UH College of Social Sciences receives $470,000 gift from Japan-America Institute

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Social Sciences has received a $470,000 gift from Fujitsu Ltd./Japan-America Institute of Management Science. The donation, administered by the UH Foundation, will support the college’s “robust environment and continued engagement in the global community,” according to an announcement.

The fund will be used for student scholarships as well as activities to enrich students and faculty’s global experience, such as conferences, travel, symposiums, lecture series, visiting professorships and student exchanges.

The JAIMS Endowment Fund will allow the institute and parent company Fujitsu to continue contributing to education and leadership development, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to an endowment, the gift includes $100,000 to allow the college to immediately start laying the groundwork for new programs.

“We are grateful to Fujitsu’s vision to carry on the legacy of JAIMS,” said College of Social Sciences Dean Denise Eby Konan. “We see this transformational gift as key to advancing relationships not only between UH and Fujitsu, but also benefitting the US, Japan and greater Asia-Pacific region.”

Added Hidenori Furuta, non-executive chairman of Fujitsu Ltd., chairman of the JAIMS Board of Trustees and JAIMS president: “Fujitsu founded and has supported JAIMS to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. We believe and hope this endowment fund will continue nurturing global leaders with practical wisdom, and contribute to a sustainable future society through stewardship from the College of Social Sciences.”

Fujitsu established the institute in 1972. Approximately 23,000 people from 55 countries have benefitted from its learning opportunities. After fulfilling the original mission as an educational institution, the JAIMS board of trustees made the decision to wind down its operations in 2024 and transfer the endowment fund to the College of Social Sciences.

The Japan-Hawaiʻi Socio-Economic Innovation Initiative is an international contribution project at the Council for Better Corporate Citizenship, a public-interest-incorporated association in Japan established by Keidanren. The federation has a broad membership of more than 1,500 Japanese companies, industry associations and regional economic organizations. The initiative has benefitted from contributions by alumni and corporate partners for enhancing the ties between Japan and Hawaiʻi.