共助

• 読み: きょうじょ
• ローマ字: kyojo
• 漢字の分解: 共 (kyō/tomo) — together, mutual; 助 (jo/tasu) — help, assist
• 発音: /kʲoː.dʑo/

意味

Mutual aid; the principle of people helping each other within a community or group, as one of the three pillars of social support alongside self-help and government assistance.

A noun for community-level support systems where individuals and groups assist one another. Positioned in Japanese policy discourse between 自助 (self-help) and 公助 (government assistance), forming the triad 自助・共助・公助 central to Japan's disaster preparedness and welfare philosophy. Used in contexts of neighbourhood associations (町内会), volunteer networks, and disaster relief. Gained renewed attention after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.

例文

1. 高齢化社会において、自助・共助・公助のバランスをどう取るかが政策の課題となっている。
2. 大規模災害の際には、近隣住民の共助が命を救うことも多い。
3. 共助の精神が根付いた地域では、孤立死が大幅に減少したという報告がある。

使い方ガイド

場面: welfare, disaster preparedness, community, social policy

トーン: positive

起源と歴史

From 共 (together/mutual) and 助 (help/assist). A policy term that gained prominence in post-Kobe earthquake (1995) and post-3.11 disaster response discourse, formalising the concept of communal support networks.

文化的背景

時代: Modern

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal