A State-in-Society Approach to the Nonprofit Sector: Welfare Services in Japan

Abstract

This article uses the case of Japan to advocate for a new theoretical approach to the study of the nonprofit sector. In particular, it examines how theoretical models based on the European and North American experiences have difficulty explaining the relationship between the nonprofit sector and the state in Japan, and argues that a state-in-society approach is better suited to explaining complex state-society relations in diverse cultural contexts. It does this by examining the evolution of social welfare service provision in Japan. This article is motivated to explain an apparent paradox: Japan's recent efforts toward greater government decentralization and privatization of services have empowered and enlarged the nonprofit sector even as they have also expanded the scope of state authority and enhanced its legitimacy.Résumé le présent article prend l'exemple du Japon pour préconiser une nouvelle approche théorique dans l'étude du secteur sans but lucratif. Il examine, notamment, comment les modèles théoriques qui reposent sur les expériences en Europe et en Amérique du Nord ont des difficultés à expliquer le lien entre le secteur non lucratif et l'É tat du Japon; en outre, il fait valoir que l'approche de l' «É tat dans la société» est mieux adaptée pour expliquer les relations complexes entre l'É tat et la société dans des contextes culturels différents. Son argumentation repose sur l'étude de l'évolution des services sociaux au Japon. Cet article s'efforce d'expliquer un paradoxe apparent: les efforts récents du Japon en faveur d'une décentralisation plus poussée de l'É tat, ainsi que la privatisation des services, ont développé et accru l'influence du secteur non lucratif, comme ils ont également étendu les limites de l'autorité de l'É tat et renforcé sa légitimité.

The Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy

“…Japan's history has none of these elements, so it has followed a different path in its formation of a welfare state and nonprofit sector. Haddad's (2011) analysis of Japan's nonprofit sector supports the theory that the country is an exceptional case and proposes a 'state in society approach' to understanding it.…”

Addressing loneliness and social isolation amongst elderly people through local co‐production in Japan

“…Given the focus in this article on local co‐production in the context of addressing social isolation, it is important to stress that a growing literature exists on co‐production in Japanese local government. There have been several studies (written in English) which consider citizen volunteering (Avenell, 2010; Haddad, 2007; Schoppa, 2012), grassroots groups and non‐profit organisations (Haddad, 2011; Pekkanen, 2006; Tsujinaka, Pekkanen, & Yamamoto, 2009). However, comparatively little effort has focused on the application of co‐production programs in the Japanese context.…”

“…Historically, Japanese local governments have relied heavily on non‐governmental organisations and volunteers to provide welfare services (Haddad, 2011; Yamashita, 2013). For instance, one of the measures to alleviate social isolation among the elderly is mimamori , which translates to ‘neighbourhood watch’.…”

“…Although participants in mimamori involve the public, private and non‐profit sectors, voluntary welfare commissioners ( minsei‐iin ) and local community groups, have historically played a significant role (Kobayashi & Goto, 2016). Previous studies have documented municipal government initiatives to encourage volunteerism and grassroots voluntary organisations for more efficient service delivery (Avenell, 2010; Haddad, 2011; Pekkanen, 2006). Volunteer welfare commissioners are ‘elite members of society who had contact with the poor… and charged them with determining and distributing public assistance’ (Haddad, 2011, p. 32).…”

“…Previous studies have documented municipal government initiatives to encourage volunteerism and grassroots voluntary organisations for more efficient service delivery (Avenell, 2010; Haddad, 2011; Pekkanen, 2006). Volunteer welfare commissioners are ‘elite members of society who had contact with the poor… and charged them with determining and distributing public assistance’ (Haddad, 2011, p. 32). In sum, they are private citizens appointed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).…”