A new open access research article by Antonia Miserka (University of Vienna) and DIJ social scientist Sebastian Polak-Rottmann analyses the relationship between female civic engagement and subjective well-being. Their article “Happiness as a by-product – the impact of civic engagement on women’s well-being in rural Japan”, published in Japan Forum (online first), is based on qualitative interviews and participant observation in a rural area in southern Japan. The analysis shows that (a) making others happy, (b) acting for oneself, and (c) the process of acting with others all have a beneficial impact on subjective well-being. In this regard, the findings support relational approaches to subjective well-being. More specifically, the reciprocity of well-being within social relationships helps to explain how civic engagement leads to higher well-being in rural Japan. The article is an outcome of Sebastian’s research project Supplementing activities of resilience: The impact of demographic change on local activities and civic engagement.