Nippon Foundation
In 1951 – after extensive bribery of parliamenticians on his behalf – the Japanese Diet passed the Motorboat Racing Law – an invention of Sasakawa's. Under this law, motorboat races are held at 24 locations around the nation for the purpose of both bolstering the local economies and providing the revenue needed to support 1) the reconstruction of Japan's maritime industry, and 2) welfare projects around the country. In later years, international projects were also added. The law established that the distribution of the monies to support projects was to be performed by the Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation, a body that eventually came to be known as the Nippon Foundation. Sasakawa became the foundation's chairman. In fact, public and governmental focus on the issue drove Sasakawa to take pains to make the system as clear as possible.
Since motorboat racing is one of only four sports for which gambling is officially allowed in Japan, it became a very large resource for rebuilding the nation's shipbuilding industry, and was largely responsible for Japan's meteoric rise to become one of the world’s maritime leaders by the 1960s. The system is regulated by the department of transport, and it can be noted that many of the foundations Sasakawa later created through grants by The Nippon Foundation were led by previous employees of the department of transport. It should be mentioned, however, that the system of farming out former government employees to businesses and foundations has long been common, legal practice in Japan, though one that Sasakawa himself viewed with suspicion.
Under Sasakawa's leadership, The Nippon Foundation made extensive charitable contributions both in Japan and around the world. It has been especially active in human resources development at all levels, ensuring that all people can obtain such basic human needs as food and medicine, disaster relief and maritime safety.
It also founded a large number of other organizations, such as the United States-Japan Foundation and The Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Through these foundations, Sasakawa was instrumental in promoting the betterment of the world's people.
Specifically, the support of the Nippon Foundation has been directed toward solving global problems related to the poor and the marginalized. By cooperating on an ongoing basis with agencies of the United Nations, including the World Health Organization and UNICEF, this foundation has helped to make substantial progress on many worldwide fronts, including famine relief, aid for refugees, support for various educational programs, allocations for pharmaceutical and medical equipment, and international campaigns to eradicate smallpox, and leprosy.
He also funded the expansion of Norman Borlaug's Green Revolution to Africa, creating the Sasakawa Africa Association to help stop rising famine in the continent.
Sasakawa died July 18, 1995.
Read more about this topic: Ryoichi Sasakawa
Famous quotes containing the word foundation:
“Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not a misery, but the very foundation of refinement; a sanded floor and whitewashed walls and the green trees, and flowery meads, and living waters outside; or a grimy palace amid the same with a regiment of housemaids always working to smear the dirt together so that it may be unnoticed; which, think you, is the most refined, the most fit for a gentleman of those two dwellings?”
—William Morris (18341896)