Compassion Communities are necessary for young people in Japan - Asuka Ito

Asuka Ito - Compassion Communities are necessary for young people in Japan

I work as a community nurse in Miyagi Prefecture, in Japan’s Tohoku region. I am 31 years old. I lost my father to cancer when I was 14, but because my parents had never discussed illness with me, I experienced great confusion and anguish after his death. That experience led me to wonder: ‘Death and loss can happen to anyone, so why are there so few opportunities to learn about them or talk about them?’

The following year, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, and as the town suffered extensive damage from the tsunami, this question became even more pressing. In 2023, I joined the organising committee for an academic conference on ‘Compassion Communities’ held in Miyagi Prefecture, and inspired by that experience, I launched the The Young People’s Group for Reflecting on Compassion.

As a group of ordinary citizens, our organisation aims to create a safe space where young people can discuss death and loss, and to foster a community of peers who can take action together. In this presentation, I will explain why Compassion Communities are necessary for young people in Japan and introduce our activities.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/357904710274473?p=bXVncwZQis3IfwU1JE

Meeting ID:

357 904 710 274 473

Passcode:

K3dF3r6c