第4セッション
Present and Future Trends of NPOs in Japan
by Yoshinori Yamaoka
Nonprofit activities lagged behind in Japan
One hundred and thirty-two years ago (1868), Japan assumed the form of a modern state and joined the ranks of the Western powers. Since then, it has endeavored to become a strong nation capable of competing on equal terms with the West. After its defeat in World War II, 55 years ago (1945), Japan made started afresh as a democratic nation. For economic recovery and the subsequent high economic growth, the state government guidelines and regulations naturally played a big role, but the role played by private enterprises was also important. Within the context of this recent history, centering on the state and private companies, private sector nonprofit activities received neither social nor institutional support.
The private sector pursues profit through its business activities and returns part of it to the government in the form of tax. Most people came to expect the government to use that tax revenue to engage in activities that do not yield any profit. Under these circumstances, private sector groups either became dependent on the government, made demands on it or opposed its policy. Consequently, they failed to develop a strong consciousness as independent entities that endeavored to solve social problems from an independent standpoint.
From around the 1970s, however, people using their own judgement began to engage in civic activities that grappled with social issues. This trend accelerated in the 1980s, reflecting a growing need to deal with the various problems inherent in a society that regarded economic growth as an absolute must. People also began to show interest in civic activities because, as the Japanese economy reached a certain level of growth, an increasing number of citizens began to seek a way of life that material wealth alone could not guarantee. This trend became more marked in the latter half of the 1980s when the Plaza Accord was signed. Also, the fact that many citizens and businesses had gained first-hand experience in private sector nonprofit activities in various Western countries no doubt contributed to this trend.
Creation of a new nonprofit corporate system
Against this background, people began to point out the absence of a nonprofit corporate system that guaranteed the independence of citizens' activities. Then in the 1990s, efforts began to be made to establish a system that could deal with this problem. Those involved in civic activities and private sector research groups mainly studied this problem and made various concrete proposals. Civilian organizations were established to realize such a system.
It is in this context that many volunteers rushed to Kobe to help in the rescue efforts after the Great Hanshin Earthquake devastated that city in 1995. They also contributed in the post-quake rehabilitation of the stricken areas. Here, the importance of private sector nonprofit activities was driven home to the general public, prompting both the Administration and the Diet to seriously consider establishing a system for promoting such civic activities. Responding to these developments, civilian organizations held lively discussions in various parts of Japan.
