Japan-America Society of Washington DC

As the nation’s capital, Washington has been at the center of the US-Japan relationship for over 150 years.

But it was only in 1957 that a group of US State Department officers got together privately with friends at the Japanese Embassy and established the Japan-America Society of Washington. Their goal was to add a personal face to Washington’s official relationship with Japan and create a people-to-people organization.

buchananThe new Society’s first official act was to host the new Prime Minister of Japan, Nobusuke Kishi, on June 22, 1957 (photo). Stressing the importance of people-to-people ties, Prime Minister Kishi said, “You will agree with me that government-to-government relations are only one side of the picture. Equally, if not more important in tying our countries closely together, are the relations at private levels in the economic, cultural, and other fields.”

Despite its historic ties to official Washington, the Society has never forgotten its purpose undefined to be a non-partisan educational organization dedicated to promoting friendship and understanding between Japan and the six million people of the greater Washington DC area.

The Society pursues its mission in many ways.