Research Project

(a)Conceptual Analysis Group
(b)Life Sciences Group

(c)Children with Diverse Needs Support Group
(d)Children’s Voice Support Group
(e)School-Based Well-Being Support Group
(f)ASD Majority Society Experience Group

Focusing on children’s well-being, this study aims to systematically examine and conceptually clarify the relationships and distinctions among related concepts, including welfare, best interests, rights, happiness, dignity, and life. It further explores the usefulness and limitations of outcome indicators for assessing children’s well-being from multiple perspectives. In particular, the study considers how to capture and evaluate subjective dimensions of children’s experiences, such as psychological happiness and experiences of hardship, which are inherently difficult to quantify. Through these analyses, the study seeks to establish a theoretical foundation that can inform future research, policy development, and practice.

Team Leader：SASAZUKI, Momoko

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Pediatric Medicine, Palliative Care, Bioethics, Clinical Ethics, and Clinical Thanatology

MORIOKA, Masahiro

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Contemporary Philosophy, Bioethics

FUKUSHIMA, Isao

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Art and Representation Studies, Literature, Film Studies, Cultural Resource Studies

YOKONO, Megumu

• Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Waseda University
• Medical Law, Bioethics, ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Implications), Ethics of Pediatric Medicine

We aim to ensure individually optimized development based on the premise of children’s diversity. To this end, the Life Sciences Group collects and synthesizes existing scientific knowledge on genes, molecules, neural circuits, and other factors underlying children’s development, behavioral characteristics, and social participation, thereby establishing a foundational perspective for understanding diverse developmental trajectories. We regard developmental characteristics as expressions of each child’s individual developmental pathway and, through interdisciplinary dialogue with other research groups, seek to build an evidence base for support, environmental design, and the promotion of well-being.

Team Leader：KOHYAMA, Jun

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Stem Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine, Physiology, Neuroscience, Molecular Biology

KAKEYAMA, Masaki

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Environmental Neuroscience, Preventive Medicine

SAKAKIBARA, Shinichi

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Neuroscience, Neural Development, Molecular Biology, Histology, Neuroanatomy

We share research and practical insights on supporting children with diverse needs, drawing on the unique expertise of our team members. By listening to the voices of children and young people and understanding their perspectives, we identify emerging challenges and potential solutions. Furthermore, we provide a collaborative platform where children and young people work alongside researchers, practitioners, and government officials to explore innovative support systems that enhance children’s well-being.

Team Leader：KAMIKADO, Kazuhiro

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child and Family Welfare

KAWAMURA, Akira

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Health Economics, Public Economics, Labor Economics

SASAZUKI, Momoko

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Pediatric Medicine, Palliative Care, Bioethics, Clinical Ethics, and Clinical Thanatology

SATO, Masayuki

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Children and the Environment, Environment-Behavior Studies, Urban and Architectural Planning

TOYAMA, Noriko

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Developmental Psychology

MATSUKI, Hiroto

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Sociology, Family Sociology

MATSUBARA, Yumi

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Health and Welfare Management, Social Policy, Social Welfare

OKAYASU, Tomoko

• Associate Professor (Non-Tenured), Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Social Welfare, School Social Work

KACHI, Yuko

• Associate Professor (Tenure-Track), Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Public Health, Social Epidemiology

TAKO, Emi

• Research Associate, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Child and Family Welfare, Social Work Practice in the UK

With the goal of improving children’s reading and writing skills, we will implement information input and output support using tablet devices and evaluate its effects on academic performance, motivation to learn, and self-esteem. Additionally, we will provide communication support—utilizing insights from developmental psychology and technology—to children who have difficulty expressing themselves due to physical or mental disabilities. Furthermore, we will foster children’s language expression skills through activities such as reading picture books aloud to preschoolers, while also conducting public workshops for parents, childcare providers, and community members to promote a practical approach that respects and supports children’s narratives.

Team Leader：TOYAMA, Noriko

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Developmental Psychology

IWABUCHI, Mamoru

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Assistive Engineering, Assistive Technology

OMORI, Mikimasa

• Associate Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Applied Behavior Analysis, Developmental Psychology, Learning Psychology

SAJI, Noburo

• Associate Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Psycholinguistics, Language Acquisition

SEKINE, Kazuki

• Associate Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Developmental Psychology, Psycholinguistics, Cognitive Psychology

TAKAHASHI, Maiko

• Lecturer, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Educational Psychology, Cognitive Science

SHIMIZU, Yuki

• Professor, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University
• Developmental Psychology, Cultural Psychology

OKAZAKI, Ritsuko

• Senior Lecturer, Odawara Junior College
• Early Childhood Education and Care

With the goal of improving children’s reading and writing skills, we will implement information input and output support using tablet devices and evaluate its effects on academic performance, motivation to learn, and self-esteem. Additionally, we will provide communication support—utilizing insights from developmental psychology and technology—to children who have difficulty expressing themselves due to physical or mental disabilities. Furthermore, we will foster children’s language expression skills through activities such as reading picture books aloud to preschoolers, while also conducting public workshops for parents, childcare providers, and community members to promote a practical approach that respects and supports children’s narratives.

Team Leader：OTSUKI, Tomu

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Clinical Psychology

OZAWA, Shigeto

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Educational Technology

KATSURAGAWA, Taisuke

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Clinical Psychology

ISHIZU, Kenichiro

• Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Toyama
• School Psychology

SHIMODA, Yoshiyuki

• Professor, School of Education, Kwansei Gakuin University
• School Psychology

YOSHIMURA, Takayuki

• Professor, Faculty of Human-Environment Studies, Kyushu University
• Clinical Psychology

Communication difficulties experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may stem from differences in characteristics between individuals with ASD and those with typical development (TD), which can lead to feelings of loneliness and reduced well-being. In this study, we will develop VR content that allows users to experience scenarios in which individuals with ASD constitute the majority and where interactions proceed according to their social norms. By enabling neurotypical individuals to immersively experience this “reversed society,” we aim to foster understanding and empathy toward the social norms and characteristics of individuals with ASD, and to verify the feasibility of creating an inclusive communication environment based on mutual understanding.

Team Leader：OSU, Rieko

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Cognitive Neuroscience

MATSUI, Tatsunori

• Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Educational Technology, Intelligent Informatics, Kansei Informatics

TSUCHIYA, Ayaka

• Senior Researcher (Research Lecturer), Advanced Research Center for Human Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
• Human Informatics, Virtual Reality (VR), Social Interaction

KOSAKA, Hirotaka

• Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui
• Life Sciences, Neuropsychiatry

MITSUGAMI, Ikuhisa

• Professor, College of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University
• Human Behavior Analysis, Human Interface, Computer Vision, Artificial Intelligence, Image Processing