The Japan Foundation is the only institution dedicated to carrying out Japan’s comprehensive international cultural exchange programs throughout the world.
With the objective of cultivating friendship and ties between Japan and the world, through culture, language and dialogue, the Japan Foundation creates global opportunities to foster friendship, trust and mutual understanding.
The Japan Foundation was established in October 1972 as a special legal entity supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In October 2003, it was reorganized as an independent administrative institution. As the 18th overseas office, the Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM), which was founded in 1996, is active in three areas: Arts and Cultural Exchange, Japanese-Language Education and Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange.
The Japan Foundation has a global network consisting of its Tokyo headquarters, the Kyoto office, two Japanese-language institutes (the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa; and the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai) and 24 overseas offices in 23 countries, including two Asia Center liaison offices.