Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, DC. It works to deepen understanding of and strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship for the benefit of a free and open international community, with activities focused mainly on security and diplomacy.
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc at a glance
In short: Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc gave $756K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $69K), mostly in District of Columbia. 64% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $756,094
- +16.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +37.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $68,736
- -15.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $14,614
- Total assets
- $14,795,300
- -5.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (7 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1819 L Street Nw 300, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 296-6694
Website: https://www.spfusa.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was US Association of Former Members of Congress ($623K). Together the top 10 received $755K.
Grant Size Distribution
36 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 31 grants of 36 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed primarily to recipients in Washington, DC (87%), followed by Hawaii (6%), New York (3%), Louisiana (2%), and Ohio (1%). Listed 2025 recipients were also located in Indiana, Colorado, and South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 11 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $172K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $29K repeat.
- 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 299% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 441% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $160K (2021) to $857K (2023). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $756K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| US Association of Former Members of Congress Washington, DC | To support legislative exchange and educational programs conducted by the congressional study group on japan (CSGJ). | $622,744 |
| East-West Center Honolulu, HI | To support the congressional program on U.S.-japan and the indo-pacific, a semester-long certificate program to educate U.S. congressional staffers on important issues in asia that affect the united states. | $28,713 |
| Usjetaa US-Japan Bridging Foundation Washington, DC | To support the "sasakawa usa/usjetaa grant program for U.S. jetaa chapters and subchapters" project, "jets on japan" project, and national conferences held by usjetaa and/or local jet alumni associations. | $28,660 |
| International Peace Institute New York, NY | To support a project "national action plans for national challenges: addressing environmental crises through the wps agenda" | $21,750 |
| The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund New Orleans, LA | To support a project "U.S.-japan regional alliance series: equitable resilience and social vulnerability: lessons from the us and japan" | $15,503 |
| Japan-America Society of Hawaii Honolulu, HI | To support a project of the "japan-U.S. military program (JUMP)" on the theme of "the U.S.-japan alliance as a global partnership." | $14,614 |
| The Ohio State University Columbus, OH | To support a project "U.S.-japan regional alliance series: strengthening the U.S.-japan economic and security alliance in Ohio" | $7,262 |
| International Student Conferences Washington, DC | To support a project "U.S.-japan-korea trilateral symposium" to enhance trilateral cooperation by facilitating productive dialogue between the next generation of leaders and current professionals in the field of U.S.-asia relations. | $7,023 |
| Indiana University Bloomington, IN | To support a project "U.S.-japan regional alliance series:the us-japan alliance as a global partnership" | $5,480 |
| Japan America Society of Southern Colorado Colorado Springs, CO | To support a project of the "japan-U.S. military program (JUMP)" on the theme of "the U.S.-japan alliance as a global partnership." | $2,817 |
Ready to take the next step with Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $14,795,300 | $4,697,823 | $5,393,814 | $756,094 | 11 | $4,157,201 | $3,050 | $942,643 |
| 2024 | $15,598,182 | $4,429,820 | $4,967,847 | $648,575 | 8 | $3,596,262 | $230,397 | $1,060,008 |
| 2023 | $16,026,621 | $4,718,677 | $5,099,737 | $857,440 | 5 | $3,861,700 | $366,186 | $1,151,347 |
| 2022 | $17,242,121 | $3,297,102 | $3,162,686 | $189,321 | 6 | $1,763,485 | $341,606 | $1,123,614 |
| 2021 | $16,374,159 | $12,953,883 | $3,055,551 | $159,653 | 6 | — | $435,046 | $1,089,894 |
| 2020 | $6,469,194 | $4,881,157 | $4,544,197 | $575,978 | 7 | — | $450,309 | $831,710 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc reported a distributable amount of $943K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to deepen understanding of and strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Japan for the benefit of a free and open international community. Its stated vision is a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Its 2025 grants supported projects involving congressional education and exchange, U.S.-Japan regional alliance issues, Japan-U.S. military programming, JET alumni activities, and U.S.-Japan-Korea dialogue. Examples of grantees’ own stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported: Japan-America Society of Hawaii says it promotes understanding and friendship between the people of Japan and the United States through educational programs, seminars, and special projects. International Student Conferences says it promotes peace through international student interchange that furthers mutual understanding, friendship, and trust. The International Peace Institute describes its work as bridging policy and real-world diplomacy through independent research and convening.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $756,094. Grant amounts ranged from $1,528 to $622,744, with a median of $14,614.
The largest award was $622,744 to the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress to support legislative exchange and educational programs conducted by the Congressional Study Group on Japan. Other awards included $28,713 to the East-West Center for a congressional program on U.S.-Japan and the Indo-Pacific; $28,660 to USJETAA U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation for JET alumni chapter and national conference projects; and $21,750 to the International Peace Institute for a project addressing environmental crises through the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Satohiro Akimoto as chairman and Ichiro Kabasawa, Katsutoshi Kawano, and Atsushi Sunami as directors. The foundation’s website identifies Akimoto as chairman of the board, Kabasawa as executive director of the Nippon Foundation, and Kawano as the fifth Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The website also lists Yohei Sasakawa as honorary advisor, Eiji Sakai as treasurer, and Shanti Shoji as secretary.
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc is led by Satohiro Akimoto, Chairman since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Satohiro Akimoto
Chairman
President & Chairman → Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$239K (2020) → $245K (2025)
Katsutoshi Kawano
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$330 (2022) → $330 (2025)
Ichiro Kabasawa
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Atsushi Sunami
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Akinori Sugai (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Junko Chano (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Ryoichi Oriki (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Nobuo Tanaka (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Dennis Blair Chair (2020) — Distinguished Senior Fellow · Filing note: Until oct '19
- Former: James Zumwalt (2020) — Chief Executive Officer · Filing note: Until August '19
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $245K, to Satohiro Akimoto (Chairman). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc
How much does Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc give each year?
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc gave $756K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $649K across 8 grants.
What is Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's typical grant size?
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's median grant in 2025 was $14,614, and its average grant was $68,736, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc give grants?
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc gives mostly in District of Columbia: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Hawaii (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants) and Honolulu, HI (2 grants).
Does Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's largest grantees?
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's largest 2025 grantees include US Association of Former Members of Congress ($622,744), East-West Center ($28,713) and Usjetaa US-Japan Bridging Foundation ($28,660), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 90% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc?
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc reported $14.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $943K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to deepen understanding of and strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Japan for the benefit of a free and open international community. Its stated vision is a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's EIN?
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1728688. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sasakawa-peace-foundation-usa-inc-morg_65b20a618378424db15a317aa6adcfa3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521728688_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sasakawa-peace-foundation-usa-inc-morg_65b20a618378424db15a317aa6adcfa3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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