JAL and Univer's 'Aozora Ryugaku & Campus Everywhere' Project Receives First 'Contribution Certificate for Revitalization of Rural Villages' from MAFF

Japan Airlines (JAL)'s internal venture team, W-PIT, and Univer Inc. have been collaborating since 2024 on 'Aozora Ryugaku & Campus Everywhere' (hereinafter 'this project'), a field work program in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, where university students and diverse adults interact to aim for regional co-creation and the generation of 'related populations' for recovery. This project was recently certified as an 'Initiative Contributing to the Revitalization of Farming, Mountain, and Fishing Villages' by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and a certificate was awarded on March 13, 2026 (Friday). This is the first time an airline has received this certification.

The 'Contribution Certificate for Revitalization of Farming, Mountain, and Fishing Villages' is an initiative launched by MAFF in fiscal year 2026. It aims to publicly issue certificates to programs where companies invest their resources to solve issues in rural areas such as depopulation and aging, thereby visualizing their social significance and achievements.

This project is a field work program for university students that fuses JAL's W-PIT-promoted regional exchange program 'Aozora Ryugaku' with Univer's proposed 'Campus Everywhere concept.' Leveraging 'Aozora Ryugaku's' strength in networking with local primary industries and Univer's credit-transfer scheme, the program strategically connects future leaders, such as urban university students, with regional areas through field work. Rather than temporary volunteering or donations, it creates sustainable 'related populations' by working alongside local residents to discover challenges and deepen mutual understanding.

JAL and Univer will continue to contribute to the sustainable future of Japan's rural villages by creating unique social impacts centered on 'education x mobility.'

■ 'Aozora Ryugaku & Campus Everywhere' Overview

Frequency: Held once a year (third time since 2024)
Region Visited: Noto Town, Hosu District, Ishikawa Prefecture
Leader: Keita Kamiirisa, Head of JAL W-PIT Noto Recovery Business Unit
Participants: University students, corporate representatives, etc., upon application
Schedule:
May 22, 2026: Pre-WEB Orientation
May 30-31, 2026: Field Work
June 26, 2026: Post-WEB Review

Activities:
1) Participation in Creative Reconstruction: Visiting the portable shrine (mikoshi) storage of the 'Abare Matsuri' festival, which is inherited by local residents even after the earthquake. Learning about the power and importance of culture and memory accumulated in the region for creative reconstruction.
2) Co-creation of Primary Industry and Business: Experiencing primary industries (forest conservation, fisheries) to understand local livelihoods. Reflecting on the balance between social and economic value through dialogues with JAL employees continuously involved in Noto as business professionals.
3) Transformation into Sustainable 'Related Populations': Students verbalize their learnings from the visit and future action declarations in workshops. Psychological connections with Noto are built, transforming them into 'related populations.'

■ Univer Inc. Overview
With the philosophy of 'Redesigning learning through mobility,' the company promotes the 'Campus Everywhere concept,' where university students actively move between rural and urban areas. A social startup that provides new value to traditional university learning methods, aiming to nurture next-generation leaders and revitalize regions.