Activity Overview

The Development Association for Youthleaders (DAY), a public interest incorporated foundation, is an organization that supports the development of next-generation leaders.

Our mission is to nurture Japan’s young leaders—youthleaders who will guide tomorrow’s international society—and to create a society where young people can take on challenges with dreams and pride.

As the saying goes, “If you want to speak of the future, look to the youth.” Young people are the treasures of society, and fostering the next generation of talent is, in essence, shaping the future of society itself. Since its founding, our association has continued activities based on a “relay of generations,” where leaders from various fields voluntarily come together to support the development of the next generation of leaders.

At our association, we broadly define a youthleader as “a next-generation leader who, with the unique ideas of youth and a sense of social mission, takes action to make society better and influences the actions of others.” This definition reflects our approach: rather than focusing on developing leaders in specific fields such as politics, business, or non-profits, we aim to support a new type of leader—for example, someone who works in a company while launching new social initiatives, or groups of young people from diverse fields who come together to take action for the betterment of society. We also strive to create a social environment in which such youthleaders can thrive.

Every year, we present the “Youthleader Awards” to recognize youthleaders who are engaged in outstanding social initiatives, as well as the mentors guiding them. The aim of this award is to raise awareness in society about the importance of nurturing the next generation of young people in Japan.

In addition, award recipients serve as speakers for lectures and workshops organized for business professionals and students.

Leadership is not something that can be taught by others or learned merely as knowledge; it is cultivated through one’s own experiences and insights. Our association conducts leadership training programs in the ASEAN region, providing experiential learning opportunities for a broad range of young people.