Yokosuka City x RePlayce: Final Presentation of the 1st Term of the 'Working Department' Held

RePlayce Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Masahiro Yamamoto; hereinafter referred to as RePlayce), which operates a career exploration service for junior high and high school students, conducted the first term (September 2025 to February 2026) of the "Working Department" (Hataraku-ka). This practical career exploration program was carried out in collaboration with Yokosuka City and its officials, where 17 high school students from the city teamed up with city officials to tackle local issues. Under the theme "YOKOSUKA Love! Related Population Increase Project," high school students and city officials engaged in discussions on an equal footing, working for about six months to create policy ideas.

At the final presentation held in February 2026, each team presented their policy proposals in front of city council members, school officials, and Kanagawa Prefectural officials. A survey of the participating high school students confirmed significant growth in self-efficacy and social participation awareness, with the score for "I believe I can change society" improving by +2.37 points out of 10.

A Serious "Related Population Increase Project" Challenged by High School Students and City Officials An unprecedented new initiative has been born at the Yokosuka City Hall. Its name is the "Working Department". The main characters are high school students living in Yokosuka City. Teaming up with city officials, it is an approximately 6-month project where they challenged the creation of policy ideas while facing the real issues of Yokosuka. A practical career exploration program where high school students and the city hall discussed on an equal footing and thought about the future of the city. We report on its trajectory.

Project Overview This program is a practical career exploration program where high school students in Yokosuka City and city officials form a project team to challenge the resolution of local issues. The first theme in 2025 became "Increasing the Related Population," which Yokosuka City is strengthening its efforts on.

Implementation Summary Period: September 2025 - February 2026 (approx. 6 months) Theme: YOKOSUKA Love! Related Population Increase Project Participants: High school students in Yokosuka City, Yokosuka City officials

Aim of the Project This program has the following two objectives: 1. Support for high school students' career formation To nurture the ability to think and act on their own through the experience of facing social issues. 2. Improvement of policy-making skills of city officials To incorporate the fresh perspectives of high school students and create new policy ideas.

Additionally, through participation in community development, the initiative was implemented to lead to: - Fostering attachment to the local area - Creation of a future related population - Brand formation as an educationally advanced city

A New Challenge that Began at the City Hall The venue on the first day was a conference room at the Yokosuka City Hall. Gathered in a place they usually never enter, the high school students looked nervous at first. However, through icebreakers and discussions with city officials, the atmosphere of the place gradually changed. "We want to make Yokosuka a city we can boast about more." Sharing such thoughts, the high school students and adults started the project as an equal team.

Program Content The 6-month program proceeded while combining lectures, workshops, and presentations.

Skills Lectures 1. Find your own "compass" 2. What is a new business? Setting customers and issues 3. Exploring the deep psychology of customers 4. What is the ultimate experience design? 5. Presentation skills that shake the heart

Events - Working Department Kick-off - Interim Presentation - Entrepreneur Lecture - Final Presentation

In the lectures, while learning business skills and ways of thinking about new business development, the teams deepened their discussions on the issues of Yokosuka.

Trajectory of the Project In the approximately 6-month program, the process went beyond mere idea generation and layered processes anticipating social implementation.

Lectures by Entrepreneurs and Experts They broadened their perspectives by learning from frontline lecturers about how to create new businesses and the concept of related populations.

Interim Pitch They presented their ideas at the halfway point and received feedback from entrepreneurs and officials. "Whose issue does it solve, and what kind of issue is it?" Such sharp questions provided an experience to review the essence of their ideas.

Dialogue and Discussion in Groups While utilizing the "Working Department" created in a virtual space, they repeatedly discussed with officials and coaches to polish their ideas. It became a learning experience of facing questions without right answers while confronting real regional issues, an experience difficult to gain through regular school classes alone.

Final Presentation At the final outcome reporting session, each team presented their policy proposals in front of city council members, school officials, Kanagawa Prefectural officials, and others. In addition to flexible ideas typical of high school students, proposals incorporating perspectives such as: - Feasibility - Continuity - Profitability elicited voices of surprise and admiration from the audience.