A is a Japanese local community of citizens or a form of

neighborhood association A neighborhood association (NA) is a group of residents or property owners who advocate to organize activities within a neighborhood. An association may have elected leaders and voluntary dues. Some neighborhood associations in the United States ...

History

Before the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, more than 70,000 municipalities in Japan were small entities. The new centralized government viewed them as potential areas of unrest. Two waves of municipal mergers intended to weaken those entities. This resulted in ''chōnaikai'', informal associations taking the place of former village or neighbourhood communities. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, these associations were involved in many points: * Civil defense against bombing and ensuing fires * Maintenance of roads and public buildings * Supply of food and first aid gear During the Occupation of Japan, the American provisional government forbade them. They were allowed only after the

Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and including World War II. It w ...

in 1951. Nowadays, the ''chōnaikai'' are put forward again and are gathered in a nationwide .

Characteristics

A ''chōnaikai'' deals with five criteria:

Territory

The local government generally covers the same area. According to the evolution of the population, the ''chōnaikai'' may be divided.

Membership

The household is the basic member. Some sections may exist for women, children or elderly, taking part in the proper activities. Sometimes, a corporate membership is also allowed for financial issues.

Automatic membership

For a new household, membership is not mandatory, but gives access to a lot of facilities. Non-member households are somewhat ostracized from the community and are treated as strangers . People in rented rooms, typically students or young salary men, are said to be member of the household of the landowner. Because apartment tenants reside in the community temporarily, and the associations are geared toward homeowners and families, they are under no social pressure to join.

Activities

They attend a wide range: * Security of the neighbourhood, especially during natural disasters * Waste management, * Aid to the elderly and disabled * Cultural and sport activities, aiming at a better mutual understanding * Funeral activities ** When a member of the community dies, association members assist the bereaved family with funeral arrangements * Assistance in case of a disaster ** When a house is destroyed by fire or other means, association members provide the homeless family with shelter, food, clothing, and monetary donations to assist the family in replacing their home and other lost possessions. ** When a disaster hits a region, associations in neighboring communities participate in assistance efforts.

Institutional part

Based in the same general area, the ''chōnaikai'' improves the municipality. It subsidizes modes of communication and can encourage local participation. But it can also exert influence in political issues, mobilizing the neighbourhood with petitions or demonstrations.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chonakai Non-profit organizations based in Japan Civil defense Neighborhood associations Community development organizations Empire of Japan Postwar Japan