The Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies (RIJS) at Harvard University is one of the oldest centers in the world supporting research activities concerning Japan and Japanese Studies. Its mission is to advance teaching and research on Japan, to promote a wide-ranging exchange of ideas on social, cultural, economic, and political issues, to stimulate scholarly and public interest about Japan and U.S.-Japan relations, and to strengthen ties between Harvard University and Japan and between Japan and the United States.

First established in 1973 as the Japan Institute and renamed in 1985 to commemorate the retirement of its founder, the Reischauer Institute (RIJS) has, since its inception, taken the lead to build Harvard’s academic infrastructure for the study of Japan, engaging faculty and students in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences across the University, from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), to the University’s professional schools.

Through its wide array of programs and initiatives, the Institute advances research in Japanese Studies, supports Harvard’s educational mission, and maintains ties with the Japanese Studies community throughout the U.S. and with individuals and institutions in Japan, Europe, and across the globe.