Generally speaking, a society can be separated into three areas : Government and all the administrative activities that accompany it (the first sector), private business activities for profit (the second sector) and non-profit organizational activities (the third sector).
Non-profit organizations are financed by the Government and from individual and corporate donations. Usually foundations are set up as financing organizations. These foundations help to promote the welfare of the community in a democratic society. Such contributions and activities are known as philanthropy.
Japanese philanthropic spirit, which is emerging today, can also be traced to two periods of Japanese history. The first in the latter half of the 16th century and early part of the 17th century. During this period Christians (“Kirishitan”), actually Roman Catholics, organized “Misericordias”, a mutual support group to aid orphans, the old, the weak and the sick.
On the other hand, during this period, the roots of public spiritedness can be found among the people of Kyoto (“Machishu”). Representative of this time were Ryoi Suminokura and his son So-an. This family of wealthy pawnbrokers were engaged in foreign trade with Siam and other South East Asian countries. The profits they made were used for the public good, one of which was the deepening of the Oigawa River by Ryoi to open a water transportation route to Kyoto from the Tanba area. So-an published the so-called “Saga-block”, a beautiful set of books on the classics of China and Japan.
Such “Machishu” philanthropic spirit continued to thrive during the Edo era despite Tokugawa Shogunate feudalism. Such illustrious names as Suzuki Seisan, Ishida Baigan kept the spirit alive. Yokoi Shonan and Fukuzawa Yukichi carried the torch during the Meiji Restoration.
The second period was from the middle of the Meiji era (1868-1912) to the Taisho era (1912-1926). During this period, Japan became a modern country and a world power. Foundations were set up by a number of business leaders of the period and these foundations contributed to many non-profit organizations engaged in education, medicine, social work and so on.
We are now entering what I feel is the third period. A Japanese research fellow of the Urban Institute in America, who returned to Japan after several years' absence, said her impression was that Japanese society was dominated by government and private business organizations and that non-profit organizational activities were very limited indeed.
After fifty years of democracy and with the economic stability and wealth of the country established it is important to promote philanthropy for the benefit of all citizens.

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