Spring-Summer, 1997
Volume 4, Number 1
Multi-Media Center will Promote Japan Coverage
Commission Funds Center to Promote Study Abroad in Japan
From the Executive Director
CULCON XVIII Joint Statement -- May, 1997
Commission Priorities for Support of Policy-Oriented Research Infrastructure Building: A New Commission Activity
Grants Awarded for FY 1997
The Commission made a grant to KCTS Television, a PBS station affiliate in Seattle, to establish Japan Connection, a multi-media production center designed to promote significant coverage of Japanese political, economic and cultural concerns for American markets. This project is part of the Commission's efforts to encourage infrastructure building in critical areas. The project will provide strategic links between the United States and Japan in the production and marketing of high-quality multi-media products to meet American needs for current information about Japan.
This project reflects recent efforts of the Commission to give priority to projects in broadcast media that promote coverage, commentary and sustained analysis of Japan in a comprehensive manner. The project offers many synergies with existing programs and organizations that the Commission has helped to fund over the years such as Japan-America societies. Specifically, the project will study and develop United States markets needing information about Japan, identify, cultivate and expand resources in Japan that can provide this information, and create links between the two.
The project will establish a Web site with a companion CD ROM, develop a national series and other television programming on Japan issues, create visual materials for Japan-related curriculum development, and institute a stock footage catalog and distribution center. These products will be developed for specific markets in the areas of education, business, government and grassroots outreach.
KCTS was the primary producer of Asia Now, an English-language weekly newscast that presented for six years an insider's view on developments in Asia. KCTS is well positioned to develop the critical links between the United States and Japan that are necessary in the production and marketing of high quality multi-media products. It has a long history of production and technological collaboration with partners in the field such as KHET/Honolulu and NHK/Japan.
Advisory board members include journalist and writer Robert MacNeil, former Commission chairman and Henry M. Jackson School professor of history and East Asian studies Kenneth Pyle, Harvard professor of history Akira Iriye and George Ariyoshi, former governor of Hawaii, among others.
For further information please contact Elizabeth Brock, Vice President, International Production, KCTS Television, Tel: (206) 443-6775; Fax: (206) 443-6691; or by e-mail: broce@kcts.org.
The Commission announced that it will provide funding to the Association of Teachers of Japanese (ATJ) to establish the "Bridging Project Clearinghouse" for information on study abroad opportunities in Japan for American undergraduate students. Its functions will include recruitment, information gathering and dissemination, and credit transfer, locating housing and other functions.
The goal of the project is to increase the number of American undergraduates studying in Japan. There are currently about 45,000 Japanese students in the US every year, compared to less than 2,000 US students in Japan.
"The project is meant as a pump-priming effort to raise the visibility of Japan as a viable study abroad destination," said Dr. Richard J. Wood, chairman of the Japan-US Friendship Commission. "To have our students experience the culture and language of Japan firsthand is an investment in our future -- an opportunity to educate the next generation of scholars, policy-makers and business persons to make better choices."
The Association of Teachers of Japanese is the professional association of college and university professors of Japanese in the United States. There are over 40,000 students currently studying in their classrooms. ATJ is well positioned to tap into the pool of students who are most likely to choose study abroad in Japan. Recent studies indicate that 85% of students currently studying in Japan have studied Japanese at their home institutions.
The Bridging Project Clearinghouse will be located at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Northwest Airlines has pledged over $1 million in-kind support for the development of the clearinghouse and student travel to Japan.
For further information, please contact Dr. Laurel Rodd, President, The Association of Teachers of Japanese, University of Colorado, Boulder, Tel: (303) 492-1138; Fax: (303) 492-7272; or e-mail: rodd@spot.colorado.edu
The federal fiscal year extends from October 1 to September 30 of the next year. We currently are in the 1997 fiscal year. Planning for the fiscal year begins at least a year in advance, as agencies work with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to arrive at the agency's budget request to be included in the President's budget proposals for the next fiscal year. These are submitted to Congress around the end of the calendar year in preparation for Congressional action throughout the spring and summer, leading to a final budget figure for each agency to begin the next fiscal year on October 1.
The Commission has come through unprecedented budget discussions in preparation for the 1998 fiscal year, to begin October 1, 1997. Early in the fall of 1996, the OMB proposed to the Commission that it be privatized. This meant essentially that Congress would pass legislation eliminating the Commission as a federal agency but at the same time authorize the commissioners to establish a non-profit private agency to which Congress would transfer the bulk of the Commission's current principal. This new private agency would serve as a private foundation to carry out the mandate of the Commission's enabling legislation to support programs of research, education, training and exchange with Japan.
At the end of November, 1996, after lengthy discussion, the commissioners agreed to endorse this proposal. Their reasoning rested on two observations. First, as long as the Commission remains a federal agency, its ability to invest its funds for maximum return are restricted by the need to invest any and all US Treasury assets in instruments guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the US government. As this has worked out in the Commission's unique situation, with both dollars and yen in its portfolio, which cannot be exchanged for the other currency, the Commission must invest its principal in US Treasury instruments and Government of Japan bonds. The latter currently yield only 0.5 percent, which has meant a drastic curtailing of the Commission's programs of support in the past several years. The future only looks worse as the remaining older bonds mature and are reinvested at this historically low rate.
As important as that reason for seeking privatization was, however, an even more pressing reason for seeking this change was to be found in the recent history of the Commission's relations with Congress. In accordance with its enabling legislation, the Commission is required to seek appropriation of its interest earnings from Congress. While Congress does not provide the Commission funds from tax revenues to do this, never-theless, it must "score" the Commission's outlay, that is, account on its account sheets for the funds it allows the Commission to spend from Commission interest earnings. In this sense, there is a cost.
Fiscal Years 1995 and 1996 both presented obstacles in the Commission's receiving appropriation of its full interest earnings, which it was ultimately able to overcome. For Fiscal Year 1997 (in which we currently find ourselves), however, the Commission was no longer able to prevail. As many of you know, Congress declined to appropriate those earnings, which now sit locked away in the Commission's account -- part of the Commission's Fund but inaccessible to use. Instead, Congress directed the Commission to fall back on its "drawdown authority," the authority it enjoys in its enabling legislation to use up to 5 percent of its principal annually without having it appropriated for use. This is how we are operating this year. In light of this history, the commissioners have grown increasingly concerned for the long-term viability of the Commission and thus strongly endorsed privatization as the best means to assure its long-term prospects.
Throughout the winter, 1997 the Commission and OMB worked on the language of a draft bill to privatize the Commission. This was submitted to both houses of Congress on March 7, where it was given to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee for action. The Commission worked with the House, which was to take the matter up first as part of foreign affairs reauthorization for 1998-1999. At this point many friends of the Commission wrote to relevant members of Congress in support of the plan, but on April 9, at the first "mark up," the committee discussion of proposed language for the reauthorization bill, the matter of the Commission's privatization was not included.
As it has turned out, the members of the House International Relations Committee concluded that the price of privatizing the Commission was beyond its means in a year when much larger and costly measures are being considered. The Committee did, however, agree that appropriate relief from the strict regulations governing the Commission's investments and operations was in order. Thus, in the second mark up, the full House committee included several provisions to provide the Commission greater flexibility in its investment schemes. These measures were approved by the House of Representatives at the end of April.
This is where the matter stands as of this writing. The Senate, for its part, is preparing for its disposition of foreign affairs reauthorization for 1998-1999. All options are open there, including privatization, relief from the restrictions noted above, and no action. The Commission continues to explain its situation, with the various unique features that characterize its operations and financing. Ultimately, the matter will be decided when both houses have acted on foreign affairs reauthorization, ironed out the differences that may crop up between the two bodies, and sent the bill to the White House for signature.
When this will happen and the outcome of the process are impossible to predict. The Commission hopes for the best but is prepared to continue operating at the minimal level of activity that low rates of return and lack of the annual appropriation have forced upon it. In the meanwhile, we thank all our friends for their good wishes and plentiful assistance in the cause over this past half year.
Eric J. Gangloff
Executive Director
The US-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON), comprised of representatives from the Japanese and US governments and from business, academe and other aspects of public life, convened for CULCON XVIII at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on May 8 and 9, 1997.
CULCON XVIII was co-chaired by Dr. Richard J. Wood, Dean, Yale Divinity School, and Mr. Shoichi Saba, Advisor to the Board, Toshiba Corporation.
Initiated by an agreement between President Kennedy and Prime Minister Ikeda in 1962, CULCON has served to focus official and public attention in both the United States and Japan on the vital cultural and educational underpinnings of the bilateral relationship.
The conference received congratulatory messages from President Clinton and Prime Minister Hashimoto. Both messages called for a wide range of people-to-people exchanges.
Arts and People-to-People Exchanges
The panelists recognized the recent initiatives taken by the Japanese government in arts and people-to-people exchanges. These included increased funding for bringing Japanese art to the United States, increased opportunities to visit Japan for American elementary and secondary school teachers, through the new Fulbright Memorial Program; and a major exhibition of American art in Japan, aiming at 2001. The Japan side mentioned the need for assistance in securing additional funding and insurance for this latter exhibition, and the US side offered to provide all possible assistance.
The panelists recognized the work of the Fulbright Program, celebrating its 50th anniversary. They then welcomed both on-going and recent initiatives taken on the US side, including the International Visitors Program and two new initiatives: the Mansfield Fellowships, a program to develop a corps of US government employees who know Japan; and a grant to Youth For Understanding, which will send US high school students to Okinawa for their short-term study program. The US side also announced a program to encourage long-term linkages between US and Japanese non-governmental organizations and applauded the efforts in Japan to enable qualified non-governmental organizations to acquire a firmer legal base for more dynamic programming.
After reviewing progress since CULCON XVII, held in Tokyo in 1995, delegates discussed four issues: undergraduate educational exchange; information access; CULCON and the 21st century; and future topics.
Undergraduate Educational Exchange
The panels reiterated the need to increase significantly the number of American undergraduate students studying in Japan, a CULCON priority since 1991, in order to build better understanding and closer relations between the two countries. The panels celebrated the progress that has been made in this area over the past two years on both sides.
First, the US side reported on its progress. The Japan-US Friendship Commission has provided funds for a "clearinghouse," whose functions will include such activities as providing detailed information on study abroad programs and curriculum, and providing recruitment, counseling and other facilitative services. This fulfills the mandate from the joint statement issued in December, 1993, by the CULCON Joint Working Group on Undergraduate Educational Exchange.
Second, on the US side, the Japan-US Friendship Commission and the US Department of Education have provided funds for another US initiative, the Faculty and Curriculum Development Project at US institutions, the goal of which is to develop a corps of faculty members who are sensitized to Japan-related issues and can incorporate material about Japan into regular curricula, especially where full-fledged Japan studies and Japanese language programs are not available. Such faculty will encourage their students to study in Japan.
The Japan side reported on the progress of its new scholarship system, "the short-term student exchange promotion system." Under it, in Fiscal Year 1996, Japan provided financial support for 546 US students, 514 of whom were undergraduates. The Japan side also reported on the development of special courses taught in English for semester- or year-long programs for exchange students at Japanese national universities. Eight national universities have already established such special programs, and three additional universities are preparing to begin such courses in autumn, 1997.
Both sides applauded progress at the national universities and agreed to support the continued development of such courses taught in English. The US side recommended the opportunity for continued dialog among representatives from the various programs at Japanese national universities and US faculty and administrators. The US side also urged the Japan side to expand the participation of students not only from individual colleges and universities but also from various consortia of US schools to facilitate the flow of students to programs in Japan.
The panelists called for the continuation of the CULCON Undergraduate Educational Exchange Working Group for the further development of high quality undergraduate exchange projects.
The Japan Panel stated that the number of foreign faculty at Japanese national universities is increasing each year. The Ministry of Education expects Japanese national universities to be internationalized by this increase and other means.
The US panel submitted a set of written questions concerning the compensation of foreign professors who had been terminated at Japanese national universities prior to eligibility of pension and concerning the Ministry of Education's efforts to internationalize Japanese national universities.
In discussing the optimal conditions for increased flow of students between the two countries, the Japan Panel expressed concern over a report that more Japanese student visa applications are being rejected by the US Embassy. The US Panel noted that ninety five percent of all student visa applications are granted and that this figure has held steady for the past seven years. The Embassy is committed to transparency in the student visa process.
Access to the Information Highway
The panels reviewed progress of the CULCON Access to the Information Highway Working Group. The Japan chair of the Working Group presented seven action items on behalf of the Working Group. In order of priority, the items are:
1. Japanese Bibliographic Databases
To make essential Japanese bibliographic databases, especially JMARC, Zasshikijisakuin, and the NACSIS union catalog databases, easily accessible through the Internet and other channels with fee structures and payment mechanisms supportive of use outside of Japan.
2. Government Documents
To make available on-line through the Internet and other channels government-related documents, such as statistics, ministry and committee reports, and policy papers that are publicly available.
To make efforts on both the US and the Japanese sides for developing user-friendly systems for referencing, and for archiving, governmental and other useful data that is publicly available on-line, through the Internet and other channels.
3. Document Delivery Services
To improve the document delivery services for overseas requests by libraries and information service institutions in Japan and the United States.
4. Training Program for Users of Japanese-Language Resources
To support training programs for US information professionals and users in the use of Japanese-language resources, so that the available resources are more widely accessible outside of Japan
5. Reading Japanese Text on Non-Japanese OS Hardware
To encourage the further development of widely available and inexpensive software that allows the reading and/or manipulation of Japanese text on non-Japanese OS hardware.
6. Newspaper, Journal Articles
To add to the information available through the Internet and other channels a menu of services of indexes and the full texts of newspaper and journal articles. This information should be made available under fee structures and payment mechanism supportive of use outside of the country of origin.
7. Translation of Japanese to English
To call for the development of software for the effective machine translation of Japanese into English, so that the available Japanese resources are more widely accessible outside of Japan.
The US chair of the Working Group reported on the following:
The US side commended the Japan side's efforts in the Working Group and expressed the urgency of obtaining results in these areas as soon as possible. In particular, the US side expressed the wish to be able to access, via the Internet from overseas, information that is publicly and easily available in Japan. The US side asked the Japan side's assistance in facilitating such access.
CULCON and the 21st Century
Referring to the April 16, 1996 joint declaration of Prime Minister Hashimoto and President Clinton that the US-Japan relationship is based on, "shared values and interests," the delegates reiterated the need to promote cultural and educational exchange programs as a firm foundation for friendship and trust between the two countries.
Thus both sides agreed on the necessity of enhancing the effectiveness of CULCON in the following ways:
Furthermore the panels urged the chairs to meet between plenary sessions to discuss preparations for the next meeting and effective operations. Also the panels recognized the usefulness of holding plenary sessions in local cities in order to highlight grassroots exchange.
Future Topics
Results of surveys on both the study of the United States in Japan and Japanese studies in the United States were presented to CULCON. Also, the need to encourage and expand Japanese language education in the United States was recognized. The panels applauded the work of the Japan Foundation in this area and encouraged further attention to it. The need to strengthen the study of the United States in Japanese universities and high schools was noted, and the US panel offered, as appropriate, to cooperate to that end.
CULCON concluded that it wished to continue focusing attention on undergraduate exchanges and information access. The panels agreed to continue to support the work of its Access to the Information Highway Working Group and the Undergraduate Educational Exchange Working Group. CULCON looks forward to further developments on study of the United States in Japan, Japanese studies in the United States and Japanese language education in the United States as high priorities.
The panels, noting that educational reform is a national priority in both countries and that they can learn from each other's experiences on this issue, agreed to ask the US Department of Education and Japan's Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture to organize joint research on educational reform.
With digital technology adopted as official policy of both the Japan and US governments, CULCON has the opportunity to explore how these technologies can be used in the fields of education, the arts and culture. Digital technology will allow relevant content to be distributed in various formats involving voice, video and data. CULCON has a unique opportunity to explore the best uses of these technologies and consider recommendations at CULCON XIX.
An informal task force will explore the possibilities for Japanese-US cooperation in international social service.
The Panels agreed that CULCON XIX will tentatively be held in Japan in Spring, 1999.
Among its programs of support, the Commission gives high priority to policy research projects. From time to time, the Commission announces new topics for priority in its support of policy research. The following are areas of current interest.
Application Procedure
The Commission works exclusively with nonprofit institutions to sponsor research in the public interest. It does not utilize the research for internal purposes. Interested researchers must submit proposals through institutions that can document their nonprofit status.
The Commission will place emphasis on demonstrated access to the data and information necessary for the research project; it will place strong emphasis on the dissemination phase of the project. It will look for clear plans to implement dissemination of results to policy-making communities in the public and private sectors and for demonstration of the means to access such communities and of track records of past efforts in this aspect of research. Projects may have a maximum of 24-months duration. Potential applicants are urged to consult with Commission staff prior to submitting proposals.
The deadlines for applications are March 1 and August 1. For application cover sheets and further information concerning the Commission, please contact Commission staff.
I. An International Competition Code and Its Limits: The Case of Japan
A major economic policy issue in the years ahead for Japan and the United States is the extent to which a number of international economic policies can be harmonized, how this harmonization will be achieved, and how to deal with exceptions to national rules. One important issue under the general theme of harmonization is competition policy. Under its program of support for policy-oriented research, the Japan-US Friendship Commission will give priority to research on the competition policy of Japan as it relates to the United States and to efforts to establish an international competition policy code.
The proposed study should first define and justify what is needed to achieve an internationally agreed competition code which both Japan and the United States would adhere to, its basic objectives, features and administration. Which spheres would be covered and which would not be covered by such a code?
Next, the study should define the major inconsistencies between such a code and Japanese laws and practices and explain how these might be resolved. Among other topics, the issues dealing with the application of an internationally-agreed competition policy in Japan might include:
II. Social Change in Japan and its Implications for the United States
Since the Meiji Restoration, some Japanese say that Japan has been structured socially, economically and politically to "catch up" with the West. Today, a post-industrial, post-materialistic Japanese society finds itself facing new problems and concerns.
Japan confronts growing societal problems, some quite familiar to American concerns: a need for family counseling, for a more responsive judiciary, for more flexible school curriculum and teaching that encourages the individual to think creatively; a social security system that may go bankrupt; a rapidly aging population; a weakening sense of community. On the other hand, some social issues that Japan faces, such as the diminished fertility rate, are distinctly different from those of the United States.
We need to know more about these trends and carefully identify elements of social change in Japan, and where there may be new opportunities to strengthen common ground between us. We also want to know about these trends because they will have great impact on the future development of Japan -- its domestic political economy and its international relations -- and the evolution of US-Japan relations.
The proposed study should delve into these issues to shed light on key questions, for example:
Infrastructure Building:
A New Commission Activity
In April, 1996 the Commission instituted a new category of grant support: Infrastructure Building. This involves identifying areas and niches of activity in educational, cultural, intellectual and artistic relations with Japan that would greatly benefit from the attention of a small professional staff, located within a stable organizational environment, under the oversight of an expert advisory committee. Such a staff would devote full- or part-time attention to providing backup, facilitation, continuity, initiative and leadership for that area of activity. It would also be involved in such efforts as fundraising, marketing where necessary, and particularly development of a self-sustaining base. Commission support would be used to provide salary, benefits, rent and other administrative necessities during the period of staff-up and take-off, for a maximum of five years, until this base reaches financial self-sufficiency and professional recognition from the area it serves.
This new category of Commission support is not a substantive program area as such. Instead it is a useful administrative mechanism that cuts across all other areas of Commission programming.
For more detailed guidelines on any of the above Commission priorities, please contact Commission staff.
Arts
The Study of the United States in Japan
Japanese Studies
Public Affairs and Education
Policy-oriented Research