There are an enormous number of organizations in Japan, including such standard bodies as the Japan Red Cross, Japan Chamber of Commerce (with regional and local branches), General Council of Trade Unions, Congress of Labor Unions, Federation of Employers Associations, Rotary Club, Japan Medical Association, Japan Actors' Society, Motion Picture Association of Japan, Japan Athletic Federation, All-Japan Boy Scouts League and Girl Scouts League, Japan YMCA and YWCA, and Japan Youth Association.
The Institute of Art Research and the National Institute of Japanese Literature are important in the cultural field. The Society for International Cultural Relations, established in 1934, is active in the publishing field and in cultural exchange. There are associations and societies representing promoting research and advancement in nearly all major fields of science and medicine. Trade unions and professional associations are very active.