Is there civil society in Japan? A study on NGOs

This thesis discusses the nature of Japanese civil society, particularly of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), by answering the following three questions: (1) Do Japanese NGOs represent the Japanese people? (2) Are NGOs independent in action of corporations? (3) Are NGOs independent in action of the Japanese government?; Data shows two important characteristics of civil society in Japan. First, Japanese are more interested in the local arena than the international arena. Volunteer work in the community is popular, while overseas NGO activities are less popular. Second, the Japanese government has been active in creating a stronger civil society. In its new partnership with NGOs, the government provides training, support and funds to NGOs. The reasons for this shift are increasing respect given to NGOs in the international arena and economic recession in Japan.