"Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are an important source of citizens' power against the state, and they have played important roles in domestic and international politics around the world. However, they have only recently gained significant membership in Japan within the past few decades. This strengthening of NGOs offers an interesting example for exploring the intersection of non-Western culture and the rise of civil society. In Civil Society in Japan Keiko Hirata examines the changing relations between the Japanese state and NGOs in promoting effective aid policies and explores the changing nature of policy making and governance in Japan. It is based on extensive research in Southeast Asia and Japan and analyzes the role of development NGOs in fields such as education, health care, environmental protection, and social reform. It analyzes the relationship between Japanese NGOs and other key players in aid policy making, including the Japanese bureaucracy and legislature, business community, and organizations in recipient countries. Hirata offers a look into the growing relevance of civil society in Japan and offers insightful ideas of how it may continue to expand in the future."--BOOK JACKET.