On the evening of September 30th, the Hamilton Lugar School’s 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative (21JPSI)* co-sponsored a binational webinar on “The Future of Philanthropy in Japan.” Moderated by David Janes (International House of Japan), this event featured Afshan Paarlberg (Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy) introducing the Global Philanthropy Environment Index (GPEI) and sharing global and regional highlights from the 2025 report, with a particular focus on the state of philanthropy in Japan. The event attracted a live global audience of more than 75 unique participants, including not only IU students and faculty but also major players from across Japan and the United States and representing the worlds of academia, business, civil society, and philanthropy. In the days since the live event, many more have watched the conversation via the event recording, viewable here.
After her presentation of the 2025 GPEI report’s major findings, Paarlberg was joined by a binational group of experts and practitioners for a moderated discussion and audience Q&A. Panelists included: Miyoko Demay (Executive Representative – Japan, World Monuments Fund); Daisuke Kan (President, Cheerio Corporation, Ltd.); Sheila Smith (Council on Foreign Relations); and Jacob Schlesinger (President and CEO, the United States-Japan Foundation). The session raised awareness about the current state of philanthropy in Japan and encouraged further dialogue aimed at enhancing the role of philanthropy in Japan and in support of the US-Japan relationship.
*The 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative (21JPSI) was launched at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies in 2018. Under the leadership of Founding Director and HLS faculty member Adam Liff and thanks to significant financial support from the Japan Foundation, from its base in the Midwest 21JPSI aims to invigorate and expand research, teaching, and programming on contemporary Japanese politics, society, and international (esp. U.S.-Japan) relations, and to educate, raise awareness, and debate policy responses to the various political, social, and foreign policy challenges that Japan faces today.
For more information about 21JPSI, please visit https://jpsi.indiana.edu/ and sign up for our event announcement mailing list.
21JPSI is dependent on external philanthropy to create opportunities like the event described above. If you are interested in making a charitable contribution to support 21JPSI’s important mission at a flagship public university in the U.S. heartland, please contact HLS’ Senior Director of Development