The Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation is a private, nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1985 by a donation from the then Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation (now The Nippon Foundation) under the chairmanship of the late Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa. From the beginning, four countries participated: Denmark, Japan, Norway and Sweden. By later donation, Finland and Iceland were included.

The aims of the Foundation are to promote understanding and cooperation between the Nordic countries and Japan. This is done by providing grants towards education, research and, to some extent, cultural activities, to organizations, institutions and individuals in the participating countries. Each year some 10 million Swedish crowns are awarded.

The Foundation is domiciled in Sweden. All participating countries are represented on the Board. Chairman is Professor Gunnar Hambraeus, former president and chairman of the Royal Swedish Academy for Engineering Sciences. The Board meets once a year. Applications are received in January and February and grants are announced usually in May. The Foundation has provided organizational and secretarial services for this evening's concert from its head office in Stockholm.