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“41st Foundation for Encouragement of Social Contribution” Award Ceremony [2011年12月09日(Fri)]

Chairman Sasakawa addresses the award ceremony, telling recipients: “I have a lot to learn from people who have dedicated so many years to serving others.”


“41st Foundation for Encouragement of Social Contribution” Award Ceremony


On November 21 last year I went to the Imperial Hotel in central Tokyo to attend the 41st award ceremony for the Foundation for Encouragement of Social Contribution, whose activities are funded by the Nippon Foundation.

Nominated for awards in 2011 were a total of 187 people who are contributing to society in Japan and overseas in an unassuming way, outside of the public eye; and 54 of them (involved in 49 different initiatives) enjoyed their moment in the sun as award winners.

I am very grateful to the hard work of Foundation Chairman Kimindo Kusaka, Selection Committee Chairman Masajuro Shiokawa, and the members of the board for having carefully reviewed the documents accompanying recommendations as well as the mountain of materials collected by foundation staff members who travelled to various sites.

At the award ceremony, I was impressed by the vibrant faces of the award recipients. As I told them in my speech, their beautifully vibrant auras no doubt reflects their noble spirit of always seeking to help others.

In my speech, I congratulated them for all of their hard work that has contributed to the welfare of the world and its people. I have tried to do likewise, through my efforts to help eliminate leprosy and increase food production in Africa, but considering the achievements of the award recipients reminded me of my own shortcomings and encouraged me to work harder in the future.

The sort of activities carried out by the award recipients are precisely what is needed today because Japan’s enormous fiscal deficit (on the order of one quadrillion yen!) means that more and more sectors are beyond the reach of the nation and its government. The award recipients have helped offset this by providing solid support at the grassroots level.

Another point I emphasized in my speech at the ceremony is the great image of Japan globally, as reflected in the fact that for three years running, starting in 2006, it topped a BBC ranking of countries considered to exert a positive influence around the world―and is still in the top ranks of that ranking. One reason for this positive reputation is due to the efforts of Japanese people like the award recipients I addressed at the ceremony, who are helping to bring the magnificent Japanese spirit to the rest of the world.

In my speech I also pointed the bonds among Japanese people, which were the focus of attention after the March 11 disaster. It is precisely that spirit of mutual assistance, reflected in the Japanese spirit, that the Nippon Foundation is seeking to foster through its philanthropic efforts. We are also recognizing and awarding activities by businesses that contribute to society, based on the view that businesses cannot simply concern themselves with earning profits. Indeed businesses will be called upon to play an increasingly prominent role, which is all the more apparent as we confront the prospect of recovering from the recent disaster.

More and more young people in Japan, as I pointed out to the award recipients, are seeking to work for businesses that actively honor their corporate social responsibilities. We have thus entered an age in which firms seeking to hire the most promising graduates will not be able to attract personnel unless they conscientiously pursue CSR initiatives. I myself am working every day, proceeding by trial and error, to create mechanisms that will enable these businesses to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations, volunteer groups, and people like you, who stand on the front lines.

A final point I touched on in my speech is that Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) has declined in recent years, thereby diluting the country’s oversea presence. Yet despite that decline wherever I go in the world―and to date I have visited more than 120 countries―I encounter Japanese people doing honest work and fitting in within the local community. They don’t call attention to their efforts, and they are hardly ever mentioned in the media.

When you see how Japan and the Japanese spirit clearly flows through them, however, you realize that foreign aid means more than just using putting up ODA-financed public buildings. Hardly anyone who lives in Japan knows how influential this aspect of the Japanese spirit―its soft power―really is. This year, the Foundation for Encouragement of Social Contribution’s selection committee paid particular attention to this point in making their evaluations. As someone involved in overseas assistance activities, I find this very gratifying and feel it needs to be publicized throughout Japan.
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 09:00 | URL | comment(0)