A Farewell Message from the Executive Director Autumn 1994 - Grass Roots

Transcription

A Farewell Message from the Executive Director Autumn 1994 - Grass Roots
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
The Japan Foundation
Page bc3
Center for Global Partnership
Autumn 1994 -
CG
NEWSLE
Table of Contents
A Farewell Message from the Executive Director
Grass Roots
Exchange Activities
in the US and Japan
4
The Executive Director of CGP, Mr. Minoru Kusuda, will be retiring as of November 1994.
In place of the usual message from the Director of the New York office, Mr. Kusuda
reflects in this issue on his years of experience working to improve mutual understanding between the US and Japan.
Japan Documentation
Center (JDC)
6
by Ichiko T. Morita
Japanese
Organizational Profile
9
Grants Awarded
10
Publications List
20
In Japanese society, the word “en” holds a great deal of meaning. The “Relationships b
same Chinese character can also be read as “heri” or “fuchi,” meaning
countries are co
the edge of something, or it can refer to the porch or balcony of a
from political, e
house, but the primary usage of this character comes from Buddhist philosophy and carries the meaning of something that is destined to be, a connectivity
cultural and oth
that is born of fate. For example, it is said that a person is blessed with good
“en” when they are married, something like the English phrase “a match made elements, but in
in Heaven.” We also use “en” when we describe the close bond between
deepen those ti
parent and child, or between mentor and pupil.
When I first began working, one of my senior colleagues shared with me a won- foundation of th
derful piece of advice that has stayed vividly in my memory to this day. “To succeed
relationship mu
in life,” he told me, “you must cherish every opportunity you have to make a new
acquaintance, and create a good relationship (‘en’) between you. Then, you must be built upon mutu
sure to cherish that ‘en’ for your entire life.” Over the past three and a half years
understanding.
since the creation of the Center for Global Partnership, I have thought often about
strongly that an
those words and I have realized that the secret to international exchange, as well, is
to develop and cherish close bonds, or “en,” with people throughout the world.
understanding o
As a benefit of my time as the Executive Director of CGP, I have enjoyed the
country’s cultur
opportunity to make the friendship of many respected individuals from throughout
American society. Through my contact with these friends and colleagues, I believe
the sentiments o
that I have been able to deepen my knowledge of America. I have also become
people is essen
more acutely aware of the necessity of a healthy, collaborative relationship between
the US and Japan if we are to preserve that peace in the future and facilitate global
if nations are to
development. During the half century that has followed the end of World War II,
healthy, constru
many people around the globe have enjoyed the blessings of peace. At the same
time, we have only been able to come this far because of the great care and attenties at any level
tion that has been required on the part of those people to maintain that peace.
Relationships between countries are constructed from political, economic,
cultural and other various elements, but in order to deepen those ties, the foundation of that relationship must be built upon mutual understanding. I feel strongly
that an understanding of each country’s cultures and the sentiments of the people
is essential if nations are to enjoy healthy, constructive ties at any level.
The foundation of international exchange is people, and in many countries it
is community-based or civic organizations that are most active in educating society about other cultures and peoples. In Japan, the non-governmental sector has
recently started to take on greater significance in this area, as new organizations
have begun to appear and flourish. It is my hope that many of these institutions
will increasingly turn their focus outward, allowing a greater number of Japanese
citizens to participate in and initiate projects on a global scale. By fostering “en”
with people of other nations who are working in the same fields and who share the
same goals, those involved in these exchanges will be able not only to improve
continued on next page
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 2
2
Executive Director’s Farewell Message . . .
“The founding
philosophy behind
the establishment of
CGP was first the
belief that in the postCold War era the
cooperation and
coordinated efforts
of the United States
and Japan are
indispensable for
the creation of a
new international
order, and for the
achievement of
lasting peace and
stability. Japan must
work, along with the
US, to contribute
to global growth
themselves, but also to better define their own
identity. Moreover, these exchanges can play an
important role in creating a healthier basis for
international relations in general, as the power of
citizens is becoming increasingly vital in the global
arena. I believe that, from this point forward, the
principal focus of international exchanges will be
to foster cooperative efforts between individuals
working toward one greater, shared purpose.
Identifying common goals shared by individuals and societies is also vital in redefining a
post-Cold War order. At this time, in terms of
post-Cold War international relations, no central,
stabilizing, intellectual framework yet exists.
Samuel Huntington’s article “Clash of
Civilizations,” which appeared in the Summer
1993 volume of Foreign Affairs, represented one
attempt to present a new paradigm, and the article had a strong impact on Japan. However, the
post-Cold War framework delineated in that thesis, setting the “Islamic-Confucian connection”
against the “Western civilization,” was not well
received among Japanese intellectuals. For
example, noted cultural anthropologist Tadao
Umesao, former Director-General of the National
Museum of Ethnology, argued, “When viewed
from the perspective of historical developments,
the theory is fundamentally incorrect.” Similarly
critical was area studies scholar Masayuki
Yamauchi of Tokyo University, who wrote in the
Tokyo Shimbun (June 15, 1994), “Perhaps the
concept of a clash of civilizations is symptomatic
of the feeling that many Americans today share of
a loss of global superiority, and in particular the
loss of a sense of direction felt by the white elite
class.” My personal opinion is that, while I
respect Professor Huntington’s brave search for
some analytical framework for an orderless
age, it is precisely because of this lack of order
that we who are living through today’s chaos
must make even more steady, measured efforts.
More simply put, it has become vital that we try
harder to understand one another.
Last summer, CGP sponsored the “20th
Century Symposium–The End of the Century:
The Future in the Past” in Yatsugatake, in Nagoya
Prefecture. I remember being deeply moved by
the words of Julia Kristeva, from University of
Paris VII, who said,
and development.”
For years now, we have developed an essential
point of our Western tradition which is its
capacity to negate itself. We have attacked it,
we have deconstructed it . . . . I belong to the
generation that accomplished this very important work of negation, doubt, and even in a
more mild sense, just interrogation. I think that
the point now is to rehabilitate some positive
aspects of this Western tradition, and one of the
issues of the twenty-first century is not to protect
Western culture negatively or defensively but to
try to encourage a revival of our values in orde
to confront Eastern as well as Western problems.
The founding philosophy behind the estab
lishment of CGP was first the belief that in the
post-Cold War era the cooperation and coord
nated efforts of the United States and Japan a
indispensable for the creation of a new intern
tional order, and for the achievement of lastin
peace and stability. Japan must work, along w
the US, to contribute to global growth and dev
opment. The second concept behind CGP’
founding was that, in order to realize the US
Japan cooperation required by this new age
a far deeper level of mutual understanding i
required between these two countries than ha
ever existed before, and to achieve that, it
essential that we promote a broad range of di
logues and exchanges, and that we cultivate
sense of unity between the people of the US a
Japan. Third, in accomplishing these goals, Jap
must take new action of its own initiative.
With these three points in mind, we founde
CGP, taking as our basic theme the goal of de
oping the intellectual community and invigora
the regional and grass-roots community. CGP
conceived of shortly after the fall of the Ber
Wall in 1989. In 1991, the Diet appropriated
endowment of 50 billion yen, and as you pro
bly already know, with the interest on that ca
tal, we were able to take the first step toward
realizing our goals.
History is the accumulation of steps made
people forge ahead down untrodden paths. I
that sense, our entrance into the American ph
anthropic sector has taken us one step forwa
into a historical new path for Japan. The conc
of philanthropy has not been a universally un
stood one in Japanese society in the past, and
I feel that it was a major step forward when C
opened an office in New York and was allow
to enter the world of American philanthropy f
the first time. Given that this world was still n
to us, we began by seeking the guidance of o
more learned colleagues in American phila
thropic organizations, and we were fortunat
to find gracious support from those at the For
Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and ma
other institutions. In the unique social environ
ment of the United States, the fact that the wo
of CGP has gradually begun to gain the unde
standing of the American people is an extrem
fortunate sign for US-Japan relations, and I can
sufficiently express my gratitude and respect f
the magnanimity of the American society.
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 3
Nonetheless, I must also frankly express my
serious concerns over the current state of USJapan relations. During the Cold War, the relationship between the US and Japan was in many
ways represented by the US-Japan Security
Treaty, as the two countries faced a common
enemy. It stands to reason that the post-Cold
War US-Japan relationship cannot remain intact.
Times have changed, and it is inevitable that
relationships change as well. Perhaps for that
reason, despite the statements of the politicians
and economists in both countries, the oftenrepeated expression of the unchanging importance of the US-Japan relationship has begun
to ring increasingly hollow. The importance
remains, but to truly understand that importance,
one cannot ignore that the international context
of the relationship, and therefore the fundamental
meaning of the relationship, has shifted.
In international politics, the world has shifted
from a bipolar, US-Soviet centered framework
to a more multipolar age. It seems that history is
moving inexorably away from relations between
nation-states, as issues of and between racial or
ethnic groups take center stage. Perhaps it is that
very shift in focus away from binational relationships that is hindering our ability to capitalize on
the enormous potential of the US-Japan relationship. Despite the loud proclamations of the
necessity of US-Japan collaboration, and despite
the clear call in today’s world for these two
countries to develop a concrete, practical strategy for cooperation, in reality these goals are not
attracting attention; all eyes seem to be focused
instead upon the narrow spectrum of economic
issues. It seems that to a great extent we have
shelved the fundamental work of building a
foundation for US-Japan cooperation, and have
abandoned the search for ways to promote a
level of understanding among the people of both
countries that would allow for a uniting of purpose and would in turn facilitate the creation of
a new order in the world.
This is all the more reason that I feel the
importance of not letting CGP’s efforts stagnate;
we must fight against this trend. True, meaningful
exchange between people of different cultures
is never easy, nor is the identification of shared
values upon which collaborative efforts can be
based. It would be unrealistic to expect enormous
results in this area after only three years or even
after five years of CGP’s efforts. From the beginning of history to our present world of 1994,
humankind has traveled a long path, continuously
striving to progress. From that perspective, or
even in the more limited context of post-World
War II US-Japan relations, the role that CGP has
played is still extremely minor. Nonetheless, I
believe that people have a moral imperative to
choose an objective in life and work continuously
toward that goal, and in so doing, to plant the
seeds that will bear fruit for the next generation to
enjoy. Even in this short period of three and a half
years, CGP has worked towards its goals, and has
actually contributed to efforts that will form the
core of US-Japan relations in the future.
Although CGP has recently been more restricted financially as a result of the recession in Japan,
I believe that if we follow the old Japanese saying,
“Never lose sight of your goal,” and continue to
develop programs with sincerity, we can create a
foundation that will let the people of both the US
and Japan understand the importance of collaboration that is based upon a global perspective.
Today, not only in the US and Japan, but
throughout the world people are predicting that
the 21st century will be the age of the Asia-Pacific.
From the perspective of maintaining security, as
well as promoting growth in the global economy,
there can be no denying that the emergence of an
Asia-Pacific age is predicated on the pivotal role
of the United States-Japan relationship.
In November of this year, I will leave my post
as the Executive Director of CGP. Having devoted
myself completely these past years to the creation
of this institution, I have come to believe even
more firmly than ever before in the ability of a
deeper, collaborative US-Japan relationship to
promote growth and development in the international society. I also believe that CGP must maintain its conviction in this vital global potential of
the US-Japan relationship, and must devote itself
to playing its role, however small it may be, in the
continued deepening and strengthening of that
bond. For my part, I will continue to devote
myself to the development of US-Japan, as well
as Asia-Pacific cooperation, but as I step aside
to let others carry on the work that we have
begun, it is my sincere hope that the people of
the United States and Japan will continue to
lend your understanding, cooperation and support for the future growth of CGP. –Minoru Kusuda, Executive Director
Center for Global Partnership
“I have come to
believe even more
firmly than ever be
in the ability of a
deeper, collaborat
US-Japan relations
to promote growth
development in th
international socie
I also believe tha
CGP must maintain
its conviction in th
vital global potenti
of the US-Japan
relationship, and m
devote itself to pla
its role, however
small it may be,
in the continued
deepening and
strengthening of
that bond.”
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
4
11:06 AM
Page 4
Grass Roots Exchange Activities in the US and Japan
ver the last several decades, the USJapan alliance has undeniably become a
central element in the foreign policies of
both countries. In addition, business ties
between communities and companies across the
United States and Japan have increased at an
remarkable rate, deepening our economic interdependence. In contrast, however, the cultural
and intellectual ties between communities and
individuals in Japan and the US have grown at a
much slower rate and have not kept pace with
the brisk development of economic or political
bonds, resulting in a somewhat unbalanced, or
one-dimensional relationship. Given the instability of the present post-Cold War global framework,
it is essential that these two countries that share
so many common values and interests take a more
holistic approach to creating a healthy and open
relationship.
CGP was established in 1991 to contribute to
this goal through the support of projects that create a diversity of ties, involving individuals and
organizations in all sectors of both societies in
collaborative efforts that address issues of global
concern. However, to effectively pursue this
objective, CGP needed an accurate understanding of what organizations were already active in
US-Japan exchange at the regional level and
what types of activities were being carried out.
As CGP began to study the field, it was clear
that there was no comprehensive source of information, no road map that spelled out all of the
actors and activities, particularly given the large
number of small, grass-roots organizations that
are involved in community-level exchanges. To
inform and enhance our grant making in this
area, and in turn to assist us in further nurturing
and promoting regionally-based exchange activities, CGP decided to conduct a general survey on
Japan-related activities in all the states of the US
and a parallel survey on US-related activities in
all the prefectures of Japan.
The survey was intended to fulfill several purposes, including: to familiarize CGP and others
with the current actors and activities in the field; to
assist organizations and individuals in identifying
potential counterparts for collaborative activities;
to identify the specific fields and geographical
regions in which particular strengths or deficiencies exist, and thereby to help in the improvement
of underdeveloped areas; and to share programs
or lessons learned from those areas which have
enjoyed success. The survey has also enabled CGP
to establish contacts with major organizations and
individuals across the US and Japan engaged in
international exchange activities.
To carry out the survey, CGP commissioned
the Japan Center for International Exchange
(JCIE) and its American affiliate, Japan Center for
International Exchange, Inc. (JCIE/USA). The first
phase of the project focused on Japan-related
O
“As CGP began to
study the field, it was
clear that there was
no comprehensive
source of information,
no road map that
spelled out all of the
actors and activities,
particularly given the
large number of
small, grass-roots
organizations that are
involved in
community-level
exchanges."
activities in the US, and was divided into tw
surveys of 25 states each. A researcher w
appointed in each state to carry out the sur
and submit a report based on detailed instr
tions outlined by JCIE. Each researcher was a
to provide an overview of the historical evolu
of relations with Japan; trends of economic i
action with Japan; and regional attitudes a
perceptions toward Japan based on opinion p
already available, media coverage, and so
interviews. Researchers provided information
the availability of teaching of Japanese langu
and culture at the pre-college level and Japa
Studies at the college level; sister city/state
tions; international exchanges of various kin
and the key factors in the initiation, as well a
success or failure, of such diverse activities. E
report ended with analysis and suggestions
the enhancement of relations with Japan.
The findings from the first 25 state surve
were published in March 1993, and the rem
ing surveys were published in a second volu
in March 1994. This survey has provided
wealth of information on the scope and divers
of the regional activities related to Japan, and
opportunities for and constraints against furth
promoting such activities. In the article that f
lows, we have briefly tried to summarize som
the major points elucidated in the final analy
of these two volumes.
The parallel survey of US-related activitie
Japan was begun in the latter part of 1992, a
the first half of the prefectural surveys was p
lished in a volume in March 1994. Because
remaining surveys on Japan are not yet comp
we cannot at this time provide an analysis
regional activities in Japan based on these
veys. When the second volume is published
will summarize the findings in this newslet
but for the present time, to provide some bala
to the article on the US surveys, we would lik
take this opportunity to provide an overview
the major actors in this field in Japan and
basic restraints and obstacles they face, based
CGP’s own experiences in the field.
Summary of Activities in the US
Regional Diversity and Relations with Japan
If one examines US-Japan relations at the state
local levels across the US, it is apparent a w
variety of factors guide the relationship. Ea
region presents a different picture of econom
historic, and in some cases ethnic make-up, th
creating a diverse foundation for international r
tions. With such an array of diversification i
only natural that these regions present diverg
reasons for creating regional ties with Japan.
diversity of circumstances and regional chara
istics underlines the fact that the US-Japan re
tionship as it exists at the grass-roots level
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 5
complex and difficult to characterize, and overgeneralization can create misperceptions and misunderstandings. However, the picture of America
presented to the outside world tends to focus on
the current status of the national government and
major cities and not on the diversity that exists at
the regional level. The Japanese therefore tend to
view American culture as homogeneous and overlook the distinct characteristics of various states.
This leads to the impression that there is an increasingly large gap in understanding concerning the
true nature of US-Japan relations.
Education
In the late 1980s, a wave of increased Japanese
foreign direct investment in the US was accompanied by a surge of interest in Japanese language
and culture. Universities have had to expand their
resources and capabilities and, based on the state
surveys, seem to have been fairly successful in
responding to this challenge. Precollegiate education, on the other hand, has been less successful
due to insufficient funding mechanisms and unsupportive educational policies. The recession has only
made matters worse, especially for public schools
that have had to cut funding for Japanese programs
that are generally considered “non-fundamental”
to basic educational requirements.
Our survey found that many states have taken
steps to address this problem and to build support
for precollegiate Japan-related education. The
three most significant approaches include:
1) universities mobilizing their resources for outreach programs for K-12 level educators; 2) institutional and organizational support for school’s
Japan-related educational programs from educational clearinghouses and other nonprofit organizations; and 3) initiatives by dedicated individuals,
which in many cases have far-reaching impact on
entire communities even when funding and support for such education is weak. Due to continuing fiscal restraints on school budgets, especially
for subjects considered “non-fundamental,” these
new support mechanisms will play an important
and increasing role in the future.
Sister City and State Relationships
Japan has more sister-city relationships with the
US than with any other country. Though many
cities are successfully linked, structural problems
do exist. The most common problem is that the
programs in the US and Japan receive funding
from different sources. The Japanese city or prefectural programs usually receive direct funding
from local governments and can maintain steady
salaried staff, while American cities and states
rely on volunteer groups to manage and fund
raise for activities. This can lead to inconsistency
in the ability of American city and state programs
to send and receive delegations as regularly as
the Japanese programs.
Difficulties as well as success stories are in
abundance, but a trend toward new and innovative types of exchange seems to be growing. A
most recent example of this trend is the US-Japan
Trilateral Exchange Program undertaken by Sister
Cities International and funded by CGP. In this
project, 10 pairs of US-Japan sister cities have
introduced their Japanese or US counterpart to a
sister city in an developing country to create a
three-way relationship. The goal of this project is
to not only promote exchange and greater understanding, but to address urban problems of mutual concern. Although cultural and educational
exchange will remain an important element of
sister city and state relationships in the future, it
is apparent that these relationships can play an
important part in economic revitalization, scientific research, agricultural development, and the
development of many other sectors. These relationships can serve as a new resource for solving
local problems, as well as a catalyst for further
social and economic development.
“Today, many
local governments
and grass-roots
organizations are
promoting exchang
based on the need
of their own loca
region and develop
their own form o
international relati
policy, and trade,
Media and Technology
The degree to which the world has become intricately linked is, in great part, due to advanced
technologies that have brought previously remote
and unrelated regions face-to-face. This technology has branched out into a variety of applications
useful to education, research, and media. At the
regional level of US-Japan relations, this new
advanced technology has improved and strengthened linkages and made communication easier
and quicker. Computers, television programming,
and radio broadcasting all provide means to further international understanding. As access to
worldwide media continues to expand, it can also
be expected that citizens in regions around the
world will increasingly have greater access to foreign media and thereby be influenced by the contemporary culture of many countries.
Conclusion
The information in the state surveys shows that
US-Japan relations at the regional level have
increased and broadened to include a host of
actors and entities that support this bilateral relationship. Today, many local governments and
grass-roots organizations are promoting exchange
based on the needs of their own local region and
developing their own form of international relations, policy, and trade, regardless and independent of the national government. However, these
regions still face many constraints in promoting
and increasing exchange further and in involving
a greater number of participants. Hopefully, the
information and analysis resulting from the surveys both in the US and Japan will enable participants to overcome constraints and create new
ways of expanding exchange activities between
the two nations.
continued on page 7
regardless and
independent of the
national governme
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
6
11:06 AM
Page 6
Japan Documentation Center of the Library of Congress
by Ichiko T. Morita
e are living in what is often called the
“Information Age,” and as time goes on,
this label seems increasingly accurate.
For many human activities, from formulating public policy to planning one’s own finances,
access to current information, both nationally
and internationally, has become essential to all
sectors of society–national governments, companies, nonprofit organizations, researchers, and
individuals.
The shortage of reliable information about
contemporary Japan available in the United
States is a problem that both Americans and
Japanese have been struggling to address for a
number of years. In particular, the difficulty in
the US of obtaining non-commercial documents
such as reports published by Japanese government agencies, think tanks, and nonprofit organizations, has resulted in an imbalance in bilateral
information flow between the US and Japan.
Responding to this shortage of adequate information about Japanese policy, the Library of
Congress established the Japan Task Force in
the late 1980s to study ways of gathering information on contemporary Japan. Recognizing
that there were structural barriers, i.e. lack of a
system for disseminating information, especially
regarding public policy, it mapped out a plan to
create a new section devoted to collecting and
supplying information about contemporary
Japanese society in general and Japanese public
policy-related documents in particular.
The Library of Congress discussed this idea
with the Japan Foundation in 1990, at a time
when the Japan Foundation was in the process
of setting up the Center for Global Partnership.
Given that one of CGP’s primary priorities in its
intellectual exchange program is support for projects that promote access to information, CGP
decided to support the Library of Congress’ initiative, and subsequently set up a Japan-side
steering committee of experts on the technical
and professional aspects of implementing the
project. These experts worked with the Library
of Congress’ internal steering committee to conceptualize the project.
After several years of collaborative work and
preparation, the Japan Documentation Center
(JDC), headquartered at the Library of Congress
in Washington, DC, officially opened and began
operation in March 1994.
The JDC provides up-to-the-minute information on Japan in a wide range of public policy
and research fields including legislation, judicial
decisions, economics, commerce and industry,
the environment, politics, social conditions, and
national defense. The JDC handles mainly noncommercial, policy-related materials published
W
For further information
on obtaining Japanrelated information,
fax, telephone, and
E-mail lines are open
24 hours a day, seven
days a week. Also,
visits to the JDC office
are welcome during
normal office hours,
Monday-Friday.
Contact person:
Ichiko T. Morita
Director
Tel: (202) 707-5581
Fax: (202) 707-9114
Internet: [email protected]
Address:
Japan Documentation
Center (JDC)
The Library of Congress,
Washington, DC 20540
in both the private and public sectors. Docume
are collected from a variety of sources in Jap
including the Japanese Diet, political partie
government ministries, the judiciary, ministr
affiliated institutions, research institutes in th
public and private sectors, private corporatio
academic societies, trade associations, and no
profit, non-governmental organizations. Some
the types of documents that are collected incl
draft legislation, survey reports, annual repor
conference proceedings, press releases, and wh
papers–in short, social science materials that a
beyond the Library of Congress’ traditional co
lecting efforts. Many of the resources are unpu
lished and generally referred to as “difficult-t
obtain” literature, or “gray literature” (as oppos
to “black” that are classified and “white” that
published and widely disseminated for purcha
To maintain autonomy in selection and t
facilitate collection of the various document
and information mentioned above, the Librar
of Congress has also established a Tokyo Acqu
sitions Facility (TAF), which is located in the he
of Tokyo in the Akasaka Twin Tower Buildin
Although it has actively been collecting inform
tion since early this year, it held its official op
ing ceremony in September 1994. Staffed w
three specialists, the TAF staff actually visits t
various issuing agencies and organizations
collect documents. The staff then writes a br
bibliographic record and summary in English fo
each document and forwards the materials t
the JDC.
The materials are scanned into the optical d
system of the Library of Congress’ Congression
Research Service and, with cooperation and as
tance from numerous other divisions of the Lib
of Congress, the JDC staff work to make the ma
rials, as well as the other Library of Congress in
mational resources on Japan, available through
the United States. Housed in the Asian Divisi
the JDC is ideally positioned to take advantag
the Library’s incomparable collection of Japan
books, journals and newspapers, and extens
reference collection.
JDC disseminates information nationwide
a variety of means, such as conventional do
ment delivery, facsimile, and electronic tran
mission. The JDC is currently working to ma
all its information accessible over the Intern
The JDC is also planning to publish a newslett
that, among other things, will update readers
how to access information via the Internet wh
this new system is completed. The JDC staff a
welcomes in-person or telephone requests fro
individual researchers, organizations, and fro
the general public and will carry out specifi
research if information is not available. The
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 7
Library will be experimenting with new technologies and innovative administrative procedures to
speed up dissemination and document delivery
as much as possible. In addition to the newsletter,
the JDC will hold periodic seminars and workshops to acquaint researchers with the use of
Japanese sources. These seminars will be modeled on a very successful workshop on access
to Japan-related information held at the time of
the JDC’s opening, in which approximately 150
representatives participated from government
agencies, academics institutions, law firms, think
tanks, companies, the media, as well as individual researchers, Senate and House staff, highschool educators, and private citizens.
The establishment of the JDC is highly significant in that it is a cooperative venture between
two major industrial powers of the world striving to better understand each other and work
together. The JDC is the first facility of its kind
established to remove the time and distance
barrier between our two countries on facing
sides of the Pacific using electronic transmission
and new technologies. Prior to assuming the post of Director of the Library of
Congress’ Japan Documentation Center in March 1994,
Ms. Ichiko T. Morita served as Professor and Head,
Cataloging Department at the Ohio State University
Libraries. She received a Japan Foundation Fellowship
and was a visiting researcher at the Tokyo University,
studying Japan’s library and information activities, and
has also studied Japanese gray literature on behalf of the
US Department of Commerce. She holds a BA in English
Literature from Okayama University and a MA degree from
University of Chicago. She has published in both Japanese
and English on information networks in Japan, access to
Japanese technical information, and other topics.
“There are three ba
types of organizat
active in internati
exchange at the lo
level in Japan: pri
continued from page 4
Overview of Japanese Activities
Since its establishment in 1991, CGP has struggled
to identify appropriate counterparts for US organizations interested in conducting collaborative
projects with Japanese organizations. Often times,
however, CGP found that suitable institutions
simply do not exist in Japan. In order to succeed
in our long-term objectives, it is therefore necessary for us to focus our attention on institution
building to assist Japanese organizations in developing their human resources and organizational
capabilities.
CGP recognizes that proactive measures to
reinforce and enhance private exchange organizations at the local level are essential, and that much
of the initiative for this effort must come from
within Japan. At the same time, CGP welcomes
efforts by US and other nations to assist in this
process. What follows is an overview of the types
of organizations active in international exchange
at the regional level in Japan, and some observations on the structural changes that are essential
to strengthen the Japanese exchange sector.
Organizations Active in International
Exchange at the Local Level
There are three basic types of organizations active
in international exchange at the local level in
Japan: private exchange organizations (PEOs);
semi-governmental local exchange organizations
(LEOs) established by local governments; and the
local governments themselves. The number of
PEOs engaged in international exchange activities has grown at a rapid rate since the end of
WWII, growing annually at a double-digit pace.
According to some statistics, the present total is
over 3000. However, the major player in the
internationalization of Japan at the local level
and in international exchange activities after
WWII has been local government.
After WWII, there was a flourishing of sisterstate and sister-city relationships between the US
and Japan, which formed the core of international
exchange. While many cities turned their attention
to the initiation of ties with other Asian countries
in the 1970s and 1980s, presently, of a total of
900 “sister” relationships between prefectures,
cities, and towns, 300 are relationships with the
US. Sister relationships continue to play an important role in international exchange, but the relatively recent formation of semi-governmental
local exchange organizations (LEOs) by the local
governments has had a huge impact on international exchange.
The cause of this explosive growth of LEOs
was the publication of guidelines by the Ministry
for Home Affairs in 1987 that encourage local
governments to consolidate various international
exchange operations into one specialized division outside the local government. In the short
period between 1989 and 1991, 28 such organizations were established, accounting for nearly
two-thirds of the 47 prefectures in Japan.
Financial Resources
PEOs have also boomed in numbers since WWII,
but have not had the same impact as LEOs due to
a number of structural obstacles that impede their
effectiveness. The majority of PEOs are “voluntary
organizations” (nin’i dantai), meaning that they
lack formal legal status. The major difficulty in
exchange
organizations (PEO
semi-governmenta
local exchange
organizations (LEO
established by loc
governments; and
local governments
themselves.”
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 8
8
Grass Roots Exchange Activities . . .
“Many private
exchange organizations (PEOs) start
out with lofty ideals
in conducting
original and diverse
programs, but faced
with the stark
reality of inadequate
funding, facilities,
human resources,
and information,
find themselves in
the awkward position
of being incorporated
into the operational
line of the local
government or the
semi-governmental
local exchange
association (LEO).”
not being able to acquire legal status is the inability to take advantage of tax incentives or solicit
cooperation from society. The vast majority of
PEOs therefore are not able to develop a stable
financial base. 1
There is some funding available for PEOs
through a limited number of government, foundation, and charitable trust giving programs, but the
amount provided annually to these types of activities is relatively minor, totaling approximately
¥2.4 billion (roughly $22 million) in FY1992.
Furthermore, many of these grants are limited to
certain components of projects, and in many
cases are given on the condition that the funds
be used toward direct project costs only. General
support, or funding for indirect costs or staff
salaries–budgets that are essential to effective
exchange activities–are rarely provided.
LEOs and local governments, on the other hand,
have large budgets that are increasing yearly. The
total of the operating budgets for just the 58 prefectural-designated city LEOs amounted to approximately ¥15.5 billion (roughly $142.2 million) in
FY1992, and the total of all the operating budgets
targeting international exchange operations of
LEOs and local governments amounted to just
under ¥90 billion (approximately $825 million)
for all prefectures, cities, towns, and villages in
Japan in that year. The yearly increases in these
budgets indicate that international exchanges initiated by local governments will continue to play
an increasingly important role in Japan.
Human Resources
Given the extremely limited financial resources of
PEOs, it is clear that their human resources must
also be restricted. Sixty-four percent of PEOs do
not have a full-time salaried staff at all, and even
among those with full-time employees 70% have
less than three staff members. The vast majority of
Japanese PEOs are therefore operated by a very
small number of staff and volunteers, and PEObased exchange operations in Japan are supported
largely by the dedication, goodwill, and experience of the involved individuals.
LEOs, in contrast, with their stable financial
base, have an average of 10 full-time and five parttime staff members. However, roughly half of these
full-time staff members are initially placed as, and
are considered to be, liaison personnel from the
local governments (shukkou-sha). These persons
often occupy decision-making positions within the
LEO and return to work in the local government
after a two- to three-year assignment. As LEOs
become increasingly important entities in contributing to international exchange operations in
Japan, it is vital that the so-called “proper” staff–i.e.
staff that remain in the organization–take on decision-making positions in order to gain expertise.
Professional training programs for LEO and
local government staff continue to expand with
growing need for expertise in the area. Curren
there are several programs that include overse
internship opportunities, including program
administered by the Japan Intercultural Academ
of Municipalities (JIAM established in 1993), th
Local Autonomy College (established in 1987
and a short-term training course called the “CLA
Academy,” administered by the Council of Lo
Authorities for International Relations. Not surp
ingly, the staff of PEOs rarely have the opportu
to develop their skills due to the lack of progra
that allow them to participate. For PEO staff, t
only available training programs are a few wo
shops and seminars sponsored by LEOs which
for a few days and several short-term worksho
held by umbrella organizations.
One notable program is run by an umbre
organization for NGO activities, JANIC (Japa
NGO Center for International Cooperation). T
objective of this program is to nurture the pr
fessional skills of the officers engaged in NGO
activities related to development and interna
tional cooperation, which is an area emphasiz
in JANIC’s general operations.
Summary of Japanese Circumstances
As we have seen, local governments and LEO
have the requisite legal status to conduct the
operations, possess a secure financial base, a
operate with a number of full-time staff, and ha
opportunities for professional development. I
easy to foresee that they will play an increasin
larger role in furthering international exchang
throughout Japan. In contrast, the numerous PE
are faced with a lack of funding resources an
professional staff, inevitably propelling them in
very weak positions. The difficulties in gainin
legal status (houjin-kaku), the lack of tax of priv
leges, the shortage of professional staff, and
unsympathetic attitudes from society in genera
all contribute towards an unstable foundation f
the international exchange operations conducte
by PEOs, and will ultimately become imped
ments in furthering international exchange acti
ties in Japan.
Many PEOs start out with lofty ideals in co
ducting original and diverse programs, but face
with the stark reality of inadequate funding, fac
ties, human resources, and information, find
themselves in the awkward position of bein
incorporated into the operational line of the
local government or an LEO. This trend should
not be taken lightly for it can potentially becom
an impediment to “diversity,” which is an esse
tial factor in international exchange operations
Japan or any country.
On a similar note, with the LEOs depende
on the local government for funding and staff
they are indirectly under the authority of the
local government and, ultimately, under the
Ministry of Home Affairs. Many LEOs are unab
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 9
to establish an independent policy for their operations and given that the majority of the positions
in the decision-making process of LEOs are occupied by liaison staff from the local government,
the operations may turn out to be very similar to
the local government itself, in spite of its identity
as a separate entity.
Suggested Solutions
Based on the above observations, it is clear that
the impediments to effective exchange are quite
significant. Mechanisms must be developed that
will enable PEOs to establish a base of funding
resources, facilities, and personnel with a longterm perspective, and more effective interaction
and cooperation is needed between PEOs, LEOs,
local governments, the business community, and
the general public. The list that follows represents an attempt to identify potential solutions.
of information available on the operations of
qualified public benefit organizations.
• Consider measures to strengthen incentives for
individual contributions. In the US, 90% of philanthropic giving comes from individuals while in
Japan the level is closer to 5%. In addition to educational activities to inform the public of activities
and solicit their participation in volunteer activities, tax incentives for individual contributions
should be expanded. • Increase funding and support for PEOs from
LEOs and local governments and foster greater
cooperation between all three types of organizations. To protect the diversity of activities carried
out by PEOs, measures should be taken so that
there is more transparency and efficiency in the
distribution and flow of funds from LEOs to PEOs.
Toward that end, consideration should be given
to methods of upgrading the grant-making system,
such as establishing a neutral advisory committee
of specialists, or recruiting an ombudsperson.
Funds flowing to PEOs must be provided without
“strings” or restrictions and utilized toward the
long-term institution-building and professional
development of staff. Support should include
opportunities for training as well as the provision
of funding.
• Strengthen PEO umbrella organizations that
can promote networking and training for PEOs
and can educate the public about PEO activities.
These organizations can make suggestions regarding various policy issues including the legal status
of PEOs, as well as promote public involvement
in volunteer activities, and nourish the overall
environment that supports the operations of PEOs.
In addition to disseminating information and
sharing know-how, such organizations could
also strengthen research capabilities on the nonprofit sector in Japan.
.
• Identify methods for improving the channels
through which PEOs can obtain funds from individuals and corporations. The Japanese attitude
toward contributions is basically passive; therefore
the need to promote public awareness through
school and public education is crucial. Another
impediment to individual contributions is the lack
developed that wi
enable PEOs to
establish a base o
funding resources
1 To learn more about the arduous process for acquiring
legal status and the associated tax benefits, please see the
article by Mr. Masayuki Deguchi of the Suntory Foundation
that appeared in Vol. 5 of the CGP Newsletter.
facilities, and
personnel with a
term perspective,
more effective
interaction and
• Streamline and deregulate the system and procedures for PEOs to acquire official legal status
and, by extension, the tax benefits associated
with that status.
“Mechanisms mus
Japanese Organizational Profile
cooperation is ne
between PEOs, LE
Japan Center for International Exchange
JCIE/JAPAN
4-19-17 Minami Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Japan
Tel: (03) 3446-7781
Established: 1973
President: Mr. Tadashi Yamamoto
Full time staff: 20
Japan Center for International Exchange, Inc.
JCIE/USA
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Tel: (212) 921-4260
Executive Director: Mr. Hiroshi Peter Kamura
The Japan Center for International Exchange is a
nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to
strengthening Japan’s role in international affairs.
JCIE believes that Japan faces a major challenge in
augmenting its positive contribution to the international community, in keeping with its position
as the world’s second largest industrial democracy.
JCIE plays a key role in broadening debate on
Japan’s international responsibilities by engaging
Japanese from the public, private, and academic
sectors in privately sponsored programs of dialogues, exchange, and research in collaboration
with counterparts in other countries.
JCIE also promotes exchange activities at the
grass-roots level, between Japan and countries
around the world, providing a range of support
services for public affairs groups seeking to develop networks both domestically and internationally.
Since its inception in 1973, JCIE has also worked
actively to encourage international philanthropy,
particularly in the Japanese private sector.
local government
business commun
and the general
public.”
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 10
Intellectual Exchange Grant Listings
10
Grants from the period May 12–August 11, 1994
Policy-Oriented Research
Japan Research Institute
Grasping the Causes of Economic
Friction: International Collaborative
Research to Improve Understanding
Mr. Kenji Matsuyama
Senior Researcher
Japan Research Institute
Kojimachi YK Building
1-8-14 Kojimachi
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102
Tel: (03) 5275-1570
Mega-Cities Project, Inc.
Innovative Solutions to Environmental
Sustainability in Mega-Cities:
A East-West Collaboration Between
New York and Tokyo
Dr. Janice Perlman
Executive Director
Mega-Cities Project, Inc.
915 Broadway, Suite 1601
New York, NY 10010
Tel: (212) 979-7350
Note: Japan grant awards are calculated at ¥110 =
The Japan Research Institute (JRI) was founded in 1970 to study and contribute to t
Japanese economy and the development of more effective industrial management me
ods. In addition to undertaking surveys and coordinating a variety of interdisciplina
research, the Institute carries out education programs and international exchanges t
educate the public and to incorporate a broad spectrum of viewpoints into their stu
of economics, industry, and the social factors that influence these fields.
In July 1994, the JRI began a three-year project with CGP support to research the sou
of economic friction between developed countries and how they can be minimized, an
examine how developing countries can most effectively grow and integrate into the w
economy. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Hoover Institution on W
Revolution, and Peace, the England-based Policy Studies Institute, and the Hambu
Economic Research Institute. Research teams from Europe, Japan, and the US will exam
the various policies adopted by countries on such issues as agricultural imports, resear
and development, NAFTA, Super 301, mergers and acquisitions, and labor unions. In ad
tion to studying the actual differences between countries’ economic systems, the research
will also examine the perceived differences. The research will include interviews with po
cians, scholars, and producers and consumers in the US, Japan, and EC to assess the pow
of the media in influencing the public. The researchers will also address the role of dev
oping countries’ economies and how the NIES or countries in ASEAN, Russia, Easter
Europe, or Indochina could fit into a larger framework.
The research teams will carry out their work independently, and will meet again at
in June of 1995 and 1996 to compare notes, share analyses of different policies and ec
nomic systems, and evaluate the project’s progress. Following the final research meet
JRI will sponsor an international symposium in Tokyo, to be held in July 1996, to prese
the results of the research and offer recommendations for GATT and OECD policy. T
research findings and policy recommendations will be published as a project summ
that will be widely disseminated.
$272,
The Mega-Cities Project is a New York-based consortium of urban planning scholars, p
titioners and environmentalists, with local representatives in each of the 23 “mega-citi
worldwide. With the problems of metropolises of 10 million or more residents posing
increasing concern to both the industrialized countries and the nations of the develop
world, the Mega-Cities Project is creating a network for the rapid transfer of new envir
mental technologies and innovative policies. The goal of this network is to provide alte
tive strategies for mega-cities to cope with increasing strains on their infrastructure a
challenges to their natural, human, and economic resources.
In collaboration with a team of Japanese researchers led by Yoshiharu Izaki of the A
Research Institute, Mega-Cities begins its second year of CGP support seeking to build
the first year’s systematic overview of environmental innovations in each city, and
investigate the effects of mega-scale on environmental sustainability. With a broad da
base of innovations in hand, the second year of the project will move towards a thorou
examination of contemporary theory on transfer and adaptation of innovations, and w
include an international symposium highlighting transferable innovations from Tokyo
New York in the spring of 1995.
$100
Dialogues
The Asia Society
Japan and the United States in Asia:
Toward and Effective Partnership
¥110 = $1
The Asia Society, in collaboration with the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA)
the Chinese Society of Science and Technology for Social Development (CSSTSD), h
received CGP support for the second phase of the dialogue series entitled “Prospects
Multilateral Cooperation in Northeast Asia: An International Dialogue.” This project co
sists of a series of three meetings to bring together representatives from all of the count
of Northeast Asia, including Japan, the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, So
* indicates grant amounts which include anticipated payments to be made in subsequent fiscal years.
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 11
Dr. Gowher Rizvi
Director, Contemporary Affairs
The Asia Society
725 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021-5080
Tel: (212) 288-6400
Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and Taiwan, as well as the United States and Canada, to encourage regional dialogue on economic, security, political and transnational issues and to
examine possibilities for multilateral cooperation in these areas. The project provides a
forum for informal discussion of current issues in Northeast Asia to explore possible cooperative structures–official and unofficial–to deal with future challenges and problems in the
region and to educate the public about the post-Cold War international system in
Northeast Asia.
The first meeting of the project was held in New York City in January 1994, at the Asia
Society. The meeting drew together 32 participants representing academia, government,
and the media from throughout the region. Participants considered various economic
issues facing Northeast Asia, including the implications of the differing models of
economic development in the region and the effect of efforts to achieve sustained economic growth and prosperity, bilateral trade imbalances and their implications for regional
economic cooperation, the role of development assistance and infrastructure development,
the future role of regional trade blocs and APEC, and the topic of regional economic cooperation and institution building.
The second meeting, co-hosted by CSSTSD, will be held in Beijing in November, and
will focus on transnational issues, such as the environment; the third meeting, which will
address political and security issues, is scheduled to take place in Tokyo in February 1995.
Under this grant, CGP has also provided partial support for the continuation of the project entitled “The Future of Asia’s Past: Perspectives on Preservation of the Architectural
Heritage of Southeast Asia,” which will culminate in an international conference that
will bring together approximately 350 scholars, Asian government officials and policy
makers, business developers and tourism officials in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 1995 to stimulate the creation of an international network of concerned individuals interested in issues
of cultural preservation in Asia.
$149,966
Carnegie Council on Ethics and
International Affairs
The Growth of Asia and Its Impact on
Human Rights: A Dialogue
Between Asia and the West
The Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs, a nonprofit, non-advocacy organization, was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914. Its purpose is to promote understand
ing of the underlying values and conditions that ensure peaceful relations among nations.
The Council sponsors an ongoing series of programs, conferences, and publications that
are directed at both expert and general audiences.
The Carnegie Council, in collaboration with the Japan Institute of International Affairs
(JIIA) in Tokyo and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, has embarked on a two-year
dialogue series regarding human rights in Asia. The project consists of three workshops:
one each in Tokyo, Bangkok, and New York. Participants from Japan, China and Taiwan,
Korea, Indochina, ASEAN countries, and the US will together explore the best ways of promoting human rights in a society. Original research papers dealing with the relationship
between human rights and practical policy will be presented at each workshop. Special
attention will be given to the converging and diverging interests of the US and Japan, the
two major aid donors in the region.
The first year of the CGP-funded project will be highlighted by the Tokyo workshop,
scheduled for January 1995. This seminar will be devoted to evaluating American and
Japanese human rights policies towards Asia, with an eye towards identifying areas for
improvement both singly and in terms of policy coordination. The Carnegie Council plans
to produce a final project statement upon completion of the workshops. The project findings
should serve as a guide for policy makers, human rights advocates, and business leaders i
all three regions.
$100,000
Joanne R. Bauer
Director, Japan Programs
Carnegie Council on Ethics and
International Affairs
170 East 64th Street
New York, NY 10021
Tel: (212) 838-4120
Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace
Non-Proliferation and Arms Control
after the Cold War
Mr. Selig S. Harrison
Senior Associate
Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace
2400 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Tel: (202) 862-7944
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace was established in 1910 in Washington,
DC through a gift from Andrew Carnegie for the purpose of promoting international peace
and understanding. As a tax-exempt operating foundation, the Endowment conducts its
own programs of research, discussion, publication, and education in international affairs
and American foreign policy.
During the Cold War era, Japan maintained a minor role in global and regional efforts
to promote nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. However, with the Non-Proliferation
Treaty due for renewal in 1995, and the North Korean crisis still unresolved, many expect
Japan to seek more of a leadership role in international security affairs. Simultaneously, th
United States is seeking to adapt its foreign and defense policies to a changing environment. Led by Selig Harrison, a distinguished journalist and acknowledged specialist on
North Korean affairs, the Carnegie Endowment has begun a binational research project to
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 12
12
explore these issues and open frank US-Japan dialogue on nuclear proliferation and ar
control questions.
CGP has contributed funding for the first year of a two-year series of workshops a
conferences featuring key American and Japanese officials and nongovernmental sp
cialists. The project consists of American and Japanese study groups of 10 membe
each, and is overseen by a binational board of directors. The study groups meet twic
year for three-day meetings, once in Washington and once in Tokyo, to consider ni
key topics ranging from nuclear testing, to US and Japanese roles in the Korean nucl
issue. Participants will present papers dealing with each of the nine topics, and the s
groups will issue joint reports at the end of each year to be published in both Engl
and Japanese. The reports will be widely distributed to government officials, milita
leaders, scholars, and the media.
$149
Council of State Governments
Japan-US Health Care Exchange
Mr. Michael McCabe
Regional Director
Council of State Governments
Midwestern Office
641 East Butterfield Road, Ste. 401
Lombard, IL 60418
Tel: (708) 810-0210
Institute for Public Administration
Project to Link Urban Planners in
Japan and the US with their
Counterparts in China
Mr. David Mammen
Director, International Urban Studies
Institute for Public Administration
55 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 730-5633
As the debate over health care in the United States continues, 1994 promises to be a p
otal year for decision makers throughout the country. Lawmakers at the state level con
ue to take the lead in searching for new alternatives and experimenting with new idea
health care, often looking towards other industrialized nations for successful models th
might be applied in the US. With second-year support from CGP, the Council of Sta
Governments is scheduled to take a delegation of 12 state officials involved in the hea
care reform effort to Japan in November 1994, to meet with their counterparts with the
hope of gaining new insights concerning this vital issue.
The Council of State Governments, founded in 1933, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan o
nization representing all elected and appointed officials of the executive, legislative,
judicial branches of state governments. The Council seeks to foster excellence in all fa
of state government by promoting interstate and regional dialogue and action. Throu
this project, the Council will encourage further dialogue between US policy makers an
their Japanese counterparts on a variety of health care issues and will widely dissemin
their findings upon the delegation’s return.
While last year’s exchange was sponsored by the Western Regional office of the Cou
this year’s exchange will be mainly comprised of state officials from the 11 midwest
states. The group will meet with representatives of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, t
Japan Medical Association, as well as with social workers, physicians, and other speciali
in the field. Discussions will focus on health care financing mechanisms and cost conta
ment strategies as well as on rural health care, prevention efforts, long-term care, and em
ing medical needs such as the rise in AIDS cases. Teams of delegates will visit a variety
health care institutions including hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes in Tokyo as well
the Izu area, in order to get a first hand look at rural medicine in the Japanese context.
The results of the exchange will be published in the form of a report to be distributed
key legislative leaders throughout the Midwest, and articles will appear in the Counc
magazine Stateline Midwest. Press releases and individual trip reports will also be dist
uted, and further results will be presented at future Council meetings.
$140
CGP has provided support for the second year of an exchange of urban planners fro
Japan, the US, and China to share information on a variety of topics with the aim of f
thering the development of Chinese urban planning theory and practice as China mak
the transition to a socialist market economy. The project expands upon prior work by th
Institute for Public Administration concerning the introduction of urban-related econom
reforms in China. By drawing on the experience of Japanese planning and developmen
the project is designed to present a wider scope of alternatives to Chinese planners.
The collaborators in the exchange are the Institute for Public Administration (IPA), t
City Planning Institute of Japan (CPIJ), the Tokyo Institute for Municipal Research and t
Institute of Architectural and Urban Studies (IAUS) of Tsinghua University’s School
Architecture in Beijing.
First year activities included planning meetings in Tokyo and Beijing and a call
papers in China explaining current urban planning dilemmas. The response to the call
overwhelming, and the selected papers, along with papers prepared by US and Japan
planners, will be published in a book in China this year. In addition, a delegation of
and Japanese planners traveled to a number of cities in China in December 1993 to
sent papers and exchange information with their Chinese counterparts.
In this second year of the project, a delegation of Chinese planners visited seve
Japanese cities in June 1994, including Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto for workshops
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 13
meetings with key planning people in these areas. In August 1994, another delegation of
Chinese planners, joined by several of their Japanese counterparts, made a trip to the US
to visit New York, Denver, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon. During the year, two faculty members from Tsinghua, as well as the Chinese team leader, Dr. Bingshi Zhao, Dean
of the School of Architecture and Planning of Tsinghua University, will be in residence at
IPA for approximately 10 weeks to pursue their own research and to further interact with
the US planning community.
$125,000
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Center for International Studies
US-Japan Symposium on
Japanese and US Immigration,
Refugee and Citizenship Policies
Dr. Myron Weiner
Ford International Professor of
Political Science
Department of Political Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E53-369
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Tel: (617) 253-2495
National Academy of Public
Administration
Centralization and Decentralization in
Japan and the United States:
Reinventing Intergovernmental
Relations in an Era of Increased
Internationalization
Prof. Deil S. Wright
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
CB#3265, Hamilton Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3265
Tel: (919) 962-0425
National Conference of State
Legislatures
United States-Japan Legislative
Exchange Program
Mr. David Shreve
Program Director
NCSL
444 North Capitol St., NW, Ste. 500
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: (202) 624-8187
The Center for International Studies at MIT was established in 1951 to promote the university’s
theoretical, applied and policy-oriented international studies program. It is the principal
research center within MIT in the field of international relations and comparative area studies
CGP has provided support for a symposium organized by MIT in collaboration with The
Japan Institute of Labor. This symposium of American and Japanese scholars and officials will
consider the ways in which Japan and the United States deal with common issues of immi
gration, refugees, illegal migration, and citizenship policies. Attention will be given to current
debates in Japan over whether the country should develop a migration policy to deal with
its growing manpower needs; how Japan might cope with illegal migration; whether Japan
should reformulate its citizenship laws to provide citizenship to Japan-born children of alien
residents and to facilitate the naturalization of aliens; and what Japan’s responsibilities
are with respect to the global increase in numbers of refugees. Comparisons will then be
made with the US experience on each of these issues.
Two workshops will be held, the first at MIT in December 1994, and the second in
Japan in June 1995. The workshops will be built around a series of papers written by
Japanese scholars, with comparative papers by American migration specialists. The
organizers plan to publish and disseminate a conference volume to policy makers in
both countries.
$100,004*
The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) is an independent organization
founded in 1967 to improve the effectiveness of government at all levels. With a membership of 400 persons, NAPA has undertaken over 300 projects on a variety of topics related
to public management. In light of the many common issues faced by public administrators
in both the US and Japan–the quality of work and family life, environmental protection, the
physical infrastructure, housing, human resources development, and fiscal solvency–NAPA
recently established a collaborative working relationship with the National Institute
for Research Advancement (NIRA), an organization established in 1974 to conduct
policy-oriented research on various issues of concern to Japan.
In August 1994, CGP provided support for a conference conducted by NAPA and NIRA
that brought together leading researchers in Japan and the United States to discuss efforts
to reinvent government in both nations by strengthening the role of sub-national governments. Participants focused on issues such as economic development, infrastructure, and
social services to create a framework for increased sub-national involvement in problem
solving. Participants left the conference with a strong sense that a collaborative framework
common to both countries can be extremely important in an age of rapid internationalization. NAPA is currently preparing publications in both English and Japanese to present the
issues, alternatives, and conclusions developed in the conference proceedings.
$30,000
With CGP support, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a bipartisan
organization created to serve the legislators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states by providing research, technical assistance and the opportunity for policy makers to exchange ideas
on the most pressing issues, has continued its public policy exchange between state legislators in the US and prefectural assemblymen in Japan. In collaboration with the National
Association of Chairmen of Prefectural Assemblies (NACPA), NCSL aims to increase communication and understanding between US and Japanese state and prefectural legislators
by focusing on issues of critical importance to both sides.
This year’s exchanges focus on issues relating to education and the environment, and
feature a study tour to Japan by delegations of state legislators and a study tour to the US
by Japanese prefectural assemblymen. The Japanese delegation traveled to the US in late
April, and included eight assemblymen from prefectures across Japan. The delegation trav
eled to Los Angeles, San Diego, Nashville, Fredricksburg, and the Washington, DC area
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 14
14
for briefings on educational reform initiatives and to view innovations in environmen
management in the US. The first delegation of US legislators is scheduled to begin t
study tour to Japan in November 1994.
Results of the exchange will be disseminated through articles in State Legislatur
magazine, press releases in Japan and the US, as well as through presentations at NC
meetings. Brief reports of each exchange will be prepared in Japanese and English a
distributed in both countries.
$300,
Operations Research Society of Japan
US-Japan Symposium on the
Present & Future of the
Softwares/Algorithms Patent
Prof. Hiroshi Konno
Operations Research Society of
Japan
Gakkai Center Building
2-4-16 Yayoi
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113
Tel: (03) 3726-1111 ext. 2371
Regional Plan Association
Metroplex US-Japan Metropolitan
Planning Exchange
Dr. Robert Yaro
Senior Vice President
Regional Plan Association
570 Lexington Avenue, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10022-6853
Tel: (212) 230-0261
The Operations Research Society of Japan was founded in 1957 by specialists in the field
computer software operations to support research, surveys, international exchange of in
mation, as well as to hold symposiums, publish reports, and provide grants to researche
Algorithms are sets of fundamental ideas expressed in the form of mathematical equ
tions that serve as the basis for the functioning of computer software. In collaboration w
George Washington University’s Graduate School of Engineering, and with assistance f
Tokyo Engineering University’s School of Engineering, the Society will hold a two-d
symposium in Tokyo in March 1995 to discuss how an intellectual property right pro
tion system for computer software/algorithms should be designed and administered
addition to US and Japanese lawyers and law scholars, the Society will invite softw
engineers to serve as panelists in an effort to bridge the gap between these two grou
which are both deeply involved in this issue but somewhat disconnected. The sympos
is expected to draw an audience of at least 300 specialists. Findings and recommendat
will be published and disseminated in English and Japanese.
$72,
Metroplex, a collaborative program of the Regional Plan Association in New York, Rutg
University Center for Urban Policy Research and a special Metroplex Executive Commi
in Japan, was created in 1992 to initiate in-depth technical interchange between plann
professionals in New York and Tokyo. These exchanges are based on “hands-on” exp
ence, where the planners examine case studies and are actively involved in plann
workshops to explore common concerns.
Following the successful completion of the first two Metroplex exchanges, CGP provi
support for a third and final delegation of 15 urban planners from the US to travel to Jap
in July 1994. This year, the group tackled three new case studies: “Planning for Econom
Diversification,” which examined the city of Nagoya in the context of its desire to broad
its economic base and adapt the city’s manufacturing industries to new markets; “InnerRepopulation,” focused on Tokyo’s Minato ward and the potential to maintain and expa
its residential population after losing a significant number of residents due to escalat
rents and property values; and “Growth Management at the Metropolitan Fringe,” whi
focused on the city of Zushi and its desire to maintain its small town residential charac
and important natural features in the face of strong speculative pressures for new reside
and resort development.
As with the first two years of the project, a final report of the findings will be publis
in Japanese and English.
$150
Access to Information
National Planning Association
Gateway Japan
Mr. Erland Heginbotham
Senior Fellow
National Planning Association
1424 16th Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 265-7685
¥110 = $1
With CGP support, the National Planning Association (NPA) has begun the third year o
operations of its information clearinghouse, Gateway Japan. Created jointly with t
University of Maryland at College Park, Gateway Japan sees as its mandate the develo
ment of a central location and service bureau providing easy and inexpensive electron
access to information on Japan that is in high demand but often difficult to obtain. To t
end, Gateway Japan has recently published a third edition of Focus Japan, a comprehe
sive guide to Japan-related organizations and resources in the United States that is bein
marketed nationally. Gateway Japan also produced another new publication, the Gatew
Guide to Study, Research, and Work in Japan.
Gateway Japan’s Bulletin Board Service (BBS) has been on-line since August 1992, of
ing an information search and retrieval system that allows users to dial in, access, and do
load information including government documents, translations of Japanese press clippin
research and policy reports, Congressional Research Service reports, and a roster of Jap
specialists who have agreed to make themselves available to the media. Recent and fort
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 15
coming additions include a business services line with market research and trade information, foreign broadcast information services, and the on-line edition of Japan Digest, a
weekly news summary.
At last count, Gateway Japan’s on-line service contained some 2,750 documents, and
its publications served some 400 organizations, as well as many times that number of
users through access at libraries and membership organizations. Gateway Japan is making
ambitious efforts to expand its publication services, readership, and sources of on-line
information, as well as to multiply its availability as an on-line information source through
expansion of services through existing organizations and networks.
$150,00
The National Security Archive
Special Documentation Project on
the US-Japan Alliance:
Political, Strategic, and Economic
Relations, 1960-Present
Mr. Thomas Blanton
Executive Director
National Security Archive
1755 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202)797-0882
The National Security Archive was founded in 1985 by a group of journalists and scholars
who had obtained documentation from the US government under the Freedom of
Information Act and sought a centralized repository for these materials. Over the past eight
years, the Archive has become the world’s largest non-governmental library of de-classified documents.
The end of the Cold War and the demise of the bipolar focus of US foreign policy mak
ing has invigorated an on-going debate among scholars and policy analysts over the past
and future shape of US policy towards Japan. But the inertia of the US secrecy system has
created an enormous disjuncture between the supply of, and the decreased demand for, pr
mary source documentation on US-Japan relations. Also, the absence in Japan of declassification-on-request procedures similar to the US Freedom of Information Act makes the
availability of the US documentation even more vital to scholarship and policy analysis on
both sides of the Pacific.
CGP has provided support to the Archive for the first year of a three-year project to
identify the most important US internal documentation on key events and turning points in
US-Japan relations from 1960 to the present. This is a cooperative effort among American
and Japanese scholars to document the relations between the two countries over the past
three decades, focusing on strategic, political, and economic relations. A highlight of the
project is a Japanese research-in-residence program in which Japanese graduate students
and post-doctoral researchers will serve as research fellows on the project. The documentation process will begin with the recruitment of a binational expert review panel. The pro
ject staff will then initiate a series of research visits to existing archives and document
collections. Special research seminars will also be conducted to review the documentatio
effort. Specific plans include the production of a fully computerized catalog to the declassified documentation, either on-line or CD-ROM format, and the publication of the collec
tion on archival microfiche, with a printed index and guide. The Archive hopes to make
the documents available for the general reader and for classroom use.
$50,00
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 16
Regional/Grass Roots Grant Listings
16
Grants from the period May 12–August 11, 1994
Educational Outreach
Japan Society of Boston
Critical Issues in Japan and the US:
Understanding the Demands of
a New Society
Ms. Amelia Newcomb
Program Director
Japan Society of Boston
22 Batterymarch Street
Boston, MA 02109
Tel: (617) 451-0726
University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga
Japan for Teachers Pilot Program
Richard Rice, Director
UTC Japan Project
University of Tennessee
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Tel: (615) 755-5305
The World Affairs Council
of Northern California
The United States and Japan:
New Societies, New Policies
Note: Japan grant awards are calculated at ¥110 = $1
The Japan Society of Boston, the oldest organization in the United States established to
mote mutual understanding between Japan and the United States, will conduct a four-p
public symposium series from October 1994 through January 1995 as part of Boston’s c
bration of sister-city ties with Kyoto, Japan and the 90th anniversary of the Society’s es
lishment. Designed to address societal issues of concern to both countries and to incre
public understanding and awareness of contemporary Japan, the series will bring toge
specialists from both countries to probe the issues of national leadership, women’s cha
ing role in society, health care and aging, and internationalizing society. The Society w
increase the impact of the program by sending speakers to participate in additional even
other smaller Japan-America Societies throughout New England.
The Society will launch their week-long 90th Anniversary celebration in the end
October with a symposium entitled “Changing Leadership in the US and Japan: Does a N
Generation Mean a New Relationship?” Held in a town meeting format with both expe
and audience actively participating, discussion will focus on political change in both co
tries. Susan Pharr of the Harvard University’s US-Japan Program will moderate a dialog
between James Fallows of the Atlantic Monthly, and Kazuo Nukazawa of Keidanren, wh
will be followed by a town meeting on changing economics relations featuring several h
profile panelists from media, government, and business.
The second symposium, also to be held during the anniversary week, is entitled “Wom
Creating Contemporary Society“ and will consist of three panel discussions designed
examine similarities and differences in women’s roles in the US and Japan, women in bu
ness, and public policy that effects women. Interspersed between these panels, activists
professionals working in fields with special impact on women will present keynote speec
The third and fourth lecture series will take place early next year. These lectures w
explore common issues between Japan and the US regarding healthcare and the aging
internationalizing a society. Each of the four symposiums will consist of a panel of exp
from both countries and will be moderated by prominent local public officials or natio
ly-known authorities on the subject in the United States.
$50
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is carrying out a third year of a teacher t
ing program for elementary and high school teachers in four regions of the US: the So
the Northwest, the Rocky Mountain area, and the Northeast. In the first year of the pro
five intensive day-long workshops were held in each region to develop teaching mate
and techniques for teaching about Japan. In the second year, these workshops focused
reaching rural and urban communities often missed by outreach projects.
With a third year of CGP support, the University will continue to hold two to three w
shops in each region, again emphasizing areas that have not previously been exposed to
reach efforts, but, in addition, will sponsor two summer teaching institutes to be hel
Tennessee and Colorado to provide more in-depth training. In the summer institutes, par
pants, many of whom are graduates of previous one-day workshops and have shown an
standing commitment to developing their teaching about Japan, will take part in two we
of study and lectures by Japan specialists from all fields, as well as from hands-on activit
using the best teaching materials available. Over the course of the first two years of this p
ject, the University has already provided training for more than one thousand elementary
high school teachers which has benefitted tens of thousands of students.
$22
With CGP support, The World Affairs Council of Northern California hosted the 19
Asilomar Conference in late April to discuss and debate different perspectives on US-J
relations after the Cold War. The Asilomar Conference is an annual forum which h
shaped public thinking throughout Northern California on important and complex wo
affairs, and it has grown to become one of the largest public discussion forums in
United States, attracting 700 to 800 World Affairs Council members and their guests
recent years. Bringing together scholars, politicians, community leaders, and a large c
tingent of educators and students, the Council has moved beyond just “old” issues of tr
* indicates grant amounts which include anticipated payments to be made in subsequent fiscal years.
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 17
Ms. Diane Mayers
Director of Programs
World Affairs Council
312 Sutter Street, Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94108
Tel: (415) 982-2541
differences to look at ways in which America and Japan are fundamentally restructuring
their societies to deal with issues of the 21st century.
Several plenary sessions and small group seminars addressed the dramatic political and
economic changes taking place in Japan today and their effect on the United States, and
how a domestically focused foreign policy may affect Japan’s relationships with such vital
Asian neighbors such as China, Korea, and Taiwan. As in the US, the Japanese have felt
the effects of the recession and are reacting to them. Societal issues such as unemployment, an aging society, women entering the work force, educational dissatisfaction, and
multicultural tensions were also key issues in the discussions.
To broaden the audience and incorporate the perspective of a new generation of leaders, the Council provided scholarships to cover the expenses of teachers and Japanese and
American students from Northern California high schools, colleges, and universities. The
Council also increased the impact of the conference by inviting members of the media to
participate in the conference. Additionally, the conference was taped and broadcast on th
Council’s weekly radio program which reaches approximately 20,000 listeners throughou
Northern California.
$30,000
Yamagata Prefecture International
Tourism Promotion Association
Aspen Conference in
Japan ‘94 Yamagata
Recognizing the increasing importance of environmental protection in urban planning
and regional development, the Yamagata Prefecture International Tourism Promotion
Association sponsored a symposium in July 1994, with CGP support, to study the successful and environmentally sensitive regional development carried out by Aspen,
Colorado, an internationally recognized resort area. The Association invited public and
private sector specialists in regional, urban, and environmental planning from Aspen,
Colorado to introduce methods and lessons learned in Aspen’s development in the event
entitled “International Symposium on Environment and Regional Development.”
The Symposium featured an address by former US President Jimmy Carter entitled
“Japan’s Role in Environmental Problems and International Relations” and was chaired by
Mr. David McLaughlin, President of the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit international organization devoted to enhancing the ability of leaders in democratic societies to address complex
problems within a global framework. Through presentations, panel discussions between
specialists on specific issues, and examination of case studies, participants were able to
exchange opinions and professional experience on a wide variety of related issues. In
addition to the participation of professionals from the fields of urban, regional, and environmental planning and the tourist industry, several thousand local Japanese citizens took
part in components of the Symposium.
$9,091
Mr. Osamu Watanabe
Manager
Tourist Development Section
Yamagata Prefecture International
Tourism Promotion Association
2-8-1 Matsunami
Yamagata-shi, Yamagata-ken 990-70
Tel: (0236) 30-2372
Exchange
Alaska Center for
International Business
US-Japan Regional Forum on
the North Pacific
Dr. Douglas Barry
Acting Director
Alaska Center for Int’l. Business
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508
Tel: (907) 786-4300
¥110 = $1
The University of Alaska Anchorage and its Alaska Center for International Business (ACIB
have played a pioneering role in developing relations between the state of Alaska and the
entire Pacific coast of the United States and regions of Russia, the Far East, and the North
Pacific. In addition to its sister university relationships with institutions of higher learning
in the Russian Far East, ACIB administers an Alaska-Japan Studies Program and collaborates with various other Japan-related organizations throughout the US. The university is
involved in a wide range of activities with both Japan and the Russian Far East, including
projects to develop the market economy and democratic processes in the Russian Far East,
study trips to Japan, curriculum development projects, and visiting scholars programs to
bring political scientists, economists and other experts to Alaska.
Working in collaboration with the International University of Japan, ACIB planned and
sponsored a multinational forum in June 1994, in Niigata, Japan, to develop greater cooperation in the North Pacific. Scholars from Japan, Alaska, and the Russian Far East gathered
to explore the economic, political, and educational implications of development in the
North Pacific region and to begin establishing a network to build consensus for future collaborative research and policy recommendations. Four scholars from each region met for
four days and discussed the constraints and opportunities for increased cooperation
between the growing international activities of governments, businesses, and NGOs in the
North Pacific. The papers and the proceedings of the forum are being compiled for wider
dissemination and the participants are planning future meetings to continue network build
ing and dialogue.
$40,000*
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 18
18
A Seed: Japan
Leadership Training for
Sustainable Development
Mr. Hani Kanta
Secretary General
A Seed: Japan
4-3-302 Sakuragaoka-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150
Tel: (03) 3476-3252
Japan Pacific Resource Network
Seminar Series on Promoting Nonprofit
Organization’s Partnerships with
Corporations and Governments
Mr. Hiroshi Kashiwagi
Chairman
Japan Pacific Resource Network
1-7-3 Hirakawa-cho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102
Tel: (03) 5210-3373
Kisakata International Social
Association
A Bridge for the 21st Century:
US-Japan Children’s Exchange
A Seed: Japan was established in 1991, as a part of the greater A Seed network which
initiated by university students in the US to study global environmental and developm
problems and to build a youth network for coordinated action directed at these proble
With CGP support, A Seed: Japan sent 19 young Japanese leaders and students active
addressing environmental protection, some of whom hosted an A Seed: USA delegat
last year, to the US for a three-week training program in September 1994. The delega
developed their institutional networks throughout the US, participated in a leaders
training program to learn more about the structure and administration of nongovernme
organizations, and planned a youth environment training program for Japan.
Before departing for the US, Japanese participants prepared for their trip through va
ous study sessions and lectures on environmental issues and the environmental movem
in the US. Upon arrival in the US, the Japanese delegation first traveled to World Unit
College in New Mexico where they joined with their US counterparts to study citiz
activism, organizational management and strategy, as well as global environmental pr
lems and strategies for addressing them.
Upon completion of this training, the Japanese participants visited environmen
NGOs in New York and Washington, DC, to study their activities and management, an
investigate opportunities for network building. Finally, before returning to Japan, the d
gation met in San Francisco with US participants to hold discussions on how to establis
Youth Environmental Training Program in Japan.
Through this program, A Seed: Japan is continuing its development of an internatio
network to promote cooperation on environmental issues, to improve the problem-solv
ability of young Japanese involved in environmental activities, and to promote mutual u
standing between US, Japanese, and other nationals active in this network.
$
The Japan Pacific Resource Network (JPRN), founded in Oakland, California in 1985,
nonprofit organization that seeks to develop greater awareness of multiculturalism a
civil rights concerns, as well as of corporate social responsibility among American a
Japanese businesses. To reach these objectives, JPRN opened a Tokyo office in 1992
more effectively provide consulting services to businesses and carry out educational
grams for grass-roots organizations and individuals in both Japan and the US.
With CGP support, JPRN is sponsoring a seminar series in Japan on partnershi
between the business and nonprofit sectors in the United States in order to strengthe
Japanese NGO’s ties and working relationships with business and government. JPRN
holding four separate seminars, each focusing on a different theme, and will invi
Californians involved in each particular type of partnership for each seminar. The first sem
nar, entitled “Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs), Government, and the Welfare-Medica
Treatment Problem,” was held in June 1994 with participants from the Asian Pacific Hea
Center for the Arts located in Los Angeles, California. “NPOs, Business, and Cultura
Activities,” the second seminar of the series, was held in September 1994 in cooperatio
with the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts located in San Francisco, California. The rema
ing seminars are “NPOs, Business, and the Promotion of Handicapped Participation
Society,” scheduled for December 1994 in cooperation with the World Institute for t
Disabled located in Oakland, California, and “NPOs, Business, Banking, and the Basis
Social Responsibility in Capital Formation,” scheduled for February 1995 in cooperatio
with the Greenlining Coalition located in San Francisco.
The results of the seminars will be published in the JPRN bulletin GAIN and the JPR
newsletter and will be distributed to seminar participants, organizations, and busines
involved in or interested in these issues. JPRN will also distribute the seminar proceedin
to major media agencies in Japan. This project should significantly raise awareness
these issues in Japan and assist the Japanese nonprofit sector in building collaborative
tionships with other organizations.
$3
The Kisakata International Social Association was established in October 1993 with t
assistance of the local government to develop the region’s capability to act internation
and its awareness of the world at large. The Association works toward these goals by p
moting international exchange at the regional level and by holding classes and traini
sessions to encourage individuals to take a more active international role.
With CGP support, the Association initiated a regional youth exchange project betwe
the town of Kisakata in Akita Prefecture and Anacortes in Washington state. In August 19
15 junior high school students from the town of Kisakata, accompanied by several teach
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
Page 19
Mr. Yoshitaka Ikeda
Secretary General
Kisakata Int’l. Social Association
Aza Hamanota 1
Kisakata-machi
Yuri-gun, Akita-ken 018-01
Tel: (0184) 43-3200
and staff from the Association, visited Anacortes for 10 days and participated in a “Children’
Meeting” to share ideas and discuss issues of mutual concern. In addition to their daily lives
students discussed issues related to the agriculture and fishing industries that are essential to
the livelihood of both towns. The Japanese students also took part in homestays and enjoyed
the opportunity to experience American culture first-hand while sharing Japanese culture
with their hosts. Having now returned to Japan, the students are making presentations at the
own schools, as well as other schools and exchange associations in Akita prefecture. $45,45
The Nature Conservancy
Environmental Study Program for
Japanese and US Journalists
Since 1980, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Hawaii, a branch of the national organization, has been working with state, federal, and private land managers to develop effective
and innovative programs to protect Hawaii’s unique and vulnerable natural resources. TNC
has extensive experience in resolving conflicts, incorporating the needs of local communities, responding to cultural sensitivities, and garnering public support for conservation in
Hawaii and around the United States. Combining the belief that other regions and countrie
around the world could benefit from its experience in Hawaii, and a recognition that journalists are essential players in informing the public and developing environmental action,
TNC developed The Environmental Study Program for US and Japanese Journalists. TNC
chose to focus on Japan in its first journalist program because Japan and the US, as the
world’s two largest economies, have major influence on environmental practices throughout the world, and specifically in the Pacific Rim where biodiversity conservation is critical.
With CGP support, TNC of Hawaii held a seven-day forum at the East-West Center in
Hawaii in August 1994 for five Japanese and five American environmental journalists.
The journalists listened to presentations and took part in roundtable discussions on topics
including public-private partnerships and partnerships between different governmental levels and agencies, land management practices, environmental education, and community
outreach and development. The group also took part in field trips to the islands of Moloka
and Maui to see the TNC’s conservation work first-hand. Project participants focused on
ecological and environmental issues of common and global concern, while examining the
relationship between government, business and community environmental needs, as well
as the applicability of Hawaii’s conservation experiences to other regions and countries.
Participants deepened their understanding and gained first-hand experience about successful models and strategies for balancing and managing complex interests to preserve
the natural environment. At the same time the participants developed new professional tie
and friendships that will expand their perspective and improve their access to information
deepening their ability to write from a broader perspective on the environment. A book on
the issues examined by the participants is also being developed by TNC for domestic and
international dissemination to key representatives in government, foundations, scientific
institutions, and the media.
$35,00
Mr. Kelvin Taketa
Vice President/Director Pacific
Region
The Nature Conservancy
Pacific Region Office
1116 Smith Street, Suite 201
Honolulu, HI 96817
Tel: (808) 537-4508
Study Group on US-Japan Local
Media Exchange
1994 US-Japan Journalists
Exchange Program
Mr. Saburo Aida
Tokyo Correspondent
Kahoku Shimpo Press
8-6-25 Ginza
Chuo-ku, Tokyo104
Tel: (03) 3571-5400
The Study Group on US-Japan Local Media Exchange is a volunteer organization established in 1991 by staff from regional media organizations in Japan to promote US-Japan
exchange and the reporting of more balanced news with greater regional significance.
With CGP support, the Study Group continued to work with the US-based Crosscurrents
International to develop a network of regional newspapers between Japan and the US by
sending a delegation of 14 newspaper reporters and editorial staff from 11 different papers
to the US for three weeks in May 1994. The delegation visited Minnesota, Ohio, and
Arkansas to meet with other US regional papers and community groups to examine region
al problems common to both countries. In each state, the delegation met and exchanged
ideas with their professional counterparts and held a “town meeting” with local reporters,
educators, and community leaders to build ties and to understand better the issues and
lifestyle of each unique region.
Through this project, the Study Group is continuing its efforts to expand coverage beyond
the capitals of the two nations to include regional issues, local culture, and the lifestyle of
each country’s citizens in order to strengthen the role of the regional media and invigorate grass-roots communications. Upon their return to Japan, the participants in the delegatio
will publish articles in their respective papers with the collaboratively developed themes of
“Regional Rights” and “US-Japan Relations viewed from the Regional Perspective.” $59,56
Vol. 6
1/6/2000
11:06 AM
The Japan Foundation
New York:
Jun Wada
Director
Yoo Fukazawa
Assistant Director
152 West 57th Street
39th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 489-1255
Fax: (212) 489-1344
Tokyo:
Minoru Kusuda
Executive Director
Jun‘etsu Komatsu
Deputy Executive Director
Ark Mori Building
20th Floor
1-12-32 Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo 107
Tel: (03) 5562-3541
Fax: (03) 5572-6324
The Center for Global Partnership
Newsletter is published four times a
year by CGP New York. Authors’
views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center
for Global Partnership. Reprinting
any portion of this publication is
not permitted without the consent
of the publisher.
Printed on recycled paper.
The Japan Foundation
Center for Global Partnership
152 West 57th Street
39th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Page bc2
Center for Global Partnership
Grantee Publications & Materials List
The Brookings Institution
Competition Policies for an Integrated World
Economy, and Labor Markets and Integrating
National Economies, by F.M. Scherer and Ronald G.
Ehrenberg respectively, are the first two publications in a series of 21 monographs by some of the
world’s leading economists, political scientists, foreign policy specialists and government officials
entitled “Integrating National Economies: Promise
and Pitfalls.” The series explores the deepening
integration of the world economy and related
issues including competition and anti-trust policies, product standards, labor market regulations,
tax policies, environmental standards, corporate
governance policies, and budgetary and monetary
policies. (Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, 1994, 133 pp. and 126 pp. respectively)
Columbia University, the American Assembly
The United States, Japan and Asia: Challenges for
US Policy, edited by Gerald L. Curtis. The conference papers and final report of the 84th American
Assembly meeting, held with CGP support in
November 1993. Written by conference participants including Akira Iriye, Michael Oksenberg,
Charles Morrison, Ezra F. Vogel and Gerald
Curtis, the chapters cover a range of Asia-Pacific
policy issues including the question of long-term
US military engagement, Japan’s economic influence in the region, China’s relationship to the USJapan alliance, and the role of Southeast Asia in
the future of the US-Japan relationship. (New
York, 1994: W.W. Norton & Co., 288 pp.)
Japan America Society of Hawaii
“Politics of Partnership: Challenges for the Un
States and Japan,” proceedings from the Jap
America Society of Hawaii’s 1993 Bienn
Symposium held in October 1993, written a
edited by E. Shan Correa. Four panels were h
examining the balance between Japanese a
American views on domestic politics, the shif
Beijing-Tokyo-Washington relationship, t
Northern Islands issue and how to move bey
it, and global social issues. (Honolulu:The Ja
America Journal,1994, 51pp.)
All views expressed in these publications
solely those of the authors. Please contact
above organizations directly to acquire cop
of these materials.