* Can non-profit organisations help solve the crisis in Japanese public services? * Can the non-profit sector grow to make a substantial contribution to Japanese society? * Is civil society possible in Japan? This book explores the background to the development of the non-profit sector, the potential roles that it can play in society and the key managerial challenges for the leaders of the sector. As well as offering new ways of delivering public services, it also poses questions about the relationship of the individual to society and about the presence, or otherwise of a 'civil society' in Japan. It contains contributions from leading researchers, internationally as well as from key practitioners from the sector in Japan. The Voluntary and Non-Profit Sector in Japan provides the first study of the Japanese non-profit sector to combine research findings with the real experience of practitioners inside the sector. It will be essential reading for students of Japanese society, or those interested in the development of the voluntary and non-profit sector in Japan. Mie Ohwa,Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan Takako Ueto, Kobe Women's University, Japan Victoria Lyon Bestor, Executive Director, NCC North American Coordinating Council on Ja