#Japan #Tokyo #Ashinaga Foundation #Yoshio Tamai #Osamu Murata

Leadership Change at Ashinaga Foundation

The Ashinaga Foundation, based in Chiyoda, Tokyo, is dedicated to supporting children who have lost parents due to illness, disasters, or suicide, as well as those with disabilities in their families. Following the unexpected passing of its founder and former president, Yoshio Tamai, on July 5, 2025, the foundation convened an extraordinary board meeting on July 10, 2025. The outcome was the election of Osamu Murata as the new president.

Transition Details

• - New President: Osamu Murata

- Appointment Date: July 10, 2025
- Previous Position: Acting President

• - Former President: Yoshio Tamai

- Date of Passing: July 5, 2025
- Position Prior to Death: President

Note: In accordance with the foundation's regulations, the president serves as the representative director.

Profile of the New President

Osamu Murata was born on May 24, 1955, in Tokyo. He graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University with a degree in economics in 1980 and later pursued further studies, completing coursework in the doctoral program of the graduate school. His career at Kwansei Gakuin began in various academic roles, culminating in a position as a professor within the economics faculty in 1996. He held multiple leadership roles, including dean and director of the Center for Higher Education, ultimately serving as university president from 2014 to 2023.

Murata is also an alumnus of the Traffic Orphan Scholarship Program, founded by the late Yoshio Tamai. He became vice president of the Ashinaga Foundation in 2005, transitioning to the acting president role in 2022, during which he collaborated closely with Tamai to reform the scholarship and education initiatives along with organizational governance.

Message from the New President

In his inaugural message, Murata expressed deep gratitude and respect for the accomplishments of his predecessor, Yoshio Tamai, who dedicated his life to supporting orphaned families. Murata's journey was personally influenced by hardship; he lost his father in a traffic accident at the age of 13. Despite a challenging financial background, he pursued higher education thanks to Ashinaga's scholarships. Inspired by his own experiences, he has a strong desire to tackle issues surrounding poverty and inequality which continue to persist and expand.

He acknowledged the increasing importance of the foundation's role in supporting orphans facing economic and social challenges. Murata committed to continuing the mission of the Ashinaga Foundation, ensuring that struggling orphans believe in their potential and maintain hope for the future. He expressed a heartfelt plea for continued understanding and support from the community.

About Ashinaga Foundation

Founded in April 1993, the Ashinaga Foundation operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to aiding children who have lost parents or have disabilities in their families. As of July 2025, approximately 7,000 orphans are receiving support through the foundation's scholarship programs, enabling them to attend high school and university.

In addition to scholarship support, the foundation runs various initiatives, such as emotional care for younger orphans, online learning support, and summer camps to foster solidarity and independence among scholarship students. Furthermore, the organization has been involved in international orphan support for over 20 years, focusing especially on higher education for orphans in the Sub-Saharan Africa region since 2014.

Established: April 1993
Current President: Osamu Murata
Headquarters: 4F Sabokai Building, 2-7-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda, Tokyo