Sign in

Private company

Japan Foundation

Logo: 国際交流基金, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Japanese semi-governmental organisation

The Japan Foundation (国際交流基金, Kokusai Kōryū Kikin) is a Japanese foundation that spreads Japanese culture around the world. Based in Tokyo, it was established in 1972 by an Act of the National Diet as a special legal entity to undertake international dissemination of Japanese culture. It then became an Independent Administrative Institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 October 2003 under the "Independent Administrative Institution Japan Foundation Law".2 It was founded by Government of Japan.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1972Founded1
  • HeadquartersYotsuya1
  • Websitewww.jpf.go.jp
  • Legal formIndependent Administrative Institution1

See how the biggest companies compare on our leaderboards

国際交流基金（四谷）
Photo: Suginami, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

The Japan Foundation (国際交流基金, Kokusai Kōryū Kikin) is a Japanese foundation that spreads Japanese culture around the world. Based in Tokyo, it was established in 1972 by an Act of the National Diet as a special legal entity to undertake international dissemination of Japanese culture. It then became an Independent Administrative Institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 October 2003 under the "Independent Administrative Institution Japan Foundation Law".2

Corporate structure

Japan Foundation sits at the top of its group. 3 entities, 2 countries on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Japan Foundation Yotsuya
    • Japan Foundation Libraries Subsidiary · Japan
    • Japan Foundation, New York Subsidiary · United States

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

Founded by Government of Japan in 1972.1

The Japan Foundation is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and has a subsidiary office in Kyoto. There are also two domestic Japanese-Language Institutes in Saitama and Tajiri, Osaka.

Internationally, the Japan Foundation maintains 25 overseas branches in 24 countries:

Asia and Oceania

Australia (Sydney)

Cambodia (Phnom Penh)

China (Beijing)

India (New Delhi)

Indonesia (Jakarta)

Laos (Vientiane)

Read the full text

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)

Myanmar (Yangon)

Philippines (Manila)

South Korea (Seoul)

Thailand (Bangkok)

Vietnam (Hanoi)

The Americas

Brazil (São Paulo)

Canada (Toronto)

Mexico (Mexico City)

Peru (Lima)

United States (Los Angeles, New York City)

Europe, Middle East and Africa

Egypt (Cairo)

France (Paris)

Germany (Cologne)

Hungary (Budapest)

Italy (Rome)

Russia (Moscow)

Spain (Madrid)

United Kingdom (London)

From Wikipedia’s article on Japan Foundation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

  • Japan Foundation Libraries
  • Japan Foundation, New York

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded Kokusai Bunka Shinkōkai1

Timeline

  1. 1972Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5