The new prominence of the civil sector in Japan

Abstract

When one enters a Japanese neighborhood, one fi nds various types of associations and a wide range of social groups and networks that are active at the local level. The traditional neighborhood association (cho¯naikai), the most widespread grassroots unit of Japanese civil society, is the center of everyday life; this volunteer-based neighborhood association, which functions as a grassroots administrative entity, also organizes a variety of activities in the community, including fi refi ghting, crime prevention, and traffi c control. These neighborhood associations are complemented by institutional civil sector organizations – called public interest corporations (ko¯eki ho¯jin) – which inclu..