It has been 62 years since Kiwanis International first established a presence in the Asia-Pacific region with the founding of the Kiwanis Club of Tokyo. It is a great honor to serve as the 50th Governor of the Japan District.

A small spark can change a child’s future.

Have you ever felt that a seemingly small experience from your childhood has had a profound influence on who you are today?

A word someone said to you, something you worked on together with others, or the first time you tried something new—these seemingly small experiences can sometimes become an important source of strength that supports us throughout our lives.

Kiwanis activities are about helping to create those very “small sparks.”

Our activities are diverse and include the Kiwanis Doll program, which supports hospitalized children through emotional care and encouragement during their treatment; initiatives to prevent child abuse; community meal programs for children that provide meals and welcoming places to connect; a wide range of events for children in local communities; support for student and youth volunteer activities where young people can develop and demonstrate their leadership; and financial support for programs benefiting children through Kiwanis International.

With “Serving the Children of the World” as its motto, Kiwanis International continues to work for children in communities around the world. The Japan District likewise places great importance on community-based activities, working together with our fellow Kiwanians throughout the Asia-Pacific region (ASPAC).

Our Basic Policy for the Japan District

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I believe that the activities carried out by each individual club, firmly rooted in its own community, are the foundation of everything we do.

Each Kiwanis club throughout Japan is unique. Clubs differ greatly in their membership, size, activities, and history. That is precisely why it is important for each club to recognize and make the most of its own strengths and characteristics, while learning from the activities of other clubs and developing new ideas of its own.

When each club’s activities flourish, the benefits extend not only to children but also to the joy and fulfillment experienced by our members themselves. By sharing these achievements more widely with society, I hope we can further expand the circle of Kiwanis.

To everyone who is learning about Kiwanis for the first time through this page, I hope you will take an interest, even a small one, in what we do.

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In October 2026, the Japan District began a new chapter as a general incorporated association. I would like to make this important milestone a fresh starting point for expanding our activities for children.

As the Kiwanis Japan District Song, composed by Naruaki Saegusa and written by Tadashi Yokokawa, reminds us, “♪ Let’s start with what we can do.”

It does not matter how small the action may be. I hope this will be a year in which we take one small step at a time, creating those “small sparks” that may change a child’s future.

I look forward to working together with all of you in the year ahead.