<Responsible generation building
an active nation full of hope>
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Shinichiro Furuya
FY2004 55th President
Tokyo Junior Chamber |
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Following enormous post-war growth, Japanese citizens have attained materialistic
prosperity. The flip side, however, is that love toward our country or recognition
of personal responsibility has waned, and inner prosperity has been lost.
Japan is an independent nation based on the principles of democracy and liberal
economics. However, such principles and fundamentals are by no means functioning
properly at the moment. Do we not have too many people who are advocates for freedom
or rights yet neglect any attempts to fulfill the associated responsibilities
or obligations?
Our Junior Chamber movement began 55 years ago with the proclamation, "Reconstructing
a new Japan is the responsibility of the youthÅh. It is the duty of the
Junior Chamber as the current generation to build an active nation filled with
hope, propose how society should be structured, and take the lead among all citizens
to reform society for the next generation.
Regaining the honor and pride of the nation, and inner prosperity currently lost
to contemporary Japan will require big aspirations among youth to rally their
wisdom, courage, sentiments, and spirit. With determined resolution to "make
the changes that need to be changedÅh without fear of failure, we will build
an active nation full of hope so that the children of tomorrow will be glad they
were born in this country.
<Instigators of reform directing movements demanded by society>
Building an active nation full of hope will require the development of two things:
reform of individual awareness that the building of one's own region or
nation with the aims of individual independence and regional autonomy must be
borne of one's own responsibility; and reform of the social system whereby
the principles and fundamentals behind an independent nation, democracy, and liberal
economy properly function.
We have to date been proposing policies towards resolving political, administrative,
economic, educational, welfare, environmental, and international issues, but the
different issues facing society today are all mutually entwined and complicated
so that a resolution cannot be achieved in one area unilaterally. In future, issues
will further need to be resolved broadly across a range of disciplines.
The Junior Chamber movement starts by examining, and evaluating from various angles,
the awareness among citizens of certain issues, ascertains the nature of issues
by considering them with the sensitivity of youth, and takes the lead in social
reform to solve such issues. In order to shake up society, I feel that the Junior
Chamber needs to take an extra step forward.
In view of the policies that could be realized for improving benefits to society
as a whole, we must develop a movement aimed at drastic reform whereby even the
national framework is changed. This can be achieved by taking responsibility for
deepening debate in conjunction with NPOs, private organizations, administrative
agencies, and industry, and take a further step towards "policy realization&Arg;h
involving the actual shaping of policy proposals.
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That would represent a movement required by society and the future, which is indeed
the mission of Jaycees who are the instigators of reform. We must therefore embark
on a clear way forward and assume such responsibilities with the future in mind.
<Change begins from our self-awareness and the organization>
The Tokyo Junior Chamber movement is developing in a multitude of ways, but in
order to unleash a synergistic effect from the different projects or movements
and link this to an improvement in quality, it will be necessary to review the
function and structure of the Committee or the Conference. It will be possible
to develop the movement more effectively by expanding the policy and planning
functions that are comprehensive, coherent, and assertive such as extracting issues
and formulating policies, and putting into practice the movement and methods for
managing it; putting together basic policies more so than till now; and emphasizing
the coordination of different topics. An important step for constructing a regionally-sovereign
type of society comprising the national consciousness is to develop surveys, research
and analyses of issues of the 23 wards and a broad range of different issues that
cannot be solved by each relevant region, and develop a movement considered necessary
for society.
Continuing on from what has been cultivated over many years and put into practice,
the Tokyo Junior Chamber will expand on the good things, boldly revise what needs
to be revised, and create an organization with real ability to efficiently and
more essentially carry out debates to bring about a ground swell of support for
the movement. First, by continuing the movement with high aspirations and a determined
resolution, the creation of an ideal society should without doubt be achievable.
<Change begins from the individual, from passion, and from
action>
The answer to "what we JCs can and should do" is right in front
of us. Each individual acting with conviction and eliciting all his/her strength
will lead to change within oneself and the Junior Chamber and society.
In all ages, societal change has started from the opinions of one individual,
the passion of one individual, and the actions of one individual.
Each steady movement changes into a bigger step. The role of the Tokyo Junior
Chamber is sensed as a big one precisely because we live in chaotic times, and
precisely because we live everyday directly faced with different crises. It is
my firm belief that each one of us, including myself, can play a role in carving
out a bright, proud and prosperous age if we act with confidence and self-awareness.
As the 55th President of the Tokyo Junior Chamber, I am looking forward to working
with other members to fulfill my role with all my strength.
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