While the concept of “Asia Pacific community building” has received much attention in recent years, doubts have emerged that Asia Pacific countries have enough in common to be able to create a true community sense. At first glance, economic interdependence seems to be the only trait holding the countries together. Vast differences in religion, language, history, ethnicity, and ideology in the region threaten to halt community-building efforts. Governments and private companies are not capable of working through these differences on their own. The efforts of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)—including research institutions and foundations—are indispensable to the building of a community sense in a region that spans such a large geographic area as the Asia Pacific region.

This book is a compilation of reports written by leading intellectuals and specialists from 15 Asia Pacific countries—Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam—on the focus of activities at the research institutions, foundations, and nongovernmental organizations of their respective countries and the interest of these bodies in activities such as exchanges or studies that take place within the framework or context of Asia Pacific. This study assesses the present state of development of nongovernmental institutions in Asia Pacific countries and the regional interactions of nongovernmental regional underpinnings in the future. The survey is intended to provide a basis for future efforts, such as joint training activities and the creation of a data base on regional activities.

Four appendices list authors and financial contributors, explain the Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium, and detail the Osaka symposium.