Looking the Other Way?

02 Sep Looking the Other Way?

Dear Here to Help,

I read a recent article about a Japanese woman who decided that she couldn’t look the other way. She pushed the Japanese government to take action, including through her petition.

The article is here. Is this an isolated example of ordinary people pushing government to act? Is it easier to look the other way? How do I go about not looking the other way, and making the world a better place?

Thank you for your query.

It can feel overwhelming to face big problems as ‘just one person’, and sometimes it seems easier to look the other way. But there’s nothing fulfilling about ignoring a big problem.

There are many examples through history of “just one person”, or a group of like-minded people, taking on Goliath and making change happen. In fact, it is usually individual people, working alone or with others, who push through change that is good for the community.

You give an excellent example of one woman pushing the Japanese government to make change. In fact, the article you reference mentions how unusual this sort of action is by the Japanese government – kudos to her.

In June 2023, I talked about Australian government changes that have been forced through by groups of individuals.

The more people take action, the more people who demand change, the more people who refuse to look the other way, the more likely that things will change for the good of all.

How can you do it? Start small, stay consistent, and connect with others.

Here are some other tips to get you started:

Find your people: gather people who share your concern so you can share the work and support each other. Online petitions are a good way to build momentum.

Identify simple tasks: share your petition, raise awareness in your community.

Set clear goals: Think about the contributions everyone could make—people, companies, government. Change works best when it comes from many directions.

Be patient and don’t give up: if it’s worth doing, it’s worth committing to.

Good luck! I look forward to hearing how you go.

This article comes from my column entitled “Here to Help” in Hunter Local, September 2025. If you have an everyday problem just begging for a simple, real world solution, send it to “Here to Help” and let’s see what we can achieve.

Elaine Abery has a closet full of great ideas and empowering solutions. She’s also the Director of Unravelling Red Tape, a company dedicated to helping everyday people, not-for-profits and companies change the world through improved decision-making and legislation.