Let’s build a proud nation!
 It must not be forgotten that the Japanese policy of adopting various systems from the West under Japan’s bureaucratic leadership was responsible for its past prosperity. Now that the nation does not have any apparent goals, it is up to us to think how to build our country. Japanese citizens need to be encouraged to want an independent nation and establish its identity.
What helped Japan overcome adversity and turn things around during the Meiji Restoration and post-war economic reconstruction period was youth who had high aspirations for their country. JC members (Jaycee) who are the young leaders of today should be firmly committed to building a proud nation where its citizens can be “glad I am Japanese” and “glad I was born in Japan”.
Let’s fulfill a mission that only Jaycees can fulfill!
There is a mission that only we Jaycees can fulfill.
The Junior Chamber is an unrivalled campaign organization that captures things and sets the goals for the future, using the sentiment of unencumbered youth, and also develops various on-going activities to achieve the goals. The “Junior Chamber movement” has unlimited potential to reform society, so we the Jaycees who believe in the possibility of reform assembled together to be such leaders.The power of the first person to take action will be only subtle, but as has been proved with the history of Japan, if people with the same aspirations assemble and move in the same direction with the same goals, before long they will transform a region and then the whole country. Unless individuals take a first step, Japan will not make big achievements.
Now is the time that we Jaycees need to set about to reform society as one, from country regions to the whole nation.
Develop the JC movement!
We at the Tokyo Junior Chamber celebrated the 50th anniversary of the JC inauguration in 1999 and advocated the “NEXT 50” looking to the next 50 years by taking new steps for action, all the time aware that the “JC is an indispensable organization in our society.”
The JC movement is becoming more firmly grounded in society while still continually evolving. What is needed for our movement now is not simply to “turn over the soil, but cultivate previously nurtured soil, sow the seeds, water the seeds, and return to society the cultivated product.” To achieve this we will need to inspect past campaigns and maximize previous invaluable experiences and know-how to further develop campaign models.
Change the nation beginning from local regions!
The goal of the entire Tokyo JC movement is to create an active Japan. The regional committees hold the view that Japan should be changed starting from local regions. They share the same policies and promote the development of wide-ranging campaigns without, however, being constrained to regional borders.
The policy committee is developing two campaigns to compliment each other, one which “proposes a regional campaign model which will be spread wider later,” and one which “proposes a reform plan for the nation which will be specifically applied directly to developing the campaign.”
Also, in order to create an active Japan, we will need to go beyond the borders of the organization and develop the most effective movement that is compatible with society in collaboration with other bodies and individuals.
Organization that puts to best use its “people”
It goes without saying the greatest asset of the Tokyo JC is not its financial assets nor policies but its “people”. We must lead society in a better direction by educating individuals to think for themselves, and the organization must adopt their various values and ways of thinking. In order to maximize this driving force we will carry out bold reform of our operations and organization.
Firstly, we will reform our organization, beginning by revising the conference body/consultative body so that a large number of independent members participate. We will also expand the number of directors, and thereby clarify our rights and responsibilities by entrusting authority to our directors. Next, we will develop ordinary meetings so that its “people” are linked effectively to the development of the movement. This will increase Jaycees’ insight and refine our education as young economists. Furthermore, in order to solidify the base of the movement, we will introduce a special zone management reform system that can when needed revise our accounting guidelines, utilize external funds, reform the functions of the secretariat, and improve management.
The Tokyo Junior Chamber is here! It has no other parallel in society.
What Tokyo JC activities bring about is not only social reform. It is not often that each and every one of us has the opportunity to really feel the process of humanistic growth. We should try and achieve the sensation that “I will be different tomorrow from what I am today”. The ability to experience this wonderful sense is a major feature of being part of the Junior Chamber movement.
I believe it is imperative that we youth who are being asked to fulfill this leadership role can experience this, and that only people who have had such a rare experience can become active as a leader for social reform.
If you “change the local region,” then you can “change Tokyo,” and then “Japan,” but more than anything, you will “change yourself.”
The only entity that can put this campaign into place is the Tokyo JC. Each member should be encouraged to raise their value of the existence of the Tokyo JC in society, and live as indispensable individuals in society.
The future is not built tomorrow; it is built today. Let us begin the challenge of reform from this moment now.
As the 56th Tokyo JC president, I believe in the potential of the Tokyo JC. I will strive forward with the members to create a future society brimming with hope.
The Tokyo Junior Chamber is here!
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