16th Meeting of Children’s Future Conference

Governor Koike attended the 16th meeting of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Council on Children’s Future on December 17, 2025.

This forum was launched in September 2020 bringing together educators and other specialists to discuss ways to build a society where children live happily and parents find joy in child-rearing. 

Citing the meeting’s theme, “Promoting Adolescent Mental Health,” in her opening remarks, the governor said: “Unfortunately, Japan faces the grim reality of a significant increase in child suicides. Last year saw the highest number of suicides among elementary, junior high, and high school students since statistics began in 1980.”

“Globally, adolescent mental health is also in a very critical state,” she noted. “For every country, addressing this challenge is an urgent priority.”

Governor Koike explained that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government established in January 2025 an online chat-based consultation service, dubbed “Gyu-to Chat,” which enables children to easily seek counseling via chat, and helps implement suicide prevention measures in collaboration with schools. “It is also crucial to recognize children's anxieties and concerns as early as possible and take preventive action,” she said.

Two presenters attended the meeting: Nishida Atsushi, Director of the Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science; and Furukawa Toshiaki, Professor Emeritus at the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University. The governor said she would like to hear from them “about the current situation and challenges surrounding adolescent mental health, as well as the promotion of mental well-being and the prevention of mental health issues.”