Mission Statement

Asia Society Japan

Asia Society Japan (ASJ) seeks to be the premier platform for leaders and change agents in Japan to engage with similar communities from Asia Pacific, particularly in the fields of policy, art, and education.

We seek to engage, debate, shape, and lead, in order to help create a sustainable, prosperous, and peaceful future.

Policy Committee

The Policy Committee of the Asia Society Japan addresses major policy challenges in the Asia-Pacific region in security, economy, sustainability, and common norms and values.

In geopolitics, key issues include tensions among China, Japan, and other Asia nations, terrorism, and relations of Japan with nations outside the region. In economics, key issues include demographics, economic growth, technology advance and diffusion, labor market transition, price stability, international trade, income inequality, diversity and inclusion, and market stability. In sustainability, key issues include climate change, natural resource availability, energy transition, water security, food security, and natural disaster response. In common norms and values, key issues include human rights, information access, dispute prevention and settlement, legal harmonization, and trade/financial system rules.

None of these issues is independent of any of the others. Hence, we take a multinational and multi-disciplinary approach to our activities. We emphasize the common interests that foster cooperation among stakeholders across nations.

Our activities focus on two areas:
We seek to increase connectivity among top-level experts from business, government, academia, and civil society. We also seek to broaden the impact of our activities across Japanese society.

Our activities have two aspects:
We run a wide range of seminars both for Asia Society members and for the public. We also encourage the flow of research among interested parties in business, government, academia, and civil society. Through these activities, we strive to ensure that key players in Japan and abroad have access to information from each other, and can exchange opinions and debate in a frank, friendly, and constructive way.

Arts Committee

Asia Society Japan’s Arts Committee fosters awareness of Japan’s unique contributions to the Arts. We focus particularly on Japanese and Asian fine arts, applied arts and crafts, design, anime, and performing arts which include music, drama, and dance. Chiefly, we sponsor programs that connect Japanese artists with audiences around the world. Arts Committee programs connect Asia regional perspectives and inform and educate new audiences.

The Arts Committee also seeks active collaboration with Asia Society centers around the world. We provide members an opportunity to join the Asia Society global network. The goal is a prosperous, inclusive future, through appreciation of Asia’s unique art heritage.

Strategy Committee

The Strategy Committee seeks (1) to align Asia Society Japan’s aspirations with capabilities, and (2) to augment capabilities.

ASJ’s aspirations lie in policy, arts, and education, but our capabilities remain limited. The strategy committee will thus propose optimal allocations of capabilities toward aspirations. In addition, the Strategy Committee will seek ways to augment capabilities, and then, propose flexible changes in the timing, scope, and scale of programs. In these tasks, the Strategy Committee will enhance close and frequent contact among the ASJ committees, the general membership, and leaders and change agents in the Asia Pacific region.