Spreading the Importance of “Knowing Yourself” from Nagoya: “#Project Know Myself Nagoya” Powered by Toyota Tsusho was Held!

W society, a project in which we, SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, also participate, held the “#Project Know Myself Nagoya” Life Design Online Seminar on October 27!

I also went on my first business trip to the Tokai region as part of the administrative secretariat 🗺️ Here is an event report along with a look at the day’s activities.

▼What is W society, the women’s empowerment design project in which SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP participates?
What is “W society,” a project that faces the challenges surrounding women?

▼What is #Project Know Myself Nagoya?
October 25-27 is egg week! Nagoya City x Toyota Tsusho x W society #Project Know Myself Nagoya begins!

I visited the site in Nagoya! 🏯

Overwhelmed by the aura of the Nagoya City Hall!

The opening guest for the seminar was Ms. Midori Sugino, Deputy Mayor of Nagoya City, who is promoting gender equality and raising awareness for preconception care.
The speaker was Dr. Ei Maruta, Director of Maruta ART Clinic and an obstetrician-gynecologist. Based in Nagoya, Dr. Maruta considers infertility prevention a responsibility of those involved in reproductive medicine and continues to share information with society.

Under the theme of “Career Design Starting from Knowing Your Body: How to Successfully Manage Physical Changes at Every Age,” the event created an opportunity for women to “know themselves.” Discussions were held on balancing careers with life events, with participation from several companies based in Nagoya City.

It is important to first understand various aspects of the body and then seek medical examination.

Comments from Ms. Midori Sugino, Deputy Mayor of Nagoya City

As the opening guest of the seminar, Ms. Midori Sugino, Deputy Mayor of Nagoya City, who promotes gender equality and preconception care awareness, took the stage. Regarding the balance between childcare and work, Ms. Sugino commented, “My children are already independent, but I pushed forward while frantically balancing work, childcare, and household responsibilities.” She also spoke about her current approach to career and life, saying, “Every day, I am doing my absolute best to fulfill the heavy responsibilities of Deputy Mayor while also managing the care of my mother.”

Toyota Tsusho (group photo), who co-hosted the event and has positioned women’s empowerment as a top priority theme in their “D&I Declaration”; Dr. Ei Maruta, who spoke at the event (group photo + bottom right photo); and guest Ms. Midori Sugino (top right photo).

Furthermore, she pointed out, “With the advancement of women in society, it is noteworthy that an increasing number of companies are treating concerns related to menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth not as personal issues but as organizational challenges, leading to a higher awareness of health and productivity management.” Regarding Nagoya City’s initiative to certify companies that strive to create an environment where women can thrive under the slogan “Nagoya, a City Where Women Shine,” she commented, “41 new companies applied this fiscal year. The steady increase over the past three years is very encouraging.” Among these efforts, she explained that Nagoya City is particularly focused on raising awareness for “preconception care,” where women and couples increase their health awareness regardless of whether they plan to become pregnant. “As an example, we are creating various opportunities from an early stage, such as puberty seminars for students and lectures and consultation services on infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss for couples,” she said, calling for the promotion of correct knowledge and the importance of facing one’s own body.

An in-depth interview with Dr. Ei Maruta, Obstetrician-Gynecologist and Director of Maruta ART Clinic

From the perspective of an obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Maruta explained that many women experience issues such as irregular menstruation due to changes in life stages, living environments, puberty, and menopause. Regarding the fact that the number of lifetime menstrual cycles for modern women has increased to about 10 times that of the past, he said, “Compared to the past when society was structured for having many children, today, first periods occur earlier due to better nutrition and abundant food, and menopause occurs later. In addition, the number of pregnancies has decreased (as menstruation stops during pregnancy and breastfeeding), resulting in about 10 times more menstrual cycles than women in the past.” He also urged, “It is a problem if menstrual flow is too light, and if it is too heavy, we must worry if there is an underlying disease. While it is difficult to compare with others, if you feel even slightly that your flow is different than before, I want you to visit a gynecologist early.”

He also spoke about the AMH test*, which is recommended as part of preconception care: “By taking an AMH test, you can estimate the approximate number of eggs remaining in your body. Important information can be easily checked through a blood test.” Furthermore, regarding the “high psychological and financial hurdles” Japanese women feel toward obstetrics and gynecology, he referenced a W society survey which revealed that while over 85% of women feel some form of physical discomfort, one in five do not take any action. He stated, “I feel once again that by knowing oneself, I want people to feel that perhaps they should visit a clinic.” The full text can be found on the W society official website. 👀

*Anti-Müllerian Hormone Test: A blood test that reflects ovarian reserve (an estimate of the number of follicles remaining in the ovaries).

Approximately 250 people participated—thank you very much!

Emi Tanimura, the organizer, summarized the event: “With the theme of #Project Know Myself, I learned once again today that knowing, learning, listening to one’s own body, and in some cases, undergoing testing, are all vital steps in protecting oneself and building the future.”

While listening to the seminar as a streaming staff member, I realized how little I actually know about my own body, which sparked a strong desire to learn more!

Moving to Hosa <hōsa>, a place I definitely wanted to visit in Nagoya, for a debriefing session…

The number of people undergoing health checkups increases toward the end of the year. We aim to create a system where no one ignores the signs from their body and everyone feels comfortable going to the hospital without hesitation if they have even the slightest concern. As I ate my kishimen noodles, I felt once again that I want to continue moving forward one step at a time, doing what I can! 💭 Please look forward to future W society activities!

A Nagoya specialty, kishimen noodles (it was delicious with a refreshing sudachi citrus flavor!)