#Japan #Oita #Employment Support #Hakuaikai #Kengo Kugimiya

NIPPON 2025 Employment Support Forum Set for December 2025

The Japan Foundation is proud to announce that Kengo Kugimiya, Vice Chair of the Hakuaikai Foundation, will be a featured speaker at the upcoming NIPPON 2025 Employment Support Forum. This significant event will take place on December 20-21, 2025, at Tokyo Big Sight, and is known as one of the largest conferences in Japan focused on employment support for individuals with disabilities.

This year's forum coincides with the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act, and it aims to foster a dialogue under the theme “THE BEST (Everyone Surpasses).” Bringing together around 1,000 practitioners, corporate representatives, and government officials nationwide, the forum promises a high-energy, face-to-face discussion without any online broadcast.

The Session Overview

One of the key sessions titled “B Type Employment Support: Potential Beyond Labels” will occur on December 21 from 9:00 to 10:30 AM. This session will particularly focus on Employment Continuation Support B-type services, which cater to individuals with disabilities who find it challenging to enter mainstream employment or A-type support services. Discussion will pivot around the potential and quality of these services, challenging assumptions that may unintentionally limit individuals based on their type of support needs.

Key speakers in this session include:

• - Kengo Kugimiya (Vice Chair of Hakuaikai Foundation)
• - Kiyoko Takahashi (Chairperson of Saitama Welfare Business Association)
• - Manabu Kubota (Executive Director of Anshin Support Center)
• - Shunsuke Kawada (President of Good Farm Co., Ltd.)
• - Toshihiro Yoshino (Service Manager at Kanagawa Mental Health Support Group)
• - Takahiro Maeda (Head of Study Hub Department at Japan Care Service Co.)

The session will be moderated by Takanori Otsubo, a member of the Gujo City Council.

Insights from Kengo Kugimiya

Kengo Kugimiya's perspective underlines a crucial point, stating, “The phrase ‘Because I am B type’ often acts as a shield, restraining one’s potential. We must create systems and frameworks that not only ensure fair wages but also integrate welfare and management philosophies as complementary rather than conflicting.” He emphasizes the importance of holistic discussions that connect on-ground realities with administrative systems and community involvement.

About Hakuaikai Foundation

Established in 1975, Hakuaikai Foundation is based in Oita, Japan, and operates various support services such as employment support programs, group homes, and community exchange initiatives. With a mission to be “Japan’s most compassionate welfare organization,” the foundation promotes a new welfare model that integrates individual ambitions into regional community support, self-actualization, and design thinking.

Unique Features of Hakuaikai's Employment Support

• - Innovative Branding and Market Expansion through welfare and design-focused strategies.
• - Operations of the Café Charité at the prefectural art museum and a udon shop named Funai Udon.
• - Regional multi-business projects, including a resort hotel, a campground, and a oyster shack under welfare schemes.

These initiatives aim to provide individuals—regardless of the severity of their disabilities—with a sense of pride in working and achieving economic independence.

The Significance of the Forum

Over the last two decades since the start of the Disability Independence Support Act in 2006 and shifting to the Comprehensive Support Act in 2013, the budget for employment support programs has approached 1 trillion yen, impacting over 1 million individuals with disabilities. However, issues such as the oversaturation of support facilities, decreased wages, and enduring structural poverty present new challenges.
This forum serves as a platform not merely for administrative inquiries but as a space where supporters reaffirm their commitment and share effective practices.

Event Details

• - Event Name: NIPPON 2025 Employment Support Forum
• - Dates: December 20, 2025, 1:00 PM – 6:45 PM & December 21, 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• - Venue: Tokyo Big Sight (Koto City, Tokyo)
• - Capacity: 1,050 participants (in-person only, no online streaming)
• - Participation Fee: 8,000 yen (tax included, pre-registration required)
• - Registration Deadline: November 26, 2025, by 6 PM
• - Registration URL: NIPPON 2025 Forum Registration
• - Organizer: Japan Foundation
• - Supported by: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

About Hakuaikai Foundation

• - Foundation Name: Hakuaikai Foundation
• - Location: 759-1 Noda, Oita City, Oita Prefecture, 870-1152
• - Chairperson: Takuji Kugimiya
• - Employees: 200
• - Establishment: Founded in 1952
• - Phone: 097-586-6121
• - Fax: 097-586-6115
• - Website: Hakuaikai Oita
• - Services Offered: Disability support facilities, employment support, group homes, consulting, community exchange projects, and promotion of a new model of welfare that integrates agriculture and tourism industries, among others.