The vision of the YWCA of Japan is “A society where women exercise leadership, and where human rights, peace and environment is valued”.
Women from different background work together at the YWCA of Japan as board members and staff. Each woman brings together their unique gifts to enhance women’s leadership, forming principles and agreements through discussions among diverse women.
Board members
- Name
- Satoko Fujitani/ President
- Local association
- Tokyo YWCA
- Favorites
- Experiencing Contemporary art, encountering new music
- Self- introduction
- Social change cannot be realized overnight. But I trust that networking beyond generations and countries, learning and continuing to raise our voices is the best path that leads to solution, even though it may seem like a long way around. My personal belief is “Persistence is Power”. I find my identity in both my professional work and the work with the YWCA.
- Work with YWCA
- My work with the YWCA started with Kokuryo Center of Tokyo YWCA. I was lucky to learn a lot from experienced senior members in the “Peace and Justice” committee, and before I know it, it is my 20th year in the YWCA.
- Name
- Noriko Kiyozuka/ Vice President
- Local association
- Yokohama YWCA
- Favorites
- Travelling, eating out for lunch
- Self- introduction
- I have worked as a volunteer with the YWCA since joining Osaka YWCA’s “Cere for the Heart” program and spending time with children in Kobe, after the Hanshin Earthquake. After being involved with camp programs, programs for young working women, outreach committee of the YWCA of Japan and board of trustees of Yokohama YWCA, I am now working with young women learning about gender issues.
- Work with YWCA
- Camp, working women, gender issues
- Name
- Sayaka Higushi/Vice President
- Local association
- Fukuoka YWCA
- Name
- Aki Yoshida/ Board Secretary
- Local association
- Sapporo YWCA
- Favorites
- Sweets, chorus, Harry Potter
- Self- introduction
- I joined the YWCA, hoping to be part of an international movement while living far from Tokyo. Thanks to the YWCA network, I have had the chance to participate in programs in the national and international level, gain experiences and widen my views. After joining the National Board, I have worked with the two central issues of the YWCA’s work for peace: the Japanese constitution and “nuclear”.
- Work with YWCA
- Internatinal programs, work for peace, newsletter editing team
- Name
- Akiyo Aizu
- Local association
- Hakodate YWCA
- Favorites
- Traveling, walking, camp, gardening, cooking sweets (especially pudding)
- Self- introduction
- I have been involved in Hakodate YWCA’s work on the CAP (Child Assault Prevention) and building peace, while raising my own child.
- Work with YWCA
- Fukushima support, CAP(Child Assault Prevention), peace building work
- Name
- Masako Umezawa
- Local association
- Kobe YWCA
- Favorites
- Things, traveling, books, coffee
- Self- introduction
- I work on building network and empowerment among members in Japan as the chairperson of Network Enhancement Committee. I hope that the network of the YWCA will strengthen the movement to realize gender equality in Japan.
- Work with YWCA
- Osaka YWCA Palestine Group, Peace Building Group of Kobe YWCA, among others
- Name
- Sayaka Okubo
- Local association
- Yokohama YWCA
- Name
- Shiori Okura
- Local association
- Tokyo YWCA
- Name
- Keiko Gunji
- Local association
- Junior and Senior High School YWCA
- Favorites
- Secret
- Self- introduction
- I have worked for 35 years as a supervising teacher in Junior and Senior High School YWCA, though I have been away for one year. It has been a long time
- Name
- Mari Sasabe
- Local association
- Osaka YWCA
- Favorites
- Nature and natural food, picture books, interacting with people, enjoying all kinds of sound
- Self- introduction
- I lived 3 years and a little more in Fiji, which changed my view toward nature and humanity. I live in a rural area for 20 years, aspiring for a life “half-agriculture, half-X”. While raising chicken and producing organic vegetables, I am involved in many different things including climate change prevention, picture books, baby songs, and also make some cash teaching in a private-tutoring school.
- Work with YWCA
- 1984～2002: staff at Osaka YWCA; afterwards a volunteer member.Working on women’s empowerment and environment in Osaka YWCA, and Human Rights and Gender in the YWCA of Japan.
- Name
- Harumi Niikura
- Local association
- Nagoya YWCA
- Favorites
- Beads crafting
- Self- introduction
- I have worked with the YWCA since I was a junior high school student. In my school years, I received lots of inspiration from YWCA’s international programs and getting to know people from diverse background. Currently I organize peace study programs in Nagoya YWCA with young people, such as study tours. My professional work is a high school teacher. My experience in the YWCA is proving to be very valuable there too.
- Work with YWCA
- Work on youth, peace and human rights
- Name
- Bee / Miho Cho
- Local association
- Yokohama YWCA
- Favorites
- Movies, art, traveling, theatre, broccolis, the sea
- Self- introduction
- After working at the junior and senior high school YWCA in Tokyo I participated in CSW and Japan-Korea Youth Conference, and am currently a part of the Human Rights and Gender Committee/Youth Gender Subcommittee of the YWCA of Japan, working on gender issues and young women’s leadership. In graduate school, I am majoring in architecture and environment.
- Work with YWCA
- Human Rights and Gender Issues/ Kapan Korea Youth Conference/ Rise Up!
- Name
- Haruna Higuchi
- Local association
- Fukuoka YWCA
- Name
- Momo Fukuda
- Local association
- Kobe YWCA
- Favorites
- Eating together with others, shogi
- Self- introduction
- I became involved as a student when I volunteered for a science experiment class at Kobe YWCA. I feel the potential of the YWCA’s nature which promotes both educational approach and activism. Through working as a board member and by creating opportunities for youth to practice their skills, I am creating a space for young people to get involved in the process of social development.
- Work with YWCA
- Japan-Korea Youth Conference
- Name
- Miho Fujiwara
- Local association
- Tokyo YWCA
- Name
- Reiko Fujiwara
- Local association
- Shizuoka YWCA
- Favorites
- Playing Shinobue flute and organ, creating civil action with others
- Self- introduction
- I am involved in many civil action, and the YWCA has been my springboard. It is exciting to work for global social change with a diverse group of people. I am looking forward to working to reach out to those who need help. Right now, I am absorbed in practicing the shinobue flute to take part in Shizuoka Matsuri festival.
- Work with YWCA
- I have been a member since the foundation of Shizuoka YWCA, and have been involved in various work including garage sales for international students. In the YWCA of Japan, I strive to build bridges with local YWCAs.
Staff
- Name
- Chie Yamamoto/Executive Trustee
- Favorites
- Travelling, watching Korean TV drama
- Self- introduction
- Former staff member at Osaka YWCA, currently Secretary General at Kyoto YWCA, Representative of “Calluna”, an independence assistance home run by Kyoto YWCA
- Name
- Mikako Nishihara/ Managing Trustee
- Favorites
- Redecorating rooms, elaborate holiday dishes, receiving guests, bonfires, and plant hanaikada (helwingia japonica).
- Self- introduction
- I am in charge of human resource development, finance, and general affairs, and have been a staff member of the YWCA for almost 30 years. While every day is a training phase for me, it is a very rewarding work. My fellow YWCA members, who express their opinions clearly and with compassion and humor, are role models for me of the kind of “woman” I want to be when I grow older.
- Name
- Akiko Makuya/Managing Trustee
- Favorites
- Beer in summer, Pain de Mie carré from parigot. meals while traveling, preamble of the Constitution of Japan
- Self- introduction
- After working in a financial institution during the “bubble economy”, I travelled around North Africa and South Asia, interned at an NGO, and worked at an intermediary support NPO before joining Osaka YWCA and YWCA of Japan to work with program planning and management. My passion for the Constitution of Japan emerged during my time in Osaka YWCA; my favorite article is Article 13 which stipulates respected for all people as individuals and the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. My favorite pastime is traveling, and my special skill is swimming. My character is easygoing, and occasionally impatient.
- Name
- Kazumi Usui
- Favorites
- Talking with various people, spending time alone, singing, doing handicrafts, fair trade chocolates, etc.
- Self- introduction
- I’ve been moving around so much, both workplace and where I live, that last time I counted, I had moved home 14 times. After experiencing a variety of occupations and working at the Kyoto YWCA for two years, I started work at the YWCA of Japan, where I am in charge of planning and running various programs. In private life, I continue to raise awareness about gender and sexuality in various fields.
- Name
- Tei
- Favorites
- Outdoor sports, piano
- Self- introduction
- Having previously worked as an intern at an orphanage in a poverty-affected area of the Philippines and also seeing communities in the United States isolated by racism and social issues, I decided to work in the YWCA of Japan.
- Name
- Hata
- Favorites
- Nature, animals (dogs, frogs, birds), reading (Shinichi Hoshi, etc.), art
- Self- introduction
- I am interested in gender and LGBTQI+ issues, and am passionate about speaking up for those who are in vulnerable situations, those who are struggling with stereotypes required by society, and those who are in the process of searching for themselves.
- Name
- Sumie Ogasawara
- Favorites
- Stationary, tools, reading
- Self- introduction
- I have been working for the YWCA of Japan since 2011, I am currently in charge of international relations and public relations. I find it very stimulating to learn new ideas and perspectives from the people I meet at work, and to watch people growing and gaining strength through activities at the YWCA.
- Name
- Officer in charge of support for victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake
- Favorites
- Movies
- Self- introduction
- I work based in the YWCA Space “Caro Fukushima” in Fukushima City. I hope to continue my work with vigor and empathy for others, with thanks to all of who remember to support this work 10 years after the disaster. I hope to take on various new challenges in the year 2022.
- Name
- Saori
- Favorites
- Finding good food, media communications, listening to learn about others’ values and passion
- Self- introduction
- With the YWCA of Japan, I am responsible for delivering the YWCA’s official newsletter to external audiences as a PR advocacy medium. I believe that simply telling people what you want to tell them doesn’t reach them. With this in mind, I have been working through trial and error with the help of others. I would be more than glad to hear your comments and opinions.
- Name
- Takishita (Finance officer)
- Favorites
- Cooking sweets, cooking and eating delicious food, humming, figure-skating
- Self- introduction
- As a child, I participated in various programs of Osaka YWCA. Now that I have become involved with the YWCA again, I have learned many things from the people I meet here, and their serious way of life striving for a better society.
