The Daiwa Foundation funds projects ranging from an exploration into 'Katsuben Benshi' performance work, to shared learning and communication between Cancer Caring Centres in Japan and the UK.

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation (www.dajf.org.uk) has published details of its Small Grants and Awards awarded to support a total of 32 UK-Japan projects in its latest funding round: September 2024.

A Daiwa Foundation Small Grant supported travel by two Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) staff, Professor Stephen Widdicombe – PML’s Director of Science and Deputy Chief Executive, and Amy Kenworthy – Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability Project Manager, to Tokyo in March 2025 to present at the World Ocean Summit and attend strategic meetings on Ocean Acidification (OA) thus furthering links with partners and stakeholders whilst raising awareness of recent research on the extent and impacts of OA globally, which ties in with the current UN Ocean Decade.

Dr Phillip Warnell will travel to Tokyo to witness, interview and write on ‘Katsuben Benshi’ performance work currently being undertaken by Koyata Aso in her performative accompaniment of silent films in an auditorium environment, for a book project with Anthem Impact series, April 2025.

UK academics will visit Japanese universities to give seminars and initiate herpes virology research collaborations to facilitate design of future collaborative research projects, publications and grant applications in spring 2025.

Support for reciprocal flights will allow members of the British Educational Leadership, Management & Administration Society (BELMAS) and the Japanese Association for the Study of Educational Administration (JASEA) to meet and take part in conferences in the UK and Japan with a view to establishing long-term networks and collaboration on educational leadership and establish a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2025. (BELMAS Annual Conference 2025 – BELMAS)

Among larger institutional collaborations, a Daiwa Foundation Award will support mutual visits, support and training between Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust UK (aka Maggie’s) and Affiliated Overseas Centre Maggie’s Tokyo to aid communication and shared learning, including a conference in Japan for Maggie’s Tokyo, Maggie’s UK and other Japanese healthcare organisations from 2025 to 2026. (https://www.maggies.org/)

A small selection of successful projects are highlighted above. The full list of projects that received funding in the September 2024 round can be viewed here.

 

Background information:

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation is a UK charity, established in 1988 with a generous benefaction from Daiwa Securities Co Ltd. The Foundation’s purpose is to support closer links between Great Britain and Japan. It does this by awarding grants and scholarships in all fields of activity; by supporting educational exchanges and other bilateral initiatives between British and Japanese academics and students; and by organising a year-round events’ programme at Daiwa Foundation Japan House in London to increase understanding of Japan in the UK. The Foundation is represented in Japan by its Tokyo office. Further information about the Foundation and its activities is available at www.dajf.org.uk.

Press Enquiries

Susan Meehan
Grants and Scholarships Officer
Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
13/14 Cornwall Terrace
London NW1 4QP TEL: 020 7486 4348   Email: grants@dajf.org.uk