The activities at the JRCS Headquarters and branches are mainly financed by membership fees and contributions; medical services by medical fees paid by patients but mostly by the National Health Insurance Program; blood services by proceeds from blood and blood-product sales; and social welfare services by care benefit incomes.

The JRCS uses a general account and special accounts to track its financial activities. The general account consists of membership fees and contributions, which cover the costs of domestic and international activities, first aid training courses and Junior Red Cross and volunteer activities. The membership fees and contributions basically constitute the revenues of the chapters, but 15% of the fees are sent to Headquarters to support its activities

The JRCS uses three major accounts to track its financial activities:

●Ordinary Account
●Special Account for Medical Institutions
●Special Account for Blood Programme

The Ordinary Account is used for the finances of the headquarters, the 47 prefectural chapters, and the 29 social welfare institutions under the chapters. The major sources of income for the Ordinary Account are membership fees and contributions from both individuals and corporations. In fiscal year 2001, the total revenue from membership fees and contributions amounted to 17.7 billion yen. The Ordinary Account enables the JRCS to undertake such activities as international activities, disaster relief operations, education of nurses, first aid and other safety programmes, volunteer and youth programmes, and social welfare services.

A major recent development that has improved the financial strength of the JRCS is the introduction of a corporate partnership programme with private companies. Private companies are increasingly aware of the role of NGOs and are willing not only to contribute financially but also to allow their staff to participate in NGO activities, including humanitarian work, as volunteers. Similarly, the JRCS has come to appreciate the value of private companies as partners in humanitarian activities. The two sides have thus sought ties with each other and have discussed concrete programmes that will be undertaken in the near future.

The International Helping Hand Campaign, launched by the Society in 1983 in collaboration with the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), has strengthened the Society’s capacity to meet growing humanitarian needs worldwide. This successful TV fund-raising programme has become a major source of income for the JRCS’s international activities (see International Activities). In addition, whenever the Society requires extra funds to deal with either national or international emergencies, or to develop specific programmes, it launches a fund-raising campaign (with the authorisation of the authorities concerned). For instance, after earthquakes struck El Salvador and India in January 2001, the JRCS launched fund-raising campaigns for the victims. At home, the JRCS received, through fund-raising campaigns, voluntary contributions for the victims of the volcanic eruptions of Mt. Usu and Miyake Island, the earthquake in Hiroshima Prefecture, and the typhoon in Kochi Prefecture.

The Special Account for Medical Institutions is by far the largest of the three accountsæexpenditures for fiscal 2001 totaled over 755.4 billion yen. It is financed partly by medical fees paid by patients, but mostly by the Health Insurance Programme in which all Japanese citizens are required by law to enroll.

The Special Account for Blood Programme, which totaled 142.1 billion yen for fiscal 2001, is financed by proceeds from blood and blood-product sales. Sales are made to beneficiaries at fixed prices in accordance with guidelines set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the beneficiaries are, in turn, reimbursed by their health insurance.