Wieczorek, Iris

The internet as an instrument and platform for NGOs to strengthen civil society in Japan

Abstract

Until the mid 1990s NGOs (Non-Governmental-Organizations) in Japan had little opportunities to actively participate in the political decision making process because of the "closed" structure of the Japanese political system. Since then the political opportunity structures in Japan are changing and NGOs are gradually gaining more influence on policy decisions. This paper focuses on the question whether the internet offers new opportunities for Japanese NGOs in terms of becoming more active in strenghtening civil society and in bringing about political and social changes in Japan. Pressing national and global issues such as environmental pollution and foreign aid are taken as examples to discuss whether and how NGOs achieve their goals through the use of the internet. Based on fieldwork in Japan this paper examines how effectively the internet is used by NGOs for gaining and exchanging information, for building up networks, for mobilizing the public and for challenging the political elites.