The Japan Society for Multicultural Relations provides a forum for those concerned about the future of global community, to study and then debate the interactions and the relations between cultures in a manner that is both multifaceted and dynamic. The study of multicultural relations includes issues ranging from the individual to groups, organizations, societies, and governments, by rendering them in terms of cultures, and their relationships, to be approached from interdisciplinary perspectives. Studies comparing Japan with various regions of the world and studies on Japan's own multicultural situation will both be emphasized. The problems arising out of Japanese people's intercultural encounters involving language, communication, psychology, education, business, the environment, and history will serve as entry points to conduct research. This kind of research is by nature interdisciplinary and will involve shifts to new paradigms.


 The Japan Society for Multicultural Relations was established on June 22, 2002 at the inaugural meeting and symposium held at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo. Approximately 120 people attended this first event. The first English name was the Japan Society for Intercultural Relations. The name was changed to the present one in 2003. Under the leadership of the board of directors, the Society's activities include an annual conference, the publication of a journal (Multicultural Relations), publication of a newsletter, regional meetings in the Hokkaido/Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai/Chubu, Chugoku/Shikoku, and Kyushu areas, as well as a membership directory. In addition, the Society sponsors joint symposia, workshops and other activities together with similar organizations. We welcome possibilities for relationships with organizations abroad. Our first President, Yoneo Ishii made a generous bequest at the time of the Society's establishment. The Ishii Fund, as it is now called, supports the activities of the Society.


Annual Conference is usually held in October. A pre-conference workshop is held the day before the conference. During the two-day conference, the following kinds of events are organized: Plenary Lecture, Open Forum, Round-Table Discussion, Individual Presentations, and Annual Meeting.

The JSMR Journal, Multicultural Relations, is a refereed academic annual periodical with an ISBN. To submit manuscripts, membership in the Society is required.

The JSMR Newsletter is published twice a year. The Newsletter includes reports of regional activities, minutes of meetings of the Society's board of directors, reports of research by members, book reviews, and announcements of events related to the Society's aims.

The Regional Meetings (Hokkaido/Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai/Chubu, Chugoku/Shikoku, Kyushu) are held twice a year where a variety of topics are offered. The meetings cover various topics in each area.