The Lower House Committee on the Cabinet passed a bill June 5 that would grant corporate status to volunteer and other citizens' groups and recognize them as official nonprofit organizations.
The Liberal Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Japan voted for the bill, while Shinshinto and the Japanese Communist Party voted against it. The bill, partly amended from an earlier version to promote activities of nonprofit groups, is expected to clear the full chamber at a plenary session June 6 and to be sent to the Upper House.
However, the bill is unlikely to be passed this Diet session, which is scheduled to end June 18, because little time is left for the Upper House to deliberate on it. The proposed legislation is aimed at fostering a third sector of society, next to the public and private sectors, at a time when the public has begun to recognize the roles of nonprofit groups.