Born on August 23, 1968, and raised in Nagasaki Prefecture. After graduating from Nagasaki Nihon University High School, he joined Mazda Soccer Club (the predecessor of Sanfrecce Hiroshima) in 1987. During his time in Hiroshima, he contributed to the team’s victory in the 1994 Suntory Series. He went on to play for Kyoto Purple Sanga (1998), Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1999–2001), and Vegalta Sendai (2002–2003) before retiring as a player.He earned 35 caps for the Japan national team and was part of the squad during the infamous “Agony of Doha” in 1993.After retirement, he began coaching as a development coach at Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2004, then served as a coach for Japan’s U-19 and U-20 national teams in 2005. He worked as the top team coach for Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 2007 to 2009 and as head coach for Albirex Niigata from 2010 to 2011.From 2012 to 2017, he managed Sanfrecce Hiroshima, leading the team to three J1 League titles. In 2017, he became head coach of Japan’s U-20 national team with an eye on the Tokyo Olympics. In 2018, he served as coach for Japan’s national team during the FIFA World Cup in Russia and was appointed head coach of the national team later that year.At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he led Japan to historic victories over Germany and Spain, advancing to the Round of 16. He is currently in his second term as head coach, preparing the team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

Maher Nasser has over 37 years of work experience in the United Nations System during which he has worked in Amman, Cairo, Dubai, Gaza, New York and Vienna. As the Director of Outreach in the United Nations Department of Global Communications, Maher leads the Department’s engagement with academia, advertising industry, civil society, creative community, libraries, sports and football. The Outreach Division that he leads manages public engagement through UN Publications, visitor services, exhibits and guided tours at the UN HQ in New York as well as key observances on select and high-profile mandates from the United Nations General Assembly such as the Outreach Programmes on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery and the Holocaust. In addition to serving three times as Acting Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications since 2012, Mr. Nasser led the successful United Nations presence at Expo 2020 in Dubai as Commissioner-General of the United Nations at Expo 2020. In February 2024, United Nations Secretary-General designated Mr. Nasser to lead the United Nations engagement on Expo 2025 as Commissioner-General and in March 2025, appointed him as Assistant Secretary-General and Commissioner-General of the United Nations at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan. Maher graduated with B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Birzeit University in Palestine in 1986 and obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Warwick University in the United Kingdom in 2004. For a life and work dedicated to and advocacy for human rights and sustainability, Maher was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by De Montfort University in the United Kingdom in 2024. Maher Nasser is an avid reader who enjoys cooking and is a reluctant runner, who managed to complete the New York City Marathon three times in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Maher is married to Jenny with three grown children, Yazan, Zein and Razan.

Shoko Hanzawa joined the ICRC in 2019 and was appointed as Head of Delegation in Japan in 2023.Prior to her current role, Hanzawa was the Humanitarian Affairs Advisor at ICRC Japan and committed herself to gaining support from the authorities and promoting its principled humanitarian action with neutrality, impartiality and independence. She mainly engaged with ministries, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, parliamentarians, development organizations and other key actors.Over her 10-year career in the humanitarian field, Hanzawa worked for different organizations, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Doctors without Borders. She also has professional experiences in foreign missions, including to Afghanistan, Israel and the occupied territories and Myanmar.She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, USA.

He is a general practitioner, former Health Department Director at the Costa Rican Ministry of Health and former health worker in the Costa Rican Social Security Administration (CCSS), where he worked in primary care and as a resident in gynecology and obstetrics. His studies include clinical research, epidemiological research, gynecology and obstetrics, nutrition and fine arts. He currently presides IPPNW Costa Rica, is the founder of the group “Artists for Peace” (2014) in Costa Rica, is co-founder of the activist group “Peace and Diversity” (2018), is co-founder of the Alliance for Nuclear Disarmament in Spain, and has participated in several other activist groups for human rights, the environment and animal welfare. He was awarded the “Alan Turing” Award for LGBTIQ. Visibility in 2018 for the Social Organization category.Since 2013, his work has focused on campaigning to raise awareness of the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and building social and political support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). He has worked closely with governments at several government conferences related to nuclear weapons -being part of the Costa Rican delegation at the UN several times-, and has also organized regional conferences and round tables with politicians, activists, and regional networks of peace-related organizations.

Linda Cruse – a British ‘boots on the ground’ international humanitarian, leadership expert, founder of Race4Good, author and speaker. She has been recognised as the 12th most powerful woman who is changing the world. With her only possessions being the contents of one suitcase, Linda has dedicated her life to service, to inspire and to find creative and sustainable solutions that will lift challenged communities from the grip of poverty and the depths of conflict and disaster. For the last two decades Linda has taken the road less travelled living among people in the most remote, extreme and challenging places on the planet, from the crushing humidity of the Amazonian jungles, to the scorching deserts of the Sahara and the frozen north of the Arctic Circle. Making a real sustainable difference to thousands of people’s lives, one step at a time.Linda has lived and worked on every continent – including Antarctica – often in the face of extreme adversity, in the aftermath of tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and typhoons. She has worked with survivors in war zones, has escaped from a rebel army, been held at gunpoint, caught in a landslide, survived severe hypothermia and even sutured her own face. Her near-death encounters have taught her remarkable lessons about life, leadership, peace and harmony. Her knowledge, understanding and insights into the world’s people, places and environments is extensive and unique. Meeting Linda you will be immersed in a world of frontline adventure and misadventure, and will experience a wake-up call to be the best you can be, develop new concepts, uncover fresh ideas and discover your own way to take positive action. H.H. The Dalai Lama, HM King Charles III and Sir Richard Branson are just three of the influential figures who have supported Linda Cruse in her mission to help solve the most critical social, environmental and humanitarian problems around the world. Linda’s work has inspired people from presidents and ambassadors to students, politicians, admirals and CEOs worldwide to step up and become a force for good.

Aya Komaki is the President and CEO of Sanrio Entertainment Co., Ltd., and the Director of Sanrio Puroland. Born in Tokyo, she holds a master's degree from the Graduate School of Education at the University of Tokyo. She joined Sanrio Co., Ltd. in 1983. After resigning from the company due to marriage and childbirth, she resumed her career at a Sanrio-affiliated company. In 2014, she was appointed as an advisor to Sanrio Entertainment, became a board member in 2015, was named Director of Sanrio Puroland in 2016, and assumed her current position as President and CEO in June 2019.In addition to her corporate leadership roles, she is actively involved in various social initiatives. She serves as the Chairperson of “Hellosmile,” a cervical cancer awareness campaign; the Representative Director of the NPO Hello Dream Executive Committee; and the Representative Director of the SDGs Platform, a general incorporated association. She also sits on the boards of Shochiku Co., Ltd. and Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Dr. Hagiwara completed a master’s program at Ochanomizu University and holds a Ph.D. in Academic Studies. She is an environmental sociologist. Her career includes serving as an Associate Program Officer at the Toyota Foundation, Associate Professor at Toyoko Gakuen Women’s Junior College, Deputy Director-General of the Environmental and Lifestyle Affairs Department of Miyagi Prefecture, Associate Professor at Musashi Institute of Technology, and Professor at Rikkyo University. Since April 2022, she has held her current position.She chaired the “Toshima F1 Conference,” a policy proposal initiative focused on city development from the perspectives of working women and families with children in Toshima Ward, Tokyo — an area designated as a “city at risk of extinction.” She also serves as a Regional Awareness Advisor for Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture and as a Chief Advisor for Gender Equality Promotion in Yamanashi Prefecture.

After more than 20 years of R&D at Sony, we have commercialized the telepresence system “Window,” which enables people to truly "meet" across distances by providing a space-connecting solution.

Operating under the slogan “May everyone bloom,” Roland’s is a flower shop that helps people flourish. About 70% of its 85 employees are individuals living with disabilities or intractable diseases. They handle a wide range of work, including corporate flower gifts, wedding floral arrangements, and store decor. Through flowers, the company promotes the message that everyone has the ability to bloom.Additionally, to support small and medium-sized businesses that find it difficult to hire people with disabilities, Roland’s has launched the “With Diversity Project (Shared Employment for Persons with Disabilities)” in collaboration with the National Strategic Special Zones. The initiative, where SMEs and welfare service providers jointly employ disabled individuals, has been widely featured in the media as a new model of employment.

Born in Nagasaki Prefecture, Ryosei Mizuguchi graduated from the University of Tokyo and joined the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). He has worked on startup support, entrepreneurial development, Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai planning, and the launch of a ¥10 trillion university endowment fund. Currently, he develops healthcare industry policies, covering healthcare, medical services, and elderly care. His work includes supporting healthcare startups, promoting Japan’s medical services abroad, and addressing caregiving challenges across communities, workplaces, and society. Outside his government role, he co-founded JAPAN+D, integrating design approaches into the public sector, and produces Higashi-Nakano no Nakano Hito, a podcast sharing Tokyo’s local culture from Higashi-Nakano.

Born in Nagasaki Prefecture, became a licensed physical therapist in 2000 and became a backpacker abroad in 2005. After returning to Japan, he gained project management experience through international projects in Fiji, Colombia, China, and Russia. In 2014, he was involved in establishing the social welfare corporation Nagayo Kosaikai and became a board member. In 2020, he opened a public facility called "Minna no Manabiba Mi-kan." Drawing on his multicultural life experience, he plans and manages projects and events with governments, schools, and local communities, focusing on diversity management and avoiding rigid notions of correctness. In 2023, he opened “GOOOOOOOD STATION” at JR Nagayo Station. His project-based welfare work addressing regional issues has been recognized with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award and the Regional Revitalization Award Runner-Up Prize.

Born in Nagasaki in 2000 and a third-generation A-bomb survivor. Since high school, she has engaged in peace activism from Nagasaki. As a campaigner for ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, she has promoted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and participated in the UN Meetings of States Parties in 2022 and 2023. To further expand actions beyond the A-bombed city, she established “KNOW NUKES TOKYO.” Her exhibition "The New Atomic Bomb Exhibition," designed to pass down the experiences of the Hibakusha, has been featured in over 20 media outlets. In 2025, she will become a board member of the NPO Borderless Foundation.

Founder and CEO of Urbanix Co., Ltd., a company that provides consulting and research services for urban redevelopment and smart city projects, working with both public and private sector clients in Japan and abroad. His work includes evaluating site potential for commercial facility development and store openings, coordinating international urban partnerships, and producing initiatives for regional revitalization. With a cross-disciplinary approach bridging urban design and economics, he specializes in combining qualitative insights into urban character with quantitative data to support strategic planning and research. His academic research focuses on the clustering processes of small businesses in fringe areas and the mechanisms behind the formation and evolution of innovation districts.

While studying at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Economics, he founded Hive Japan, a community of next-generation leaders, under the mission of "Pioneering the Future of Japan." He organizes and manages summits and dialogue forums that support the challenges of motivated youth, aiming to elevate Japanese society by unlocking their full potential. He also serves as a Coordinating Ambassador for One Young World, working to build international networks and manage communities connecting youth across East Asia.

As a coach specializing in organizational transformation, team development, agile practices, and relationship systems, he also helps run agile and tech communities. Through these activities, he strives to foster better product development and create organizations and learning environments that are both effective and enjoyable. Through the coaching unit Co-llie, he supports both for-profit and nonprofit teams in visualizing relationships and facilitating decision-making.

Born in 1984, a graduate of Tama Art University’s Department of Graphic Design. After working at an advertising agency, he founded Study and Design in 2017. He specializes in driving the core elements that power businesses and initiatives, including CI/VI, product development, and project design, all rooted in graphic design. Alongside client work, he explores new approaches to social engagement through his own project, vermilion. His initiatives include the pop-up store Go To VOTE by vermilion, which encourages voting, and graphic contributions to Global Citizen Festival, a rally calling for nuclear abolition.

After graduating from Waseda University's School of Political Science and Economics, he worked at a securities firm before launching an independent HR consulting business in 2007. In 2015, he joined Sansan Inc., serving as a senior manager in the HR department and later as head of the new business Eight Career Design. After working as head of HR at Kakehashi Inc., he served as an executive officer and head of the President’s Office at Lifkam Inc. He later founded Jigyōjin Inc., supporting over 200 startups and growth-stage companies with hiring, HR system design, and HR tech ventures, while also launching a school business to share the firm’s expertise.

After gaining experience in sales and production at an advertising agency, she made a career shift in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, joining the communications department of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)—a childhood dream. She oversees event production and promotional activities that communicate humanitarian crises observed by overseas staff to the Japanese public. Originally from Tokyo, she is a graduate of Keio University's Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science.

CEO of SHABEL Inc. and Managing Director of Kakeru Art LLC. Born in Osaka in 1989. He left high school and later joined the rakugo (traditional comic storytelling) club at Kansai University. Upon graduating, he joined Creek and River Co., Ltd. and founded a stage arts division, assembling teams of stage creators and actors to produce corporate anniversary events and regional revitalization projects. Now, across his two companies, he works broadly in event production, planning, operations, and MC roles in the fields of business, art, and entertainment. He is also involved with NoMaps (a city-based convention in Sapporo), RKB Mainichi Broadcasting’s Podcast Lab. “Tekitalk”, and the Tokyo Art Garden conference.

Joined an advertising company in 2004. Known for writing impactful copy such as “A legend ends in epic fashion” for The Dark Knight Rises. He planned and conceptualized the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics closing ceremony. In 2015, he founded the World Yuru Sports Association, which creates new, accessible sports for all. Over 100 unique sports have been developed to date, experienced by more than 250,000 people, gaining international attention.As a director of the Disability Strategy Committee, he has also produced numerous projects in the welfare sector, such as the inclusive fashion brand A World Without Sides and NIN_NIN, a robot guide for the visually impaired. His books include Minority Design, Loosening the Rigid World, and The Art of Complimenting. In response to the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, he launched the relief platform Todoke.jp within four days, successfully delivering nearly 30,000 essential supplies to disaster-affected vulnerable groups.

He was born into a family that ran a traditional pillar-making business. Leveraging his roots and his experience in education, international exchange, and community building through art, he supports the next generation of successors (“Atotsugi”) in creating learning and collaboration spaces across boundaries. As a project/community manager, he plans and operates support programs nationwide that aim to shape the future of both family businesses and local communities. He works closely with young successors as they navigate generational gaps, community ties, and personal approaches to succession—seeking to bridge divisions through dialogue and pass on what they’ve inherited to the future.

After graduating from university, she joined NTT DOCOMO as a new graduate, engaging in a wide range of roles including mobile phone development, service planning, and sales. She was passionate about her work and her company, devoting herself fully to her career. However, a personal setback prompted a period of deep reflection on her inner self, relationships with others, and her own way of being. This experience led her to study mental health, counseling, and career development, through which she encountered the important concept of "well-being." Alongside her main job, she co-founded a well-being promotion community within the company in 2024 with like-minded colleagues. The group organizes study sessions and workshops to foster a shared learning environment. She is also expanding her activities as a lecturer and career counselor both inside and outside the company, aiming to help create a society where everyone can work with emotional richness and authenticity.