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An Outlook of Japanese Grant-Making Foundations Features of Grant Programs (Group B) Numbers of Grant Programs Below we shall analyze grant programs undertaken by grant-making foundations in Japan, focusing on types and fields of grant programs proposed by 644 foundations in Group B for fiscal 2005. In fiscal 2005, the 644 foundations proposed to undertake a total of 1,450 programs, an average of 2.2 programs per foundation. Depending on a foundation's policy, programs range from foundation-administered programs, for which unsolicited applications are not accepted, to programs that place no restrictions on applications. At present not many foundations accept non-Japanese applicants overseas. Generally speaking, the grant programs of Japanese foundations are rather small in size, and many foundations have various eligibility requirements for applicants, which sometime makes it difficult for applicants to gain easy access to grants. Classification by Type and Field of Grants Grant programs can be divided into three types: grant programs, scholarship programs and award programs. As shown in Table 7, the Center has further divided these three basic categories into fifteen types. RG: Research Grant; TGJ: Travel grant for Japanese; ITG: Invitation travel grant for non-Japanese; CS: Grants for Conference and seminars; Pub: Publication grants(for translation,editing,or publishing); Exh: Grants for exhibition and performance; PD: Grants for Program development; GO: Grants for general operating; AC: Grants for acquisition of equipment; SJD: Scholarship for Japanese (for study in Japan); SJO: Scholarship for Japanese (for study overseas); SN-J: Scholarship for non-Japanese; Awd: Award and prizes; Oth: Grants for other types of activities; NS: Grants that not specify the type of activities Figure 5 shows the number of programs for each of fifteen types. The total exceeds 1,450, the actual total number of grant programs, because some programs fall into more than one classification. For example, single program may include both travel grants for Japanese and invitation travel grants for non-Japanese. It can be seen from this figure that research grant program which account for 452 of the total, are by far the most numerous type; the other programs are distributed over various types of grants. Fields of grants are classified in Table 8, and Figure 6 shows the distribution of programs in eleven fields. Again, the total exceeds 1,450, the actual total number of grant programs, and for the same reason as in the analysis of grant programs by types, some programs fall into more than one classification. Table 8. Fields of Grant Programs (Group B) S&T: Science and technology; S&H: Social sciences and humanities; H&M: Health and medical care; Env: Environment; Edu: Education; Hs: Human services; Arts: Arts and culture; Int: International affairs; Pub: Public and social benefit; Oth: Grants for other fields or grants that not specify the fields of activities; NS: Grants that not specify the field of activities Examination of the distribution of grant programs by field of grant reveals the largest numbers of programs focus on the field of science and technology. This field of science and technology is followed by the education. Above analysis thus means that the main stream of grant programs of Japanese foundations is to encourage science and technology as well as human resources development which are the vital potential for the development of the country. Introduction / History and Trends / Foundations and Their Chartering Agencies / Size of Assets and Grant Programs / Features of Grant Programs

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