Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931) was a leading figure in the development of Japan's modern society. A dynamic force in the industrial world, he was involved in the founding of some 500 enterprises and economic organizations. Equally dedicated to the social and public welfare, he was instrumental in the founding of some 600 organizations for social welfare, education, and international exchange. He was also influential in private-sector diplomacy. Determined to promote individual and private initiatives, Shibusawa was a champion of civil society from the late nineteenth through the early decades of the twentieth century.