About NP The oldest NP program is the New Perspectives: Japan (NP:J) program, established in 1996. More than 2,000 U.S. precollegiate teachers and students who are engaged in the teaching and studying of Japan and the Japanese language have participated in NP:J since its inception. Through the generous support of The Freeman Foundation and The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, this program has enjoyed nine successful years. In 2000, the United States-Japan Foundation funded a special three-year NP:J Fellows program, enabling selected Midwestern teachers and students who have never studied Japanese to participate in this unique adventure on full scholarships. It is hoped that NP:J will receive additional funding in the near future for another three years for schools in other states. The Laurasian Institution has also developed the NP:J-USA program. The NP:J-USA program is designed to bring students and teachers from Japan to the United States where they stay with their NP:J counterparts whenever possible.