discuss what kind of support is needed from japan to support democracy and human right…
JCIE Announces Grantees for Supporting Youths of Diverse Roots and an Inclusive Society Program
May 7, 2020 | Tokyo
In the hopes of opening the doors to a brighter future for young people of foreign origins who are living in Japan, JCIE has launched a major grant program, Supporting Youths of Diverse Roots and an I…
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…
International Seminar: NGOs as Strategic Partners in Development and Humanitarian Assistance
June 6, 2018 | Tokyo, Japan
This seminar was part of a JCIE project on NGOs as Strategic Partners, conducted from 2015 to 2018. Participants examined what Japanese NGOs and government agencies can do to work together on ODA, dra…
NGOs as Strategic Partners | Diet-NGO Roundtable to Follow Up on Study Tour
June 7, 2017 | Tokyo
Five NGO leaders and three Diet members came together for a roundtable to discuss how to strengthen Japanese NGOs’ institutional capacity to work as strategic partners with the the government on devel…
NGOs as Strategic Partners: Japanese NGO Leaders Delegation to Washington DC
March 1–3, 2017 | Washington DC
JCIE brought a team of executives from leading Japanese NGOs in the field of development and humanitarian assistance to the US to study what is needed to strengthen the institutional capacity of Japan…
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…
Tadashi Yamamoto Memorial Seminar | NGOs at Home and Abroad—US and Japanese Perspectives on Shared Goals
October 1, 2015 | Washington DC
The 3rd annual Tadashi Yamamoto Memorial Seminar, co-organized by JCIE and the Council on Foreign Relations, featured four Diet members from the ruling and opposition camps and five leaders from Japan…
Managing Movements of People for Security and Prosperity in East Asia: Roles of Civil Society
February 1–2, 2015 | Tokyo
A multinational group of researchers met in Tokyo as part of a JCIE project on the Movement of People in East Asia and the Role of Civil Society, which was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. Ma…
2013 Annual Tiffany Foundation Award Ceremony
November 6, 2013 | New York, NY
The Fifth Tiffany Foundation Award Ceremony was held in Tokyo on November 4, 2013 in Tokyo to honor organizations that have distinguished themselves with their efforts to preserve local cultural herit…
5th Annual Tiffany Foundation Award Ceremony
October 4, 2012 | Tokyo
The Fifth Tiffany Foundation Award Ceremony was held in Tokyo on October 4, 2012, in Tokyo to honor organizations that have distinguished themselves with their efforts to preserve local cultural herit…
Tiffany Foundation Award Seminar: Toward Community Revitalization—New Possibilities for Traditional Culture
August 19, 2010 | Tokyo
In order to more fully examine the progress and impact of the Tiffany Foundation Award, JCIE organized a seminar, “Toward Community Revitalization: New Possibilities for Traditional Culture,” on Augus…
Strengthening Nongovernmental Contributions to Regional Security Cooperation
August 4, 2010 | Jakarta, Indonesia
On August 4, 2010, the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies co-sponsored a roundtable in Jakarta as part of JCIE’s study of “Nongovernm…
Strengthening Nongovernmental Contributions to Regional Security Cooperation | Tokyo Workshop
January 18–19, 2010 | Tokyo
On January 18–19, 2010, the participants gathered in Tokyo for a workshop to discuss initial findings of a project examining (1) the roles of civil society in enhancing regional security cooperation,…
The Role of Philanthropy in Postwar US-Japan Relations | 2004 Tokyo Workshop
October 4–5, 2004 | Tokyo
Nearly 100 leaders from the fields of civil society, philanthropy, and government gathered at a major conference in Tokyo on October 4–5, 2004, to review the contributions of American and Japanese phi…
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
Supporting Disaster Survivors in Japan
Sachiko Aoki and Kimberly Gould Ashizawa
2019
This report highlights Kamaishi City Social Welfare Council, Kodomo no Empowerment Iwate, Kurashi no Supporters, and SakuraNet, four nonprofit organizations that received $2.8 million in United Way Wo…
Becoming Strategic Partners: Lessons for NGOs and Government Agencies from the American Experience
Japan Center for International Exchange
2018
This report examines how strategic partnerships between NGOs and the US Government operate and why they emerged, drawing lessons on how Japanese NGOs might develop similar partnerships and build the f…
Getting International Disaster Philanthropy Right: Lessons from Japan's 2011 Tsunami
James Gannon
2016
This report looks closely at the US’s philanthropic response to Japan’s March 2011 tsunami, drawing lessons on what can be done in future responses to overseas disasters, especially in other developed…
The Tiffany Foundation Award
Japan Center for International Exchange
2016
The recipients of the Tiffany Foundation Award for the Preservation of Japanese Traditional Arts and Culture in Contemporary Society, created in 2008 by JCIE and The Tiffany & Co. Foundation are highl…
Asia on the Move: Regional Migration and the Role of Civil Society
Mely Caballero-Anthony and Toshihiro Menu, eds.
2015
Experts analyze migration trends in China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia; government efforts to manage this movement; and the role of NGOs in helping to protect migrants and to harness migration to…
Preparing for Future Disasters: Strategic Assistance and the US-Japan Alliance
Kei Koga, Thomas B. Fargo, Alison Szalwinski, Noboru Yamaguchi, and Ryo Sahashi
2015
This JCIE/NBR report examines the challenges posed by major disasters in the Asia-Pacific and argues that the United States and Japan need to elevate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to be…
Innovative Disaster Responses: Model Approaches from Japan's 3/11 Disaster
Atsuko Geiger, Kaede Kawauchi, and Serena Bellamy
2015
In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the role of the Japanese civil society in the recovery and reconstruction process, this report analyzes four innovative projects that can be emulated…
Civil Society Monitor | Special Edition
Japan Center for International Exchange
March 11, 2015
US Giving for Japan’s 2011 Disaster Totals $737 Million (Four-year update)
Strengthening US-Japan NGO Partnerships on Humanitarian Responses—Lessons from 3/11
Japan Center for International Exchange
2015
This two-year study assesses the effectiveness of Japanese NGOs’ international partnerships in the response to the 3/11 disaster. Based on interviews with key figures from Japanese and Western NGOS, d…
Bringing People Together: Assessing the Impact of 3/11 on US-Japan Grassroots Exchange
Atsuko Geiger
2015
Dr. Atsuko Geiger analyzes the depth of preexisting US-Japan grassroots ties, which was made evident by the international response to Japan’s 3/11 disaster, and also how these efforts can continue to…
Civil Society Monitor | Issue 14
October 2014
• Can Japan Welcome Immigrants? A Shrinking Population Spurs a Growing Debate
Civil Society Monitor | Special Edition
March 11, 2014
US Giving for Japan Disaster Reaches $730 Million (Three-year update)
A Growing Force: Civil Society's Role in Asian Regional Security
Rizal Sukma and James Gannon, eds.
2013
The authors explore the role of civil society organizations in responding to security threats in the five areas of piracy, disaster relief, human trafficking, health, and climate change, in order to a…
Civil Society Monitor | Special Edition
March 11, 2013
US Giving for Japan Disaster Exceeds $710 Million