The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation is a United Kingdom-based charity (registered no. 299955) established in 1988 to support closer links between Britain and Japan. It was founded with a benefaction from Daiwa Securities Co Ltd (now part of Daiwa Securities Group).

Activities

The Foundation carries out its objectives through the following activities:

* making grants available to individuals, institutions and organisations to promote links between the UK and Japan in all fields of activity

* enabling British and Japanese students and academics to further their education through exchanges and other bilateral initiatives

* awarding Daiwa Scholarships for British graduates to study and undertake work placements in Japan

* organising a year-round programme of events to increase understanding of Japan in the UK

Location

The Foundation is based at Daiwa Foundation Japan House, a Georgian town house designed by Decimus Burton overlooking Regent’s Park in central London. Daiwa Foundation Japan House acts as a centre for UK-Japan relations in Britain by offering a programme of seminars, exhibitions and book launches as well as meeting rooms for Japan-related activities and facilities for visiting academics.

Part of Daiwa Foundation Japan House, 13 Cornwall Terrace, was the home of Sir Arthur Lasenby Liberty (1843-1917), founder of Liberty & Co.

The Foundation is represented in Japan by its Tokyo Office, which provides local assistance to Daiwa Scholars and administers grant applications from Japan. It also handles general enquiries about the Foundation's programmes.

Daiwa Scholarships

The Daiwa Scholarship is an educational programme that sends British graduates to Japan for 19 months. Daiwa Scholars spend 12 months on Japanese language study, 1 month on a homestay and 6 months on a work placement. Up to 10 Daiwa Scholarships are available each year.

The programme was established in 1991 and was inspired by the belief that the exchange of young people would foster mutual understanding and support the long-term relationship between Britain and Japan.

It is a core programme of the Foundation and through it the Foundation seeks to identify future leaders in their fields who will derive personal and professional benefit from obtaining an in-depth experience of Japan.

Since 1991, 98 graduates from 36 universities and 21 different subject areas have completed the programme.

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation - Yoshitoki Chino Memorial Scholarships

The Foundation funds a scholarship programme at the London Business School to commemorate the late Mr Yoshitoki Chino KBE (1923-2004), former Chairman of Daiwa Securities Group and founder Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Foundation.

The Scholarships make a £10,000 contribution towards the tuition costs of an MBA for a selected Japanese student and a selected British student each year, for an initial five year period. Self-financing Japanese and British students are eligible to apply. The British student undertakes an internship, term of exchange study or consulting project in Japan as part of the two year programme.

Grants

The Foundation provides funding through the following programmes:

"Daiwa Foundation Small Grants"

Daiwa Foundation Small Grants are available from £1,000-£5,000 to individuals, societies, associations or other bodies in the UK or Japan to promote and support interaction between the two countries. They can cover all fields of activity, including educational and grassroots exchanges, research travel, the organisation of conferences, exhibitions, and other projects and events that fulfil this broad objective. New initiatives are especially encouraged.

"Daiwa Foundation Awards"

Daiwa Foundation Awards are available from £5,000-£15,000 for collaborative projects that enable British and Japanese partners to work together, preferably within the context of an institutional relationship. Projects in academic, professional, cultural and educational fields (except science) are eligible.

"The Royal Society Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Joint Project Grants"

These grants support travel, subsistence and research for collaborative projects between British and Japanese researchers in the field of science. They are funded by the Foundation and administered by The Royal Society.

"Daiwa Adrian Prizes"

Every three years, the Foundation makes prizes available in recognition of significant scientific collaboration between Japanese and British research teams.

"Special Project Grants"

This programme is a vehicle through which the Foundation can respond to new initiatives that may fall outside of the criteria for the Small Grants and Awards programmes.

Events

The Foundation has an ongoing programme of UK-Japan events based mainly at Daiwa Foundation Japan House.

"Seminars"

It organises an annual series of evening seminars with the Japan Society of London based on a broad contemporary theme. Seminars draw on the experience and expertise of British and Japanese contributors to explore topics of mutual relevance and to stimulate debate amongst decision-makers. Themes have included: Running the Country: People and Politics in the UK and Japan (2007); Life’s Chances: demographic change in the UK and Japan (2006); The Arts, Culture and Society in the UK and Japan (2005); UK-Japan Cities of the Future: Regeneration and Urban Life (2004); Education and Society (2003); Japan's International Relations (2002).

"Exhibitions"

The gallery at Daiwa Foundation Japan House displays works by Japanese artists or British artists influenced by Japan. All exhibitions are free of charge.

"Book Launches"

The book launch series brings together experts to discuss new publications in the field of Japanese studies.

"Voluntary groups and academics"

Daiwa Foundation Japan House provides space for voluntary groups and academics with connections to Japan. Users of the meeting rooms and other facilities have included Asia-Pacific Technology Network; British Association for Japanese Studies; Japan Foundation Endowment Committee; Sakura-kai, Japanese language classes; Hosei University; The Japan Society Art Circle; International Children’s Bunko Association; Japanese Women’s Association; Urasenke Foundation; and flower arranging groups.

See also

*Anglo-Japanese relations

External links

* [http://www.dajf.org.uk The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation website]