JAPAN NPO CENTER
Annual Report 2017
English Digest version

Japan NPO Center Annual Report 2017

English Digest version

Japan NPO Center’s Mid-Term Vision for 2018 – 2022
The inspiration Behind Japan NPO Center’s Mid-Term Vision
At Japan NPO Center (JNPOC), the Board's task team led the roughly one-year long
initiative to create the mid-term vision for 2018 to 2022 through joint meetings withstaff members, discussions at Board of Directors’ and Board of Councilors’ meetings,
hearings with stakeholders in over 25 locations, and comments from members, etc.
We learned many things through this process. We want to repeat our effort ofextending our circle of people who believe in this vision.
Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) heighten awareness and perspectives on various problems in today’s society,and they hold the power to lead us to solutions. Furthermore, NPOs present opportunities for people to get
involved in the problem-solving process, and offer spaces for them to take a leading role in solving issues ascitizens. It is our hope that those who sympathize with and support this mid-term vision will be proactively
involved in carrying out these actions. We would also appreciate your active participation in Japan NPO
Center’s efforts. Join us in our endeavors so that we can welcome each of you as one of us!
An excerpt from Chairperson Noboru Hayase's, "Introduction" in JNPOC's mid-term vision for 2018 – 2022

The society that we aspire to and what is needed to obtain it:
The society that we aspire to is a fair and transparent, open civil society that has diversity and individualautonomy.
To obtain such a society, we must redefine our own life values and create new waves that will restructuresocietal systems according to the ideas of its inhabitants.

Specific Initiatives for the Next Five Years
We are calling the main focus of our initiatives for the next five years to be “the promoters of value creation.”
We will deepen our awareness that value is continuously created by NPO activities which work to resolve social
issues and will convey that significance.

Strengthen our system to increase and develop actors for NPOs

We will communicate how NPOs create values and how significant this process is. We will create a systemthat greatly increases the number of people who engage in value creation.
We will identify and nurture those who can effectively support NPOs, starting with various NPO support
organizations nationwide.
We will build the capacity of NPOs that can nurture people who are perceptive of societal needs, who cananticipate what is to come, and who take part in bringing about social change.

Strengthening our collaborative ties with various partners
In response to the heightened interest in SDGs among businesses, we will strengthen our ties andcollaborative working relationships with them. Emphasizing the SDGs’ tenet of “leaving no one behind,”
we will bring the nonprofit community’s perspectives and strengths to the forefront and share our values

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English Digest version

with the businesses.
In response to the growing trend of using business methods to create social change, we will seek ways toconnect and collaborate with those who are engaged in such efforts.
It is necessary to strengthen the collaborative ties between local community organizations and civic
activities, and we will work on concrete measures to strengthen these relationships.
We will work on building collaborative working relationships with nonprofit organizations andcooperatives other than NPOs. These organizations have social status and influence and can work with uson creating values.
We will engage in more information and opinion exchange and deepen our collaboration with civil society
within and outside of Japan. We will promote opportunities for raising awareness of and learning aboutshared challenges and problems in this globalized world.

Learning from the efforts made in regions affected by disasters such as the 2011 Great East Japan
Earthquake and Tsunami & carrying out programming based on our learning

We will revisit the diversity of efforts put forth in areas affected by disasters such as the Great East Japan
Earthquake and Tsunami. We will share the lessons learned, and come up with an outlook on how theselessons can be applied to help the Japanese civic sector grow.
We will draw up a plan for how we can continue to support organizations that were created in direct
response to disasters. We will act to implement the plan.

Expanding our research and policy work & addressing issues in the public systems and structuresthat influence the entire NPO sector

We will take the lead in research and advocacy work that comes from the grassroots efforts of citizens
and takes a drastic approach to changing the social structures that breed contemporary social problems.
We will encourage these endeavors in different areas.
We will convey to the public the significance and value of NPOs undertaking such research and advocacy
work. We will work towards expanding these efforts, including increased funding.
We will carefully observe national legislation and local ordinances or practices that can affect thenonprofit sector as a whole. We will express our opinions to the public in collaboration with NPO support
centers and others nationwide.

Working on developing symbolic practices and projects where NPOs are offering insights into social
problems and/or solving them

In order to make sure that more people can better understand concrete examples of how NPOs develop
insights into social problems and contribute to solving them, we will support progressive initiatives andcollaborative relationships, and put our efforts into the development of leading practices and projects.
For example, in the context of frequent natural disasters, we will treat disaster prevention and disasterrisk reduction efforts as a gateway to the cross-sectional initiatives that take us beyond local social
problems, and explore the roles NPOs play in such cross-sectional efforts in different regional contexts.

Strengthening our partnerships with NPO support organizations nationwide & supporting active
local initiatives

We will further clarify Japan NPO Center’s dual position vis-à-vis NPO support organizations nationwide
as both a lead runner and a pacesetter.
We will support active local initiatives by local people tackling local problems, and serve to assist local
NPO support organizations so that these organizations can thrive as local intermediaries.

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Message from the Chairperson
Noboru Hayase
Chairperson, Board of Directors

Photograph: Hideyuki Igarashi

With the help of you all, in the last year we successfully promoted various projects that enhanced the socialand organizational foundation of NPOs and strengthened civil society by greater partnerships with companies
and government. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for your support and cooperation.
Japan is fraught with various social challenges—so much so that it is has been called, “A challenged developed
country.” Civilians inspired to do something about this have been working across regions to overcome thesechallenges. With the help of many citizens, corporations and other entities, JNPOC works with citizen activity
support centers across Japan to support their activities, while also focusing its efforts in maintaining its
organizational foundation and developing the skills of its staff members.
While maintaining the organizational foundation, we have emphasized our efforts in voluntary “civil
participation.” The reason for this is because the willingness of citizens to change the status quo brings vitality
to NPOs and because the support of those who agree with the missions makes it easier to advise policies thatare not particularly profitable. Also, participating citizens raise the awareness of social issues from theperspective of the affected. Simply enriching problem-solving services puts people in the passive position ofcustomers who take advantage of the offerings, but an autonomous democracy is built when people getinvolved with NPOs and take a stake in problem-solving.
In 2015, the United Nations adopted SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), which led to the development offrameworks that comprehensively solve social problems across fields and positions together with corporations,
government and other entities. In Fiscal Year 2018, we hope to continue our endeavor of building a civic societythat allows citizens to freely engage in solving problems. I want to extend my deep gratitude for your help andguidance.
*My three term, 6 year appointment as Chairperson concluded at the end of June 2018. I am very grateful forall of your guidance over the many years.

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English Digest version

A Look Back at 2017
Our initiatives in 2017 were based on the two pillars stated in our mission: “To strengthen social infrastructure(the Infrastructure Development Team),” and “to advance new partnership (the Collaborative Creation Team).”
We worked with multiple stakeholders to face and undertake various challenges, such as NPO support centers
across the country, NPOs, enterprises and governments.
We also simultaneously improved and enhanced the management of our own organization. We formulated
our mid-term vision for the next five years and identified our direction and initiative themes.
■ Projects
The Infrastructure Development Team held seminars and workshops for training next generation leaders(which is an ongoing issue for NPOs) to exchange talent and wisdom (exchange and training project), expanded
the range of software donations that lead to better information infrastructure for NPOs, strengthened the ICT
support system (information business), discussed and investigated the needs and methodology for evaluating
projects to visualize the capabilities of undertaken activities, and published a “Project Evaluation Version” as
the fifth part in the booklet series, “What You Need to Know about NPOs” (Study and Research Project).
Institution-wise, we co-hosted a commemorative forum for the 20th anniversary of the enactment of NPO Law,
took a look at past and future initiatives and kicked off the next 20 years (institutional projects).
The “Partnership Creation Team” aims to realize efforts which resolve various social issues, and undertakes
ongoing initiatives that co-create new values with multi-stakeholders, such as NPO support centers across thecountry, NPOs, companies and government (Creation Development Project). It also searches for domestic
solutions by exchanging case studies and solutions with NPOs in Japans and overseas, introduces corporations
to NPOs for partnerships, consults NPOs about managing organizations or promoting business (Consultation
Business), and took part in the launch of the “SDGs Civil Society Network,” to build and promote SDGs
initiatives for NPOs. The team also continued to provide support to the areas afflicted by the disaster, basedon the areas’ changing needs (Great East Japan Earthquake, Reconstruction Support Projects).

■ Organizational Management
In terms of enhancements to JNPOC's organizational infrastructure, three task teams (a team to recruit moremember supporters, a public relations team, and a working style team) were set up to create an organizationthat is more specific and has more executive power. We successfully held active discussions and createddetailed execution plans, which led to stronger organizational abilities.

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We endeavor to enhance the social infrastructure of NPOs,
Infrastructure
Development Division which are a foundational organization for the nonprofit sector.

Training
andExchange

We hold seminars about training next generation leaders and making connections
with people who share the same values and sentiments of one’s own
organization. Beyond that, however, we also hold “Training and Exchanges,”which is where NPOs facing the same issues get together to exchange theiropinions and expertise through presentations and workshops to obtain new
perspectives. This program offers more than just new information, but new
growth as well.

■ Beginner and Middle Management Training
JNPOC plays a large role in training staff members of NPO support
centers nationwide, which are centers that support local NPOs. In
beginner training sessions, we teach the basics about how NPO
support centers work and provide a place for staff members fromaround the country to come together, network and make friends.
33 people from 24 NPO support centers came together for
training sessions in Fiscal Year 2017. Through lectures andworkshops, we shared basic information about NPOs, specified
points that staff members should regard as important, delved into
the essentials of how to address consultations, and drafted plansfor problem-solving.
We also hold training sessions for middle management staff,
which is a joint project with Panasonic Corporation. Here, we
focus on enhancing organizational infrastructure and call it the"Support program for NPO 'supporting power'." Training consistsof two sessions, and participants systematically learned about the
information and technologies that are necessary for supporting
the enhancement of organizational infrastructure and taught
each other as well. In 2017, 15 middle-management staff
members participated in this training. They worked with thelecturer to come up with ways to improve their capabilities toenhance organizational infrastructure, and the middlemanagement staff members successfully networked with eachother.
■ Tsutaeru Kotsu (Tips for communicating)
Building communication skills is an important theme for NPOs inorder to successfully keep organizations united, to recruit more
supporters and collaborators, and deepen the enrichment ofactivities. Dentsu Inc. and the Committee for NPO Publicity
Promotion have jointly published a text called, Tsutaeru Kotsu (or“Tips for Communicating”) which aims to improve thecommunication skills of NPOs. We have also co-hosted seminars withNPO support centers for 13 years. We aided the 8 seminars that were
held by NPO support centers in Fiscal Year 2017 by sending out lecturers and subsidizing the expenses.

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Information

English Digest version

Since our founding, we have put a lot of our effort into collecting and sending out
information—the basic and essential functions of a foundational organization.
We send out information through various mediums, not only regarding JNPOC but
about NPOs in general. It is important that NPOs disclose information out of theirown volition, so that they can provide explanations and gain trust. We assist in
doing this with the NPO database and other resources. As ICT makes leaps ofprogress, we work together with various stakeholders to support the
infrastructure of NPOs which pertain to information, communication andtechnologies.

■ Journal NPO Hiroba
We publish articles that explore the opinions and initiatives of the civic sector to create an opportunity for ourmembers to deepen their awareness of what is happening in civil society and gain new perspectives.
In Fiscal Year 2017, we redefined the role and purpose of“NPO Hiroba,” and published issues with the renewedfeatures themed, “Solving problems with ICT and civic
participation” and “Facing a society at risk: NPOs thatreach out to people who don’t have a voice.” Focusing the
topics that are covered and written about has increased
the quality of the paper and we have been successful inproviding information that evokes new perspectives andinterests.

■ TechSoup Japan
TechSoup Japan is a program that contributes to the enhancement of nonprofit infrastructure through ICT support by providing a broad range of
support to private non-profit organizations, such as holding seminars andproviding donations and discount rates on hardware, software and IT
services (such as clouds). The US headquarters works with its 70 partnergroups across the world to carry out activities. In Fiscal Year 2017, we
successfully mediated the donations of 10,599 licenses given to a total of
3,400 groups (the amount was equivalent to 413.24 million JPY when it wasconverted to market prices).
Furthermore, the scope of corporate statuses was widened, and it is now
possible for not only NPO Corporations to receive services, but also Public
Benefit Corporations, Social Welfare Corporations and General
Incorporated Associations (of absolute nonprofit type) as well. Also, toaccommodate the wide range of ICT needs that non-profit organizations
have, we added new programs, such as Airbnb’s social contribution
experience program, Amazon Web Service, Chamo and Sorimachi.

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Researchand Study

English Digest version

It mainly refers to the function of researching and studying what is necessary toenhance NPO infrastructure and utilizing those findings in the Center’s projects
and incorporating them in actual practices, such as raising questions andrecommending policies. Research and study themes evolve as social and temporalneeds/conditions are accurately identified and forecasted.

■ Development of training programs for evaluating NPO projects
This project is implemented with the assistance of the Toyota Foundation
and aims to foster a culture of conducting proper evaluations within the
non-profit sector. Talent is educated on how to support NPOs and otherentities in Japan about how to properly evaluate their projects on theirown.
In Fiscal Year 2017, we first did a field study with NPOs and stakeholders
about project evaluations by NPOs and published the results. Based onthese results, we created a curriculum for the “NPO project evaluation
coordinator training course,” which will be held in 2018.
We also made and distributed a booklet titled, “What You Need to Know
about NPOs,” which describe details of the study and other information that
explains the significance and role of NPO project evaluations. We
endeavored to spread these ideas.

Institutional

Since its founding, JNPOC has undertaken activities to develop laws pertaining toNPOs. We work with NPO support centers across the country to collectinformation about corporate systems and tax systems associated with NPOs,
appeal to government and political parties, and spread information about NPO
corporate accounting standards.

■ Commemoration Project for the 20th Anniversary of the NPO Law
2018 marks the 20th year since the Act on the Promotion of Specified Non-profit Activities (NPO Law) was
drafted and enacted. The NPO Law was legislated by the Diet, and we take pride in the fact that social
conventions were drastically changed through the course of those discussions, as well as because of how thelaws were formulated and the sentiment that lies behind it.
An objective of JNPOC is to “Realize a new civil society.” To achieve this, we reexamined the meaning of civilsociety and used the NPO Law for one of our approaches. We spent about a year (from March to December2018) to think about this from various perspectives and created a place discussions and started a project thatwill lead us into the next 20 years.
To kick off the program, we held a forum with over 180 participants on March 19th, 2018 themed, "The society
envisioned by the NPO Law 20 years ago, and the society we envision 20 years from now.” In Fiscal Year 2018,
three groups (i.e., C's, Machi-Pot & JNPOC) will jointly lead the initiative to run regional study groups, themed
study groups and special sites that will be held in 8 regions across the country.
Forum for the 20th year commemoration of the enactment of the NPO Law (March 19).

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English Digest version■ Initiatives to use dormant deposits
We discuss with NPO support centers across the country about how dormant deposits affect local NPOs andmake suggestions about what to do to have a system that boosts local NPO activities.
In September 2017, the Council for Utilization of Dormant Deposits released an "Intermediate summary of
discussions of the Council for Utilization of Dormant Deposits." In response to this, we held a study meeting
entitled, "An Intermediate Summary Reading Group."
In March 2018, we worked with volunteers from NPO support centers to collect opinions about the "Basic
policy on the utilization of funds related to grants for dormant deposits, etc." and submitted them as publiccomments.

Partnerships Creation JNPOC endeavors to create new partnerships with the businessand government sectors.
Division
Creation andDevelopment

A program that creates non-existing mechanisms and frameworks based on a
new perspective.
We propose new values and mechanisms to society with the collaboration ofdifferent sectors and fields.

■ Green Gift Earth Health Program: Training leaders who work to resolve regional problems
The slogan of this project is: “Gifts to
Earth and the future.” Environmental
NPOs across the country will spend
three years starting in 2016 todevelop hands-on programs that deal
with local environmental issues, withthe goal of providing a sustainable
environment (a gift) to future
generations.
With the collaboration between theEnvironmental Partnership Office(EPO), local environmental NPOs,JNPOC, and Tokio Marine & Nichido
Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.’s regional
departments, branches and agents,
partnerships
willbeformedorganically between stakeholders ofvarious specialties and positions. Our hope is that this will lead to more next-generation leaders who partakein solving regional problems.
This project consists of a system that supports domestic and international environmental protection initiatives
by donating a portion of the costs that are saved when users select to read materials on the website rather
than on paper resources (i.e. Users selecting “Web clause” on the website to read contract terms).
In Fiscal Year 2017, events were held in 24 locations across 22 prefectures with a total of 1,659 participants (ofwhich 864 were children).

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Networking

English Digest version

We are involved in multiple networking organizations that each have different
objectives and goals and consists of multiple stakeholders.

■ CEO ConferenceThis conference is held a few times a year as an opportunity for CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of NPO support
centers to share information to the public and discuss the strategies and their management issues.
30th conference (April 7th, 2017) The role of NPO support centers that is required now.
31st conference (September 27th and 28th, 2017)
 How should local NPOs and NPO support centers address dormant deposits?
 Circumstances surrounding NPOs and today's issues with NPO support centers.
32nd conference (January 25th and 26th, 2018)
 The roles and challenges that NPO support centers should take on in a time when regional sustainability
is questioned.
■ Staff dispatch and initiatives with SDGs civil society networks
We dispatched a staff member to Japan Civil Society Network on SDGs (SDGs Japan) to help with theenhancement of domestic and international networks. In light of the universality of SDGs, our goal was to apply
the goals of international society to domestic issues and contribute to the civil sector’s effort to revitalize
Japan’s regions based on an international standard. The following activities were held in Fiscal Year 2017:
 Dispatched one staff member to SDG Japan to support the building of organizational infrastructure Seminars and study groups about SDGs hosted by local NPO support centers Study group for NPOs on SDGs hosted by a non-partisan NPO caucus and SDGs Japan.
 Edited and issued "Basics: That explains SDGs" for the private sector to lead trends.
 Participated as a committee member in SDGs study groups in the field of disabilities

Consultation

We provide highly reliable information to JNPOC members and others who cometo us to discuss matters about NPOs. Depending on the content, consultations caninvolve collaborations with other networks, such as nationwide NPO support
centers, support organizations for different fields or overseas business partners.

■ Introduction and Inquires of NPOs (due diligence)
We are getting an increasing number of inquiries from companies about where to go to donate or collaborate
with NPOs, and what the best methods are. To address this, we are making a system that can act as a point ofconnection between a diverse set of NPOs and companies.
In Fiscal Year 2017, we edited a leaflet about NPO referrals and inquiries (due diligence) that was meant for an
exclusive audience, and we introduced and made inquiries of NPOs for 6 companies, which were mostly
member companies. In some instances, we were even asked to review the donation systems of companies
after we helped them select recipients. We address a wide range of unique needs, from consulting about NPO
recipients, giving referrals and inquiries, and even providing business consultations.

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International

English Digest version

This program officially began in 2015 with the aim to strengthen partnerships
with overseas nonprofits. As globalization keeps growing, we must actively
participate in initiatives that fight against issues that are not just relevant on adomestic scale but also on a global scale, and we receive and send information
about domestic and international NPOs. We publish information about Japanese
civil society in English, exchange information and opinions about Japan's "local"
issues, deepen partnerships with overseas companies and groups, and develop
new businesses.

■ Resilient and Vibrant Rural Communities in Japan and the U.S.
This joint project with Japan Society (USA), mainly grantedby the Japan Foundation Center, focuses on the movementof people (especially young people) going from urban torural areas. We connect with innovators in the US who work
to revitalize rural economies, and share information,encourage mutual teaching, and produce results that are not
only positive for our own practices but for otherorganizations as well.
In the fall of 2017, the first year of the project, 5 Japaneseinnovators from Iwate, Niigata, Shimane and Ehime visitedWest Virginia, Ohio, Nebraska and New York. They visited
social enterprises, NPOs and colleges, etc. that work on theeconomic revitalization of rural areas, mainly in the area ofagriculture. Public programs were held in Nebraska and New
York and the Japanese innovators were interviewed by 5
local media during their visit. After returning to Japan, theysuccessfully incorporated their learnings into their practices. Next year, US leaders that were met on this trip
will be coming to Japan and we are looking forward to the outcome it produces.

East Japan
Earthquake
Reconstruction
supportSince immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, JNPOC has been
supporting NPOs which are helping the region to recover. Many NPOs are locatedin the afflicted areas and provide aid to meet the specific needs of the regions. In
addition to supporting projects, the maintenance and enhancement oforganizational infrastructure is important for providing the best support. JNPOC
engages in a diverse range of supportive activities by leveraging the network ofvarious organizations and corporations that we have cultivated since ourfounding. These supportive activities are funded by donations from members,
individuals, NPOs, volunteers and companies.

7 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, we are seeing more and more areas that show recovery, butthere are regions and areas that are still in the midst of recovery and require assistance. JNPOC continuously
changes its form of assistance based on the changing needs of these areas. For example, the “Nissan President
Fund” provided play and hands-on experiences for children in disaster-stricken areas, and was renewed in
January 2018 as a program called, “Nissan Smile Support Fund,” which collaborates with NPOs that provide
teaching and experiences (including activities that support their daily lives) to children and youth.
In addition to supporting the recovery of the disaster-stricken areas through our support for local NPOs, wewill actively be engaged in sharing and sending out information that we learn through our efforts.

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English Digest version■ Great East Japan Earthquake Local NPO Support FundThis fund started on March 18, 2011 when JNPOC reached out to our members for donations. As of March
2018, donations from various donors (including individuals, groups, volunteers, NPOs, corporations andoverseas groups) have amounted to over 250 million JPY. Some of these donations have come to us in uniqueways, and more than anything, we feel gratitude towards all of the different people who gave their support.
Here are some examples.
 Donations from shareholders (dividends and shareholder benefits)
 Donations from employees (internal donations and earnings from company events)
 Donations from customers (donation matching customers purchases)
Project NameGreat East Japan Earthquake Local NPO Support Fund (general grant)
Great East Japan Earthquake Local NPO Support Fund (specific
grant): Daiwa Securities
Great East Japan Earthquake NPO Support fund (specified grant):“Shinkin no Kizuna” Reconstruction Support Project
Takeda: Life and Lifestyle Recovery Program
Nissan President Fund / Nissan Smile Support Fund

Donor
individuals, group, corporations, etc.
Daiwa Securities, Co., Ltd.
Shinkin Central Bank
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Nissan Motor Company Ltd

Messages from Stakeholders
Tsutomu Higuchi
Representative Director, Kumamoto Disaster Volunteer Group Network(KVOAD); Director, NPO Kumamoto

NPO Kumamoto is an organization that supports NPOs in the Kumamoto Prefecture. We undertake efforts
to develop all civic activities that are foundational to 21st century society, and to empower individuals whoare involved in those activities. We partnered with JNPOC for the Save Japan Project, as well as otherprojects.
It has been two years since the Kumamoto earthquake. We provide creative disaster relief solutions throughpartnerships with various agencies, such as government, corporations and civic groups. At the peak, there
were 350 relief groups giving aid in Kumamoto, but over time, there was a decline in aid coming from outsideof Kumamoto. Because I didn't want to see our new partnerships disappear as something that was only
temporary, I created and continue to provide aid through the "Kumamoto Disaster Volunteer Group Network(KVOAD)," which consists of various stakeholders, including social welfare councils and cooperatives inKumamoto.
JNPOC prompted me to get involved in disaster relief when they reached out to me on the morning of April
15th, 2016. I still remember when I introduced the “Nationwide Disaster Volunteer Support Group Network(JVOAD)” and they said to me, “Higuchi! You won’t be getting any sleep for a long time!” I won’t forget thatmoment for the rest of my life.
KVOAD collects and shares information on NPOs and arranges responsibilities across regions, fields and11

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sectors. When there is a disaster, an area needs to be prepared so that they can effectively use the help of
volunteers who come from all over the country. I also came to understand the importance for local NPO
support organizations like ours to have partnerships with third parties, such as government and social
welfare councils. I feel that JNPOC’s network of diverse stakeholders has demonstrated to be effective inresolving local issues and in the time of a disaster.

Rebecca Masisak
CEO, TechSoup Global

TechSoup is a U.S.-based nonprofit social enterprise that connects nonprofits with mission-critical resources,and helps companies and foundations optimize their philanthropic efforts. Our TechSoup Global Network of
70 partner NGOs has reached over 1 million organizations, delivering technology tools and philanthropic
services worth more than US$10 billion.
We are honored to have been working closely with Japan NPO Center since 2009, when we partnered tocreate TechSoup Japan. Together, we have distributed resources valued at US$34 million to over 4,400
Japanese nonprofits. The almost 10% increase in NGOs served in the past fiscal year alone reflects JapanNPO Center’s positive impact. As it becomes increasingly imperative for NGOs to pursue their digitaltransformation, we look to Japan NPO Center to share its local expertise to move this important work
forward – in Japan and around the world.

Hiroshi Suita
CSR Corporate Citizen Activities / Donation Manager, Corporate
Communications & Public Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (now Takeda Consumer Healthcare Co. Ltd.) assists the areas afflicted by
the Great East Japan Earthquake with a project called, “Lift the spirit of Japan – Support Reconstruction,”
which contributes a portion of profits earned from our non-prescription drug Alinamin. Since 2011, we haveworked on the flagship program, “Takeda: Life and lifestyle playback program,” which is a joint project withJNPOC.
Through the process of the program, we came across the problems of having insufficient information about
the conditions of the afflicted areas or the status of local NPOs, and not having any opportunities to meetwith the local NPOs. We established a partnership with JNPOC because of its comprehensive abilities,

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including: 1. It is an organization that can stay involved across a long time line 2. It can solve complex issues
3. It can create networks of NPOs that are active in an area 4. It can communicate with the business world,
including government agencies, reconstruction agencies and economic associations.
In this age of SDGs, we want to be a company that contributes to a sustainable society. As a corporate citizen,
I feel strongly about wanting to be a source of social value. To achieve this, corporations have to work with
NPOs. The networking and coordinating skills that JNPOC has cultivated through its support of disasterstricken areas are exactly what we need. I look forward to seeing the future success of this Center: a
networking platform, a nationwide information platform, and the national center for intermediary NPOs.

Masaji Nakagawa
Managing Director
MIRAI Support Ishinomaki

8 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake struck the area, the Tohoku region has seen a lot of progresswith hardware development thanks to public aid, such as with embankments, disaster housing, roads,
bridges and tall banking. Meanwhile, NPOs are being called for aid with software.
Right after the earthquake struck, JNPOC not only provided direct support to NPOs in afflicted areas with its
grant system utilizing private funds, but also provided intermediate NPO support in their own unique way,such as by holding briefing sessions and making frequent visits. When the “3/11 Memorial Network” waslaunched in November 2017 and we reached out to people in the Tohoku region leading the effort tomemorialize the disaster, I was struck by how cross-regional the connections through JNPOC are. We may
be at a stage where it would be difficult to produce any results without mutual understanding andcooperation across locations and sectors, such as across metropolitan areas, the Tohoku region,
corporations and NPOs.
There is an idea known as “Build Back Better,” which is to use the recovery phase after a disaster to increase
the resilience of communities in preparation for future disasters. As the Tohoku region sees a populationthat is inevitably decreasing and ageing, the new values that are created from “Build Back Better” efforts
will be applicable to the future of Japan as well.
“Leaving no one behind” is an aspect of SDGs, but Japan is actually one that constantly gets left behindsince the country is permanently adjacent to the Nankai Trough and privy to the disasters caused by it. While
this is a weakness of our country, the strength of Japan comes from our culture which learns and evolves
from these repeated disasters.
My hopes are to work with JNPOC and all of you who are reading this, to create a cooperative society that
embodies the essence of Japan.

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Financial Summary
FY2017(in yen)TOTAL REVENUE

548,870,214

TOTAL EXPENTIDURE

508,815,424

Operating Cost

Membership fees

14,990,000

Donations

426,576,720

Personnel Expenses

Grants26,170,373

Other Expenses

Programs and Contracts

80,528,775

Common Item for Each Program

13,083,320

Information Services

17,240,092

Other604,346

Consultations

76,734,128

447,590

Networking/Public Policy

2,237,375

Research

5,222,412

Facilitative Projects

73,311,079

Forums and Training

6,948,614

International

5,281,379

Disaster Relief for East Japan

308,309,435

Administrative Cost
Personnel Expenses

25,950,659

Other Expenses

12,361,756

FY2018 (budget)(in yen)TOTAL REVENUE

482,180,000

TOTAL EXPENTIDURE

482,095,300

Operating Cost

Membership fees

15,600,000

Donations

357,570,000

Personnel Expenses

Grants33,945,000

Other Expenses

Programs and Contracts

74,605,000

Common Item for Each Program

12,260,000

Information Services

19,734,000

Other

460,000

Consultations

70,968,000

12,000

Networking/Public Policy

7,850,000

Research

7,745,000

Facilitative Projects

75,602,000

Forums and Training

9,188,000

International

2,682,400

Disaster Relief for East Japan

231,840,400

Administrative Cost
Personnel Expenses

29,965,000

Other Expenses

14,248,000

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Summary of the FY 2018 Business Plan
■ Fiscal Year 2018 Business Plan
Fiscal Year 2018 is the first year in our new “Medium term vision for 2018 - 2022.” As the world changes frommoment to moment, so do the ways we address social issues and the way we think about the role of NPOs.
We respond to the question, “How can JNPOC effectively address the demands of the time?” by keeping apulse on the times and by constantly ruminating on our organization’s values.
Our organization and visions are entering a new phase this fiscal year. Our priority business items and themeasures for enhancing our organization are as follows.
(1) Priority items
JNPOC’s mission is to enhance NPO social infrastructures and to build new partnerships with the corporate
and government sectors to encourage them to act as co-creators of a civil society. Our new business plan forthis fiscal year is based upon our new medium term vision. New projects include the "Corporate talentexchange project," wherein there are initiatives to grow the pool of future NPO leaders and promote projects
that train talent, and the "Challenges Laboratory," wherein NPOs delve into social issues and share detailed
solutions.
In 2015, member countries of the United Nations adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the
involvement of a wide range of stakeholders that include civil society. At a local level, there is a growing interest
towards the global 2030 target of realizing a sustainable society. SDGs is a theme that runs across the entiretyof JNPOC’s business plan and is taken into consideration during the implementation of every project.
(2) Measures for enhancing social infrastructure
As a structural reform in fiscal year 2017, a task team was added to tackle the theme of “Expanding the
supporter base,” and they had multiple discussions on how to improve the profit structure (an urgent matter
for JNPOC) and increase voluntary financial resources. This fiscal year, the task team is shifting its emphasis
from planning to executing specific actions. The Directors’ position is up for reelection this fiscal year, and a
new three role system will be put in place at this time. The income and expenditures for the next several years
will be forecasted by the three role organization, and our management plan will be executed afterreconstituting the Executive Committee to be comprised of the three roles and the management office, toscrutinize new and ongoing financial resources.
We will also continue to engage in initiatives this fiscal year to seek the ideal form of a participatoryorganization. Last fiscal year, we attempted to have standardized days to work with volunteers and had thepleasure of experiencing the joys of participating. This year, we are going beyond the realm of volunteering toprovide various opportunities for business partners, directors, councilors and members, etc. to engage in the15

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creation and implementation of projects and we intend on growing as an organization that learns from its
experiences.
We hope to realize a fair and sustainable society, and one of our big goals is to build a society wherein citizens
can speak freely and participate in the process of building political and social structures. We need each andevery one of you to help and support organizations across the country that support NPOs and to support us,
an organization that enhances infrastructure, so that we can expand our roles, increase our influence andbroaden our range of activities. We would like to thank you in advance for your continued support.

■ The New Organizational Structure for 2018
Message from the New Chairperson
July 3, 2018

Natsuko Hagiwara
My name is Natsuko Hagiwara and I was appointed as JapanNPO Center’s Chairperson at the Board of Directors’ Meeting on July 3rd.
I am taking the reins from Noboru Hayase (we are only a year apart inage), who put his heart and soul into running JNPOC for six years since2012 and is a legend of the NPO world and volunteer world. He waspreceded by the other NPO legends Yasuo Harima, Masako Hoshino,
Tadashi Yamamoto (late), and Yoshinori Yamaoka.
When I was in my late 20s, I met Mr. Yoshinori Yamaoka, who was the program officer of the Toyota
Foundation at that time. This meeting led me down the path of involvement in civic activity groups acrossJapan. Later, I got involved with JNPOC by becoming the Managing Director in July 2004 with Mr. Yamaoka as
the Chairperson and becoming the Vice Chairperson in July 2012 with Mr. Hayase as the Chairperson.
2016 marked the 20th year since JNPOC was founded. This year, we have a new mid-term vision andhave taken our first step towards promoting value creation for civic society. I wish I was lucky enough to play
the rookie card, but I have no choice but to lead the team pursuit in this metaphorical long track speed race. I
will put everything I have into this role and will make sure that we have something to hand off to our next
generations. I thank you in advance for your support.
At the Board of Directors’ Meeting on July 3rd, Makoto Oshima (reappointed) and Katsuji Imata wereappointed as Vice Chairpersons, and Yoshifumi Tajiri was appointed as the Executive Director (previously aSpecial Director).
Together with the Vice Chairpersons, Executive Director, board members, staff members and all ofyou members, I hope to endeavor in the mission to enhance NPO infrastructures and strengthen civic society,based on the concept stated in JNPOC’s mission statement at the time of its founding: “To conceive of a civilsociety with diversity and individual autonomy.” I thank you in advance for your support.

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English Digest version■ Initiatives for 2018
Promoter of Value Creation
Kenji Yoshida, Managing Director
JNPOC has always talked about NPO activities from theperspectives of both business and activities, but the new medium term
vision emphasizes that, “NPOs are the leaders in value creation.” For the
next five years, we will base our initiatives on this new medium term
vision and deepen our partnerships with NPO support centers across thecountry so that we can release new values into society while NPOs makeprogress from the perspectives of business and activities.
This fiscal year is the year to make new business plans based on our medium term vision, but wehave also already incorporated new projects into this year’s plan. We have new initiatives that will delve intosocial issues faced by NPOs, and initiatives undertaken with a diverse set of stakeholders to think of solutions
from the unique perspective of a civic society, such as the “Challenges Laboratory,” “Corporate Human
Resources Exchange Project,” and “Civil Society Creation Laboratory.”
We will continue with our efforts from the last fiscal year to recruit more supporters and enhance
public relations and communications. I hope to learn from the experiences of NPOs and send messages out tothe public so that we can increase our support base who will do this with us.
This year is a milestone that marks 20 years since the NPO Laws were founded. There are many projects thatare taking place which will have a big impact on NPOs, like SDGs and dormant deposit projects. We willcontinue to address these circumstances and provide a place to hold discussions.
I am taking the time to reaffirm our mission statement of realizing “a civil society with diversity andindividual autonomy” and “An open civil society that is fair and transparent” before I proceed with this year’s
projects.

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Board of Directors and Staff Members
as of July 3, 2018
■ Board of Directors

Natsuko Hagiwara - Rikkyo University (Chairperson)
Makoto Oshima - Kubikino NPO Support Center (Vice Chairperson)
Katsuji Imata - CSO Network Japan (Vice Chairperson)
Yoshifumi Tajiri - Japan NPO Center (Executive Director)
Tatsuya Ishihara – Okayama NPO Center
Yuko Ueda - The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Masaaki Ohashi - Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation
Momoko Koga - Fukuoka NPO Center
Hiroaki Sakuma - Furusato no kai
Atsuo Shibuya - Japan College of Social Work / Central Community Chest of Japan
Yoshiyasu Nozaki - Japan National Council of Social Welfare
Noboru Hayase - Osaka Voluntary Action Center
Chikako Futamura - Japanese Consumers’ Cooperative Union
Tomoko Hoshino - Environmental Partnership Council
Toshihiro Menju - Japan Center for International Exchange
Hiroshi Yamazaki - Whole Earth Nature School
Mika Yamamokawa - MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc. / Keidanren Japanese Business Federation■ Internal Auditors

Kenichiro Kawasaki - Lawyer, Legal Commons Legal Office
Takeshi Hayasaka - Accountant, Hayasaka Tax Accountants’ Office■ Staff Members

Kenji Yoshida - Managing Director
Eiji Ueda - Deputy Managing Director/Team Leader
Kazuho Tsuchiya - Team Leader
Hikaru Chiyoki
Yuko Fujino
Kyosuke Honda
Yuko Mitsumoto
Masayuki Mochizuki
Shinji Nagase
Kaoru Nakagawa
Eriko Nitta
Kazutaka Sakaguchi
Shuhei Shiino
Miyuki Shimizu
Yoichiro Tsuji
Asami Yamamoto
Katsuko Yamawaki
Hideo Watanabe

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