International giving · Asia
Which US foundations give to Japan?
US foundations sent $220M to organizations in Japan across 749 grants, from 160 different funders. Read from IRS 990 filings.
The short version
- 160 US foundations have made grants to Japan, totaling $220M across 749 grants on record.
- GATES FOUNDATION (WA) is the largest US funder of Japan organizations, with $143M.
- That is about $1.77 per resident across all years on file, for a country the World Bank classes as high income.
- UNITED STATES - JAPAN FOUNDATION is the most Japan-focused funder, directing 100% of its overseas giving here.
- US giving to Japan has fallen over the filing years on record.
The biggest funders, year by year
Each top funder of Japan with its total, and how that giving falls across the filing years — darker means more.
| '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GATES FOUNDATION$143M | |||||||||
| The David and Lucile Packard Foundation$14M | |||||||||
| THE OKINAGA FOUNDATION$10M | |||||||||
| The Coca-Cola Foundation Inc$6M | |||||||||
| THE KAVLI FOUNDATION$5M | |||||||||
| JPMORGAN CHASE FOUNDATION$4M | |||||||||
| JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION$3M | |||||||||
| GORDON E AND BETTY I MOORE FOUNDATION$3M | |||||||||
| Walton Family Foundation Inc$3M | |||||||||
| FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE OPEN SOCIETY$2M | |||||||||
| UNITED STATES - JAPAN FOUNDATION$2M | |||||||||
| East West Foundation Inc$2M |
* 2025 onward is still arriving — 990s lag 12–24 months, so the most recent years under-report.
Top US funders of Japan
Japan's dedicated funders
Foundations that send most of their overseas money to Japan — the specialists, not just the biggest checks.
What the money funds
By the kind of organization receiving the money — universities, hospitals, research institutes, and so on.
7 recipients
67 recipients
4 recipients
27 recipients
8 recipients
19 recipients
7 recipients
7 recipients
Largest recipients in Japan
Spelling, accent, abbreviation, and language variants of the same organization are merged into one recipient. Organizations abroad have no US EIN, so this resolution is best-effort.
1 US funder · 10 grants
1 US funder · 2 grants
1 US funder · 12 grants
9 US funders · 31 grants
1 US funder · 8 grants
3 US funders · 27 grants
Who funds whom
The largest funder-to-recipient ties — which US foundation backs which organization in Japan.
Where the funders are
The US states home to the foundations giving to Japan, shaded by dollars granted. Click a state.
Notable grants
The largest individual grants to Japan on record.
Questions and answers
- Which US foundation gives the most to Japan?
- GATES FOUNDATION is the largest US funder of Japan organizations on record, with $143M across 72 grants.
- How much do US foundations give to Japan?
- 160 US foundations have granted a combined $220M to organizations in Japan across 749 grants in the IRS filings on record, about $1.77 per resident.
- What do US foundations fund in Japan?
- The largest areas are health & medicine, education & schools, food, water & agriculture, by the kind of organization receiving the money.