Analysis of Policy-Making Process after Implemented the Basic Act for Suicide Prevention: The Influence of the Policy Advocacy by NPO and its Source

Abstract

This article identifies how NPOs influenced policy-making process after the enactment of the Basic Act for Suicide Prevention and what the source of their influence is. This was clarified by the analysis of an interview with Mr. Shimizu (a director of the NPO Life Link) and an argument in two consultative bodies; Life Link acquired valuable information about the actual conditions of suicide through its connection with bereaved families and made and strengthened its connections with Diet members. Because of these relationships, their advocacy had a large influence on the policy-making process. However, some studies have indicated that there could be a harmful influence or the risk of the destruction of democracy, if NPOs had too great of an influence on the policy-making process. In this article, I show that NPO bypassed argument in the two consultative bodies and had a great influence directly on the policy-making process. In evaluating NPOs’ influence in the policy-making process, particularly that of Life Link, it is necessary to examine involvement in later processes in detail.