International House of Japan

About I-House

The International House of Japan is a private, non-profit organization incorporated, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and other private institutions and individuals, in 1952 for the purpose of promoting cultural exchange and intellectual cooperation between the peoples of Japan and those of other countries.

Housed in a handsome structure built in 1955 and enlarged in 1976, it is a working international community engaged directly in a variety of programs that embody the free exchange and interaction of ideas and that strive to foster a climate favorable to international cooperation.

The International House received designation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Special Corporation in the Public Interest, a status conveying special tax benefits, in November 1989. As of April 1, 2012, the International House received authorization from the Prime Minister’s office to become a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation.

James Kondo

Chairman, Board of Directors, International House of Japan

James’ career spans policy, technology, academia and social arena.

In the policy arena, James was President of the Asia Pacific Initiative (API) that merged with the International House of Japan. He was also Special Advisor at the Cabinet Office and a co-founder of the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI).

In the technology arena, James is Co-Chair, Silicon Valley Japan Platform and Co-Chair, World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan. He was previously Chairman of Twitter Japan and Vice President of Twitter Inc.

In academia, James is Visiting Professor at Keio Medical School. Previously, he was Visiting Professor at Hitotsubashi Business School, Visiting Scientist at MIT Media Lab, and Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo.

In the social arena, James co-founded TABLE FOR TWO, a Davos-initiated social program that simultaneously addresses global hunger and obesity, and Beyond Tomorrow, a youth leadership and scholarship program established after the Tohoku earthquake in 2011. He is also a Global Trustee and Japan Co-Chair of Asia Society.