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The International Society for Japanese Philately

EIN 52-6053795 · Haddonfield, NJ

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceFair62 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ISJP IS ORGANIZED AND OPERATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING INTELLIGENT INTEREST IN THE PHILATELY OF JAPAN AND RELATED AREAS, AND TO ENCOURAGE FRIENDLY COOPERATION AMONG PHILATELISTS IN ALL FREE NATIONS.

Income
$65,197
Spending
$58,195
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 78%
Employees
0
Volunteers
12

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $30,991 spent. ISJP IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON PREPARING, PUBLISHING, AND DISTRIBUTING ITS EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL, JAPANESE PHILATELY (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE "JOURNAL"). ISJP PUBLISHES 4 ISSUES OF THE JOURNAL EACH YEAR AND THE TYPICAL LENGTH OF AN ISSUE IS 48 PAGES (WITH OCCASIONAL ISSUES OF EVEN GREATER LENGTH). THE JOURNAL IS COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AND MAPS, AND EACH ISSUE INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL CONTENT IN THE FORM OF BOTH SHORT AND LONG ARTICLES ABOUT JAPANESE PHILATELY CONCENTRATING ON INFORMATION AND SCHOLARSHIP THAT IS LIKELY TO BE OF LASTING VALUE. ISJP PREPARES, PUBLISHES, AND DISTRIBUTES ITS JOURNAL TO PROMOTE INTELLIGENT INTEREST IN THE PHILATELY AND POSTAL HISTORY OF JAPAN AND FORMER JAPANESE COLONIES (KOREA, SAKHALIN [KARAFUTO], TAIWAN), TERRITORIES (KWANTUNG, THE SOUTH MANCHURIAN RAILWAY ZONE, AND THE MANDATED CAROLINE, MARIANA, AND MARSHALL ISLANDS), AND OCCUPIED AERAS (CHINA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA), INCLUDING MANCHOUKUO, THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPANESE SEAPOST OFFICES AND OTHER CIVILIAN AND MILITARY POST OFFICES ABROAD, AND FOREIGN POST OFFICES IN JAPAN. ISJP DEVELOPS THE INFORMATION AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL IN THE JOURNAL, LAYS IT OUT, AND COORDINATES THE PRINTING AND MAILING OF THE JOURNAL. ISJP ALSO ANNUALLY PREPARES AND PUBLISHES AN INDEX TO THE JOURNALS PUBLISHED IN PRIOR YEARS, AS WELL AS, PUBLISHES DETAILED WRITTEN STUDIES OF A SINGLE SPECIALIZED SUBJECT (MONOGRAPHS) ON TOPICS RELATING TO JAPANESE PHILATELY AND JAPAN'S VISUAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY, WHICH ARE DISTRIBUTED TO MEMBERS ALONG WITH THE JOURNAL. ISJP DISTRIBUTES ITS JOURNAL AND MONOGRAPHS FREE OF ADDITIONAL CHARGE TO ALL MEMBERS AND TO A FEW LIBRARIES AND OTHER STAMP-COLLECTING-RELATED INSTITUTIONS.
  2. $18,262 spent. ISJP MAINTAINS AN EXTENSIVE LENDING LIBRARY THAT CONTAINS HUNDREDS OF BOOKS ON TOPICS RELATING TO JAPANESE PHILATELY AND POSTAL HISTORY, ALL OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO THE ORGANIZATION'S MEMBERSHIP TO BORROW FOR RESEARCH. ISJP'S LIBRARY INCLUDES A COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND JOURNALS ABOUT STAMPS AND POSTAL HISTORY, AS WELL AS THE HISTORY OF PHILATELY AND RELATED SUBJECTS LIKE TRANSPORTATION AND GEOGRAPHY. THE FULL CATALOGUE, ALONG WITH THE PROCEDURES FOR BORROWING, CAN BE FOUND ON THE ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE AND IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS. ONE OF ISJP'S MEMBERS VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AS A LIBRARIAN FOR THE LENDING LIBRARY IN ORDER TO HELP MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THE LIBRARY COLLECTION. THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDES STORAGE OF THE LIBRARY COLLECTION, ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL LIBRARY MATERIALS, AND SHIPPING AND RECEIVING BOOKS REQUESTED FOR BORROWING BY MEMBERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2018 for not filing returns for three years. The IRS now lists it as tax-exempt again.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.