#Japan #Tokyo #Digital Education #Trust Bank #GCF®

Trust Bank's Community Co-Creation Matching Project

Trust Bank, a leading company in Japan's hometown tax donation sphere, recently organized a seminar titled "Developing Children's Strengths and Addressing Their Challenges" as part of its Community Co-Creation Matching Project. This initiative is designed to promote collaboration between local governments and startups with the shared goal of revitalizing communities. The seminar was held online on July 15, 2025, and attracted educators and local government officials from across the nation.

Seminar Overview

The seminar featured esteemed speakers including

• - Satoshi Arai, from Trust Bank’s GCF and disaster support,
• - Tadahiro Inoue, COO of SOZOW Co., Ltd., and
• - Sakiko Hashimoto, CEO of PAPAMO Co., Ltd.

Key Themes and Discussions

The Potential of Government Crowdfunding (GCF®)

Satoshi Arai from Trust Bank kicked off the seminar by introducing GCF®, a government-oriented crowdfunding initiative that utilizes hometown tax systems. GCF® is not merely a funding tool but a mechanism to visualize local challenges and promote citizen engagement in community development. With over 3,500 projects supported and cumulative donations exceeding 21 billion yen by May 1, 2025, GCF® is now central to educational developments—an essential aspect of regional revitalization. Arai emphasized that education should focus on enhancing strengths and transforming weaknesses into manageable skills.

Igniting Curiosity in Children with SOZOW

Tadahiro Inoue of SOZOW showcased innovative projects that utilize digital technology, such as Minecraft and programming, to offer creative experiences to children, fostering non-cognitive skills. SOZOW has created over 500 unique educational contents, combining education and entertainment through a model referred to as "edutainment." Their online classes and free schools are complemented by real-world events like the SOZOW Festival, which has attracted over 100,000 participants. Inoue noted that these initiatives allow children to digitally experience local charm, creating opportunities for them to engage with their communities.

Supporting Development Needs with PAPAMO

Sakiko Hashimoto shared insights about PAPAMO's innovative online development support program, "Heyasupo Assist." With an impressive track record of 30,000 support sessions and a team of 200 expert coaches, this program addresses challenges such as poor posture, lack of concentration, and illegible handwriting. Hashimoto explained that these issues are often linked to how children physically use their bodies. With alarming statistics on school refusal being partly attributed to developmental disorders, PAPAMO aims to provide support before children disengage from school. The company is collaborating with local boards of education and health facilities to offer seminars and online therapeutic assessments, while also advocating for GCF® as a funding solution for municipalities facing budget constraints.

Future Prospects

In light of the seminar's success, Trust Bank is keen to provide personalized consultation to interested municipalities, facilitating tailored projects based on local needs. The company envisions generating solutions that directly address regional challenges while fostering a sustainable funding cycle through hometown tax donations. Trust Bank remains committed to collaborating with innovative startups to create resilient community support systems.

For more information, visit Trust Bank.

About Trust Bank

Founded in April 2012, Trust Bank operates Hometown Choice, Japan's first comprehensive hometown tax donation site launched in September of the same year. It supports over 1,700 municipalities, covering approximately 95% of the nation, and features over 760,000 gift items (as of October 2024). After becoming part of the Change Holdings group in November 2018, Trust Bank expanded into public tech services and has launched several innovative tools for local governments. Its diverse initiatives also include supporting regional businesses and promoting local economic circulation through community currencies and social enterprise funding solutions.