Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Japan Society of Northern California

EIN 94-1224469 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FOUNDED IN 1905, THE JAPAN SOCIETY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WORKS TO ADVANCE U.S. - JAPAN COLLABORATION AND UNDERSTANDING IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT. THE SOCIETY OFFERS AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE BAY AREA WITH A STRONG INTEREST IN JAPAN. IT IS THE PLACE TO GO FOR U.S. - JAPAN INSIGHTS, OPPORTUNITIES, COLLABORATION, AND NETWORKING.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
16.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 76%
Employees
6
Volunteers
60
Highest pay
$185,610, president

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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 49 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

Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    38 of 39 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • 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 (4)
  1. $405,158 spent. JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSESTHE JAPAN SOCIETY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (JSNC) OFFERS JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSES AT VARIOUS LEVELS AND LOCATIONS ACROSS THE BAY AREA. OUR LANGUAGE INSTRUCTORS ARE SEASONED TEACHERS OF JAPANESE, HAVING TAUGHT BOTH IN THE U.S. AND JAPAN, AND OUR LESSON TYPES ARE AS FOLLOWS: GROUP CLASSES (RANGING FROM BEGINNER TO ADVANCED COURSES), CORPORATE CLASSES (WITH LESSONS TAILORED FOR EACH ORGANIZATION), PRIVATE TUTORING, AND WORKSHOPS. JSNC OFFERS 3 SEMESTERS OF GROUP LANGUAGE CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ENROLLS MORE THAN 250 STUDENTS PER SEMESTER IN APPROXIMATELY 30 GROUP LESSON SECTIONS, RANGING FROM BEGINNING TO ADVANCED. JSNC ALSO OFFERS PRIVATE LESSONS AND ENROLLED MORE THAN 100 STUDENTS IN PRIVATE LESSONS IN 2025.
  2. $131,953 spent. INNOVATION CONFERENCE:THE INNOVATION INITIATIVE, BEGUN IN 2011, HIGHLIGHTS AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AREA OF COOPERATION BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE U.S., PARTICULARLY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THROUGH THIS EFFORT, JSNC SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE PRODUCTIVE JAPAN-U.S. INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PROVIDE ROLE MODELS FOR FUTURE INNOVATORS, AND SPOTLIGHT JAPANESE CREATIVITY AND VITALITY THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY THE U.S. MEDIA. THIS INITIATIVE COMPLEMENTS U.S.-JAPAN GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT DIALOGUE AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT PROMOTE INNOVATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND JOB CREATION.
  3. $82,811 spent. HEALTHCARE CONNECTION:US-JAPAN HEALTHCARE CONNECTION WAS CREATED IN 2020 TO PROMOTE INNOVATION IN THE US AND JAPANESE HEALTHCARE SECTORS BY CONDUCTING PROGRAMS IN THE US AND JAPAN TO EDUCATE AND CONNECT LEADERS FROM THE PRIVATE, PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC SECTORS IN THE US AND JAPAN LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRY.THE PRORAM IS LED NY JSNC THROUGH THE US-JAPAN HEALTHCARE COUNCIL. THE AGENDA INCLUDES PROGRAMS ORGANIZED IN THE US AND JAPAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SUCH AS MAJOR CONFERENCE AND ROADSHOW IN JAPAN THAT INTRODUCES SPEAKERS AND GROWTH COMPANIES FROM THE US TO A JAPANESE AUDIENCE, NETWORKING AND PITCH EVENTS, AND OTHER PROGRAMS FOCUSING ON HEALTHCARE INNOVATION AND BEST PRACTICES.
  4. $233,173 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS

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? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 1954.

    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 October 21, 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.