[Okayama University] Faculty and Staff Present Kumenan Town Project at Toyota Foundation's 'Population Decline and Japanese Society' Mid-term Seminar

On June 1, 2026, Okayama University participated in the Toyota Foundation's 2025 grant kickoff and 2024 mid-term seminar for the 'Population Decline and Japanese Society' program, held in Tokyo on April 16, 2026. The university reported on its project based in Kumenan Town, Okayama Prefecture. Four representatives attended: Associate Professor Katsutoshi Onaka, Associate Professor Hisashi Dadai, and specialists Masahiko Yoshida and Takao Funakura from the Industry-Academia Collaboration Division. The project, titled 'Building New Business Models to Support Depopulated Areas through Co-creation by Young Local Practitioners and Academic Researchers,' aims to create new business entities tailored to the needs of mountainous regions facing population decline and aging. The report detailed current efforts, including CSV (Creating Shared Value) surveys of farmers and regional resource management. A key achievement highlighted was the co-creation activities between university-originated student ventures and the local community. Various prototypes were developed, including pond monitoring systems, wildlife damage prevention tools, and terraced rice field VR content. These initiatives function as 'boundary objects' connecting the university and the community, potentially fostering future leaders for local businesses. The selection committee highly praised the team's balance and the involvement of proactive municipal staff. Practical advice was also provided, such as benchmarking against Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture, and incorporating local financial mechanisms to strengthen the project. Okayama University will utilize this feedback to continue promoting the implementation of sustainable business models in mountainous areas in close cooperation with Kumenan Town.