I wrote an article for a Japanese Newspaper last January titled "Are Japanese Stingy?".
I argued that while it appeared so, appearances can deceive. I cited the wave of generosity that swept the world following the Dec. 26 Tsunami and that while the amount of money that governments had pledged was noteworthy, more remarkable was the flow of donations from individuals from around the world . . . . . everywhere that is, except Japan.
In the USA and Canada, a private dollar was given for every two pledged by government, boosting their countries’ assistance by 50%. Contributions from the citizens of France and Germany added 70%, while in Britain private donations boosted government aid by 200%. In contrast, the amount of private donations from individuals in Japan is virtually zero!
Why is this? One answer is other G7 countries have a much more developed non-profit sector, which encourages private philanthropy. Fewer than 20,000 NPOs currently work in Japan. This works out to one NPO for every 6,000 people. Compare this to one for every 400 people in Canada; one for every 315 people in the UK; and one for every 250 people in the US. A civil society is built on three pillars, all of which need to be strong: government, commerce, and the non-profit sector. In Japan, the third pillar is virtually non-existent.
Times are changing of course. In the decade since the great Hanshin Earthquake, the number of NPOs in Japan has increased by nearly 1000%. Laws are being reformed and assistance is being provided local bureaucrats appoint to nurture emerging NGOs. But, many Japanese, particularly among the establishment, view the non profit sector with suspicion. The non-profit sector is clearly not part of the collective psyche of the Japanese.
It was striking in July that the LIVE 8 Concert in Tokyo was the most poorly attended of all the concerts around the world. It was disheartening to see. Of late however, the Make Poverty History Campaign seems to be gaining ground, at least in the media. Currently, ads are running that feature celebrities wearing the white wrist band.
Sadly, the non-profit sector is so small in Japan today that most people are unaware of the important role that NPOs play in today’s world. The government must do its part and speed up its creation of laws that encourage private citizens to support the non-profit sector through tax-efficient giving. But the non-profit movement needs to be fueled by people, not government.
But only time will tell, whether celebrities wearing a fashion accessory will spark a movement of people concerned about world poverty enough to do something about it, or whether Japan will imply see another fad come and go.
