We are now in the midst of the digital revolution—a revolution that could be described as a once-in-a-millennium transformation. Children are living in a world where the knowledge they acquire in school is no longer sufficient to cope with the challenges they face—a world where no one provides the answers, and no one even knows them.
　Until now, the emphasis in evaluation has been on acquiring more knowledge. The one-way teaching style, in which a teacher transmits knowledge to students, was effective in an industrial society that required a workforce equipped with standardized knowledge.
　However, as the economy has globalized and vast amounts of information flow across national borders, society now demands the ability to collaborate with people from diverse cultures and value systems to create new value. In other words, what is required are creativity and communication skills—abilities that cannot be replaced by computers.
　Japan’s education system, said to have remained unchanged for 150 years, is finally showing signs of change. Digital textbooks have been introduced in schools, programming education has become mandatory, and the importance of STEAM education is being emphasized. This signifies a shift from rote memorization to learning based on critical thinking and creativity through the use of new technologies. This trend is also evident overseas.
　Education has always evolved alongside technological progress. The invention of movable-type printing gave rise to textbooks and established the lecture-style classroom as the standard teaching method. In the 20th century, new media such as film, radio, and television were utilized in education. In the 21st century, IT and AI are reshaping the type of talent society demands, and this, in turn, is revolutionizing education.

　In 2002, I founded an organization called CANVAS and have been promoting activities—through collaboration among industry, government, and academia—that foster creativity and self-expression in the digital age.
　“Workshop Collection,” an annual exhibition featuring “learn-by-doing” workshops, attracts up to 100,000 children over the course of two days. Recently, programming, digital making, and STEAM education curricula have become particularly popular.

　With this background in mind, Rough & Peace Mother has now been launched. Why do 100,000 people attend the Workshop Collection
? It’s because, despite the demand from parents and children, there is a shortage of such offerings. I’ve visited many children’s museums overseas
where kids learn through play.There are few such facilities in Japan, and I’ve long wanted to create one here. I’ve also wanted to make it possible for people to create things digitally at home, right in the palm of their hands. Schools are finally
changing, and smartphones are becoming capable of doing all sorts of things. Chairman
Osaki has also expressed a desire to pursue such initiatives; he’s participated in the Workshop Collection and collaborated with Yoshimoto to develop workshops. The goal now is to expand this effort on a much larger scale.
　We are currently living in an era of change so rapid that no one has ever experienced anything like it. What is common sense today may be considered absurd in ten years. That’s the kind of era we’re in. That is precisely why it’s crucial for everyone—including children—who will live in the future to continue learning throughout their lives.
　To that end, the key principles are “learning in a fun and engaging way,” “valuing what you want to become or do,” and “learning not just in school but throughout society as a whole.” This platform is designed to make that a reality
. To achieve this, we are creating an online platform and establishing facilities where people can experience it firsthand. It will be a platform that seamlessly integrates the virtual and real worlds.

　What I expect from this platform is
, first and foremost, to present cutting-edge learning originating from Japan to the world. In the
industrialized era, Japan built an education system that is a source of global pride and has served as a model for the world. I want us to continue to lead the way in the Society 5.0 era as well.
　Another goal is to showcase Japan’s strengths to the world. I believe
Japanese children possess a high level of creativity. Furthermore, Japan excels at creating content that meets the needs of such children. We want to develop and promote Japan’s first digital content designed to nurture children’s creativity and create an environment where they can fully realize their potential.

　It’s said that by the time today’s children become adults, many jobs will have disappeared. That will likely be the case. However, today’s children will create many jobs that don’t exist yet and build a new society. I hope this platform will foster the growth of many such children and enable them to contribute to Japan and the world.