Embrace Your True Self Where There Are No 'Right Answers': Sense Trust, Ashiya City Board of Education, and LINK UP Pave the Way for Ashiya Junior High Students' 'First Step Towards the Future'
Sense Trust, in collaboration with the Ashiya City Board of Education and LINK UP, held the kickoff event for the second phase of the inquiry-based educational program "A Courageous First Step: Project Connecting to the Future" on April 27, 2026, targeting public junior high school students in Ashiya City. This project aims to foster children's autonomy and dreams.
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- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 20:30
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Sense Trust Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Yasuhito Imanaka; hereinafter "Sense Trust"), in collaboration with LINK UP General Incorporated Association and the Ashiya City Board of Education, held the kickoff event for the second phase of the inquiry-based educational program "A Courageous First Step: Project Connecting to the Future" on April 27, 2026, at Uchibun (Uchide Education and Culture Center), targeting public junior high school students in Ashiya City.
Under its mission, "Delivering unique inspiration," Sense Trust pursues providing "inspiration" to the world. In this project, it supports creating an environment that nurtures children's "autonomy" to set their own questions and take action.
Uchibun (Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture), the kickoff venue
**Reasons for Sense Trust's Support for This Project**
Sense Trust focuses on the "Real Estate Acquisition and Revitalization Business," where it adds new value to existing real estate and offers it back to society. What we value in this process extends beyond the real estate domain; it is about "delivering inspiration to the world." And at its core is a strong desire to "make Japan better."
At last year's achievement presentation
Our continued support for this project stems from our belief that the "dreams" of each junior high school student, who will lead the future society, and their ability to act towards those dreams, are the driving force for creating new value.
Furthermore, through last year's initiatives, we witnessed children thinking and acting autonomously, and growing. We are convinced that such changes are not transient but lead to greater value through continuation, and thus we have decided to continue our support for the second phase.
At last year's achievement presentation
**Koji Chikamoto's Vision and Involvement in This Project**
Koji Chikamoto, a Hanshin Tigers player who serves as a director for LINK UP, which promotes this project, regrettably missed the event due to an injury from the previous day's game.
However, a message from Mr. Chikamoto, "I want children to see how I face adversity," was introduced, and the children listened with serious expressions.
In response, Ashiya City Mayor Ryosuke Takashima commented, "I believe this is where the significance of active sports players' involvement lies. There are good times and bad times, and sometimes injuries like this occur. In such circumstances, I want children to be inspired by Mr. Chikamoto's determined step and take their own unique steps. The accumulation of these steps will lead to significant growth over a year," expressing his expectations for the significance of Mr. Chikamoto's involvement.
Moreover, this project is held on Mondays, which is an off-day for professional baseball games. This is due to Mr. Chikamoto's strong personal desire to "attend himself and participate alongside the children."
**Sense Trust's Role: A Partner Supporting the 'Foundation of Challenge' and Facing Challenges Together**
In this project, Sense Trust plays a role in supporting the foundation of activities. Beyond being a supporting company, we are involved in creating and maintaining the "foundation" so that Ashiya City's educational guidelines and the learning environment operated by LINK UP can be maximally utilized.
**1. Maintaining a 'Third Place'**
The "third place," neither school nor home, advocated by Representative Director Ishii during his opening remarks and press conference, was praised by Ashiya City Mayor Takashima as "a great asset to have such diverse places." Sense Trust is in a position to continuously support this environment. We are committed to maintaining this "place" where children can freely pursue their potential with creative ideas.
**2. Supporting a 'Place Without Failure'**
Representative Director Ishii's words, "School and club activities are places where correct answers are sought, but I want this to be a place without failure." This "free trial and error" is made possible by the presence of university mentors and the accumulation of diverse experiential opportunities. We continue to be involved in fostering an environment where junior high students, who challenge questions without right answers, can safely take on challenges.
**Message from Yamashita, Director and CFO of Sense Trust**
"What we value is 'delivering inspiration to our customers.' Both Mr. Imanaka, our representative, and I are still 35 years old this year! I think we are young (laughs). As the next generation, we want to build a better society together with the junior high and university students before us. I think it's wonderful that you all have taken a step forward in learning within a community outside of school. We hope to grow together with your learning."
Sense Trust will continue to walk alongside each child's challenge through this project, expanding the possibilities of the generation that will lead the future, and delivering new value and inspiration to society.
Under its mission, "Delivering unique inspiration," Sense Trust pursues providing "inspiration" to the world. In this project, it supports creating an environment that nurtures children's "autonomy" to set their own questions and take action.
Uchibun (Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture), the kickoff venue
**Reasons for Sense Trust's Support for This Project**
Sense Trust focuses on the "Real Estate Acquisition and Revitalization Business," where it adds new value to existing real estate and offers it back to society. What we value in this process extends beyond the real estate domain; it is about "delivering inspiration to the world." And at its core is a strong desire to "make Japan better."
At last year's achievement presentation
Our continued support for this project stems from our belief that the "dreams" of each junior high school student, who will lead the future society, and their ability to act towards those dreams, are the driving force for creating new value.
Furthermore, through last year's initiatives, we witnessed children thinking and acting autonomously, and growing. We are convinced that such changes are not transient but lead to greater value through continuation, and thus we have decided to continue our support for the second phase.
At last year's achievement presentation
**Koji Chikamoto's Vision and Involvement in This Project**
Koji Chikamoto, a Hanshin Tigers player who serves as a director for LINK UP, which promotes this project, regrettably missed the event due to an injury from the previous day's game.
However, a message from Mr. Chikamoto, "I want children to see how I face adversity," was introduced, and the children listened with serious expressions.
In response, Ashiya City Mayor Ryosuke Takashima commented, "I believe this is where the significance of active sports players' involvement lies. There are good times and bad times, and sometimes injuries like this occur. In such circumstances, I want children to be inspired by Mr. Chikamoto's determined step and take their own unique steps. The accumulation of these steps will lead to significant growth over a year," expressing his expectations for the significance of Mr. Chikamoto's involvement.
Moreover, this project is held on Mondays, which is an off-day for professional baseball games. This is due to Mr. Chikamoto's strong personal desire to "attend himself and participate alongside the children."
**Sense Trust's Role: A Partner Supporting the 'Foundation of Challenge' and Facing Challenges Together**
In this project, Sense Trust plays a role in supporting the foundation of activities. Beyond being a supporting company, we are involved in creating and maintaining the "foundation" so that Ashiya City's educational guidelines and the learning environment operated by LINK UP can be maximally utilized.
**1. Maintaining a 'Third Place'**
The "third place," neither school nor home, advocated by Representative Director Ishii during his opening remarks and press conference, was praised by Ashiya City Mayor Takashima as "a great asset to have such diverse places." Sense Trust is in a position to continuously support this environment. We are committed to maintaining this "place" where children can freely pursue their potential with creative ideas.
**2. Supporting a 'Place Without Failure'**
Representative Director Ishii's words, "School and club activities are places where correct answers are sought, but I want this to be a place without failure." This "free trial and error" is made possible by the presence of university mentors and the accumulation of diverse experiential opportunities. We continue to be involved in fostering an environment where junior high students, who challenge questions without right answers, can safely take on challenges.
**Message from Yamashita, Director and CFO of Sense Trust**
"What we value is 'delivering inspiration to our customers.' Both Mr. Imanaka, our representative, and I are still 35 years old this year! I think we are young (laughs). As the next generation, we want to build a better society together with the junior high and university students before us. I think it's wonderful that you all have taken a step forward in learning within a community outside of school. We hope to grow together with your learning."
Sense Trust will continue to walk alongside each child's challenge through this project, expanding the possibilities of the generation that will lead the future, and delivering new value and inspiration to society.