The campaign raised awareness for the need of computer assistance for nonprofit organizations. Several groups such as JCA-NET, and Japan TUNAGU-NET, had already started such programs. However, in Japan, where the nonprofit sector still is in the emerging stage, assistance to nonprofits is not a big market. Many groups focus on supporting seniors and people with disabilities.
The following is a list of groups and Web sites which provide computer
assistance for nonprofits and the disadvantaged.
Japan CompuMentor
Based in Project 2020 in Tokyo. Promotes computer use in Ombudsmen
and other civic activity groups.
JCA-NET
Beside providing Internet access on their own server, JCA-Net provides
technology support and consulting to nonprofit organizations. Also organizes
training classes for nonprofit people.
Kokoroweb
IBM Japan's computer support page for the challenged.
M@cSalon
Based in Tokyo and Fukuoka, M@cSalon provides twice monthly computer
training classes for nonprofits and citizens. It also provide mentoring
services to nonprofits and the challenged.
PropStation
One of the most active organizations in providing computer support
for the physically challenged. Seeks to create a Japan "where the Challenged
can be a taxpayer."
Skip
Project
A computer technology support group for the physically challenged and
senior citizens. Works especially with social service/daycare/rehabilitation
organizations in the Nagoya area.
Sustainable Community Center Japan
A Kyoto-based "incubator" nonprofit to support business and social
entrepreneurship. Partnering with Kyoto Social Education Promotion Foundation,
the SCCJ started in April 1999 a computer mentoring project primarily for
the senior and the challenged.,
Japan ("Connect-Net")
TUNAGU-NET provides computer support for volunteer and nonprofit organizations
in Nagoya area. It connects "persons to computers, as well as computers
to computers".
UDIT
A research firm on universal designs for information equipment.
Welfare PC Association
Tokyo based Welfare PC Association spearheaded to organize WeCan, a
nation-wide network for computer using challenged people. Promotes independent
living and working, using computer at home. Organizes computer volunteers.
World
Nature Network (Wnn-v)
An environmental information Web site operated by NTT, the largest
telecommunications company in Japan. Has many links to computer volunteering
groups.
Katchin-san's Computer Recycling Home page
Texas Instrument's Used Computer Page
Personal Computer Recycling Homepage
Recycled Equipment Page (Aichi Prefecture)
1:00-5:00p.m., March 23 (Mon.)
At Sendai L Park, Gallery Hall
Organized by Sendai Education Commission and Sendai-Miyagi NPO Center
Other Supporters:
NTT, Tohoku Branch
Routeku Kenkyu-kai of the Institute of Electronics, Information and
Communications Engineers (IEICE)
Miyagi Multimedia Magic Cooperative
Contact: Yasushi Sato
Lifelong Learning Section, Education Bureau, City
of Sendai
Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-71, Japan
Phone: 022-214-8886 Fax: 022-268-4822
Internet: yas-s@virgo.bekkoame.or.jp
Noriko Kondo, Routeku Kenkyu-kai
Internet:gokuraku@fb3.so-net.or.jp
SeniorNet Sendai
The City
of Sendai (Sendai Education Commission in charge) is constructing Mediatheque,
a major media and information center to be completed by 2000. It will include
a library, an art gallery, a visual media center, Internet access terminals,
and media facilities for the challenged. Sendai City had taken unusual
steps (as a Japanese government entity) to work closely with citizens to
plan, build, and operate this public facility. They regularly organize
events to promote awareness about media among citizens. Every March they
have major such events, "Media Festa", to which they invited Ben-Horin
in 1998.
Sendai-Miyagi NPO Center is one of those NPO support center
organizations springing up nationwide. They support and coordinate nonprofit
organization creating efforts in Sendai and Miyagi Prefecture. See
details of Routeku Kenkyu-kai in the Tokyo Conference section.
SAPPORO CONFERENCE (video telephone conference, connected to Sendai)
1:00-5:00p.m., March 23 (Mon.)
At Sapporo City Network Plaza
Contact: Takashi Suzuki
Internet:tsuzuki@nisiq.net@
Sapporo HashiNet
The Sendai Conference was connected to the Sapporo Conference
via video telephone. NTT helped this online project. Many of the
Sapporo organizers work closely with "Network Community Forum '97" (NCF97),
which was formed in Sapporo in 1997 to promote civic computer networking.
The NCF97 organizes computer classes at Network Plaza, a city owned community
media center.
Other Supporters:
Citizens Office of Hyogo Prefectural Government
City of Amagasaki
Sankei Newspaper
Yomiuri Newspaper, Hanshin Branch
Asahi Newspaper, Hanshin Branch
Mainichi Newspaper, Hanshin Branch
Contact: Kaoru Yamazaki, NPO Symphony
3-21-35 Higashinaniwa-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo-ken
Phone: 06-483-2329, Fax: 06-483-2329
Internet: y129@gold.ocn.ne.jp
NPO Symphony is not an orchestra. It is a regional coalition
of groups to promote idea of nonprofit organization. They have been active
in campaigns for NPO bills and advancement of nonprofit management.
Amagasaki is situated between Kobe and Osaka, and was
devastated by Great Hanshin Earthquake (popularly Kobe Earthquake) in January
1995, which killed more than 6,000 people. Though devastating, the quake
prompted massive volunteer activities, with total 1.5 million volunteers
entering the Kobe area to support victims and to rebuild the city. The
Japanese dubbed the 1995 as the "first year of the volunteerism". After
4 years, the volunteers and volunteer organizations still active in the
Kobe area are wondering what they can do next.
They still have tasks to do, to serve many survivors housed
in temporary housing. But what strategy they can take now to systematically
build the newly emerged volunteer sector? CompuMentor gave them some hints.
They learned now-hows to strengthen the nonprofit sector and specifically
to organize computer volunteers for nonprofit work.
During the quake relief efforts, volunteers obtained many
computers. "Personal computer volunteers" ("paso-bora" as they are called
in Japanese) used the technology to coordinate the relief efforts. Yet,
overall the machines were not used widely by the volunteers. They face
tasks to improve computer literacy among volunteers and nonprofits.
Other Supporter: See below.
Contact: Hirosato Matsuura, Japan
TUNAGU-NET
114-2-303 Tkamine-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi-ken 466-0811
Tel:052-837-4228 Fax:052-782-1445
Internet: matswra@jca.ax.apc.org
Japan TUNAGU-NET ("Connect Net") is a newly organized
civic activity connecting organization. They say, "We will be a CompuMentor
in Japan." Helping other nonprofits, Japan TUNAGU-NET is planning to establish
an Internet home page, called "Civic Activities Calendar System, Chubu-Version,"
for information exchange among grassroots groups. Chubu is the central
Japan area (between Tokyo and Osaka), where Nagoya is the main city.
Japan TUNAGU-NET was formerly called "Civic Forum 21 Information
Networking Group". Civic Forum 21 had been active in promoting nonprofit
organization ideas and practices, and especially focused on the role of
information and networking technology. They sent a couple of study tours
to the Bay Area.
American Center is the public affairs and exchange programs
division of the United States Information Agency (USIA). Their support
prompted support from city and prefectural governments in the Nagoya area.
The organizers published an extensive report of the conference,
titled: "Mentors Connect People, Dreams and the Future". Contact Japan
TUNAGU-NET.
The following groups also supported the Nagoya conference.
Nagoya International Center
(City government operated international event center. Venue of the
Nagoya conference.)
Eco Volunteer Mie
(Supports information exchange among environmentalists.)
Citizen's Media Study Forum
Skip
Project
Japan Pacific Resource Network
(JPRN)
Japan-U.S. Community Education and Exchange
(JUCEE)
Wadati Computer
House
(The challenged's self-help group to promote independent living and
working. Organizes the challenged into a computer professional work group,
which provides consulting and other computer related services on contract
basis.)
Civic Forum 21 NPO Center
Aichi Prefectural Government
Gifu Prefectural Government
Nagoya City Government
Aichi Prefectural International Exchange Association
Other related information sites in Nagoya area:
POPEYE
(Provides fax access to information on the Internet.)
Mikanyama-Net
Informal Homepage
(The community computer network Mikanyama-Net provides computer assistance
to social service organizations in Nagoya.)
Tokai Internetwork
Council's Social Service Application Committee
(A computer professional's organization to promote and support a barrier-free
information environment for the challenged)
Asks Network
(Yokkaichi, Mie-based computer support group.)
Other Supporters: See below.
Contact: Noriko Kondo,
Internet:gokuraku@fb3.so-net.or.jp
Routeku Kenkyu-kai stands for Old-tech (rhymed with Low-Tech)
Study Group. The IEICE is the oldest and most prestigious academic society
in communications engineering. Routeku Kenkyu-kai supports seniors and
the challenged people in media/computer literacy. Their emphasis is on
universal access. They frequently invite American and Korean Seniornet
members to conferences in Japan and participate in international exchange
programs overseas. They work with academics, government agencies (Post
and Telecommunications Ministry and local governments), businesses (such
as NTT) and civic groups.
The Ben-Horin speech is part of a larger one day symposium,
in which many telecommunications experts and grassroots practicians spoke
and discuss universal access to technologies.
Sponsor of Tokyo Conference:
Telecommunications Promotion Foundation
Technical Supporters:
NTT
NTT America
NTT Mehora
Matsushita Electronics Systems Square
Matsushita Electronics Technology General Affairs Center
Matsushita Electronics Telecommunications System Research Institute
Supporters:
Access International
N. Takeda
Ginchan Oendan
Other Supporters:
JCA-NET
Advance Ltd. Co
Japan-U.S. Community Education and Exchange (JUCEE) http://www.jucee.org
Yokohama City Social Service Council Volunteer Center
Kanagawa Interpublishing Association
Kamome Internet
Kanagawa Prefectural Citizen's
Activity Support Center
Contact: Nakakazu Nagashima, Conference Secretariat
Fax:045-783-7272
Internet:nakakazu@towntv.co.jp
NPO Support Center Collaborative
Tel: 03-3545-0561 Fax:03-3545-0562
c/o NPO Promotion Forum
The conference was supported by and held at Kanagawa Prefectural
Citizens' Center where Kanagawa
Prefectural Citizen's Activity Support Center is located. The Citizen's
Activity Support Center is one of the first nonprofit incubators in Japan.
The Center has a 4-floor 3000 square meters space for meeting rooms, multipurpose
areas, a printing room, and a volunteer counseling area. Startup nonprofits
rent lockers and mail box here. More than 300 groups use lockers to store
their organizational belongings. More than 230 groups use P.O. boxes. They
can use printing machines without fees. The Center, the hub of civic activities
in the Yokohama Area, has a big fair every March, in which Ben-Horin was
invited in 1998.
One of the organizers, NPO Support Center Collaborative,
is a coordinating efforts among dozens of NPO support centers around the
nation. Their office is based in NPO Promotion Forum, which is spearheading
efforts in NPO legislations and other nonprofit sector promotion campaigns.
Also instrumental in organizing the conference is JCA-Net,
Japan member of the Association
of Progressive Communications, which is a world-wide collaboration
of progressive computer networks. Beside being an Internet access provider
to nonprofits, JCA-Net provides computer training classes and consulting
services for grassroots groups.