Supporting Youth to Discover and Cherish Themselves: A Journey with 'Iruka-ya'

Our organization supports the 'April Dream' initiative, which encourages sharing dreams on April 1st. This press release outlines the dream that 'Iruka-ya' wishes to realize. We report on our awareness of issues and past activities, and announce our next steps.

Japan's Depression: It is well known that Japan is a country with a high suicide rate, particularly among the youth. Despite the declining birthrate, reports of abuse and child-rearing issues have not decreased, and the environment for children continues to deteriorate. Look around you. Are the people next to you smiling? When relatives gather, can you be yourself? At school? At work? Technology has evolved, life has become more convenient, and AI has increased efficiency. But has this created more room for people to breathe? From our perspective, children are not growing up freely in this 'leisure'; the streets are overflowing with busy, stimulation-seeking lives.

Yet, Children Shine: Despite the difficulties, the children we meet at Iruka-ya have unique, shining personalities—some love art, some are environmental experts, some are IT-savvy, some are great at interpersonal coordination, and some are talented singers. We are proud of the relationships built here, where children who go to school and those who don't, those with many extracurriculars and those without, all coexist without judgment. We believe it is essential for children to have a space where they are valued, heard, and helped.

A World Where Children Can Safely Speak of Dreams: In a world of conflict, economic instability, and natural disasters, adults are constantly worried about their children's future. Children feel this 'anxiety' from birth. They internalize invisible pressures like 'don't fail' or 'don't stray from the average path.' We want to focus on how to prevent these invisible enemies from nesting in their hearts.

Past and Future of Iruka-ya: We have held discussion groups to listen to various values and ways of life. We believe that 'not knowing' is scary, but 'knowing' even a little makes it easier to accept. We have hosted guests to discuss topics like hearing impairment, visual impairment, social care, LGBT issues, depression, and more. We hope those who have gained insights will spread these topics to their own circles. We are looking for partners to support youth independence. We will focus on providing concrete support to young people who are struggling to breathe as they approach adulthood or have just entered society. We need partners to help us create a fountain of support. We are currently seeking donations and partners who resonate with our philosophy. A bright tomorrow will come. It is our responsibility as adults to create a world where children can smile. That is the dream of Iruka-ya.