As the world changes with extreme rapidity, it has become impossible for traditional bureaucrat-led methods of policy formation to meet the needs of the times. As political and governmental reform progresses, the legislative branch, not just the executive branch, will be required to demonstrate sophisticated policy-making capability. As a think tank that puts ideas into practice, the new AFJ will propose concepts that could not have been envisioned by old organizations and arrangements. We will work with our contacts within Japanese and overseas governments and legislatures, as well as our international think tank partners, to turn ideas into reality.

AFJ has implemented various programs over many years with numerous partner research institutions. Above all, we are engaged in a diverse range of joint research projects with US think tanks from the standpoint of Japan-US policy coordination. As part of these efforts, we hosted Bridging Asia: Japan-US-India Dialogue, an international conference held in Tokyo during 2006. Each year since 1989, we have also held the Annual Japan-China Symposium together with CICIR.