[Event Report] New Project "EduChare" Kicks Off! (Held March 17, 2026)

EduShip Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toshima-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Sojiro Sato) held a kick-off event for its new project "EduChare," which connects solutions for school challenges with the power of private companies, on March 17, 2026.

On the day, private company representatives (approx. 40 companies, 80 people) interested in solving school challenges gathered, and passionate discussions were held regarding the real challenges faced by schools struggling with labor and budget shortages, and a new form of co-creation utilizing the assets of the school educational materials industry as a platform to solve them.

Event Implementation Overview

Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2026

＜Program＞ Part 1: New Project "EduChare" Kick-off

Part 2: Panel Discussion "On Co-creation between Schools and Private Companies"

＜Speakers＞

Sojiro Sato (EduChare Executive Committee Chairperson / President and CEO, EduShip Co., Ltd.)

Mr. Motoyasu Shinpo (Former Hokkaido Elementary School Principal / Chairman, NPO Hokkaido Gaku Suishin Forum)

Ms. Miyuki Iwahori (Former Fukui Prefecture Elementary School Teacher / Representative, General Incorporated Association Kodomo no Egao)

Ms. Saori Nakajima (Doll Inc., Marketing Division, Public Relations Office)

Part 1: Creating a system where the school educational materials industry acts as a "connector" to support the educational field with private sector power

EduChare Executive Committee Chairperson Sojiro Sato pointed out that the current situation in public schools is a "cumulative structure" where new tasks are added on top of limited personnel and budgets. He sounded an alarm that many elementary and middle schools in Japan are facing this structural challenge.

"The work expected of teachers is being squeezed out by other administrative tasks. There are limits to solving this from within the school environment alone. By combining the power of private companies, dramatic changes can be brought about in the field."

EduChare, with EduShip Co., Ltd. as its secretariat, established in collaboration with Kyoiku Dojinsha Co., Ltd., which pioneered school educational materials in Japan and has over 90 years of history, utilizes the infrastructure of the school educational materials industry (network with schools and boards of education, and logistics functions specialized for schools) as a platform...