Japan-United States Friendship Commission

JUSFC is delighted to support the National Bureau of Asian Research’s (NBR) Pacific Trilateralism project.  Pacific Trilaterism is designed to increase public understanding of the evolution of the dynamics between the United States, Japan and South Korea, and how the three nations can work jointly to strengthen their relationship in the coming decades.

“Grant support from JUSFC was critical for this project because it allowed NBR to engage and inform key Members of Congress and the media,” says Dan Aum, Director of NBR Government and Media Relations. “Our goal is not to just present issues, but also to provide informed recommendations derived from our network of experts to key policymakers.”

The first phase of the project identified scholars from each of the three countries to author policy briefs that addressed the history of the trilateral relationship from their own country’s perspective. Daniel Sneider of Stanford University, Yoshihide Soeya of Keio University, and Yul Sohn of Yonsei University, authored preliminary briefs that would later develop into a larger report and be the focal point for a policy event on Capitol Hill.

The second phase of Pacific Trilateralism began in late 2016 and will continue through August 2017. Later this year, experts will travel to Japan and South Korea for in-depth discussions with stakeholders in Seoul and Tokyo. The groundwork for this visit was laid at a Washington, D.C. workshop where the experts identified four key issues in the trilateral relationship: regional security threats, energy security threats, non-traditional security threats, and cyber and new… » READ MORE

Calling all artists! Join us for a Twitter chat tonight (January 11, 2017) at 6pm Eastern Time with the National Endowment for the Arts to discuss the U.S.-Japan Creative Artists Program. Connect with program alumni, learn how to apply and get tips and advice during tonight’s chat! Applications are due February 1, 2017.

Follow us on Twitter @J_USFC and hashtag #JUSFC.

The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, CULCON and the U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation (USJBF) in Washington, DC are seeking TWO spring 2017 interns to support current initiatives, which include activities promoting U.S.-Japan cultural, educational and people-to-people exchange. Interns will be working from a small office in a team-oriented and fast-paced environment and will be expected to be both proactive and flexible in completing assignments.

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR SPRING 2017 INTERNSHIPS: January 4, 2017 . Our goal is to make decisions by January 16 . (This will depend on the interview process.)

The internships are located in Washington, D.C. Minimum 30 hours/week for 6 weeks, 9 am-4 pm.  The internships are unpaid, but interns receive a reimbursement for actual local transportation costs.

Applicants should be current undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in Japan, excellent communication, research, Internet and organizational skills. Some knowledge of the Japanese language is helpful, but not critical. Please send a resume and cover letter to: culcon@jusfc.gov. Please include preferred start and end dates as well as contact information (email and phone) for up to two references.

Additional details about the internship program may be found here.