Leave a Gift in your Will for The Japan Society
You can make a lasting difference by leaving us as little as 1% of your estate in your Will.
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What is a Legacy Gift?
The Japan Society relies on generous donations from individuals and corporations to deliver our work in education, events, cultural initiatives and publications. A Legacy Gift will help us continue these efforts, from supporting educational programmes in schools to offering lectures, grants, and resources that promote the study, appreciation and celebration of Japan. Right through to subsidising membership fees and event costs, we work to make The Japan Society accessible to all who wish to learn about Japan.
With the UK Government's Inheritance Tax Relief, leaving a Gift to charity may also reduce the Inheritance Tax for your beneficiaries, making a lasting impact both for them and for our work.
Supporters choose to leave a legacy by including a Gift to The Japan Society in their Wills. For some, this gesture reflects a lifelong connection to Japan, a desire to support our work in education, or simply a wish to give back to their community.
If you want to support our mission in this meaningful way, there are three types of Gifts you can pledge in your Will:
- Pecuniary Legacy – A specific lump sum of money
- Residuary Legacy – A percentage share of your estate
- Gift land, property, or shares - This is sold on our behalf
It is also possible to leave a Restricted Gift to direct funds to a specific programme, such as our education work. To discuss this or any questions you have please contact the Society’s Head of Partnerships, Alice Vicentin at membership@japansociety.org.uk.
How will my Gift help?
Your Legacy Gift will contribute to:
- Education: Expanding our programmes and resources, allowing us to provide Japanese educational lessons, resources and experiences to schools across the UK.
- Activities: From school visits to state visits and everything in between. You will be supporting a diverse range of events in business, current affairs, arts & culture and special events to engage and inform communities.
- Community: Help us to keep The Japan Society accessible to all by subsidising youth and student memberships and event fees. Your Gift also supports initiatives that foster future changemakers such as The Japan Youth Collective.
How do I leave a Gift in my Will?
If you would like to talk to us about leaving a Gift in your Will, please contact the Society’s Head of Partnerships, Alice Vicentin at membership@japansociety.org.uk, who would be delighted to discuss this with you. The Japan Society is not able to recommend solicitors, but you can search for regulated solicitors in your area via the Law Society website.
If you already have a Will, consider speaking with your solicitor about a Codicil, which allows you to amend your existing Will to include a Gift to The Japan Society.
Inheritance Tax Relief
Did you know that the UK Government offers Inheritance Tax Relief so you may give money to charity and reduce the rate of Inheritance Tax your beneficiaries are required to pay?
Leaving a Gift in your Will often allows you to make a more significant impact, and estate planning professionals can assist you in integrating this as part of your broader financial goals. Additionally, the UK Government offers Inheritance Tax Relief, encouraging Gifts in Wills by reducing the amount of Inheritance Tax applied as a result of gifting 10% of your taxable estate.
Leaving a Gift ensures that The Japan Society can continue its important work for generations to come.
Hear from Others who have Pledged
Earlier this year our Chair, Bill Emmott, pledged to leave a Gift in his Will. He said:
Having been connected to, and fascinated by, Japan for more than 40 years (and hopefully many more to come), I would like my legacy to help future generations build the same connection that I did.
Your gift, big or small, will create lasting change. It’s a powerful way to continue your support for our work and the community, and leave a mark that truly matters.
Legacy giving allows us to create a sustainable model to deliver more activities and events across the UK for now and for the future. It is a way for our members to ensure that the Society thrives for future members.
Dr Michael Rivera King, Chief Executive of The Japan Society
A legacy built on generosity
Founded in 1891, The Japan Society received its first gift from Emperor Meiji—a donation of 100 guineas—as a gesture of his hope for the Society’s “continued prosperity.” Since then, we have relied on the generosity of our supporters and benefactors to sustain our mission.
As we look to the future, we invite a new generation of patrons to join us, investing not just in immediate needs but in the long-term vision of The Japan Society. It is through the enduring commitment of individuals like you, alongside those who have supported us over the past 133 years, that we continue to thrive. With your help, we can continue to build on this legacy for many more decades to come.
The partnerships forged amongst the governments, the politicians, the private sector, the cultural organisations, the media, the scientific community and the civil society within the framework of The Japan Society are priceless. We should never take for granted the continuation of these organisations or that such structures exist. They are the clear result of the never-ending work of men and women who accepted positions of leadership. This included Sir Hugh, and now Mr Bill Emmott at the helm of The Japan Society, along with those who supported their leaders and worked with them. Governments will change in both countries and priorities in their respective diplomatic trajectories will change. This is why we need The Japan Society.
Mami Mizutori, Cortazzi Lecture (September 2024)
| For more information about Legacy Gift please contact our Head of Partnerships, Alice Vicentin at membership@japansociety.org.uk. |