#Japan #Tokyo #Financial Education #FES Contest #Children’s Movement

FES Contest Achieves Excellence in Tokyo's Children's Initiative

In a remarkable feat, the FES Contest, steered by the Japan Financial Education Support Organization, has been honored with the Excellence Award in the Children's Division of Tokyo's 'Reiwa 7th Year's Children's Smile Movement Initiative.' This accolade signifies the depth of commitment shown towards enhancing financial education among younger generations.

What is the Children's Smile Movement Initiative?

This initiative forms part of a larger endeavor in Tokyo aimed at creating a 'Children First' society. It seeks to cultivate an environment where the smiles of children can thrive by recognizing and awarding companies and organizations engaging in innovative practices that prioritize child welfare. The awards are determined primarily through votes by child monitors, including middle and high school students as well as parents of preschoolers, ensuring that the views of children are reflected in the evaluation process.

According to the press release by Tokyo's Children Policy Collaboration Office, the winners of the 7th Year's Children's Smile Movement Awards have been announced, and the FES Contest is among those honored.

The FES Contest

The FES Contest is a national financial education event where middle and high school students create and present one-minute videos on the topic of 'Financial Learning to Share with Elementary School Students.' As it reaches its third edition in 2025, the contest continues to expand significantly.

This year, ten prefectures hosted regional competitions, and the number of submitted works reached an impressive 897, marking a record high. Notably, Japan Post Bank has joined as the first-ever title partner, with backing from the Ministry of Education, the Financial Services Agency, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and Tokyo.

Dr. Ando, the chairman of the Japan Financial Education Promotion Organization (J-FLEC), provided overall comments appreciating the contest. In a groundbreaking move, the contest introduced official evaluations by elementary school student judges, providing fresh insights from the younger audience.

Unique Educational Model and Community Engagement

The Excellence Award was attributed to two main aspects of the FES Contest: first, its innovative approach where high school students produce videos, supported by university students, which are then seen and evaluated by elementary students. Secondly, the considerable increase in both the number of submissions and the pre-event workshops held, not just in Tokyo, but across the country.

This year, a unique system involving elementary school student judges was launched with the help of teacher ambassadors who resonate with the organization's mission. Thirteen elementary students were publicly recruited to review and assess videos created by high school students from various perspectives like 'interesting', 'understandable', and 'worth spreading.' During the award ceremony for the 'Elementary School Student Judges Award', nearly all participants took the stage to receive their certificates and provide feedback. Many expressed newfound interest in financial topics, aspirations to participate in the future, and eagerness to return as judges next year, demonstrating the effective educational impact of this initiative.

National Expansion and Future Prospects

The FES Contest's growing reach has also been recognized. This year's submissions of 897 notably surpassed last year's total of 503, a significant achievement. The number of regions hosting competitions expanded from 2 to 10, with financial education workshops occurring nationwide, from Aomori to Fukuoka.

This expansion is made possible through the involvement of certified instructors who share the organization's philosophy and aim to increase financial education opportunities in various locales, tackling the issue of financial experience disparity between urban and rural areas. The substantial rise in contest submissions is a reflection of these efforts.

Following the award celebration held shortly after the 3rd FES Contest, this accolade acts as a motivating force for the organization. Leveraging this recognition, the Japan Financial Education Support Organization aims to foster financial education as personal experiences that resonate with children across the nation, thereby broadening their future opportunities.

Join Us in Financial Education

This achievement underlines the invaluable support from certified instructors and staff who help cultivate a nationwide community of financial education opportunities for children. The organization is actively seeking more certified instructors to join this transformative movement and expand financial education into 'personal matters'.

For schools and local governments interested in integrating financial education into their curriculum or hosting workshops, the organization welcomes inquiries and aims to create enriching environments that foster real learning experiences for all students.

For more information on joining this initiative, please contact:

• - Japan Financial Education Support Organization
• - Joint Representatives: Risa Hirai, Nana Abe
• - Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Kanda Surugadai 2-11-7 B106
• - Phone: 03-6674-1435
• - Email: [email protected]
• - Established: December 28, 2022
• - Official Website