The Japan Foundation (国際交æµåŸºé‡‘, Kokusai KÅryÅ« Kikin) was established in 1972 by an Act of the Japanese Diet as a special legal entity to undertake international dissemination of Japanese culture, and became an independent administrative institution under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Ministry of Japan on 1 October 2003 under the "Independent Administrative Institution Japan Foundation Law".
The Japan Foundation aims towards comprehensive and effective development of its international cultural exchange programs in the following categories:
Promotion of (Japanese) arts and cultural exchange
Promotion of (overseas) Japanese-language education (the JLPT exam)
Promotion of (overseas) Japanese studies and intellectual exchange – Japan Foundation Information Centers collect and provide information about international exchange and international cultural exchange standard bearers.
Prince Takamado served as administrator of the Japan Foundation from 1981-2002.