[Nishitokyo City] Voices of 812 Young People Reflected in Policy: Creation of Student Loan Repayment Support System (Starting April 2026)

Nishitokyo City will launch a new system to support the repayment of student loans starting in April 2026, based on the results of a survey of 812 young people.

This system was realized based on discussions and research from the youth participation project, "Youth Meeting," which the city has been conducting since 2024.

The survey revealed that 85% of those who have used student loans feel the repayment is a financial burden, significantly impacting their future planning. In response to these voices, the city materialized a student loan repayment support system aimed at those within three years of graduating from universities and similar institutions. Concurrently, a citizen-led "Youth Council" has also been launched to further promote policy-making through youth participation.

**The "3 Shortages" Identified from the Voices of 812 Young People**

In 2024, Nishitokyo City launched the "Youth Meeting," a project where young city officials, residents, and young people connected to the city engage in discussions.

The results of the first phase of the survey revealed that while young people possess a certain level of happiness, they harbor a vague anxiety about the future.

As the background to this, the following **"3 Shortages = Challenges"** emerged.

**■ Main Challenges Felt by Young People**

**1. Shortage of Information**

**2. Shortage of Connections with the Local Community**

**3. Economic Anxiety (Shortage of funds)**

To grasp these realities, the city conducted outreach-type interview surveys by visiting university campuses and local events, in addition to municipal monitor surveys (conducted twice).

By directly listening to voices in the field where young people are, rather than staying within the city hall, the city endeavored to collect opinions aligned with actual conditions.

**<u>Main Activities of the Youth Meeting</u>**