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Japan gov funds US soft power programmes

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will give $15m to programmes this fiscal year covering Japanese politics and foreign policy in the US, in an effort to enhance Japan’s ‘soft power’ in the country.

Georgetown University is among one of the institutions to receive funding for its Japanese programmes. Photo: Ron Cogswell

The Ministry has said it will contribute $15m this fiscal year.

Georgetown University, Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will be among the institutions selected to receive the funding, which will be mainly aimed at programmes in the areas of modern and contemporary Japanese politics and foreign policy.

“Given that some universities in the U.S. and other countries are facing difficulties … Japan decided to enhance its support”

This is not the first time that MOFA has contributed funding towards Japanese programmes, as its financial support to foreign institutions has dated back to the 1970s.

However, according to a spokesperson from the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC, it was agreed that the financial contributions needed to be boosted.

“Given that some universities in the US and other countries are facing difficulties in continuing their Japan Studies programmes, Japan decided to enhance its support,” they told The PIE News.

They continued: “We will continue to make every effort to showcase Japan’s culture in a variety of ways.”

According to the Embassy of Japan in the UK, there are hopes this financial support will have a positive impact on interest in the country.

“We hope this new programme will bring a significant improvement in the field of Japanese Studies at the universities concerned, and will lead to a deeper understanding of Japan in foreign countries,” said a spokesperson from the Japanese Embassy in the UK to The PIE News.

The Japanese government will also consider the possibility of further contributions to US institutions and other countries in the future.

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