TOMODACHI MUFG Sustainable Entrepreneurship Program Kickoff

The TOMODACHI MUFG Sustainable Entrepreneurship Program 2025 held five online pre-departure training sessions from June to July, attended by 20 high school students selected from across Japan.The program is based on the belief that entrepreneurship and leadership are qualities that everyone possesses and can develop. It aims to nurture leaders who will contribute to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations and actively address challenges related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

During the pre-departure sessions, with facilitation by our program partner, Volunteers in Asia (VIA), participants deepened their understanding of the work of the U.S.-Japan Council’s TOMODACHI Initiative and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. They also reflected further on the assignments they had completed individually prior to each session. Participants shared their own insights related to familiar SDGs, researched companies and organizations actively working to advance the SDGs, and presented their findings in groups. Beyond gaining knowledge in preparation for the U.S. program, the students also actively engaged in discussions in English with each other.

 

One of the participants, Chihiro Zenmoto, said:
“The pre-departure sessions taught me the importance of becoming someone who can be active in the world and make a global impact. I was reminded of the value of taking on challenges as opportunities to learn, engaging with topics by asking questions and forming my own ideas, and staying open-minded to different perspectives. I especially enjoyed the preparation assignments, because they encouraged me to form unique viewpoints on the session topics and allowed me to engage in open interactions with other participants where we could share different ideas and perspectives. For the U.S. training, I hope to learn how leaders in the U.S. are facing social challenges, and how I can contribute to making a positive impact in the world.”
The 20 high school students will participate in an on-site program in California this August, and upon returning to Japan, they will present the outcomes of their learning at a final debriefing session.