Musashino University Concludes Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement with Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Musashino University and Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, signed a "Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement" on April 1, 2026. This partnership aims to utilize Susono City as a field for students of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship to tackle regional challenges and foster entrepreneurial talent in the community.
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- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 19:10
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Musashino University (Koto Ward, Tokyo; President: Seiko Konishi) and Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture (Mayor: Yu Murata) agreed to cooperate and collaborate with each other, concluding a "Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement" on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Through the conclusion of this agreement, by utilizing Susono City as a field, students of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship will have an opportunity to take on new challenges and create value, while also working on fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region.
*In our university, "Entrepreneurship" refers to a mindset based on high aspirations and ethics, stepping forward without fear of failure, discovering new value, and creating it.*
**About the Agreement:**
Susono City and Musashino University have advanced initiatives, taking the "Co-creation Partner System" announced by Susono City in September 2025 as an opportunity, and concluded the Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement. The Faculty of Entrepreneurship will provide its expertise and jointly work on fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region.
**Overview of Agreement Conclusion:**
Period: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027
Cooperation Items: Fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region
**Background of Agreement Conclusion:**
Since the current Deputy Mayor of Susono City, Ms. Chisato Onishi, is a visiting researcher at the Musashino University Institute of Entrepreneurship, opportunities to discuss the development of entrepreneurial talent with the city and the Institute of Entrepreneurship have been established previously.
From October 2025, Musashino University collaborated with Susono City in activities for a human resource development program within the "Tourism Management Human Resource Development Project," a commissioned project by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government implemented by the Institute of Entrepreneurship. 25 individuals residing or working in Tokyo, who took courses on Susono City's tourism challenges, underwent preliminary study and local inspections, and then presented plans contributing to increasing tourists in Susono City on February 15, 2026.
Based on these circumstances, going forward, we will continue to collaborate with the city in various forms based on this collaboration agreement, including the implementation of co-creation programs, exchanges as fieldwork locations, and human resource development.
**Comments:**
■ Yoichi Ito (Dean, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, Musashino University)
Musashino University has now concluded a Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement with Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The presence of entrepreneurial talent is indispensable for revitalizing regions. Under this Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement, we will work together to cultivate individuals who turn regional challenges into learning opportunities and step forward without fear of failure. We sincerely look forward to the spread of challenges that create the future from Susono.
■ Yu Murata (Mayor, Susono City)
I feel greatly encouraged by the conclusion of the Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement with Musashino University. The free ideas and dynamism of the students of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship will surely become a great force to open up new possibilities for the region. We hope that this agreement will serve as an opportunity for Susono City to support students' challenges and further evolve as a city where new value is born.
■ Chisato Onishi (Deputy Mayor, Susono City)
I am very pleased that the connection we have fostered since last year has taken shape as a collaboration agreement that will advance Susono City's regional innovation strategy to the next stage. By combining the flexible ideas of students with the practical knowledge of the region, we will create new challenges and value creation models from Susono.
**About Susono City:**
Susono City is located in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Fuji, surrounded by the rich nature of the Hakone Outer Rim and the Ashitaka Mountain Range, and is an industrial city.
As of April 1, 2026, the population is 48,151, and the area is 138.12 square kilometers. The climate is mild, and transportation is convenient, with access from Tokyo in 70 minutes via highway.
With the slogan "Susono, a city chosen by people and businesses," it is a city where rich nature and industry are harmonized.
**About the Faculty of Entrepreneurship:**
Musashino University's Faculty of Entrepreneurship was established in 2021 as Japan's only Faculty of Entrepreneurship. Since then, based on Musashino University's brand statement, "Shaping happiness for the world," it has been fostering individuals with a high sense of purpose and ethics, who challenge without fear of failure, discover new value, and create it.
**About Musashino University:**
Musashino University Musashino Campus
Established in 1924 as Musashino Girls' School, aiming for character education rooted in Buddhist philosophy. It became Musashino University in 2003, succeeding Musashino Women's University. Since becoming co-educational in 2004, it has promoted university reforms and developed into a comprehensive university with over 13,000 students across 13 faculties, 21 departments, 14 graduate schools, and a distance learning division. In 2019, it established Japan's first private university data science...
Through the conclusion of this agreement, by utilizing Susono City as a field, students of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship will have an opportunity to take on new challenges and create value, while also working on fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region.
*In our university, "Entrepreneurship" refers to a mindset based on high aspirations and ethics, stepping forward without fear of failure, discovering new value, and creating it.*
**About the Agreement:**
Susono City and Musashino University have advanced initiatives, taking the "Co-creation Partner System" announced by Susono City in September 2025 as an opportunity, and concluded the Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement. The Faculty of Entrepreneurship will provide its expertise and jointly work on fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region.
**Overview of Agreement Conclusion:**
Period: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027
Cooperation Items: Fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region
**Background of Agreement Conclusion:**
Since the current Deputy Mayor of Susono City, Ms. Chisato Onishi, is a visiting researcher at the Musashino University Institute of Entrepreneurship, opportunities to discuss the development of entrepreneurial talent with the city and the Institute of Entrepreneurship have been established previously.
From October 2025, Musashino University collaborated with Susono City in activities for a human resource development program within the "Tourism Management Human Resource Development Project," a commissioned project by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government implemented by the Institute of Entrepreneurship. 25 individuals residing or working in Tokyo, who took courses on Susono City's tourism challenges, underwent preliminary study and local inspections, and then presented plans contributing to increasing tourists in Susono City on February 15, 2026.
Based on these circumstances, going forward, we will continue to collaborate with the city in various forms based on this collaboration agreement, including the implementation of co-creation programs, exchanges as fieldwork locations, and human resource development.
**Comments:**
■ Yoichi Ito (Dean, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, Musashino University)
Musashino University has now concluded a Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement with Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The presence of entrepreneurial talent is indispensable for revitalizing regions. Under this Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement, we will work together to cultivate individuals who turn regional challenges into learning opportunities and step forward without fear of failure. We sincerely look forward to the spread of challenges that create the future from Susono.
■ Yu Murata (Mayor, Susono City)
I feel greatly encouraged by the conclusion of the Co-creation Partner Collaboration Agreement with Musashino University. The free ideas and dynamism of the students of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship will surely become a great force to open up new possibilities for the region. We hope that this agreement will serve as an opportunity for Susono City to support students' challenges and further evolve as a city where new value is born.
■ Chisato Onishi (Deputy Mayor, Susono City)
I am very pleased that the connection we have fostered since last year has taken shape as a collaboration agreement that will advance Susono City's regional innovation strategy to the next stage. By combining the flexible ideas of students with the practical knowledge of the region, we will create new challenges and value creation models from Susono.
**About Susono City:**
Susono City is located in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Fuji, surrounded by the rich nature of the Hakone Outer Rim and the Ashitaka Mountain Range, and is an industrial city.
As of April 1, 2026, the population is 48,151, and the area is 138.12 square kilometers. The climate is mild, and transportation is convenient, with access from Tokyo in 70 minutes via highway.
With the slogan "Susono, a city chosen by people and businesses," it is a city where rich nature and industry are harmonized.
**About the Faculty of Entrepreneurship:**
Musashino University's Faculty of Entrepreneurship was established in 2021 as Japan's only Faculty of Entrepreneurship. Since then, based on Musashino University's brand statement, "Shaping happiness for the world," it has been fostering individuals with a high sense of purpose and ethics, who challenge without fear of failure, discover new value, and create it.
**About Musashino University:**
Musashino University Musashino Campus
Established in 1924 as Musashino Girls' School, aiming for character education rooted in Buddhist philosophy. It became Musashino University in 2003, succeeding Musashino Women's University. Since becoming co-educational in 2004, it has promoted university reforms and developed into a comprehensive university with over 13,000 students across 13 faculties, 21 departments, 14 graduate schools, and a distance learning division. In 2019, it established Japan's first private university data science...