Asako Tsuji: "Politics can be discussed in casual settings and with a light tone" - "School General Election Project" launch briefing

2020.10.18 Press Releases
CCC MK HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. / T Point Japan Co., Ltd.

- A social project that connects the younger generation, from junior high and high school students to those in their 20s, with politics and society -

The School General Election Project is based on CCC's founding intention of "providing a base for young people with information on new lifestyles," and is a "place" where young people who will be responsible for the future can co-create new discoveries and ideas that will serve as the foundation for living in the future. The aim of this social project is to create opportunities for young people in their twenties, from junior high and high school students to those in their twenties, to make politics and society their own, to set questions and deepen discussions, and to embrace diversity while retaining their individuality even in a highly competitive international society.

The press conference featured appearances by Arca Inc. CEO/Creative Director Asako Tsuji, Urawa University Faculty of Sociology Associate Professor Daisuke Hayashi, and third-year high school student Moe Ogasawara (18 years old) and third-year high school student Miyu Himeno (17 years old).

At the start of the event, Ishii from CCC Marketing said, "While it is said that young people in their teens and twenties have few opportunities to participate in society, survey results show that they are just as interested in politics as people in their thirties and older. We hope that through this project, young people like this will be able to face social issues, express their opinions, and communicate with their peers, thereby spreading their message to society. T-POINT have continued to provide value as a convenient and advantageous "common point" that has been used by many people up until now, but through this project we hope to create connections between the younger generation and society, and to encourage them to feel a sense of affinity and familiarity with the card. " I explained the background and purpose of this project.

They say young people are turning away from elections, but... 　

The panel discussion began with a topic on "young people's lack of interest in elections."Tsuji said, "With many people realizing how closely their lives are connected to society due to the coronavirus, I think interest in politics and elections will increase, regardless of generation. Rather than young people turning away from elections, I think it's more that people don't know how to vote or how to speak up. This does not mean that they are "unaware of politics," so I hope to be able to fill that gap in the future. " he commented.

When asked about the "Tapista x Go Vote! Campaign," which he planned for the July 2019 House of Councillors election, where tapioca would be half price if you voted, Tsuji replied, "When I was in charge of the creative for the launch of Tapista, I thought seriously about what we should offer to young people, and we received support from young customers. Weekly magazines have been reporting things like, "The kids lining up for tapioca don't think about anything!", but based on my experience watching the young customers at the store, I had doubts about such reporting. As a person involved and as a young person, I felt a sense of defiance against being labeled as "young people are outrageous."Based on the hypothesis that young customers are also thinking about society and their own future, we started a small campaign in which customers could get half-price tapioca if they voted. This campaign became a huge hit, with over 3,000 people using the service in just one day. It was impressive to see a group of girls lining up in Shibuya, asking each other, "How did the voting go?"I think part of the problem of young people not voting is that adults are not responsible for creating an opportunity for them to do so. " he recalled his feelings at the time.

Making the atmosphere for talking about politics more casual

On the other hand, Ogasawara and Himeno, who are currently high school students, said, "We don't really talk about politics with our friends..." and "We mostly talk about silly things, so it's hard to get involved because we're afraid we'll come across as 'serious'."

Tsuji responded to this comment, saying, "Kemio talks about society, sexuality, the cafe he recently visited, or his cooking mistakes with the same enthusiasm. It would be good to create an atmosphere where students are asked, "What are you going to do after school?" rather than a battle to prove who has the most knowledge, where students have to be serious because it's politics or society. Of course, there are things I don't understand myself, so I research them and go back to them as I communicate. Unlike the current atmosphere where you have to talk about politics and social issues in a serious tone, you don't have to understand everything, you can talk in a casual setting, and your tone of voice doesn't have to be serious. I think it's really important that it's not just the serious kids in the class who talk, but that the more laid back kids are also involved in the conversation. " I was given this advice.

Ogasawara, who voted for the first time in this year's Tokyo gubernatorial election, said, "The first time I went to vote, I was extremely nervous and fidgety (laughs). I went with my parents, but they finished voting in no time at all, and I found it quite difficult, with them acting all strange and wondering where to go next and whether they should fold their ballot before putting it in. ” he said, looking back on his first vote.

Hayashi said, "The ballot paper will open automatically even if you don't fold it, so it's fine either way (laughs). By the way, there is data from a nationwide survey that shows that people who accompanied their parents to vote when they were children are more likely to vote when they become adults. Going to vote not only marks becoming an adult, but also makes you more aware of politics and elections. I think it's a great idea for parents and children to go to the polls together. " he said.

What topics would you like to see covered in the future?

Finally, when the topic turned to future themes that she would like to see covered in this project, Ms. Tsuji mentioned "women's participation in politics.""I would also like to see the issue of optional separate surnames for married couples covered, but since that is already planned, I would like to see women's political participation covered as well. Japan's gender gap index is quite low among developed countries, and the gender gap in politics and economics is a significant drag on the country. The current cabinet also has two women. Only 10% of the House of Representatives and 20% of the House of Councillors are members. If this were a class, wouldn't you think 10% being female would be an extremely low number? The population is half male and half female, so as members of the society of the future, I would like to see more politicians who can make our voices heard, and I hope that more women will become interested in politics, not only in voting but also in the right to run for office. ” was commented.

Furthermore, Ogasawara mentioned "cashless society," saying, "The My Number Points system was recently reported on the news, but hardly anyone at school is talking about it. As cashless transactions become more common in Japan, I was curious to know how many people of our generation are actually in favor or against them, and what their feelings are. " He talked about his personal interests.

Meanwhile, Himeno mentioned "pensions," saying, "I often hear that our generation will no longer have pensions. He also said that he would need to save 20 million yen for retirement. Until now, even if you paid into a pension, it was something that you received in old age, but why did that system stop working starting with our generation? Is it really a good idea to pay into a pension? I wanted to hear what everyone thinks. " These were some honest opinions about concerns about the future.

Through the School General Election, CCC Marketing and T Point Japan aim to foster "global citizenship" among young people, who will be able to proactively engage in tackling social issues, make decisions, and take action, leading to the achievement of SDG Goal 4, "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." They will continue to work to create new social value, with the aim of "T" becoming a symbol that "connects people and society."

Materials related to this matter

"School General Election Project" Launch Briefing ~ A social project that connects junior high and high school students and those in their 20s with politics and society ~

Inquiries regarding this matter
CCC Marketing Co., Ltd./T Point Japan Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Officer: Ando
TEL: 03-6800-4464