By Hiromi Murakami | President
We express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support. Our flagship social innovation program, 2025 WISE in Suwa-Shiojiri, was a tremendous success thanks to the dedication of our talented mentors and facilitators. We were delighted to welcome 27 participants from diverse backgrounds, representing the Philippines, Botswana, India, Canada, Russia, Kenya, Egypt, the United States, and Japan. Our esteemed mentors included Ms. Shuri Fukunaga, a leading strategic PR expert and CEO of Persuade; Mr. Michael Brown, co-founder and CEO of senior communication service provider KK Nabe; Ms. Mari Kogiso, co-founder of the investment fund SDG Impact Japan and a longtime social business consultant; and Mr. Daniel Cohn, founder and CEO of Vitric Advisors and an expert on maximizing social impact.
The program took place in the scenic Shimosuwa area, a small village home to the historic Suwa Shrine and the beautiful Iwanami family’s Japanese garden, where we shared invaluable moments together. Participants enjoyed a special talk session with Mr. Iwanami at his family’s garden, accompanied by traditional Japanese sweets and matcha.
The teams addressed a wide range of social issues, including: Developing an app to combat child abuse Preserving and sustaining traditional cultural heritage Nurturing and supporting foster parents Creating a sustainable nanny-sharing system Encouraging migration to regions experiencing population decline
We sincerely hope that the experiences and connections fostered here will create a ripple effect, inspiring positive change on a broader societal level. As you may know, rural areas like Shimosuwa—and particularly younger generations and women—continue to face challenges rooted in unconscious bias and traditional gender roles. Breaking free from the conservative mindset deeply embedded in tightly knit communities remains a significant hurdle. JSIE remains committed to providing opportunities for these individuals to realize their full potential.
We would like to extend special thanks to our supporters at GlobalGiving for their invaluable assistance in making this program possible. Once again, thank you for your continued support—we are thrilled to announce that we will be continuing this project in 2026!
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