An Introduction to The Japan Forum on International Relations (JFIR)

【History and Purpose】

The Japan Forum on International Relations, Inc. (JFIR or The Forum) was founded on March 12, 1987 in Tokyo on the private initiative of Dr. OKITA Saburo, former Foreign Minister, Mr. HATTORI Ichiro who contributed the endowment, and 61 other independent citizens from business, academic, political, and media circles of Japan, recognizing that a policy-oriented research institution in the field of international affairs independent from the government was most urgently needed in Japan. JFIR celebrated its 20th anniversary on March, 2007.
The Forum is a private, non-profit, independent, and non-partisan organization dedicated to improved understanding of Japanese foreign policy and international relations. The Forum takes no institutional position on issues of foreign policy, though its members are encouraged not only to analyze but to propose alternatives on matters of foreign policy. Though the Forum helps its members to formulate policy recommendations on matters of public policy, the views expressed in such recommendations represent in no way those of the Forum as an institution and the responsibility for the contents of the recommendations is that of those members of the Forum who sign them alone.

【Organization】

JFIR is a membership organization with four categories of membership, namely, (1) corporate, (2) associate corporate, (3) individual and (4) associate individual. It is governed by the Board of Directors, which is in charge of the management, and is supervised by the Board of Trustees, which elects the Directors and advises the Board of Directors. The Steering Committee coordinates the annual work program while fundraising and financial matters are handled by the Financial Committee. Advisors give advice at Board of Directors meetings, while Counselors serve the President as his advisors. The Chairman, President and Executive Director are elected for two-year terms by the Board of Directors and are eligible for reelection.