Pregnancy, Childbirth, Child-rearing, Life, and Career. Towards an Ideal Company Where Everyone Thrives. "To You 10 Years From Now": Changing the Norms of Work and Child-rearing with Midwives. #April Dream

## To You, a 9th Grader Now

As cherry blossoms begin to bloom and a new season starts,
I am writing this letter to you, wanting to tell you about a future just a little ahead.

Imagine yourself 10 years from now.
Perhaps you're chasing your dreams overseas. Perhaps you've met someone you love and are building a new family. Or perhaps you're working hard, shining brightly at the heart of society.

Now, take a moment to look around at the people near you.
Your mother, who raised you,
And the adult women around you who are working hard,
Do you realize how desperately they are running between work and child-rearing?
Even with convenient home appliances, delivery services, and a partner's cooperation,
They are a "mother," a "worker,"
And "an individual woman" –
A superwoman juggling multiple roles.

10 years from now, when you enter society,
Can you imagine the future?

I want a future where you don't have to give up either "life" or "work,"
But can naturally choose both.
With that strong determination, I founded PROTON.

The future 10 years from now will surely exceed your current imagination.

To you, 10 years from now, to pass on the best baton. With love and determination,
Yoko Ochiai, Representative Midwife, PROTON

---

## Why a Midwife Changes Companies

Hello. My name is Yoko Ochiai, Representative Midwife at PROTON. Midwives are nurses who, among all healthcare professionals, are one in a hundred, capable of being involved in a woman's entire life, not just pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing. We are experts in both mind and body.
(38,721 people, according to the 2024 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's administrative report on health)

What I've realized from continuously listening to hundreds of mothers' voices in maternity hospitals and online consultations is this:
--- It's the reality that "women often cannot fully convey their actual situations to their companies or workplaces. Symptoms and progress are too individual to be easily understood, and companies and workplaces often struggle to grasp the reality."

--- I don't want to cause trouble at work. I want to be seen as an essential person. I love this job and want to continue it.
But,
Juggling multiple roles in a 24-hour day pushes the mind and body to their limits; should I give up one of them...?
I've heard such voices countless times.
Even if systems are in place, they won't function if there isn't an expert who understands the reality of mind and body within the company.

--- I believe that creating a culture where "midwives are naturally present in companies, just like industrial physicians," will change society and organizations as a whole.

---

## To Make It More Than Just a Dream, PROTON Offers: "A Training Program to Experience Pre- and Postnatal Issues Through a Board Game." Why not try it?

This is a Sugoroku-style board game that starts from the pregnancy period. Each square represents a week of pregnancy. Based on events and happenings that occur in the game, players move their pieces towards the goal (childbirth) while discussing difficult-to-understand changes in mind and body.

## ■ From "Knowing" to "Feeling" through Simulation

Changes in the body, anxiety about reporting to work, disagreements with partners. Even if you think you "know" these things intellectually, experiencing and discussing them through the game transforms that knowledge into a tangible "this is how difficult it is."

## ■ Managers, HR, Singles, Even Those Without Children – Everyone is a Participant

Those who thought "this doesn't concern me" are precisely the main characters of this game. Whether you have children or not is irrelevant. Gathered around a table, you can share the same experience, transcending your positions.

## ■ "Dialogue" Born with Every Stop on the Board – Something AI Cannot Replace

Participants engage in a communication exchange every time they land on a square. Questions like "What would you do?" and "What kind of support can our company offer?" naturally arise.
Turn off your smartphones and engage in this deliberately down-to-earth, analog board game style to foster genuine dialogue among colleagues.

## ■ The Significance of a Midwife as a Facilitator

Midwives are experts who can be involved in a woman's entire life. The pre- and postnatal field is a professional area requiring double qualifications as a nurse and a midwife. During events and happenings in the game, midwives can explain difficult-to-understand symptoms, and provide guidance and explanations for changes in mind and body.
This accumulation of dialogue, combined with the presence of a midwife – an expert in perinatal medicine – becomes a sure step towards "a workplace where everyone can work comfortably."

Scene from the FY2025 Saitama City Gender Equality Promotion Citizen Planning Course. Not only pregnant women, but also couples, business owners, managers, and local government officials participated.

---

## April Dream Exclusive: Special Trial Offer

"What kind of future do you want to show the children 10 years from now?"
To all corporate representatives who have read this article.
PROTON will join you in taking the first step towards an organization where everyone can naturally balance career and life and shine in their own way.
On April 1st, as an April Dream, we declare our "dream."

And that dream has already begun to move...

## [April Dream Exclusive - Special Trial Implementation]

We will be conducting a special trial for companies considering introducing this program.
Please inquire [here](https://www.canva.com/design/DAHFSvq88v4/XPq8zad3RNmuvEQepClWjA/view?utm_content=DAHFSvq88v4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hefcf836ef7) for details. (Jumps to April Dream exclusive special page URL)

- Other inquiries: info-web@proton-45.com
- Official HP: [https://proton-45.com](https://proton-45.com)
- Sango Quest: [https://sangoquest.com](https://sangoquest.com)