Establishment and Launch of SAMURAI Foundation
The SAMURAI Foundation was established on April 14, 2026, launching a 50-year vision to provide a free educational infrastructure called the 'SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club' to all elementary students across Japan.
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- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 20:40
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 12:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:41 (14h 39m after Collected)
The SAMURAI Foundation (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kentaro Sakakibara) was established and registered on April 14, 2026. With the mission 'Change the world by doing or not doing, not by being able or not being able,' the foundation announced its 50-year vision to provide the 'SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club' to all elementary students nationwide. Through an extra-curricular entrepreneurship education program for 5th and 6th graders, the foundation aims to develop the next generation of talent focused on challenge, collaboration, and creativity. It seeks to build an educational infrastructure provided free of charge to all elementary students. Starting in the 2026 fiscal year, it will partner with 4 to 6 elementary schools and areas to begin pilot programs and verification.
### Background: Why Entrepreneur Clubs for Elementary Students Now?
While educational opportunities for academic and digital literacy are expanding in Japan, opportunities for fostering non-cognitive skills and entrepreneurship—the ability to think for oneself and challenge as a team—are still lacking. Additionally, there is a growing void in extra-curricular activities, particularly in rural and small schools. Furthermore, the scale of individual donations in Japan is only about 1/30th of that in the US (0.33% of GDP vs 2.00%), and a lack of trusted 'vessels' for large-scale donations is also an issue.
### Activities: From the First 10 Years to a 50-Year Span
The first 10 years will focus on three key activities, gradually expanding to a total of five.
1. Expanding Entrepreneur Clubs and Supporting Entrepreneurship Education: Providing the 'SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club' to children nationwide, conducting mentor programs with entrepreneurs and investors.
2. Supporting the Operation of Entrepreneurial-type Elementary Schools: Supporting the introduction of entrepreneurship curricula into school education.
3. Promoting Donation Culture and Management: Collecting donations from individuals and corporations to form a 10 billion yen fund by 2030.
Future 50-year activities will include support for children with disabilities and supporting NPOs and social entrepreneurs.
### Why 5th and 6th Graders? - Sakakibara's Experience
Representative Director Sakakibara reflects on his time as a 5th and 6th grader when he took on major roles like cheerleading captain and student council assistant, which became the foundation for his confidence. He believes that being given responsible roles and opportunities for challenges during these years provides confidence that supports a child's entire life. The SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club was born from this conviction.
### Core Project: SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club for Kids
This is a free, out-of-school extra-curricular entrepreneurship education program for 5th and 6th graders. The goal is a society where 'Entrepreneur Clubs' are as common as baseball or soccer clubs. Children take on responsible roles, repeating challenges and failures as a team, fostering the power to 'finish what you start' and the power to 'create the future with peers.' It is not a place to 'teach business' but a place to internalize collaboration and challenge through responsible roles. The project will initially focus on launching 2,000 clubs across Japan before expanding further.
### Background: Why Entrepreneur Clubs for Elementary Students Now?
While educational opportunities for academic and digital literacy are expanding in Japan, opportunities for fostering non-cognitive skills and entrepreneurship—the ability to think for oneself and challenge as a team—are still lacking. Additionally, there is a growing void in extra-curricular activities, particularly in rural and small schools. Furthermore, the scale of individual donations in Japan is only about 1/30th of that in the US (0.33% of GDP vs 2.00%), and a lack of trusted 'vessels' for large-scale donations is also an issue.
### Activities: From the First 10 Years to a 50-Year Span
The first 10 years will focus on three key activities, gradually expanding to a total of five.
1. Expanding Entrepreneur Clubs and Supporting Entrepreneurship Education: Providing the 'SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club' to children nationwide, conducting mentor programs with entrepreneurs and investors.
2. Supporting the Operation of Entrepreneurial-type Elementary Schools: Supporting the introduction of entrepreneurship curricula into school education.
3. Promoting Donation Culture and Management: Collecting donations from individuals and corporations to form a 10 billion yen fund by 2030.
Future 50-year activities will include support for children with disabilities and supporting NPOs and social entrepreneurs.
### Why 5th and 6th Graders? - Sakakibara's Experience
Representative Director Sakakibara reflects on his time as a 5th and 6th grader when he took on major roles like cheerleading captain and student council assistant, which became the foundation for his confidence. He believes that being given responsible roles and opportunities for challenges during these years provides confidence that supports a child's entire life. The SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club was born from this conviction.
### Core Project: SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club for Kids
This is a free, out-of-school extra-curricular entrepreneurship education program for 5th and 6th graders. The goal is a society where 'Entrepreneur Clubs' are as common as baseball or soccer clubs. Children take on responsible roles, repeating challenges and failures as a team, fostering the power to 'finish what you start' and the power to 'create the future with peers.' It is not a place to 'teach business' but a place to internalize collaboration and challenge through responsible roles. The project will initially focus on launching 2,000 clubs across Japan before expanding further.