[Event Report] The 1st JANPIA Media Seminar Held: Announcing Awareness Survey Results and Sharing Field Examples of Child and Youth Support

The Japan Network for Public Interest Activities (JANPIA) (Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Chairman: Masaya Ninomiya) held the "1st JANPIA Media Seminar" in Hibiya, Tokyo, on March 24, 2026.

At this seminar, the results of an awareness survey regarding the dormant deposits utilization system were announced, and field examples of support for children and youth were introduced under the theme of "efforts to protect children from abuse and other issues."

On the day of the event, Masaharu Okawa, Secretary General of JANPIA, gave an overview of the dormant deposits utilization system.

He explained that this system contributes not only to financial support but also to the development of personnel for private public interest activities and the establishment of independent and sustainable activity foundations for organizations. He noted that efforts to address various social issues are expanding across the country in collaboration with diverse stakeholders.

Next, Mariko Akuta, Director of the Planning and Public Relations Department at JANPIA, reported on the results of the "Awareness Survey on the Dormant Deposits Utilization System" conducted in November 2025. The survey revealed that while awareness of the system has progressed to a certain extent, only 19% of people understand the specifics of the initiatives, making it clear that deep understanding of the system has not sufficiently permeated.

In addition, while there is a high level of interest in social issues and expectations for private public interest activities, there were also anxieties and concerns regarding the transparency of fund usage and the selection criteria for supported organizations.

Based on these findings, she summarized that "it is important to bridge the gap between awareness of social issues and understanding and trust in the system," and conveyed the importance of disseminating information in cooperation with the media, stating, "Communicating on-the-ground initiatives aimed at solving social issues in an easy-to-understand manner will lead to understanding and trust in the system."

■ 2025 Awareness Survey on the Dormant Deposits Utilization System (Detailed Version)
https://www.janpia.or.jp/_assets/download/about/report/other/2025/ninchido_chosa_kekka_hokoku_202511.pdf

In the second part, organizations involved in efforts to protect children from abuse and other issues introduced case studies and held a cross-talk session. Yoshio Arima, the main caster of NHK's "New Project X - Challengers," was welcomed as the facilitator, and the significance and challenges of the system were shared with media personnel.

Haruka Okumura of the certified NPO "Third Family" introduced their initiative of using IT to support junior and senior high school students who face family environment problems but are unlikely to be connected to support through existing systems. It was reported that they are providing support to children isolated in the "cracks" of the system through the online bulletin board "gedokun," where users can post concerns anonymously, and the information site "nigeruno."

Furthermore, Kaori Nakajima of the specified non-profit organization "Children's Shelter Oruki" introduced the efforts of the "Children's Shelter (Kochi Prefecture)," which accepts children who have lost their place to stay due to abuse or running away from home. She shared that they have been promoting the establishment of a sustainable support system in cooperation with multidisciplinary professionals in the region through multi-year funding and accompanying support from the dormant deposits utilization business.

In a cross-talk featuring Ms. Okumura, Ms. Nakajima, and Mr. Arima, discussions were held on the challenges of the "cracks in the system" in the field of child support and how support systems should be structured. Ms. Okumura explained the importance of connecting individuals to support at a stage where problems exist but are not yet emergencies, prior to reaching serious situations such as abuse. Ms. Nakajima shared the reality of providing support while respecting the child's intentions at the children's shelter.

In addition, regarding the dormant deposits utilization system, while acknowledging the heavy burden of document preparation, there was a shared recognition that it is necessary from the perspective of fairness and transparency. Regarding accompanying support by fund distribution organizations, voices were raised that it provided a major pillar of support in advancing business operations and organizational foundations, reaffirming the importance of accompanying support in addition to financial aid.

From left: Kaori Nakajima, Haruka Okumura, Yoshio Arima

During the Q&A session, discussions also touched upon issues related to system operation, such as the difficulty of evaluating activities whose outcomes are hard to quantify.

Finally, Mr. Arima concluded the session by saying, "Today's media seminar is the first one. We look forward to continuous activities in the future."

JANPIA will continue to broadly disseminate information on practical efforts being made in the field to solve social issues and promote understanding of the dormant deposits utilization system through the "JANPIA Media Seminar."

■ For more details, click here (Dormant Deposits Utilization Platform)
=> https://www.kyuplat.com/?post_type=media-channel&p=17082

[Event Overview]
■ Name: "1st