Shonan Tax Office No. 146 November 1^th, 2001

NPO

　

      NPO (Non Profit Organization) tax law has established from this year.　To tell you the truth, I only know about NPO.　Therefore, I study about NPO this time.　There is NPO law, is the Law to Promote Specified Nonprofit Activities that is volunteer work, has concluded in 1998. It has been past four years.　According to Japan NPO center, “Under the NPO Law, NPOs can be incorporated without the approval process, and the governor of the prefecture where the NPOs are located (or the Cabinet Office in the case of NPOs with offices in at least two prefectures) is required to authenticate establishment of such organizations if they conform with the provisions set forth.

      More than 6,000 NPOs incorporated as Specified Nonprofit Corporation since 1998, which dramatically changed the landscape of Japan's civil society.

     What kind of organizations can be incorporated?　The law stated that "contribute to the advancement of the interests of many people."　Furthermore, it promotes activities that stress any of the following 12 areas: health, medical care, and welfare; social education; community development; culture, the arts, and sports; the environment; disaster relief; community safety; human rights and peace; international cooperation; equal treatment of women in society; sound nurturing of youth; and support of any of the above.　It has more than ten workers. NPO does not work on religious and political activities, in addition to the election campaigns.