This project, providing children with risk-free investment experience using up to 100,000 yen in seed funding from Mr. Murakami, is now accepting applications. For more details, please see here.

  Yoshiaki Murakami, founder of The Murakami Family Foundation, has announced the launch of the "Children's Investment Education and Hands-on Experience Project" as part of his initiative in investment education for young people. The project is founded on the belief that "rather than merely accumulating money, using it wisely - creating a circulation of capital - leads to continued economic growth and a resilient, vibrant society. It's crucial for children to learn about, interact with, and develop a healthy relationship with money from an early age. Hands-on investment experience during childhood, whether successful or not, significantly bridges the gap between children and money, providing an invaluable opportunity to think seriously about financial matters." We are pleased to announce that GMO Internet Group and Gentosha Inc. have agreed to participate in this project, sharing Mr. Murakami's vision. GMO Click Securities Inc., a member of the GMO Internet Group, will provide and maintain the investment platform for children. The specific methods of financial support are currently in the final stages of consideration. Message from Yoshiaki Murakami: "As a fund manager and investor, I have consistently worked toward the mission of 'promoting corporate governance in Japan.' Over the past 20 years, companies have continued to increase their internal reserves, which are now said to exceed 400 trillion yen. I believe that 'capital is the lifeblood of the economy, and has no meaning unless it circulates.' Corporate governance is essential for improving economic circulation, and I continue to aim to promote economic circulation in Japan through listed companies holding large internal reserves. After publishing 'Lifelong Investor' (Bungeishunju), I received numerous requests from parents asking for a book their children could read and for financial education for their children. This made me realize that 'by educating Japan's children - who will shape our future - about money, rather than just approaching corporations, we might be able to change society's overall attitude toward money and achieve a society with better capital circulation more quickly.' As part of my social contribution activities, I began conducting 'Money Classes' last year, primarily targeting middle and high school students. Through conversations with these students, I compiled what they most wanted to know and what I believed they should know about money, publishing 'What I Want to Tell You About Money Now' (Gentosha) to provide more people with an opportunity to think about money. However, I strongly felt that merely talking about money wasn't enough - there must be more we could do. Based on my own experiences, I wanted Japanese children to have the opportunity for 'investment experience' that had helped me face money matters head-on. In Japan, there remains a strong belief that 'money is dirty' or 'children shouldn't know about money.' As a result, many people enter society without having had the opportunity to learn about money in childhood or acquire proper money management skills. This leads to many people saving without purpose, causing capital to stagnate in various places, and society remains unchanged. I want children to understand that 'money is neither dirty nor evil - it's just a tool.' I want them to think about how to use this tool to find happiness for themselves and create a vibrant society, to face money matters and become familiar with them from an early age, and to think deeply about money. I believe 'investment experience' provides an unparalleled opportunity for this. Moving forward, I plan to continue conducting 'Money Classes' across various locations, distributing the recently published book as educational material when requested. Through these opportunities, I hope to learn how to help children develop a better relationship with money and what messages are most important to convey. By providing hands-on investment experience to as many children as possible, I aim to contribute to creating a society where Japanese children can live more happily and enjoyably."