61248    Of course "international civil servants" are not the only types of kokusaijin.

61249    There are now about 300 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) which take part in international cooperation efforts.

61250    NGOs were among the first on the scene in providing assistance to Rwandan refugees.

61251    At international conferences dealing with global issues, NGOs are widening their scope of action, often participating side-by-side with governmental delegations.

61252    It is becoming more and more important to develop NGOs, which are one major source for the supply of internationally minded people, into solid and reputable citizens' organizations, in this way cultivating capable and promising kokusaijin.

61253    It should be noted that there has been a steep increase in the number of persons seeking employment with the government's Kokusai Kyoryoku Jigyodan (Japan International Cooperation Agency), which is engaged in promoting technological cooperation and exchanges of people between and "developing countries," and there are today over 5000 applicants responding to each recruitment campaigns of the youth-focused Seinen Kaigai Kyoryokutai (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers ).

61254    This is a heartening sign.

61255    If there is an increase in the activities of Japanese in wide-ranging and diverse sectors of international society, we should expect corresponding changes in the ways the world sees Japan and its people.

61256    However, there is a fundamental problem that must be overcome in order for Japanese to broaden their fields of activity in international society.

61257    It is that among us Japanese an awareness of the need to cooperate with the rest of the world's people for our common survival and prosperity has not yet been adequately cultivated.

61258    I should like to see us have the humility needed to "learn diversity," and the tolerance and magnanimity needed to accept differences and diversity.

61259    We need change of awareness.

61260    It has long been said that "Japanese tend to be 'faceless' and to lack individuality," but from now on in international society we will no doubt be pressed, whether we like it or not, to become more self-assertive.

61261    The most important thing is to be aware of one's own part in things while at the same time joining the people of the world in "taking part in the game."

61262    Maybe it shouldn't even be necessary to think all that hard about this sort of thing.