*For Application Procedure click here

Applying for an Award

Projects originating in the UK should be submitted through the London office and those originating in Japan through, the Tokyo office.

Projects for UK-Japan collaborations or exchanges should be submitted as a single project through Tokyo or London, and not as separate applications from the UK and Japanese partners.

The Foundation especially welcomes applications in the fields of Science, Medicine and the Environment, the Japanese Language and Japanese Studies as well as projects involving mutual learning in aspects of modern society.

We welcome applications from previous recipients for new projects.

Criteria for our Awards

Applications are not normally accepted from individuals seeking support for personal projects. However, an organisation may apply for a grant in support of the work of an individual which advances the aims of the Foundation, and an application from an individual may be considered if there is clear evidence of organisational support.

A proposal for funding that involves medical, psychological or sociological research on humans, or research using animals should include evidence that the project has been approved by the relevant ethical review bodies at the applicant’s institution, or an undertaking that on receipt of an offer of a grant from the Foundation, such approval will be obtained prior to beginning the research.

No grants are made for consumables, salaries, for purchase of materials, nor for capital projects such as the purchase, construction or maintenance of buildings.

For projects designed to extend over more than one year, the Foundation is prepared to consider requests for funding spread over a period of not more than three consecutive years.

The Foundation will not award grants retrospectively for completed or current projects, so applications should be for future activity.

In assessing applications for awards, the Trustees will take into account any unique or innovative aspects of the project and the extent to which it will have a wide and lasting impact.

Our Funding

Grants are intended to be "pump-priming" or partial support for worthwhile projects which would not otherwise be realised, and evidence of core funding should be available before any application is made for an award.

There are no set budgets for any category of activity, but emphasis is placed on innovative projects and on those involving groups of people in both countries (especially young people) rather than individuals.

The Foundation does not make grants for student fees or travel in connection with study for a qualification at whatever level, but will consider support for fieldwork in Japan at PhD level only. Support is limited to a maximum travel grant of £1,000 towards a research or field trip to Japan necessary for the completion of the PhD thesis. A letter of support from the PhD supervisor should also be provided with the application.

Trustees greatly appreciate acknowledgment of the Foundation's support in any published material resulting from a grant.

A full list of awards made in the previous year is printed in the Foundation's Annual Report, which can be found here

You will see from the list that the Foundation’s awards average £1,500 to £2,000 and do not normally exceed £5,000-£6,000 for larger-scale projects.