One woman's single-handed efforts to make the world a better place are an inspiration to many. Nahoko Takato became famous on the night of 8 April this year, when the Arab satellite broadcaster Al-Jazeera aired video footage of her and two other Japanese held blindfolded at gunpoint in Iraq.  Read article

More than 100,000 survivors of the earthquakes that have hit the Chuetsu region in Niigata Prefecture have had to take shelter in schools and vehicles. It will take some time before their lives can return to normal as many houses have been destroyed, and water and gas have yet to be restored. To help the victims, local governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society and convenience stores nationwide are setting up relief funds and asking people to do volunteer work.  Read article

Hiroshima: Young leaders from some 30 Asia and Pacific countries are gathering for a three-day regional youth summit to discuss how they can work together to tackle urgent challenges facing their region, including poverty, HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation.  Read article

Tokyo: Japan’s largest alliance of volunteer organizations, the National Network of Organizations Promoting Volunteerism (NNOPV), will mark International Volunteer Day with a week-long celebration and the “Volunteering Fiesta 2003” event which will take place on 5 December.  Read article

On 6 December, the National Network of Organizations Promoting Volunteerism (NNOPV) will organize a symposium.  Read article

Tokyo: Prisoners in Japan will be allowed to wrok for companies and join volunteer activities as part of their responsiblities during their terms in jail.  Read article

Tokyo: Popular Japanese artists took centre stage in Tokyo to promote volunteering amongst the Japanese as part of the International Volunteer Day (IVD) celebrations.  Read article