Scout Association of Japan
Encyclopedia
The is the major Scouting
organization of Japan. Starting as boys only, the organization was known as the Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 until 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading to neutral naming. Scouting activity endured a heavy setback during World War II
, but slowly recovered, and membership at the end of March 2011 was 149,785.
Scouting was introduced to Japan in the autumn of 1909 by ambassador Akizuki Satsuo
and Japanese teacher Hōjō Tokiyuki
, who had visited England in 1908. One organized a Boy Scout troop at his school, but this dissolved when he left the school. A Japanese translation of Scouting for Boys
was published as early as 1910, and a few sporadic troops sprang up, without any cohesion and without a proper grasp of the principles and aims of Scouting.
In 1911, General Maresuke Nogi
went to England in attendance on Prince Yorihito Higashifushimi
for the coronation
of King George V
. The general, also known as the "Defender of Port Arthur
" was introduced to General Robert Baden-Powell
, the "Defender of Mafeking."
A Scout troop in Yokohama
welcomed Baden-Powell during his visit on April 2, 1912. The troop consisted primarily of British, but also included a small number of American, Danish, and Norwegian boys and was led by a British Scouter, merchant Clarence Griffin. The 1st Yokohama, as it was called, was registered as a British Troop Abroad and Griffin was issued a Scoutmaster Warrant by Baden-Powell. The Scout Association of Japan recognizes Griffin as Japan's first Scoutmaster and the "1st Yokohama" as Japan's first recognized Boy Scout troop with a marker placed on his grave in the Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery. In 1918 the Group was registered as "international" and allowed boys of all nationalities to join. In 1923 this Group became the first directly registered Group of the newly formed World Scout Bureau. The Troop remains active in Yokohama.
During his short 1912 visit to Japan Baden-Powell did, however, see something of the Kenjinsha, an old time youth movement founded on the spirit of bushido
. During this period homegrown Japanese troops began to develop and existed alongside expatriate
troops in Yokohama
, Kobe
and Osaka
. At the time of the coronation of the Taisho Emperor in 1914, Scouts were organized in Tokyo
, Shizuoka, Kyoto
and Hokkaido
.
In 1920 three delegates, Toyomatsu Shimoda, Hiroshi Koshiba, and Richard Suzuki, attended the 1st World Scout Jamboree
at Olympia, London
. Shimoda and Koshiba were both adults and, when they met Richard Suzuki aboard ship and learned he was a Scout, they invited him to join. Richard was the son of a Japanese father and a British mother and was traveling to England for study. Richard was a member of the Yokohama international troop and, being the only Scout aged delegate, carried the Japanese placard in the opening ceremony of the Jamboree.
In 1920 Crown Prince
Hirohito
, later Emperor, also visited Great Britain, experienced Scouting first hand and expressed the hope that Scouting would develop fully in Japan and join the world movement. The forerunner of the "Boy Scouts of Japan" was founded in 1921. The organization was reformed as the Boy Scouts of Japan in April 1922 by Count Futara Yoshinori and Viscount Mishima Michiharu, who later served as Chief Scout of Japan. Japan was a admitted as member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
in 1922.
The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
brought the work of the Scouts of Tokyo and Kobe to the notice of the general public. Count Gotō Shimpei
, a doctor and a statesman, was made the first Chief Scout of Japan and tasked with the rebuilding. As Minister of Railways
, Count Gotō travelled around the country, and was able to promote Scouting in his spare time. In 1924, Japan fielded a full contingent of 25 to the 2nd World Scout Jamboree
in Denmark
under Rear Admiral Count Sano Tsuneha
, during which Count Sano attended a Wood Badge
course at Gilwell Park
. Count Sano returned to Japan and created Japan's own training course, called Jisshu-jo, for both Cub and Scout leaders, which is still used to this day, after completion of two preliminary courses, Koshu-kai and Kenshu-kai.
Count Futara Yoshinori was the first Japanese member of the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1931 until 1939.
In February 1937, Isamu Takeshita
was appointed head of the Boy Scouts of Japan, the Sea Scouts, and the YMCA
, as part of the general militarization of Japanese sports and athletics taking place at that time.
, and took time to recover. Occupation authorities had blacklisted the ex-military officers, disregarding age or sympathies. This held Count Sano and others back from their sincere desire to restore Boy Scouts of Japan to its former correct basis. Gradually, military supervision was relaxed and the original group began to take over, with beneficial results.
The occupation period was difficult on Scouting, just as it was on Japanese daily life. The participant patch (usually embroidered or woven) for the first National Scout Rally was printed on paper, because of the financial situation of that time. Period pieces of Scouting memorabilia
from that time are rare and highly prized. Japan was re-admitted as a full member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1950, remarkable and unique in the history of nations in which Scouting has been interrupted. Within ten years of World War II, Scout membership had grown to 80,000. In 1957, the first Wood Badge course by that name was held in Japan. In 1959, Japan held the Second Nippon Jamboree, shortly after the conclusion of the 10th World Scout Jamboree
in the Philippines
.
Michiharu Mishima
was awarded the Bronze Wolf
, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. Other recipients from Japan include Hidesaburō Kurushima
, chairman of the national board and international commissioner, in 1967, Taizō Ishizaka
in 1971, Saburō Matsukata
in 1972, Shintarō Negishi
in 1975, Akira Watanabe
in 1977, Yorihiro Matsudaira in 1981, August S. Narumi in 1984, and Ichiro Terao in 1985.
In 1971, BSJ hosted three major World Scouting events, the 13th World Scout Jamboree
and the 1st World Scout Forum in Shizuoka
, and the 23rd World Scout Conference in Tokyo.
After the 13th World Scout Jamboree in 1971, there was discussion about the national association's name. The word "Japan" is not Japanese
, rather based on a southern Chinese dialect, which Marco Polo
heard as "Zippang", eventually becoming "Japan" in English. The Japanese corrected the association's name to match their own language, as "Boy Scouts of Nippon" in 1971.
Since 1974, SAJ has every year invited some 45 Scouts from Scout associations in the Asia-Pacific Region to take part in major international events such as Jamborees, Ventures, Agoonorees and Rover Scouting events.
In 1995, Japanese Scouting became coeducational and, after that point, to use "Boy Scout" would strictly be incorrect. Further it was decided that the proper national name "Nippon" was not well known worldwide. Japanese Scouting once again changed its national association's name in English to the "Scout Association of Japan" (SAJ). However, there is contradiction in the original charter, that Boy Scouts of Japan (or Nippon) is still used in the writing of the Japanese language Scout Constitution. Therefore, it was decided that the official name is to be in the Japanese language, and the English expression is for the convenience and benefit of overseas Scouts to connect with Japanese Scouting.
SAJ celebrated its 75th Anniversary of founding of the National Scout Association in 1997 and hosted the second Asia-Pacific Regional Top Leaders' Summit Conference in Gotemba and Tokyo.
Scouting in Japan has grown steadily and established an eminent place for itself in social education for young people. The aim of the Scout Association of Japan is to help young people become responsible humanitarian citizens, who can appreciate and practice loyalty, courage and self-respect in an international perspective. With the support of volunteer leaders, the Scout movement in Japan provides fun-filled, challenging programs, with an emphasis on developing each young person's character, health, abilities and sense of service to others.
The Scout Association of Japan is a non-political, voluntary movement, with open subscription. The geographic structure of Japanese Scouting is the Council, generally conforming to prefecture
boundaries. Japanese Scouting also exists abroad, in communities with large native Japanese populations, such as Amsterdam, Netherlands and Singapore
.
In recent years, SAJ held several international events, which include the sixth Nippon Agoonoree in Ehime in August 1999, the 5th Nippon Venture in Oita
in August 2000, the National Rover Moot 2001 in Aichi in August 2001, and the 23rd Asia-Pacific/13th Nippon Jamboree in Osaka in August 2002.
Japanese Scouts are actively involved in international understanding and cooperation programs, such as the ORT twinning project by Rovers with the Bangladesh Scouts
, and nationwide fundraising activities for refugees in UNHCR camps.
The 23rd World Scout Jamboree
will take place at Kirara Beach, Yamaguchi
in 2015. The theme will be "和 Wa: A Spirit of Unity". The kanji
"和" is also a part of the theme.
The Scout emblem incorporates the sacred mirror
Yata no Kagami
, which represents wisdom
and honesty
.
The Japanese Scout uniform consists of a brown vest, brown pants with light blue pocket, and light blue cap for Beaver Scouts; a blue shirt, pants, and cap for Cub Scouts; khaki with green line edge shirt and pants, and a green beret for Boy Scouts; and a khaki shirt and pants, and green beret for Venture, Rover, and adult Scouts.
The ranks are:
The program sections are:
The Scout Oath:
The Scout Law
:
The highest rank of the Boy Scouts is the . "Kiku" is the Japanese word for chrysanthemum.
The highest rank of the Venture Scouts is the . It is named after Mount Fuji
.
on the Asagiri Plateau
, Shizuoka Prefecture
, in 1971, and the nearly simultaneous 23rd World Scout Conference. Since then, it has hosted numerous other international activities, including the Asia Pacific Top Leaders Summit in 1997, the Asia-Pacific Multi-Purpose Workshop in 2000, and the 23rd Asia-Pacific/13th Nippon Jamboree
in 2002.
An exchange program between Japanese Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America
was started in 1998, at the suggestion of then-Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
in a 1996 meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton
.
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
organization of Japan. Starting as boys only, the organization was known as the Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 until 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading to neutral naming. Scouting activity endured a heavy setback during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but slowly recovered, and membership at the end of March 2011 was 149,785.
Early years
Akizuki Satsuo
was a diplomat and government official of the in the Imperial Household Ministry. He was born in Hyūga Province.He was the third of four sons. His father, was an elder of the Takanabe Domain. His younger brother, , was an official in the Ministry of Agricultural and Trade Affairs, and contributed...
and Japanese teacher Hōjō Tokiyuki
Hojo Tokiyuki (Scouting)
This article is on the Japanese Scouting figure. For the samurai, please see Hōjō Tokiyuki. was an educator, mathematician and politician in Meiji period Japan...
, who had visited England in 1908. One organized a Boy Scout troop at his school, but this dissolved when he left the school. A Japanese translation of Scouting for Boys
Scouting for Boys
Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship is the first book on the Scout Movement, published in 1908. It was written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell, its founder...
was published as early as 1910, and a few sporadic troops sprang up, without any cohesion and without a proper grasp of the principles and aims of Scouting.
In 1911, General Maresuke Nogi
Maresuke Nogi
Count , also known as Kiten, Count Nogi, was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and a prominent figure in the Russo-Japanese War.- Early life :...
went to England in attendance on Prince Yorihito Higashifushimi
Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
was the second head of the Higashifushimi-no-miya, an ōke cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family.-Early life:Born on September 19, 1867, as seventeenth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye, head of the Fushimi-no-miya, one of the shinnōke branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were...
for the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. The general, also known as the "Defender of Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
" was introduced to General Robert Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, the "Defender of Mafeking."
A Scout troop in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
welcomed Baden-Powell during his visit on April 2, 1912. The troop consisted primarily of British, but also included a small number of American, Danish, and Norwegian boys and was led by a British Scouter, merchant Clarence Griffin. The 1st Yokohama, as it was called, was registered as a British Troop Abroad and Griffin was issued a Scoutmaster Warrant by Baden-Powell. The Scout Association of Japan recognizes Griffin as Japan's first Scoutmaster and the "1st Yokohama" as Japan's first recognized Boy Scout troop with a marker placed on his grave in the Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery. In 1918 the Group was registered as "international" and allowed boys of all nationalities to join. In 1923 this Group became the first directly registered Group of the newly formed World Scout Bureau. The Troop remains active in Yokohama.
During his short 1912 visit to Japan Baden-Powell did, however, see something of the Kenjinsha, an old time youth movement founded on the spirit of bushido
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
. During this period homegrown Japanese troops began to develop and existed alongside expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
troops in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
and Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. At the time of the coronation of the Taisho Emperor in 1914, Scouts were organized in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Shizuoka, Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
.
In 1920 three delegates, Toyomatsu Shimoda, Hiroshi Koshiba, and Richard Suzuki, attended the 1st World Scout Jamboree
1st World Scout Jamboree
The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held from July 30, 1920 to August 8, 1920 and was hosted by the United Kingdom at Kensington Olympia in London...
at Olympia, London
Olympia, London
Olympia is an exhibition centre and conference centre in West Kensington, on the boundary between The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, London, W14 8UX, England. It opened in the 19th century and was originally known as the National Agricultural Hall.Opened in 1886,...
. Shimoda and Koshiba were both adults and, when they met Richard Suzuki aboard ship and learned he was a Scout, they invited him to join. Richard was the son of a Japanese father and a British mother and was traveling to England for study. Richard was a member of the Yokohama international troop and, being the only Scout aged delegate, carried the Japanese placard in the opening ceremony of the Jamboree.
In 1920 Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
, later Emperor, also visited Great Britain, experienced Scouting first hand and expressed the hope that Scouting would develop fully in Japan and join the world movement. The forerunner of the "Boy Scouts of Japan" was founded in 1921. The organization was reformed as the Boy Scouts of Japan in April 1922 by Count Futara Yoshinori and Viscount Mishima Michiharu, who later served as Chief Scout of Japan. Japan was a admitted as member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
in 1922.
The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
brought the work of the Scouts of Tokyo and Kobe to the notice of the general public. Count Gotō Shimpei
Goto Shimpei
Count was a Japanese statesman. He served as the head of civilian affairs of Taiwan under Japanese rule, the first director of the South Manchuria Railway, the seventh mayor of Tokyo, the first Chief Scout of Japan, the first director of NHK, the third principal of Takushoku University, and the...
, a doctor and a statesman, was made the first Chief Scout of Japan and tasked with the rebuilding. As Minister of Railways
Minister of Railways
The Cabinet portfolio Minister of Railways exists or has existed in many Commonwealth states:*Minister of Railways *Minister of Railways *Minister of Railways *Japanese Railway Minister...
, Count Gotō travelled around the country, and was able to promote Scouting in his spare time. In 1924, Japan fielded a full contingent of 25 to the 2nd World Scout Jamboree
2nd World Scout Jamboree
The 2nd World Scout Jamboree was held from August 9 to 17, 1924 and was hosted by Denmark at Ermelunden.-Prologue:Great Britain held an Imperial Jamboree at Wembley, Middlesex at the beginning of August 1924, in connection with the British Empire Exhibition. Over 1,000 Scouts from 25 parts of the...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
under Rear Admiral Count Sano Tsuneha
Sano Tsuneha
Count was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. He is also noted for his association with the early Scouting movement in Japan.-Biography:...
, during which Count Sano attended a Wood Badge
Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement...
course at Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre for Scouting groups, as well as a training and conference centre for Scout Leaders. The 44 hectare site is in Sewardstonebury, Epping Forest, close to Chingford, London....
. Count Sano returned to Japan and created Japan's own training course, called Jisshu-jo, for both Cub and Scout leaders, which is still used to this day, after completion of two preliminary courses, Koshu-kai and Kenshu-kai.
Count Futara Yoshinori was the first Japanese member of the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1931 until 1939.
In February 1937, Isamu Takeshita
Isamu Takeshita
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was also a diplomat whose accomplishments included helping end the Russo-Japanese War favorably for Japan and obtaining former German possessions in the Pacific for Japan following World War I...
was appointed head of the Boy Scouts of Japan, the Sea Scouts, and the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, as part of the general militarization of Japanese sports and athletics taking place at that time.
World War II and aftermath
Scouting in Japan suffered almost complete eclipse in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and took time to recover. Occupation authorities had blacklisted the ex-military officers, disregarding age or sympathies. This held Count Sano and others back from their sincere desire to restore Boy Scouts of Japan to its former correct basis. Gradually, military supervision was relaxed and the original group began to take over, with beneficial results.
The occupation period was difficult on Scouting, just as it was on Japanese daily life. The participant patch (usually embroidered or woven) for the first National Scout Rally was printed on paper, because of the financial situation of that time. Period pieces of Scouting memorabilia
Scouting memorabilia collecting
Scouting memorabilia collecting is the hobby of preserving and cataloguing Boy Scouting and Girl Guiding items for their historic, aesthetic and monetary value. Since collecting depends on the interests of the individual collector, the depth and breadth of each collection varies...
from that time are rare and highly prized. Japan was re-admitted as a full member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1950, remarkable and unique in the history of nations in which Scouting has been interrupted. Within ten years of World War II, Scout membership had grown to 80,000. In 1957, the first Wood Badge course by that name was held in Japan. In 1959, Japan held the Second Nippon Jamboree, shortly after the conclusion of the 10th World Scout Jamboree
10th World Scout Jamboree
The 10th World Scout Jamboree was held in 1959 and was hosted by the Philippines at Mount Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna. Dubbed as the "first World Jamboree in the Far East" and "The Bamboo Jamboree" due to nipa palm and Bamboo City, there were a total 12,203 Scouts from 44 countries. The theme was...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Modern period
In 1961, ViscountViscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
Michiharu Mishima
Michiharu Mishima
was a novelist, playwright and drama critic. His pen name was Shōdō Mishima .-Early life:Mishima was born in Azabu, Tōkyō. His grandfather was Michitsune Mishima. His father was Yatarō Mishima, who was the 8th Governor of the Bank of Japan. His mother was Marquis Takauta Shijō 's third daughter,...
was awarded the Bronze Wolf
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement"...
, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. Other recipients from Japan include Hidesaburō Kurushima
Hidesaburo Kurushima
Hidesaburō Kurushima was a President, International Commissioner, and Chairman of the National Board of the Boy Scouts of Japan, the younger brother of .He was the discoverer of Hakore hot springs....
, chairman of the national board and international commissioner, in 1967, Taizō Ishizaka
Taizo Ishizaka
was a leading Japanese businessman and President of the Japanese Federation of Economic Organizations who served as Governor of the Boy Scouts of Japan....
in 1971, Saburō Matsukata
Saburo Matsukata
Saburō Matsukata of Japan served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and was a Governor of the Boy Scouts of Japan....
in 1972, Shintarō Negishi
Shintaro Negishi
served as the Chairman of the National Executive Council of the Boy Scouts of Japan.In 1975, Negishi was awarded the 105th Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, at the 25th...
in 1975, Akira Watanabe
Akira Watanabe (Scouting)
was the National President of the Boy Scouts of Japan from 1974 to 2003, and served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement....
in 1977, Yorihiro Matsudaira in 1981, August S. Narumi in 1984, and Ichiro Terao in 1985.
In 1971, BSJ hosted three major World Scouting events, the 13th World Scout Jamboree
13th World Scout Jamboree
The 13th World Jamboree was held August 2–10, 1971, on Asagiri Heights on the western side of Mount Fuji, in Fujinomiya, Japan, approximately 80 miles southwest of Tokyo....
and the 1st World Scout Forum in Shizuoka
Shizuoka, Shizuoka
is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
, and the 23rd World Scout Conference in Tokyo.
After the 13th World Scout Jamboree in 1971, there was discussion about the national association's name. The word "Japan" is not Japanese
Names of Japan
There are many names of Japan in the English, Japanese, and other languages. The word "Japan" is an exonym, and is used by a large number of languages. The Japanese names for Japan are Nippon and Nihon . They are both written in Japanese using the kanji 日本...
, rather based on a southern Chinese dialect, which Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
heard as "Zippang", eventually becoming "Japan" in English. The Japanese corrected the association's name to match their own language, as "Boy Scouts of Nippon" in 1971.
Since 1974, SAJ has every year invited some 45 Scouts from Scout associations in the Asia-Pacific Region to take part in major international events such as Jamborees, Ventures, Agoonorees and Rover Scouting events.
In 1995, Japanese Scouting became coeducational and, after that point, to use "Boy Scout" would strictly be incorrect. Further it was decided that the proper national name "Nippon" was not well known worldwide. Japanese Scouting once again changed its national association's name in English to the "Scout Association of Japan" (SAJ). However, there is contradiction in the original charter, that Boy Scouts of Japan (or Nippon) is still used in the writing of the Japanese language Scout Constitution. Therefore, it was decided that the official name is to be in the Japanese language, and the English expression is for the convenience and benefit of overseas Scouts to connect with Japanese Scouting.
SAJ celebrated its 75th Anniversary of founding of the National Scout Association in 1997 and hosted the second Asia-Pacific Regional Top Leaders' Summit Conference in Gotemba and Tokyo.
Scouting in Japan has grown steadily and established an eminent place for itself in social education for young people. The aim of the Scout Association of Japan is to help young people become responsible humanitarian citizens, who can appreciate and practice loyalty, courage and self-respect in an international perspective. With the support of volunteer leaders, the Scout movement in Japan provides fun-filled, challenging programs, with an emphasis on developing each young person's character, health, abilities and sense of service to others.
The Scout Association of Japan is a non-political, voluntary movement, with open subscription. The geographic structure of Japanese Scouting is the Council, generally conforming to prefecture
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
boundaries. Japanese Scouting also exists abroad, in communities with large native Japanese populations, such as Amsterdam, Netherlands and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
In recent years, SAJ held several international events, which include the sixth Nippon Agoonoree in Ehime in August 1999, the 5th Nippon Venture in Oita
Oita
-Companies:*Oita Asahi Broadcasting, a Japanese broadcast network in Oita Prefecture, Japan*Oita Broadcasting System, a television company based in Ōita Prefecture, Japan-Education:*Oita Junior College, a private junior college in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan...
in August 2000, the National Rover Moot 2001 in Aichi in August 2001, and the 23rd Asia-Pacific/13th Nippon Jamboree in Osaka in August 2002.
Japanese Scouts are actively involved in international understanding and cooperation programs, such as the ORT twinning project by Rovers with the Bangladesh Scouts
Bangladesh Scouts
The Bangladesh Scouts is the national Scouting organization of Bangladesh. Scouting was founded in Bangladesh as part of the British Indian branch of The Scout Association, and continued as part of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association until the country's divided sections split in 1971 during the...
, and nationwide fundraising activities for refugees in UNHCR camps.
The 23rd World Scout Jamboree
23rd World Scout Jamboree
The will take place at Kirara-hama, Yamaguchi, Japan in 2015. The theme will be 和 Wa: A Spirit of Unity. The kanji 和, meaning harmony, unity or togetherness, is also a part of the theme. Wa is also an early name for Japan....
will take place at Kirara Beach, Yamaguchi
Kirara Beach, Yamaguchi
or Kirara Beach is a recreational beach located on the Seto Inland Sea in Ajisu and San'yō-Onoda Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.The name or "isinglass," is similar to the Japanese sound effect "kirakira" used for something glittery. Kirara Beach glitters in the sunlight, fitting the appearance of mica...
in 2015. The theme will be "和 Wa: A Spirit of Unity". The kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
"和" is also a part of the theme.
Chief Scouts of Japan
- 1st, Shimoda ToyomatsuShimoda Toyomatsu, born in Iwanai District, Hokkaidō, was Japan's first Chief Scout, active at the dawn of the Japanese Scouting movement.His father, , participated in the organization from the Kanezawa han, which developed land to make it suitable for habitation.After graduating from , he worked as an officer in...
, 1920 - 2nd, Gotō ShimpeiGoto ShimpeiCount was a Japanese statesman. He served as the head of civilian affairs of Taiwan under Japanese rule, the first director of the South Manchuria Railway, the seventh mayor of Tokyo, the first Chief Scout of Japan, the first director of NHK, the third principal of Takushoku University, and the...
, 1924 - 3rd
- 4th, Mishima Michiharu, 1952
- 5th
- 6th Saburo MatsukataSaburo MatsukataSaburō Matsukata of Japan served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and was a Governor of the Boy Scouts of Japan....
- 7th Akira WatanabeAkira Watanabe (Scouting)was the National President of the Boy Scouts of Japan from 1974 to 2003, and served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement....
, 1974 - 8th Shoichi Saba
Scouting program and ideals
The Scout Motto is , translating as "Be Prepared" in Japanese.The Scout emblem incorporates the sacred mirror
Mirror
A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
Yata no Kagami
Yata no kagami
is a sacred mirror that is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. It is said to be housed in Ise Shrine in Mie prefecture, Japan, although a lack of public access makes this difficult to verify. The Yata no Kagami represents "wisdom" or "honesty," depending on the source. Its name literally means...
, which represents wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
and honesty
Honesty
Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and denotes positive, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft....
.
The Japanese Scout uniform consists of a brown vest, brown pants with light blue pocket, and light blue cap for Beaver Scouts; a blue shirt, pants, and cap for Cub Scouts; khaki with green line edge shirt and pants, and a green beret for Boy Scouts; and a khaki shirt and pants, and green beret for Venture, Rover, and adult Scouts.
The ranks are:
- Tenderfoot (Sho-kyu)
- 2nd Class (Ni-kyu)
- 1st Class (Ikkyu)
- Chrysanthemum (Kiku)
The program sections are:
- Beaver ScoutsBeavers (Scouting)Beavers in Scouting is one name for the youngest section of Scouting with members younger than Cub Scouts and sometimes going to as young as five years of age. Other names are used in some countries...
, age 6 to 8 - Cub ScoutCub ScoutA Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
s , age 8 to 11 - Boy ScoutBoy ScoutA Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
s , age 11 to 14 - Venture ScoutVenture ScoutVenture Scouting is a section of the Scout Movement, mostly in countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, for young people roughly in the 14 – 20 age range.-Australia:...
s , age 14 to 20 - Rover Scouts , age 18 to 24
The Scout Oath:
| Japanese Japanese language is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an... : |
Roman characters: Romanization of Japanese The romanization of Japanese is the application of the Latin alphabet to write the Japanese language. This method of writing is known as , less strictly romaji, literally "Roman letters", sometimes incorrectly transliterated as romanji or rōmanji. There are several different romanization systems... |
English translation: |
|---|---|---|
| Watashi wa, meiyo nikakete, tsugi no 3(san)-jō no jikkō o chikaimasu. 1. Kami (Butsu) to kuni to ni makoto o tsukushi okite o mamorimasu. 1. Itsumo, ta no hitobito o tasukemasu. 1. Karada o tsuyoku shi, kokoro o sukoyaka ni, toku o yashinaimasu. |
"On my honor, I promise to do my best, to do my duty to god/Buddha and the country, And to obey the Scout laws, to help other people at all times and to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight." |
The Scout Law
Scout Law
Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout Promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law...
:
The highest rank of the Boy Scouts is the . "Kiku" is the Japanese word for chrysanthemum.
The highest rank of the Venture Scouts is the . It is named after Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
.
Notable Scouts
- Ryutaro HashimotoRyutaro Hashimotowas a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
, the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of JapanPrime Minister of JapanThe is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office... - Yukio HattoriYukio Hattoriis best known as an expert commentator on the Japanese television show Iron Chef. Hattori is also the fifth president of the Hattori Nutrition College; the Iron Chef end credits mention that the program is "produced in cooperation with" the College. Hattori received a Ph.D. in medicine from Showa...
, the fifth president of the Hattori Nutrition CollegeHattori Nutrition Collegeis a prominent cooking school in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. The current Principal is Dr. Yukio Hattori.In the Japanese TV show Iron Chef, the Hattori Nutrition College provided students to assist the competing chefs in cooking duties. Dr. Hattori himself was the show's culinary commentator. Dr...
, commentator on the Japanese cooking competition program Iron ChefIron Chefis a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1992, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended... - Soichi NoguchiSoichi Noguchiis a Japanese aeronautical engineer and a JAXA astronaut. His first spaceflight was as a Mission Specialist aboard STS-114 on 26 July 2005 for NASA's first "return to flight" Space Shuttle mission after the Columbia disaster. He was most recently in space as part of the Soyuz TMA-17 crew and...
, Japanese astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft.... - Makoto RaikuMakoto Raikuis a manga artist whose works have appeared prominently in Shogakukan's publication Shōnen Sunday. Starting off an assistant for Kazuhiro Fujita on his manga Ushio & Tora, he started creating several one-shots for the shōnen manga anthology such as Bird Man , Hero Ba-Ban and Genmai Blade is a...
, manga artistMangakais the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
(Zatch Bell!Zatch Bell!Zatch Bell!, known in Japan as is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Raiku. It was published in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday...
)
International Scouting
The Scout Association of Japan hosted the 13th World Scout Jamboree13th World Scout Jamboree
The 13th World Jamboree was held August 2–10, 1971, on Asagiri Heights on the western side of Mount Fuji, in Fujinomiya, Japan, approximately 80 miles southwest of Tokyo....
on the Asagiri Plateau
Asagiri Plateau
The is located at the southeast base of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.The Asagiri Plateau is richly utilized for its pasture land and many dairy farms are situated along it. The elevation of the plateau is generally around or .-Climate:...
, Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, in 1971, and the nearly simultaneous 23rd World Scout Conference. Since then, it has hosted numerous other international activities, including the Asia Pacific Top Leaders Summit in 1997, the Asia-Pacific Multi-Purpose Workshop in 2000, and the 23rd Asia-Pacific/13th Nippon Jamboree
Nippon Jamboree
The is a camping festival held by the Scout Association of Japan, and is the largest Scouting event in Japan.Jamborees are held once every four years, and are abbreviated as "NJ", or including the number of the event, as 14NJ for the 14th Nippon Jamboree.- Locations:* 1st Nippon Jamboree August 2...
in 2002.
An exchange program between Japanese Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
was started in 1998, at the suggestion of then-Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
Ryutaro Hashimoto
was a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
in a 1996 meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
See also
- Kurushima TakehikoKurushima Takehikowas an author of children's literature, and one of the three great Japanese authors of children's stories for public performance. He is also the writer of the nursery rhyme "Yūyake Koyake", and was praised as "the Japanese Hans Christian Andersen"...
- Koshiba HiroshiKoshiba Hiroshiwas one of the founders of the Japanese Scouting movement. He was born in Tsuwano-chō in Shimane Prefecture.He graduated from Tsuwano Elementary School...
- Hōjō TokiyukiHojo Tokiyuki (Scouting)This article is on the Japanese Scouting figure. For the samurai, please see Hōjō Tokiyuki. was an educator, mathematician and politician in Meiji period Japan...
- Isamu TakeshitaIsamu Takeshitawas an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was also a diplomat whose accomplishments included helping end the Russo-Japanese War favorably for Japan and obtaining former German possessions in the Pacific for Japan following World War I...
- Girl Scouts of JapanGirl Scouts of JapanThe is the girls-only Scouting organization serving Japan. Founded in 1919, the Girl Scouts of Japan became a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1952 and counts 61,305 girls as members as of 2003....
- Baden-Powell Scouts Association-JapanBaden-Powell ScoutsThe Baden-Powell Scouts' Association is a youth organisation found in the United Kingdom, with affiliations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses on the importance of tradition in the Scout movement...
- World Buddhist Scout BrotherhoodWorld Buddhist Scout BrotherhoodThe World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood is an autonomous, international body committed to promoting and supporting Buddhism within Scouting. The WBSB began as a means to facilitate religious activities among Buddhist Scouts...