Welcome to the Japan Foundation, London (Location Map)

The Japan Foundation is Japan’s principal agent for cultural relations between Japan and overseas countries and exists to promote a wider knowledge of Japan abroad and to promote mutual understanding between nations.

Established in 1972 as a special juridical body under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs it became an Independent Administrative Institution in October 2003. We provide financial support for a range of international cultural exchange programmes. Our operational funds derive from the capital gains accrued from an initial and substantial endowment from the Japanese Government, annual government subsidies and contributions and donations from the private sector.

We work principally in the fields of Japanese studies and the social sciences, in Japanese language education, in the arts, and in media exchange.

The Foundation’s activities are coordinated through our headquarters in Tokyo as well as through our offices, language centres and cultural centres in 18 overseas countries.

The London Office was one of the first overseas offices to be established in 1972 and grew steadily culminating in the addition of a Language Centre in April 1997. The London Office and Language Centre coordinate all our work within the UK. We administer the annual programme of grants in respect of applicants from within the UK in the fields of: