Activty Report:　Japan Future Leaders Summit 2025

Japan Future Leaders Summit 2025 Held

From October 11 (Sat) to 13 (Mon, national holiday), 2025, the Japan Future Leaders Summit was held in Tokyo.

As the largest event within our annual program, the Summit brought together more than 50 students from across Japan, including our year-round scholarship students as well as high school students participating on a one-time basis. Together, they raised their voices and shared their perspectives with society.

Our Vision Behind the Summit

This Summit is designed for young people who have faced various adversities—such as the loss or separation from parents, or growing up in child welfare institutions—and who live under challenging social and economic circumstances, yet aspire to contribute meaningfully to society.

During the Summit, participants engage in discussions on the pressing issues facing Japan today. Guided by leaders from diverse fields—including government, business, media, and NGOs—they collaborate to develop proposals that contribute to the future of their communities and of Japan as a whole. These proposals are presented on the final day.

Through participation in the Summit, we aim to support these young people in transforming adversity into strength, forging their own paths in life, and ultimately becoming individuals who live not only for themselves, but also for others.

Event Overview

Participants

• Endeavor Program (High School) Scholars: 11
• Japan Future Scholarship Program (University Students, etc.) Scholars: 11
• External High School Participants: 25
• Internship Participants: 6

Supporters

• Bank of America
• Greencore Co., Ltd.
• GA Creas Co., Ltd.

Endorsements

• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
• Children and Families Agency

Proposal Development

Over the course of three days, participating students explored the theme of youth independence. They engaged in group discussions on the topic: “What is needed for independence from the age of 18 — Enabling young people to raise and have their calls for help heard.”

Drawing on their own lived experiences as high school and university students, participants reflected on what they themselves can do, as well as what they seek from society.

Each group was supported by volunteer mentors—professionals active in a wide range of fields—who joined as advisors. By combining the perspectives of high school and university students with those of working professionals, participants collaboratively developed their proposals.

On the final day, a proposal presentation session was held.

In front of the judges and audience members, participating students presented their proposals in a presentation format, sharing their perspectives and conveying their messages to society.

The top-ranked team focused on supporting the independence of young people from single-parent households. They pointed out that many young people hesitate to seek help because they feel that relying on others is a sign of weakness. Rather than only addressing institutional barriers, the team highlighted the psychological hurdle—the sense that “it is shameful to depend on others”—and explored ways to overcome it.

In their proposal, they suggested making it mandatory for universities and other institutions to establish support centers. In addition to professionals such as school social workers, they proposed involving student supporters with similar lived experiences. By creating an environment where individuals can feel “I’m not alone” and “this person understands me,” the aim is to make it easier for young people to take the first step toward seeking help.

To bring their proposal to life, the team presented a concrete and feasible action plan: learning from existing successful models, conducting hearings to identify potential risks and challenges, and engaging in policy advocacy with government bodies.

Voices from Participants

● External Participants (High School Students)

“What left the strongest impression on me was the discussion after Beyond Night.
Before Beyond Night, even when we talked about independence, the conversation tended to stay conventional, and it was hard for us to open up to each other. However, after Beyond Night, we came to understand each other’s situations and were able to deepen our discussions.
During Beyond Night, I shared things I had never told anyone before—things I had kept locked away inside. I even shed a few tears, but it felt like a weight had been lifted from my heart.
Through the long discussions that followed, I was able to clearly express my own opinions and also genuinely empathize with others’ perspectives.”

* Beyond Night: A session where participants share their past experiences and reflect on both their past and future.

“As we discussed what it means to become independent at the age of 18, I was able to consider the topic from many different perspectives. I encountered viewpoints I had never thought about before, which really broadened my horizons. Listening to the speaker session also made me want to value my time more and live my life more intentionally going forward.”

● Endeavor Program Participants (High School Students)

“This was my first Summit as an Endeavor participant, and I felt a different kind of growth compared to last time.
Previously, I was too nervous to speak up and couldn’t actively engage with others, which left me with some regrets.
This time, however, I was able to contribute as a vice leader—being mindful of the group while clearly expressing my own opinions. I also made an effort to reach out to others and was able to make new friends.
I can truly feel that I’ve grown compared to who I was a year ago.”

“Among everything we gain through BEYOND Tomorrow—whether it’s creating proposals or attending speaker sessions—I believe the most valuable thing is the connections we build with new people.
While we all share the experience of having faced adversity, our backgrounds, circumstances, and feelings are completely different. Every time I meet someone new through BEYOND, I realize that making 30 friends here is entirely different from making 30 friends at school. I think that’s because everyone here has gathered with a strong sense of purpose.
As many of my group members said, everyone here takes things seriously and has deep thoughts and opinions—it’s incredibly inspiring.
The connections I made at this Summit will continue to motivate me, even if we can’t easily meet again in the future.”

● Scholarship Program Participants (University Students)

“This time, I took on the role of a leader, guiding my group members. However, I later heard indirectly from other scholars that the pace of discussion had been too fast and that some members couldn’t keep up.
I felt deeply frustrated realizing that, without noticing, I had left some members behind.
Moving forward, I want to turn this frustration into motivation and become a leader who values each individual—always considering others’ perspectives and feelings in any situation.”

“I was reminded of how important human connections are and how much strength they can give us.
From now on, I want to embrace opportunities to connect with others without hesitation and build relationships with people around the world.”

The three-day program became an intense and meaningful experience, during which participants were able to deeply reflect on themselves and engage seriously with society.

This program was made possible with the support of many individuals and organizations. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to everyone involved.

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