Hosting 'Mirai no Tobira Fes', an event where children who need a 'third place' outside of home and school interact with society
UPDATER, Inc. and NPO WooMoo hosted 'Mirai no Tobira Fes' on March 27, 2026. The event empowered truant children from the 'third place' facility Tsubame to proactively engage with society by providing goods and experiences.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 11, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 11, 2026 at 00:22 (22 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 05:07 (220h 45m after Collected)
UPDATER, Inc. (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Eiji Oishi), which aims to update society through lifestyle choices, sponsored the children's space 'Tsubame' project operated by NPO WooMoo, and held the 'Mirai no Tobira Fes' on Friday, March 27, 2026.
Currently, there are approximately 350,000 truant elementary and junior high school students in Japan, and this number is increasing year by year. Given this situation, it has become increasingly important for society as a whole to create 'third places'*1, which are options where children can feel safe and secure outside of school and home.
This event provided an opportunity for the children attending such 'third places' to not merely be supported entities, but to take on roles as 'active subjects engaging with society' by offering products and experiences to visitors, creating points of contact with society through their own efforts.
*1 The 'third place' below means a 'third space' following home and school, where children can spend time safely while nurturing connections with people and contact points with society.
## What is Mirai no Tobira Fes
'Mirai no Tobira Fes' is an initiative aimed at creating points of contact between children and society, originating from 'Tsubame', a safe haven for truant children.
'Tsubame' is a place where children who have stopped going to school due to various backgrounds and characteristics gather, and it places great importance on creating an environment where each child can feel safe.
Currently, there are approximately 350,000 truant elementary and junior high school students in Japan, and this number has increased for 11 consecutive years. Truant children face complex challenges such as anxiety about the future, anxiety about interpersonal relationships, and decreased self-esteem.*2
On the other hand, the 'third places' supporting these children are insufficient in terms of social recognition, numbers, and funding. UPDATER has been supporting them in various ways, such as providing a mechanism to donate to the 'Tsubame' project through its 'Minna Denryoku' retail electricity business featuring 100% renewable energy*3, and planning events aimed at mitigating the disparity in experiences. For this event, UPDATER cooperated in planning and operations, mainly through financial sponsorship and the dispatch of planning and operational staff.
The challenges concerning 'third places' are common social issues nationwide. UPDATER aims to deploy similar initiatives in cooperation with local communities and municipalities with which it has built relationships through its power business. As part of creating the future of local communities, we will work together with regions to build sustainable communities in response to the social issues each region faces.
*2 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology | Results of the survey on problematic behavior of pupils/students, truancy, and other student guidance issues in FY2023 | October 2024
Currently, there are approximately 350,000 truant elementary and junior high school students in Japan, and this number is increasing year by year. Given this situation, it has become increasingly important for society as a whole to create 'third places'*1, which are options where children can feel safe and secure outside of school and home.
This event provided an opportunity for the children attending such 'third places' to not merely be supported entities, but to take on roles as 'active subjects engaging with society' by offering products and experiences to visitors, creating points of contact with society through their own efforts.
*1 The 'third place' below means a 'third space' following home and school, where children can spend time safely while nurturing connections with people and contact points with society.
## What is Mirai no Tobira Fes
'Mirai no Tobira Fes' is an initiative aimed at creating points of contact between children and society, originating from 'Tsubame', a safe haven for truant children.
'Tsubame' is a place where children who have stopped going to school due to various backgrounds and characteristics gather, and it places great importance on creating an environment where each child can feel safe.
Currently, there are approximately 350,000 truant elementary and junior high school students in Japan, and this number has increased for 11 consecutive years. Truant children face complex challenges such as anxiety about the future, anxiety about interpersonal relationships, and decreased self-esteem.*2
On the other hand, the 'third places' supporting these children are insufficient in terms of social recognition, numbers, and funding. UPDATER has been supporting them in various ways, such as providing a mechanism to donate to the 'Tsubame' project through its 'Minna Denryoku' retail electricity business featuring 100% renewable energy*3, and planning events aimed at mitigating the disparity in experiences. For this event, UPDATER cooperated in planning and operations, mainly through financial sponsorship and the dispatch of planning and operational staff.
The challenges concerning 'third places' are common social issues nationwide. UPDATER aims to deploy similar initiatives in cooperation with local communities and municipalities with which it has built relationships through its power business. As part of creating the future of local communities, we will work together with regions to build sustainable communities in response to the social issues each region faces.
*2 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology | Results of the survey on problematic behavior of pupils/students, truancy, and other student guidance issues in FY2023 | October 2024