METI Official Junko Kasuhara to Speak at "Well-being Conference 2026" Panel Discussion on the Current State of International Well-being Management

On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, the "Well-being Conference 2026" will be held online, presenting the current status of international well-being management activities and the initiatives of companies certified under the Well-being ISO Guidelines, including Kagome. The General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Kenichiro Asano) will host a panel discussion at the "Well-being Conference 2026" to introduce the current state of efforts towards the international expansion of well-being management and the initiatives of companies certified under the "Well-being ISO Guideline Certification," which began this year. The 8th "Well-being Conference 2026" to be held online With recent changes in the social environment and the diversification of working styles, improving "well-being" in communities and companies has become one of the most critical issues for creating a sustainable society. However, many companies and local governments face significant practical challenges, such as "What specific measures should be taken?" and "How can we ensure that initiatives are not just temporary?" Informa Markets Japan Co., Ltd. will hold the "Well-being Conference 2026" online on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, starting at 13:00. The conference aims to provide practical hints and solutions that can be implemented in the field by inviting experts active on the front lines to share the latest information, initiatives, and success stories in well-being. Part 1: International Expansion of Well-being Management Based on Well-being ISO The "Well-being ISO Guidelines," published in November 2024, are based on the well-being management cultivated in Japan and can be applied to well-being promotion activities in communities in all countries and regions worldwide. Regarding the overseas expansion of well-being management, which has been announced previously, what activities have been undertaken so far? What are the benefits for Japanese companies? We will hear from Ms. Junko Kasuhara of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, who is promoting the international expansion of well-being management, and Mr. Kenichiro Asano of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and the Social Health Strategy Research Institute, about the present and future of international expansion in well-being management. [Session Time] 13:00 - 13:45 [Panelists] - Junko Kasuhara (Assistant Director, Healthcare Industry Division, Commerce and Service Group, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) - Kenichiro Asano (Visiting Researcher, Center for Well-being Implementation Research, Research Strategy Headquarters, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Representative Director, General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research) [Moderator] - Taketomo Watanabe (Co-Representative, Health Biz Watch; Director, General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research) Part 2: Introduction of Services Certified under the Well-being ISO Guideline Certification The "Well-being ISO Guideline Certification" system, launched in January 2026, has already certified eight companies. The certification system allows for certification not only for well-being activities within organizations but also for "services and projects." Among the eight certified companies, three (GS Science Co., Ltd., NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., and Kagome Co., Ltd.) obtained certification for "services and projects." We will hear from GS Science Co., Ltd., NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., and Kagome Co., Ltd. about how they obtained certification for their services and products and how they are utilizing the acquired certifications. [Session Time] 14:00 - 14:45 [Panelists] - Hirotaka Nogawa (President, GS Science Co., Ltd.) - Touko Terui (NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., "NEC Work Style Visualization Service Plus" 담당, Work Style Evangelist) - Takahiro Yuchi (Kagome Co., Ltd., Well-being Business Division, Service Development Group, Section Chief) - Kenichiro Asano (Visiting Researcher, Center for Well-being Implementation Research, Research Strategy Headquarters, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Representative Director, General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research) [Moderator] - Tomomi Takenaka (Professor, GLOBIS University; Certification Standards Committee Member, General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research) "Well-being Conference 2026" Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 13:00 - 17:00 Venue: Online (Zoom) Organizer: Informa Markets Japan Co., Ltd. Fee: Free (Pre-registration required) Details and registration for "Well-being Conference 2026" here: [URL] https://www.this.ne.jp/well-beingconference/ Inquiries regarding this matter: Organization: General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research Contact Person: Taketomo Watanabe E-mail: info@kenko-senryaku.or.jp [URL] https://www.kenko-senryaku.or.jp/ Kenichiro Asano, Visiting Researcher, Center for Well-being Implementation Research, Research Strategy Headquarters, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Representative Director, General Incorporated Association for Social Health Strategy Research Well-being ISO Guideline Certification System https://www.kenko-senryaku.or.jp/well-being-iso