Sadaaki Numata
Executive Director
The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership

First of all, I would like to send my best wishes for a happy new year.
Thank you for your kind support and great understanding of our mission at the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP). 

2008 will be a year full of challenges for CGP, as we will expand our vision into new areas.  During his visit to the U.S. in November 2007, Prime Minister Fukuda announced the initiatives to strengthen Japan-U.S. exchanges in three major areas: intellectual exchanges, grass root exchanges and Japanese language education.  As a part of this initiative, CGP intends to strengthen its partnership with influential U.S. think tanks, as well as cooperating with business partners, research facilities, and NPOs.

During the 17 years since the establishment of CGP, there have been dramatic changes in the nature of the host of issues that need to be dealt with jointly by Japan and the U.S.  Not only sovereign states but non-state actors such as non profit organizations are now playing an active part in tackling global issues.  In the light of these changes, the CGP Grant Program Guidelines of 2007 was revised, followed by the announcement of the new guideline in November last year.  Three target areas have been emphasized: traditional and non-traditional approaches to security and diplomacy; global and regional economic issues; and the role of civil society.  CGP would like to undertake projects based on fresh ideas and involving a variety of actors, including not only Japanese and American but also research institutions of Asian countries.