By Mika Yakushi | Representative Director
On Saturday, March 7, 2026, ReBit hosted the "LGBTQ/SOGIE Youth Forum 2026."
A total of 37 youth leaders representing 11 projects from "diverseeds2025"—a program supporting youth leaders taking on challenges in the LGBTQ field—gathered to share how they fought for change in their respective fields through six months of trial and error.
In the first session, youth speakers from four organizations engaged in outreach across universities, healthcare settings, and local communities took the stage. They discussed the real-world challenges young people face today and the genuine societal changes required to create university campuses where LGBTQ students can learn with peace of mind and environments where they can access healthcare safely.
Key points raised included the disparity in information, communities, and options between urban and rural areas, as well as a lack of knowledge and consideration in schools and local communities. The discussion highlighted the need to expand beyond "safe spaces" meant solely to prevent harm, evolving them into "places of empowerment" where youth can inspire one another and take steps toward authentic challenges.
The second session focused on the critical need for spaces where LGBTQ youth can truly be themselves—emphasizing the particular importance of having dedicated local spaces.
Organizations actively creating these spaces and raising awareness within their communities took the stage to present their work.
The discussion revealed stark disparities among universities regarding the availability of specialized faculty and support hubs. Panelists stressed the urgent need to establish institutional, sustainable systems—such as expanding guidelines and consultation desks—that do not rely solely on the survival of specific individuals or student clubs.
What is "diverseeds"?
"diverseeds" is a program that supports youth leaders tackling challenges in the LGBTQ field. Guided by the vision of "sowing seeds of diversity for the future," it has supported the initiatives of 60 youth leaders since its launch in 2018.
In fiscal year 2025, the program was carried out in partnership with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to empower youth leaders working on LGBTQ issues.
Participating projects span any theme or format related to LGBTQ issues—including creating safe spaces in schools and local communities, conducting educational outreach through classes and events, producing and distributing digital content, and organizing pride parades.
The "Handbook on Local Government LGBTQ/SOGIE Initiatives (2nd Edition)" is a collection of best practices for LGBTQ/SOGIE initiatives. It features 102 case studies across 80 government ministries and local municipalities, 6 local government-affiliated facilities (such as social welfare councils, schools, and public hospitals), and 16 corporations and organizations.
In June 2023, the "Act on Promoting Nation’s Understanding of Diversity of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" (hereafter referred to as the SOGI Understanding Promotion Act) was enacted to help realize a society tolerant of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Under this act, local public entities are required to "strive to formulate and implement measures to promote public understanding of the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity, in line with the basic principles, in cooperation with the national government, and in accordance with the local conditions."
Furthermore, on June 16, 2026, the Basic Plan based on the SOGI Understanding Promotion Act was approved by the Cabinet, making the promotion of LGBTQ/SOGIE measures in local governments more crucial than ever.
Against this backdrop, sharing the best practices accumulated by local governments serves as a powerful catalyst to support concrete efforts in each region. We have created and made this resource freely available in the hope of further advancing LGBTQ/SOGIE measures nationwide and increasing the number of communities where LGBTQ individuals can live safely.
This resource is a revised version of the "Handbook on Local Government LGBTQ/SOGIE Initiatives" originally published in March 2024.
In September 2026, we released the renewed editions of the "Ally Teacher’s Tool Kit: Junior High School Edition" and "Ally Teacher’s Tool Kit: Upper Elementary School Edition," designed to support teachers in building LGBTQ-inclusive lesson plans. These materials are free to download for anyone, and physical teaching kits are available by mail free of charge to school teachers upon request.
The "Ally Teacher’s Tool Kit" is a resource kit designed to support teachers in creating LGBTQ-focused lessons. Since its initial launch in 2017, the kit has reached over 60,000 copies distributed, and its educational videos have accumulated over 248,000 views, serving many educators in schools across Japan.
We will also host free online lesson trial sessions on September 24 and 25.
By Mika Yakushi | Representative Director
By Mika Yakushi | Representative Director
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