Introduction

Lately, there are many books that discuss the non-profit sector or civil society in Japan. They mainly focus on the civic movement after the 1995 Hanshin Awaji earthquake, and on the making of the new Law Concerning the Promotion of Specific Non-Profit Organisation Activities (NPO Law). However, this chapter deals with the revision of the Civil Code and the NPO Law after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011.

The administration of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which was in power from September 2009 to December 2012, expected non-profit organisations (NPOs) to play a public role, such as being the supplier of public services and disaster relief, as symbolised by its the ‘New Public Commons’ slogan. In particular, following the Great East Japan Earthquake, the DPJ stressed the role to be played by NPOs in disaster areas in terms of reconstruction, relief and rebuilding people's lives. Reflecting this, the administration appointed many people affiliated with NPOs to participate in government meetings, such as the Commission of Enquiry. Moreover, a number of policies appeared for NPOs, including those aimed at job creation. To develop a civil society for the future, the view was that NPOs, other civic groups and civic activities would constantly increase in importance. In this chapter, first we will consider the systemic revisions pertaining to NPOs that have been implemented since 2008. We will also study the current state of NPOs. We will then investigate the role of NPOs in terms of the ‘New Public Commons’. Following this, we will consider the levels of awareness about NPOs among citizens, as the group of people that support NPOs, as well as the importance of education in order to increase that level of awareness. Finally, we will summarise issues that should be dealt with in the future.

Systemic revisions pertaining to, and the current state of, non-profit organisations

Revisions to the Civil Code and a shift to a new system

Three laws designed to reform the public interest corporations system were enacted on 1 December 2008: (1) the Law on General Incorporated Associations and General Incorporated Foundations; (2) the Law on Authorisation of Public Interest Incorporated Associations; and (3) Public Interest Incorporated Foundations, and the Arrangement Law.