Toyota Contributes $1 Million For Harvard's Japan Institute

A second Japanese industrial corporation has donated $1 million to Harvard's planned Japan Institute, the University announced yesterday.

With the grant, Toyota Motor Company joined Nissan Motors, which also contributed $1 million to the institute last month, and Mitsubishi Industries, which gave the same amount to endow a chain in Japanese legal studies last year.

The current flurry of contributions is the result of a concerted campaign by John King Fairbank '29, director of the East Asian Research Center, and Edwin O. Reischauer, former U.S. ambassador to Japan, to raise much of the $5 million needed to fund the institute from Japanese industrial concerns.

Reischauer plans to go to Japan later this month to explain the program to leaders there, the University News office said yesterday.

Understanding Toyotas

Toyota president Eiji Toyota stressed in presenting the grant the importance of mutual understanding between Japan and the U.S. in facilitating successful economic relations. All three of the $1 million contributors are heavy exporters to the U.S.

Reichauer said Wednesday that he was "terribly pleased" by Toyota's gift. He added that research at the institute, the purpose of which is to coordinate and expand Harvard's Japanese studies program, is scheduled to begin next year.

New Building

The University plans to construct a new building for the institute near the Yenching Library.

The Japan Institute is part of a broad program to strengthen East Asian studies at Harvard by consolidating the scattered East Asian facilities, establishing new professorships and expanding research on China, Korea, Vietnam, Inner Asia and Japan, according to the News Office.

President Bok explained the University's expanded interest in Japan yesterday, saying, "Harvard recognizes its responsibility to strive for more widespread and sincere understanding of Japan among the American people. The Toyota contribution to the Japan Institute will materially aid us in carrying out our mission."