American Friends of the International House of Japan

05/27/2026

We were delighted to bring together the inaugural 2026 Senior Fellows of the North America–Japan Philanthropy Alliance.

Launched by the American Friends of the International House of Japan, in partnership with the International House of Japan - 国際文化会館, the Alliance is building a new platform for philanthropic dialogue, collaboration, and trust-building across Japan, the United States, and Canada.

The conversation at our kick-off meeting reflected the depth of experience and passion this group brings across philanthropy, academia, arts and culture, community-based giving, donor education, and cross-border exchange. Together, we began exploring themes for the year ahead, including individual and institutional giving, philanthropy and reconciliation, arts and culture as vehicles for community-building, and opportunities to connect Japanese and North American philanthropic leaders around shared challenges.

We are grateful to the United States-Japan Foundation for its core funding of the Alliance, and to the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund for its additional support, and to our Senior Fellows for helping shape this work in its inaugural year! Meet the 2026 Senior Fellows:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5822773537c58182f786f62b/t/6a0a4798ead9fa0ffb800332/1779058584455/2026+Senior+Fellows.pdf

05/21/2026

The International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 (IHJ) x American Friends of the International House of Japan (AFIHJ) Spring Gathering at BasisTech in Somerville, MA was an extraordinary event.

The evening brought together over 50 leaders from academia, business, technology, philanthropy, the arts, and international affairs for a truly multidimensional exploration of U.S.-Japan cooperation and the power of dialogue across cultures and sectors.

What made the gathering especially meaningful was how each element of the evening reflected the purpose of the International House of Japan to utilize cultural diplomacy and dialogue around global geopolitical issues to promote a more peaceful world.

From insightful presentations on the future of U.S.-Japan relations by Shigeru Ariizumi (Former Vice Minister for International Affairs, Financial Services Agency of Japan) and Hon. Seiichiro Takahashi (Consul General of Japan at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston, to a dynamic panel on innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of AI in Japan and the United States that featured Carl Hoffman (Founder and CEO, BasisTech), Christine Pilcavage (Managing Director, MIT-Japan Program), Timothy Rowe (Founder and Executive Chair at CIC), and Cyrus Shaoul (Co-founder, Leela AI), moderated by David Janes, Ph.D., the evening highlighted the importance of sustained interdisciplinary cross-cultural dialogue in a rapidly changing world. The evening also included updates on the International House of Japan and new endeavors in the U.S., including the North America-Japan Philanthropy Alliance.

Culture itself also became a bridge for connection and understanding throughout the event. A remarkable jazz performance by Tiger Okoshi reminded us of music’s ability to transcend borders, while the extraordinary Japanese-Mexican fusion dinner curated by Rodrigo Blanco and Aya Rowe demonstrated how creativity and exchange can generate entirely new forms of collaboration and community.

This blending of ideas, disciplines, traditions, and perspectives is precisely what institutions like IHJ were founded to foster. Since its establishment through the vision of John D. Rockefeller 3rd and Shigeharu Matsumoto in the postwar era, IHJ has sought to create spaces where dialogue, creativity, and international cooperation can flourish, particularly during moments of global uncertainty.

A sincere thank you to Carl Hoffman and the entire BasisTech team for hosting us so generously, and to all of the speakers, performers, organizers, and guests who made the evening, our inaugural event in the Boston area, such a success.

05/18/2026

We are pleased to announce the inaugural 2026 Senior Fellows of the North America–Japan Philanthropy Alliance.

Launched by the American Friends of the International House, in partnership with the International House of Japan - 国際文化会館, the Alliance is building a new platform for philanthropic dialogue, collaboration, and trust-building across Japan, the United States, and Canada.

The 2026 Senior Fellows bring deep experience and leadership to this work, helping shape the Alliance’s early direction and advance cross-border exchange at a critical time.

We are grateful to the United States-Japan Foundation for its core funding of the Alliance, and to the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund for its additional support.

Meet the 2026 Senior Fellows:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5822773537c58182f786f62b/t/6a0a4798ead9fa0ffb800332/1779058584455/2026+Senior+Fellows.pdf

05/04/2026

As part of the strategic partnership between International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 and Japan Society, and in collaboration with the City of Nagasaki, the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs, Sky Castle Films, Ohara Construction Co., Ltd., and American Friends of the International House of Japan, the U.S. premier of the film Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash was jointly held last week along with an exhibit and private reception. The film has been shown throughout Japan and at the Vatican, and now in New York City.

Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash is a dramatic film based on the real memoirs of Japanese Red Cross nurses who provided medical care to atomic bomb survivors in Nagasaki. In 1945, nursing students Sumi Tanaka (Hinako Kikuchi), Atsuko Ohno (Karin Ono), and Misao Iwanaga (Asuka Kawatoko) returned to their hometown of Nagasaki to spend peaceful times with family and friends; however, in an instant, the city is reduced to ruins, and the three rush to provide medical care to the inured. Director Jumpei Matsumoto was born in Nagasaki and is a third-generation atomic bomb survivor. The film was released in Japan in 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing.

This special screening brought together professionals connected to the business, policy, and US-Japan worlds and was timed around the United Nations' Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The Mayor of Nagasaki City, Vice Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, as well as representatives of Sky Castle Films, and other dignitaries spoke at the event. David Janes, Vice President, North America, International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 and Executive Director of American Friends of the International House of Japan, opened the event with remarks about the importance of the film and the continued need for building cross-cultural understanding, following the spirit of John D. Rockefeller 3rd, who co-founded the International House of Japan and revived the Japan Society after WWII.

Much appreciation to all who collaborated to make this event happen including Peter Tatara, Atsuko Geiger, and Hannah Lee.

04/17/2026

The American Friends of the International House of Japan and International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 is so pleased that Ms. Karimi, a Former Rotary Peace Fellow at International Christian University in Tokyo, moderated a panel at our North America-Japan Philanthropy Alliance program in Tokyo focused on refugee pathways. The event was held in collaboration with Japan ICU Foundation and the United States-Japan Foundation.

【元ロータリー平和フェローが示す、対話とリーダーシップの力】
元ロータリー平和フェローのロナ・カリミさんは、難民や社会課題の分野で活躍を続けています。
深い知性と人に寄り添う姿勢をあわせ持つその姿は、ロータリー平和フェローシップが育む、多様性と平和構築に欠かせないリーダーシップを体現しています。
ロナさんは、4月8日に行われた「難民の日本へのパスウェイズ:　教育・就労から社会的インパクトへ」と題されたイベント（主催：国際文化会館［IHJ］、アメリカン・フレンズ・オブ・アイハウス［AFIHJ］／共催：日本ICU財団、米日財団）でモデレーターを務め、難民の背景を持つパネリストたちの想いを情熱的に引き出し、参加者に強いインパクトを与えました。

ロータリー平和フェローシップは、平和や開発に関心を持ち、学びを実践につなげたい人のための奨学金プログラムです。ロナさんのように、専門性と行動力をもって社会に変化をもたらすことに関心のある方を求めています。

応募締め切りは毎年2月1日から5月15日。興味のある方は、ぜひ申請をご検討ください。
▶ 詳細はこちら ⇒ https://on.rotary.org/48KLvJs

04/15/2026

On April 8, the International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 and the American Friends of the International House of Japan—together with the Japan ICU Foundation and the United States-Japan Foundation—convened a private, invitation-only gathering on one of the most pressing global challenges of our time: refugee education and pathways to opportunity, as well as the critical role of philanthropy in these areas.

Nearly 100 leaders joined us, marking a significant milestone in advancing this important work. 🎉

This convening focused on how Japan can expand access to education and talent pathways for refugees—and how philanthropy can play a catalytic role in turning ideas into impact. Leaders from business, finance, philanthropy, higher education, and civil society came together for a deeply substantive exchange.

Structured across three dimensions—systems, voices, and philanthropy—the program moved from policy frameworks, to lived experience, to actionable solutions. What emerged was a shared sense of urgency, and possibility.

This gathering is part of the broader development of the North America–Japan Philanthropy Alliance, an initiative designed to strengthen sustained, high-trust collaboration among philanthropic leaders across Japan and North America. At a time of growing global complexity, this kind of cross-border engagement is more essential than ever.

We look forward to sharing a summary of insights and next steps soon.

Photos from the event below.

04/06/2026

Thank you to Pacific Forum for inviting American Friends of the International House of Japan Executive Director and Vice President, North America, International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 David Janes to speak at the Honolulu International Forum on U.S.-Japan relations.

02/26/2026

Today (2/26/2026) @ 7:00 PM ET: CULTURAL DIPLOMACY IN AN ERA OF GEOPOLITICAL UNCERTAINTY: LESSONS FROM THE OLYMPICS

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7QZlgJ1zSiCx8v2XFe7atA #/registration

The event features:
Ms. Kaitlyn Farrington, 2014 Sochi Gold Medalist in Snowboard Halfpipe

Dr. Joonoh (Brian) Jeong, Yonsei University Institute of State Governance Studies, Post-Doctoral Fellow Ewha Womans University, Lecturer

Mr. Daniel Tarica
General Manager, Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles

Ms. Darcy Norfolk Rowe
Head of Communications | Public Information Officer | Spokesperson Olympic Regional Development Authority, Lake Placid, NY

Ms. Patricia Wyatt
President & CEO, Japanese American Cultural and Community Center

Moderated by:
Dr. David Janes
Vice President, North America, International House of Japan and Executive Director, AFIHJ