The JSPS Alumni Association of the UK and Republic of Ireland was first established in 2003 by researchers who returned to the UK having been funded by a JSPS Fellowship Programme while in Japan (former Fellows). In 2014 inclusion of former JSPS fellows based in the Republic of Ireland was ratified by JSPS Tokyo head office and subsequently the name of the association changed to The JSPS Alumni Association of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. This Alumni Association is continuously increasing in size to currently over 800 active members.