ABSTRACT
The rapid changes have been occurring in our society: population increase, changed life style and widen gap between rich and poor, and those will pose a fundamental threat to live, livelihoods and public health. Non-formal education (NFE), by nature, has the full potential to provide learning opportunities to socially neglected individuals as well as communities, to secure their basic human needs such as food and water, shelter, health and nutrition, employment, and survive natural or manmade disasters. Japanese experiences of NFE movement in 20th century promotes to reconsider the importance of NFE and its learning for the 21st century.
