2012 May SIFJ Delegates
Each SIFJ Delegate is selected based on merit, impact, and motivation for accelerating change in Japan through the growth of domestic and global partnerships. You can view their Saturday, May 12th talk at the Seattle Center here: "From Disaster to Hope: Resilience and Social Transformation in Post-3/11 Japan".
Miori Kashima
Founder
Guruguru Cheer up Supporters/Omni Bus
Since 3/11, Miori has been leading various kinds of volunteer work such as cleaning up mud, providing information and delivering supplies in the Tohoku area. However, Miori came to realize there are critical problems that cannot be solved by only doing these kinds of immediate and more reactive tasks. Miori also thought that it was important to work with local people in order to improve the situation little by little. Miori launched Guruguru Cheer up Supporters/Omni Bus as a transportation service for people in the Tohoku area. The Tsunami washed away hospitals, supermarkets, schools, and other buildings and there are many people who still cannot get out of their temporary housing due to a lack of transportation. Currently, her focus is on providing the “Kodomo Guruguru Bus” (bus services for kids to support children to learn in school and participate in club activities) and the “Shopping Bus” (bus services for people who need to go shopping). To make these projects sustainable and ongoing, Miori is learning through trial and error.
Miho Kazama
Communications Coordinator, Think the Earth
Think the Earth engages in four major types of activities: networking with companies, NPOs/NGOs and private individuals, project development and service provision, providing learning opportunities and information on Earth-related topics, and supporting work to build a better future for children around the world. Think the Earth places emphasis on building relationships through business relations to build mechanisms in society. This approach is based in the belief that good social relations can leave the Earth a beautiful place for the next generation, and public relations can create opportunities to think about our relationship to the planet. After 3/11 Miho is committed to the work of building dialogue to find solutions and contribute to the world as a global citizen. Through the SIFJ, Miho has heard what professionals think about how the world should be, regardless of the barriers and challenges. To have a beautiful and rich world Miho wants to explore what we can do for short and long term social innovation plans such as 10, 50 and 100 years into the future.
Keisuke Motoki
Co-Founder, Kamonohashi Project (KAMO)
Since 2002, Keisuke has been a leader in KAMO. KAMO's mission is to prevent child sex trafficking and they launched their Cambodian office in 2004. Keisuke lived in Cambodia from 2006-2011 to manage this social enterprise which works with local institutions to create job opportunities in rural areas to help to prevent trafficking. Currently, Keisuke is in charge of a law enforcement program in Cambodia and India, supporting the police and judiciary in law enforcement. Keisuke was in Cambodia when 3/11 happened, and he is currently approaching the situation with a broader lens--deeply considering the relationships between communities, neighbors, and himself.
Mai Mukaida
Founder and Representative Director, Coffret Project
In 2008 Mai made a six month sojourn to Turkey where she listened to local women's groups and their interest in developing partnerships with Japanese supporters. What emerged was the idea of the Coffret Project, a nonprofit social business with a focus on beauty, access, and dignity. Since that time, Coffret has worked in Turkey, Indonesiam, Nepal, and the Philippines with a focus on small business development and fair trade cosmetic production. Mai is originally from the Sendai area and, after the tsunami, she began to work closely with women in the Tohoku area, offering cosmetic workshops and building collaborations between private companies and overseas partners.
Kanako Nakai
Trustee, Madre Bonita
Madre Bonita is a Japanese nonprofit organization founded to support the mental and physical well-being of women through the process of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal care. After her first childbirth in 2003, Kanako became deeply interested in the mental and physical changes that postnatal women go through. At the time she learned about the activities that Madre Bonita offered. In 2007, she became the first Madre Bonita’s certified trainer living in a local area, and she had her second baby that same year. In 2009 Kanako moved to Tokyo from Okinawa and is now running postnatal care studios in Setagaya and Shinjuku, Tokyo. Currently, Kanako is in charge of the trainer certification course and the translation project of “Sango-Hakusho”(A Study on Postpartum Life) into English. In February 2012, Madre Bonita started the Trainer Scholarship, which provides training for a woman from Fukushima to create a sustainable job as a certificated postpartum care trainer. Also, Madre Bonita started the Workshop Caravan in Tohoku in April 2012, where a series of postpartum fitness and mental care workshops are being held in various affected areas of Tohoku including Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima.
Terumi Okaku
Founder and Representative Director, Live On
At the age of 19 years old, just 2 weeks before she entered university, Terumi's mother took her own life. Since that time, Terumi has been committed to supporting children through grieving processes, and she facilitates self help groups for children who have lost their parents as the result of disease, disaster, suicide, terrorism and war. Terumi has been very active with educational outreach, giving lectures to the government, schools and temples (with monks) in order to educate people in Japan on what grief care is, and how Live On supports this process. Since 3/11, Terumi has been active in providing workshops, grief care for orphaned children, and providing information on grief care for victims of 3/11. After 3/11, Live On distributed over 7,000 booklets about grief care to the families who lost their family members as well as 10,000 incense sticks so that people could take time to pray. Terumi is now planning a memorial event for orphaned children on Mother’s Day. Her goal is to create a society where people can find hope out of grief. Terumi is working to establish grief care support in a society so that whenever, wherever and whatever way people experience loss, people can make their own decisions and start their lives again.
Takuya Okamoto
Representative Director, Social Venture Partners (SVP) Tokyo
President, Katariba
Takuya was born in Osaka in 1977. After graduating from his university, he acquired CPA certification and started working in the corporate regeneration section at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In February 2011, Takuya left PwC and shortly thereafter, 3/11 happened. In April 2011, Takuya became the representative director of SVP Tokyo and at the same time he became a board member of Katariba. Takuya has been responsible for the management of the social venture Katariba and as well as serving Japanese social sector development through his work in SVP Tokyo. In the Tohoku area, with Katariba Takuya is working with other non-profit organizations to develop various projects including the“Korabo School” (Collaboration School) as a board member as well as Executive Director. From his tough experience in the Tohoku area, Takuya learned the importance of supporting each other as well as having an independent mind. Takuya believes that the world is not ideal yet, however, that is the reason to take a leap based on your beliefs – which is beautiful. Takuya knows well about the importance of having a dream and believing in the potential of creating a positive future as well as being honest and doing what he believes. Takuya thinks that these humble acts lead to social innovation.
for Think the Earth, a general incorporated association. Think the Earth engages in four major types of activity that involve networking with companies, NPOs/NGOs and private individuals, project development by producing products and services with new ideas, providing learning opportunities and information on Earth-related topics and supporting work to build a better future for children around the world. Think the Earth emphasizes on building relationships through business relations to build mechanisms in the society. Good social relations can leave the Earth a beautiful place for the next generation, and public relations can create opportunities to think about the Earth.
Miho knows that it is obvious that we are about to run out of time if we keep trying to only solve the problems within our own countries in this time of a“Flat World”. After 3/11 she hopes to continue to have dialogue to find solutions and contribute to the world as a global citizen. Through this iLEAP program, Miho wants to hear what professionals think about how the world should be regardless of the barriers and challenges. To have a beautiful and rich world Miho wants to explore what we can do for short and long term social innovation plans such as in 10, 50 and 100 years. In such a complex ecosystem like the galaxy, having a mind that only creates problems does not necessarily help to find solutions. If circulating people, things, knowledge and love make us richer, imagining and creating is the fastest way to create a rich future.
Kenji Suzuki
Founder and President, 47 planning
email Kenji
Kenji was born in 1982 in Iwaki-city, Fukushima. Kenji promoted his hometown by running a “Kitchen Car” and bringing local products to various events. Kenji also opened a restaurant called "47 planning Fukushima", which serves traditional Fukushima foods in the Takaido and Suginami areas in Tokyo. While he was focusing on energizing the community by promoting local food products, he experienced 3/11. The tsunami washed his home away and this was the time for him to think about what he could do for his home town of Fukushima. To support community sustainability for the long term, he launched “Yoake-Ichiba” (Dawn Market) in front of Iwaki station to provide a place for owners who lost their restaurants or shops and for people who have started their own businesses. Putting restaurants and local businesses in one convenient location can easily bring visitors from outside of the area, revitalize shopping arcades and support local producers by using their products at the restaurants. “Yoake-Ichiba” is the hub to spread a positive image of Fukushima. Kenji is now actively involved with the promotion of rice burgers made by local rice in Fukushima to counter the harmful rumors circulating about radiation concerns. Kenji’s vision is that Japan will be recognized by people around the world as a miracle country which has overcome a significant disaster. Read more about Kenji's work in this article in the Wall Street Journal.
Kenji Suzukiemail Kenji
Kenji was born in 1982 in Iwaki-city, Fukushima. Kenji promoted his hometown by running a “Kitchen Car” and bringing local products to various events. Kenji also opened a restaurant called "47 planning Fukushima", which serves traditional Fukushima foods in the Takaido and Suginami areas in Tokyo. While he was focusing on energizing the community by promoting local food products, he experienced 3/11. The tsunami washed his home away and this was the time for him to think about what he could do for his home town of Fukushima. To support community sustainability for the long term, he launched “Yoake-Ichiba” (Dawn Market) in front of Iwaki station to provide a place for owners who lost their restaurants or shops and for people who have started their own businesses. Putting restaurants and local businesses in one convenient location can easily bring visitors from outside of the area, revitalize shopping arcades and support local producers by using their products at the restaurants. “Yoake-Ichiba” is the hub to spread a positive image of Fukushima. Kenji is now actively involved with the promotion of rice burgers made by local rice in Fukushima to counter the harmful rumors circulating about radiation concerns. Kenji’s vision is that Japan will be recognized by people around the world as a miracle country which has overcome a significant disaster. Read more about Kenji's work in this article in the Wall Street Journal.
Harajuku Terrace offers a place where social entrepreneurs can gather and share their passion and ideas to create innovative projects or businesses regardless of their ages or professional background. After 3/11 Tomonori also launched a non-profit organization called World in Asia (WIA) with Tetsuo Kato. WIA assists social entrepreneurs in the Tohoku area by finding, encouraging, fostering social innovation and connecting with the next generations. To provide social innovation funding and to support rebuilding the Tohoku area, WIA is actively working with a Japanese American donors, and they are creating a platform called “Stone Soup” which supports projects started in the Tohoku area.
Rika Yajima
CEO, Aeru, Inc.
email Rika
Aeru is a brand specialized in products for babies and kids (0-6 years old) made by Japanese artisans using traditional skills with a modern twist. Rika believes that having genuine quality products helps communication between parents and children and also helps a child grow as an internationally minded person who loves Japanese tradition and knows well enough to share. As a concierge of Japanese tradition and culture, Aeru is not only focused on its products but it is also focused on a quality life style through appreciating Japanese tradition and culture as made by Japanese artisans. Rika thinks it is important to go back to the basics and look at what Japanese tradition offers and discover the genuine qualities in Japan.
