Social Design Works Participates in New Regional Co-creation Complex 'AMS' in Nakadori, Akita City as 'SOCIALSQUARE Akita Ekimae'

NPO Social Design Works (Location: Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture; Representative Director & CEO: Tsuyoshi Kitayama), in collaboration with Sustina Akita and Tohoku Bussan Co., Ltd., will participate in the regional co-creation complex facility 'AMS' to be opened on the 1st floor of the Meitokukan Building in Nakadori, Akita City, as the disability welfare service office 'SOCIALSQUARE Akita Ekimae'.

Social Design Works has been working on community building where diverse people interact naturally, primarily through the operation of its disability welfare service 'SOCIALSQUARE', based on the philosophy of a 'mixed' environment where diverse people interact naturally.

The 'AMS' facility being joined this time is a regional co-creation complex where individuals and organizations from diverse fields, such as welfare, culture, business, and international exchange, will interact. With the concept of a 'micro-society' where people with different attributes and purposes share daily life and create new value, it aims to become a new exchange hub connected to the future of Akita.

Along with the opening, an opening ceremony and community participation event will be held over two days on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, 2026.

About the Regional Co-creation Hub 'AMS'

AMS is a regional co-creation complex facility established on the 1st floor of the Meitokukan Building in Nakadori, Akita City.

Under the themes of 'Inclusion' and 'Innovation', it aims to create a space where diverse entities can coexist, transcending disabilities, age, and nationality.

Within the facility, organizations and businesses operating in various domains, such as welfare, international exchange, business, and cultural activities, are scheduled to participate, designing an environment where diverse people naturally interact.

Through community exchange events, exhibitions, and community projects, it will create opportunities for people to loosely connect with each other and with the community.

Overview of the Opening Ceremony and Community Participation Event

Accompanying the opening of AMS, an opening ceremony and a community participation event will be held over two days.

■ DAY 1 | Opening Ceremony

Date and Time: June 5, 2026 (Friday) 13:30~ (Planned)
Venue: AMS (1st Floor, Meitokukan Building, Nakadori, Akita City, Akita Prefecture)

On the day, greetings by officials, facility introductions, and talk sessions are scheduled.

[Scheduled Speakers]

- Kenta Suzuki, Governor of Akita Prefecture
- Hiromitsu Tanaka, Principal of Meitokukan High School
- Isao Fukasawa, Representative Director of Sustina Akita

[Talk Session]

Experts in business, culture, and welfare will hold a talk session under the theme 'The Shape of Future Implementation in Akita: The Potential of Emergence Created by Welfare, Business, and Culture'.

- Business Field: Go Fujita, Representative Director of MTG Ventures Co., Ltd.
- Cultural Field: Ikuko Ando, Representative Director of NPO Art Link Uchi no Akari
- Welfare Field: Tsuyoshi Kitayama, Representative Director and CEO of NPO Social Design Works

* Speakers and content are subject to change.

■ DAY 2 | Community Participation Event

Date and Time: June 6, 2026 (Saturday) 10:00~14:00
Venue: AMS (1st Floor, Meitokukan Building, Nakadori, Akita City, Akita Prefecture)

An interactive event will be held where local residents and visitors can freely participate.

On the day, attendees can freely preview the facility and participate in various experiences.

- Exchange workshop with the theme of values
- Art experience projects
- Manufacturing experiences
- Free participation content

In addition, talk projects themed on the community and diverse working styles are planned, creating a space where visitors can naturally interact with each other.

Participation is free, and entry/exit is unrestricted, allowing anyone to join.

■ Background of Social Design Works' Participation

In Akita Prefecture, various social issues are becoming apparent, including population decline, an aging society, future anxiety primarily among the younger generation, and the weakening of connections with the community.

Furthermore, there is a current reality where places to engage safely within the community and opportunities to encounter diverse values are limited, even for those experiencing difficulties in life or a sense of isolation.

Social Design Works has been expanding the disability welfare service office 'SOCIALSQUARE' nationwide with the aim of realizing 'a society where the difference in the town one was born and raised does not become a disparity in life, and where people who do not give up increase'.

By participating in AMS this time, the organization aims to create an environment where natural relationships are born within the community, interacting with diverse fields such as culture, business, and international exchange, not just confined to the framework of welfare.

Moreover, it aims to become a new exchange hub in the Akita Station area where youth, local residents, and people with diverse backgrounds can interact on a daily basis.

About SOCIALSQUARE Akita Ekimae

Event image / Store interior image

Within AMS, the disability welfare service office 'SOCIALSQUARE Akita Ekimae' operated by Social Design Works will be established.