The United States-Japan Foundation’s signature initiative, the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP), is now accepting applications for its 2026–2027 Delegate cohort through Monday, January 5, 2026. Since its founding in 2000, USJLP has brought together emerging and established leaders from both nations to build trust, foster dialogue, and shape a more connected, collaborative future.

As October slowly approaches November, cool winds make their way into the air. Suddenly, you feel a craving for something warm and filling to quell your chills. With shops filling shelves with hot soups and oden, what's more heart-warming than a pot of nabe? Every cold month, this versatile dish finds its way onto every dining table, offering exactly what you need to warm yourself up. 

「こどもたちのために、日本を変える」なんて、絵空事みたいですよね？ でも、わたしたちは本気です。 このままだと、超少子化は進み、社会保障は壊れ、こどもたちは、わたしたち世代よりも、 しんどい社会に住むことになってしまいます。 このまま、諦めとともに眺めているだけでよいのでしょうか？ いやいや。今、動かなきゃ。 もっと輝く日本を、バトンのようにこどもたちに手渡したい。 そのために、フローレンスは荒野を歩んでいきます。 すべてのこどもたちの、心躍る未来を目指して。

現在の活動の軸は、大きく３つ。 （1）クリスマスイブの夜にサンタクロースに扮したボランティアが、小さなお子様がいる家庭にプレゼントを届ける「サンタ活動」。家庭から頂く寄付（チャリティー金）により、また違う子どもにもプレゼントが届く仕組み。 （2）広く一般の個人・法人からの寄付を募り、困難な状況にある子ども・保護者へ無償で取組を行う「支援活動」。 （3）他NPOはもちろん、企業や自治体と手を取り合って仕組みをつくる「連携事業」。

As we step into autumn and the weather gets a little chillier, it’s officially nabe season.  What is nabe?  Nabe refers to hot pot dishes prepared in a pot that is also called a nabe.

As summer fades and cool breezes begin to sweep across Japan, conversations often turn to Jūgoya (十五夜), also called Tsukimi or Otsukimi, meaning “moon-viewing.”

JECO—short for Jaladurgam’s Eco—is my way of saying “this belongs to me, but also to all of us.” Eco, for me, isn’t just the environment—it’s the culture we create around it. I first felt its urgency through Climate Fresk that revealed how deeply human actions intertwine with environmental impact. Later, in Tokyo, I thrived in vibrant climate communities, weekends filled with ideas and energy.

Every year in Japan, there are two very special days when day and night are perfectly equal in length: the spring equinox in March and the autumn equinox in September. Both of these days are public holidays, but they’re also tied to a Buddhist tradition called O-Higan (お彼岸).