About the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission
The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) is an independent federal agency established by the United States Congress in 1975 (P.L. 94-118, 22 U.S.C. § 2901) to strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship through educational, cultural, and intellectual exchange. For 50 years, JUSFC has made vital contributions to promoting U.S. interests, peace, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific, and to strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance.
JUSFC is a grantmaking agency that supports research, education, public affairs, and exchange with Japan. Its mission is to sustain the field of Japan Studies; support reciprocal people-to-people understanding; and promote partnerships that advance common interests between Japan and the United States. It maintains expertise on Japan throughout U.S. academic and professional institutions, supporting organizations that execute U.S.-Japan training, research, and exchange programs vital to Alliance management.
JUSFC operates its grantmaking activities in four areas: Arts and Culture; Education and Public Affairs; Exchanges and Scholarship; and Global Challenges.
The JUSFC Trust Fund
JUSFC receives no funds from general revenues from the United States budget. It operates entirely from interest earnings from the Japan-United States Friendship Trust Fund, which originated from payments by the Government of Japan for post-war assistance provided by the United States.
The agency’s enabling legislation mandates that the Trust Fund be invested only in U.S. Treasury instruments. These funds remain in the U.S. Treasury in a separate account. The United States Congress established the agency to manage this Trust Fund. The Fund’s current value is approximately $35 million.
The Trust Fund originally had two parts: a U.S. Dollar Fund and a Japanese Yen Fund. The Dollar Fund was comprised of payments from Japan for facilities in Okinawa at the time of reversion in 1972. The Yen Fund comprised Japan’s repayment for postwar economic assistance. In FY 1998, Congress amended JUSFC’s legislation to allow conversion of the Yen Fund to U.S. Dollars to be invested in U.S. Treasury securities.
JUSFC’s enabling legislation allows it to accept gifts and in-kind contributions, which the agency may disburse at its discretion within its approved budgetary authority.
Commissioners
A board of 18 Commissioners makes decisions on the expenditure of JUSFC’s earnings. Commissioners are a group of nine private citizens and nine U.S. government officials who meet annually to consider all institutional grant proposals submitted to JUSFC. Among the government officials are four bipartisan Members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives who serve in a non-voting capacity. Pursuant to enabling legislation, the Members of the House of Representatives who serve on JUSFC are appointed by the Speaker of the House per 22 USC §2903(a)(2). Senators who serve on JUSFC are appointed by the President Pro Tempore per 22 USC §2903(a)(3).