Congressional Study Group on Japan

Sasakawa USA is committed to engaging with Congressional members and staff to promote a greater understanding of the U.S.-Japan relationship. With this goal in mind, since 2014, Sasakawa USA has partnered with and supported programs by Former Members of Congress (FMC), an independent, non-partisan, and non-advocacy organization that promotes legislative exchange between the U.S. Congress and Japanese Diet through their Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ).

Through this support of CSGJ programs, Sasakawa USA provides an ongoing forum for candid dialogue on issues critical to both the United States and Japan, the most important ally and partner of the United States in Asia. The cornerstone of these programs are two annual, week-long delegations to Japan: one for Members of Congress, and another for Chiefs of Staff. Delegates on these trips have the opportunity to deepen their political, economic, historical, and cultural knowledge of Japan through meetings with government officials, Diet members, military officers, professors, business leaders, journalists, and cultural experts who provide a well-rounded view of Japan.

View more details and photos from each delegation on the CSGJ website:

Program Highlights

2026 Chiefs of Staff Study Tour to Japan

From February 14 to 21, 2026, the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) held its eleventh annual annual Chiefs of Staff Study Tour, a program of FMC supported by Sasakawa USA. This bipartisan delegation, consisting of ten Chiefs of Staff to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, traveled to Tokyo and Nagasaki.

2025 Members of Congress Study Tour to Japan

From April 12 to 19, 2025, the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) convened its eleventh annual Members of Congress Study Tour to Japan. For this iteration of the program, the bipartisan delegation, comprised of eight elected Members of Congress from both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and led by House Co-Chairs Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), traveled to Tokyo and Sapporo.

2025 Chiefs of Staff Study Tour to Japan

From February 15 to 22, 2025, the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) held its tenth annual Chiefs of Staff Study Tour, a program of FMC supported by Sasakawa USA. This bipartisan delegation, consisting of six Chiefs of Staff to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, traveled to Tokyo and Sapporo.

2024 Chiefs of Staff Study Tour to Japan

From May 25 to June 1, 2024, the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) held its ninth annual Chiefs of Staff Study Tour, a program of FMC supported by Sasakawa USA. This bipartisan delegation, consisting of eight Chiefs of Staff to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, traveled to Tokyo and Kobe.

2024 Members of Congress Study Tour to Japan

From January 20 to 27, 2024, the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) convened its tenth annual Members of Congress Study Tour to Japan. For this iteration of the program, the bipartisan delegation, comprised of eight elected Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and led by House Co-Chairs Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), traveled to Tokyo and Okinawa.

2023 Chiefs of Staff Study Tour to Japan

From May 27 to June 3, 2023, a bipartisan delegation of eight Congressional Chiefs of Staff traveled to Okinawa and Tokyo, Japan as part of the Congressional Study Group on Japan, a program of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC), which is supported by Sasakawa USA.

2023 Congressional Members Study Tour to Japan

The Congressional Study Group on Japan’s ninth annual Members of Congress Study Tour from February 14 to 25, 2023, brought a bipartisan group of seven Members of Congress to Tokyo and Hiroshima. The CSGJ is a program of FMC, supported by Sasakawa USA.

2022 Chiefs of Staff Study Tour to Japan

From October 1 to 8, 2022, the seventh annual Chiefs of Staff Study Tour to Japan brought seven Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. House of Representatives to Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Tokyo through the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ), a program of FMC, supported by Sasakawa USA.

2022 Congressional Members Study Tour to Japan

From May 28 to June 4, 2022, a bipartisan delegation of seven Congressional Members led by the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) House Co-Chairs Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) traveled to Japan on the eighth annual Members of Congress Study Tour, a program of FMC, which is supported by Sasakawa USA.