Japan Program at APARC - About

Established in 2011, the Japan Program (formerly the Japan Studies Program) at Stanford University facilitates multidisciplinary, social science-oriented research on contemporary Japan. Our mission is to promote a comprehensive understanding of Japanese affairs and the changing dynamics of Japan's role within the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

We produce policy-relevant research on a range of Japanese political, economic, and societal issues and collaborate with experts from academia, government, business, and civil society. Together, we create and disseminate reports, books, and journal articles that promote a nuanced understanding of contemporary Japan and U.S.-Japan relations. Our conferences, seminars, and panel discussions bring some of the most pressing challenges of contemporary Asia to the forefront and illuminate a constructive path forward for both Japan and the greater Asia-Pacific region.

The Japan Program is one of several research programs housed at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (Shorenstein APARC) in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI). Japan studies took root at APARC as early as the Center’s founding in 1983 and focused on Japanese economics, industry, government, and international relations. Learn more about the history of Japan studies at APARC and Stanford.