Musashino University: Kanagawa Prefecture's First 7-Month Long-Term Work Experience Program - University Students Design Disaster Volunteer System, Report to Governor After Internship

Two students from Musashino University's Faculty of Entrepreneurship (EMC) (Nishi-Tokyo City, Tokyo; Dean: Yoichi Ito), Keisuke Takeuchi and Hayato Nakahara, participated in the 'Debriefing Session on University Student Disaster Volunteer Activities (Long-Term Internship Report Session)' held on Monday, May 11, 2026, in the 5th conference room on the 5th floor of the Kanagawa Prefectural Government's new building. This internship was conducted over a period of seven months starting from September 2025.

This was a rare long-term work experience program in Japan, and a first for Kanagawa Prefecture, where university students worked at the prefectural office to 'create a system that allows more university students to participate in disaster volunteering.' Upon completing this long-term internship, the two students reported their results to Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kuroiwa.

[Key Points]

● Two EMC students reported the results of their long-term internship to the Governor of Kanagawa.

● They proposed challenges and solutions for university students to continuously participate in disaster volunteering.

● Kanagawa Prefecture plans to submit a request to the national government based on the students' proposal.

[Overview of the Long-Term Internship Results Report Session]

Keisuke Takeuchi and Hayato Nakahara, fourth-year EMC students, presented their report on the project 'Creating a system that enables motivated university students to participate in disaster volunteer activities.' They discussed how to overcome the four main concerns that prevent students from taking the first step—'academics,' 'cost,' 'safety,' and 'social recognition'—and also addressed new challenges identified during their volunteer activities in Noto on March 26-27, 2026, incorporating feedback from participating students.

Governor Kuroiwa remarked, 'Volunteers are needed not just immediately after a disaster but for a long period, and the timing of withdrawal is a challenge. It's also a difficult era for community building.' Mr. Takeuchi responded, 'Now that major volunteer organizations have withdrawn from Noto, I believe that we, as students with a limited timeframe, can act as a bridge to the local people. We created a community space during our activities. I hope it becomes a hub for local residents to interact.'

A prefectural official also commented, 'Even in NPO activities, it's said that it's hard to attract young people, yet over 100 university students applied. Centered around the two interns, many people were involved, and a large project was set in motion. I feel the potential for the future and am impressed by the power of youth.'

■ Volunteer Activity Overview

The two EMC students recruited participants in advance with the cooperation of related organizations. Over 100 students from a total of 29 universities applied. After a selection process, 16 students from 12 universities, plus one from the Kanazawa University volunteer circle, for a total of 17, participated on March 26 and 27. The activity took place at Senju-in Temple (a temple with about 1300 years of history) in Anamizu, Noto Peninsula. Based on requests from a local NPO, they performed tasks such as gardening, DIY, cleaning the storehouse, and organizing the warehouse.

■ Challenges, Solutions, and Post-Activity Issues

Challenge

Initial Challenge & Solution

Additional Challenge

Academics

Conducted during spring break to avoid affecting studies.

Immediate response during disasters is difficult during the semester.

Responses vary by university and faculty, requiring the establishment of a credit recognition system.

Cost

Transportation and accommodation are expensive.

⇒ A tripartite agreement between Kanagawa Pref., The Nippon Foundation Volunteer Center, and JAVO supported travel costs. Accommodation was at Senju-in Temple, with students only paying for food. Helmets were provided by Tokyo Film Service in Sagamihara City.

Insufficient funds to expand the number of participants and frequency.

Considering using the prefecture's NPO support donation system and obtaining donations through the corporate hometown tax by acquiring prefectural NPO designation.

Safety

How to manage safety.

⇒ Conducted training on safety measures, code of conduct, stress management, and mental healthcare two weeks prior.

Thoroughly implemented meetings, breaks, and helmet use on-site, achieving zero injuries.

Communication errors with local residents, and instances of participants feeling unwell.

Will add basic manners for maintaining high discipline in the extraordinary environment of a disaster area to the manual, and ensure thorough preparation of facilities, reception coordination, and consideration for the local community.

Social Recognition

Not recognized, no way to get recognition.

⇒ JAVO plans to issue volunteer certificates.

Considering detailing the certificate content, such as clarifying acquired skills.

Discussing a 'University Student Disaster Volunteer-Linked Action Insurance' with an insurance company to aim for both improved social recognition and risk reduction.

[About Kanagawa Prefecture's Long-Term Internship]

In disaster-prone Japan, as seen with the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in 2024, many motivated young people rush to disaster sites to provide support, creating a significant social impact. However, university students face challenges such as missing classes and financial burdens, and a systematic framework for their participation is not well-developed. This program, after a selection process by Kanagawa Prefecture, is a rare long-term work experience in which Mr. Takeuchi and Mr. Nakahara, with their extensive experience in supporting the Noto Peninsula earthquake-stricken area, worked for seven months at the Kanagawa Prefectural Office to 'create a system that allows more university students to participate in disaster volunteering.' The Kanagawa Prefectural Government aimed to build a sustainable support system for disaster-stricken areas by accepting university students and incorporating their perspectives into the prefecture's system design.

[Comments]

■ Keisuke Takeuchi

Through dispatching university student disaster volunteers, I reaffirmed the importance of students participating in volunteer work and gaining experience by visiting the sites. I have been volunteering in Noto every month for two years, and I joined this internship because I wanted to create a system for more continuous student involvement. To reduce the number of people saddened by disasters, I want to expand the volunteer dispatch model we worked on from within Kanagawa Prefecture to the Tokyo metropolitan area and to about 800 universities nationwide.

■ Hayato Nakahara

At first, I was worried if this project would succeed, but now that it's over, I feel a sense of accomplishment. I learned that for volunteering, preparation is crucial, including the readiness of the local people on the receiving end. I felt that without proper arrangements, good intentions could cease to be good, so I hope to help organize the volunteer system in the future.

■ Mr. Katsuhiro Hozumi, Director of Science and Technology, Life and Future Strategy Headquarters, Policy Bureau, Kanagawa Prefecture

I sincerely respect your seven-month challenge to create a system that makes it easier for university students to participate in disaster volunteering, and for seeing it through to the activities on the Noto Peninsula.

It was because of the mountain of unseen preparations—visiting universities, recruiting, pre-training, safety management, on-site coordination—that we were able to safely send out 14 university students who study or live in the prefecture.

Mr. Takeuchi, Mr. Nakahara, thank you for your hard work.

[About the Faculty of Entrepreneurship]

Musashino University's Faculty of Entrepreneurship was established in 2021 as the only faculty of its kind in Japan. Based on the university's brand statement, 'Creating Happiness for the World,' it nurtures individuals with high aspirations and ethics, who are not afraid to fail, who challenge themselves, and who discover and create new value through entrepreneurship.

[About Musashino University]

Musashino University Musashino Campus

Founded in 1924 as Musashino Women's Gakuin with the ideal of character education rooted in Buddhist principles. Formerly Musashino Women's University, it was renamed Musashino University in 2003. Since becoming co-educational in 2004, it has promoted university reforms and developed into a comprehensive university with over 13,000 students in 13 faculties, 21 departments, 14 graduate schools, and a correspondence division. In 2019, it established Japan's first Faculty of Data Science at a private university. In 2021, it established Japan's first Faculty of Entrepreneurship and launched the 'Musashino INITIAL' university-wide common foundation course with 'AI Utilization' and 'SDGs' as compulsory subjects. In 2023, it established Japan's first Department of Sustainability. In 2024, it celebrated its 100th anniversary and established the world's first Faculty of Well-Being. In 2026, it established the Faculty of International Data Science in the correspondence division, proposing a new form of distance learning. The university is advancing reforms to cultivate creative human resources for the future of 2050.