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Focusing
on the future
Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) hopes to
play a role in the empowerment of Civil Society. Civil Society is our designation
for the private non-profit sector which consists of a variety of groups, including
NPOs and NGOs, think tanks, universities, research institutes, and the like. Although
the power of one individual is small, by collaborating in groups and networks,
a tremendous force may be generated. Civil Society provides a base for citizens
to work actively for common benefits.
In Japan, there has been a long period of bureaucratic governance, in which ordinary
citizens have had limited involvement in decision-making on public matters. However,
thanks to the changes wrought by the recent revolution in information technology
(IT), it is now possible for many individuals to access information that was once
available only to a limited few. Concurrent with the IT revolution, power in governance
has shifted from public to private bodies, where non-governmental groups increasingly
take on roles that were previously the responsibility of bureaucratic agencies.
In contemporary society, needs, such as community development, environmental protection,
medical and educational infrastructure, and geriatric care, are growing more complex.
However, it is difficult for the first sector, consisting of governmental agencies,
to fulfill these various and diversified needs for such agencies are more designed
to provide uniform services. The second sector, corporations and business enterprises
that may also offer public services, too have limited capabilities, since they
are profit driven commercial entities. The third sector consists of individuals
who contribute to the common good by offering non-profit services, and it is this
sector that we refer to as Civil Society. In order to effectively and efficiently
fulfill the complex needs of contemporary society, it is essential for all three
sectors to collaborate as equal partners.
In the area of international assistance also, it is possible to act timely and
efficiently with the collaboration of these three sectors. Japan Platform (JPF),
of which PWJ is also a member, is a good example. When Afghanistan and Iraq were
in peril, both governmental and private contributions were made through JPF, which
was then granted to Japanese NGOs (including PWJ), enabling them to immediately
prepare assistance for people in distress.
Now in our 8th year of activity, PWJ continues to aim to improve its quality of
assistance. At our overseas project sites, we strive to provide appropriate assistance
that matches the needs and cultures of the people. Our goal here is for the affected
people to recover from despair and to regain self-reliance without delay. In Japan,
we actively provide information on the situations that we confront, make proposals
to the best of our knowledge, and work to gain understanding and support for the
activities that we undertake. PWJ does not only focus on its own activities; we
also understand the importance of collaborating with various organizations and
groups. Through such activities, we aim to further our contribution toward world
peace and poverty alleviation. Moreover, we hope that our activities will encourage
each citizen to take action for a better society. |
NPOs, NGOs and Civil Society Organizations
In Japan, the terms NPO (Non-Profit
Organization) and NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) are used interchangeably.
The designations "non-profit" and "non-governmental," however,
imply negativity. In the US, where the non-profit sector is more advanced, NPOs
are called by names such as "Civil Society Organization." It is clear
that without the negative prefix, "Civil Society Organization" sounds
much more positive. It refers to private, non-profit organizations, which do not
belong to any government or enterprise, the purpose of which is to promote citizens'
common benefits.
The Turning Point---The Great Hanshin Earthquake Disaster
It was the reaction to "The
Great Hanshin Earthquake Disaster" in 1995 that first impressed people in
Japan with the advances that individuals had made in areas that had for long been
the domain of governmental agencies. At that time, many people throughout the
country felt the urge to take action and rushed to the disaster-stricken area
to engage in volunteer activities. Great achievements were made in emergency relief
and restoration, all of which had previously been considered responsibilities
of governmental agencies. The potential of non-governmental groups came to be
widely recognized, creating an opportunity for many new NPOs and NGOs to advance
their activities. |
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