Event Report
▲ Yoshio Kojima, guest speaker at the event
On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Waseda University co-hosted the“Iku-Gyo” Outreach Seminar at Waseda University with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Office for Children’s Policy Coordination. Held at the Small Auditorium of Okuma Auditorium, the seminar featured comedian and Waseda alumnus Yoshio Kojima (School of Education, Class of 2006) as the guest speaker.
Yoshio Kojima has many opportunities to interact with children through his work as an educational YouTuber and is widely popular as the “ultimate kids’ comedian.” Since becoming a father in 2024, he has also been actively working to balance childcare and his career. True to his style as a comedian, he spoke candidly and enthusiastically about his thoughts on“Iku-Gyo” while weaving some of his signature jokes into the discussion.
Video Message from Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike
▲ A video message from Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike was presented at the event
At the opening of the event, a video message from Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike was shown. Explaining the purpose behind the initiative, she noted that the Japanese term ikuji kyugyo, or childcare leave, could give the misleading impression that raising a child is a “break.” In reality, childcare is by no means a break, but an extremely important responsibility of raising the children who will shape our future. She expressed her hope that the term“Iku-Gyo” would help change this perception and encourage society as a whole to support childcare.
Opening Remarks by Kyoko Ishida, Director of the Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity
▲ Kyoko Ishida, Director of the Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity and Professor at the Faculty of Law, delivering the opening remarks
Representing Waseda University, Kyoko Ishida, Director of the Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity and Professor at the Faculty of Law, delivered the opening remarks.
She explained that Waseda University places great importance on respecting diverse ways of life. Whether to marry or not, and whether to have children or not, are individual choices that should be equally respected. The University hopes to contribute to creating a society in which everyone can make such choices and live in a way that is true to themselves.
She added that having children is one of these many choices. When people choose to have a partner and children, however, someone must take responsibility for caring for those children. While support from society and those around the family is essential, the responsibilities and roles of parents remain significant.
She explained that she understands the term“Iku-Gyo,” advocated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, as conveying a powerful message that recognizes this reality and seeks to build a society in which both fathers and mothers share responsibility for raising their children.
Yoshio Kojima Takes the Stage with His Signature “Piya!”
When Yoshio Kojima took the stage, he immediately launched into one of his signature catchphrases, “Piya!” His energetic entrance quickly brought excitement and enthusiasm to the venue.
The Current State and Challenges of “Iku-Gyo”: A Look at the Data
During the first half of the event, the moderator introduced the concept of“Iku-Gyo” advocated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, trends in the percentage of men and women taking childcare leave, and how companies view childcare leave. Yoshio Kojima shared his thoughts and experiences throughout the discussion.
Asked how he felt about the term “Iku-Gyo,” he responded that it accurately reflected his own experience:
“That’s exactly right. Childcare leave isn’t really a break. There is always something that needs to be done, one thing after another, and you can’t take your eyes off your child because you have to keep them safe. You can never fully relax. In some ways, I think I actually had more time for myself when I was working.”
When survey findings were presented showing that more than 70% of young people aged 15 to 30 believed that gender should not determine who handles housework and childcare, Yoshio Kojima drew laughter by responding with a play on one of his signature catchphrases: “I’ve been saying since my debut that gender doesn’t matter!”
He went on to offer a more serious perspective, suggesting that as more women have entered the workforce, conventional ideas about the roles of men and women have gradually changed. At the same time, relationships among neighbors have become less close, leaving more families to manage childcare largely on their own. He suggested that these changes may have contributed to a growing recognition that housework and childcare need to be shared within families.
How Yoshio Kojima Balances Childcare and Work
The second half of the seminar explored Yoshio Kojima’s own approach to “Iku-Gyo” and how he balances childcare with his career.
As a comedian, his work depends largely on offers from clients, which means that he does not always have control over when and where he works. Nevertheless, he explained that he has adjusted his workload to make time for childcare. He also tries to reduce the number of overnight business trips, for example by making day trips between Tokyo and Osaka whenever possible. His commitment appeared to make a strong impression on many participants.
Yoshio Kojima also offered a distinctive analogy for raising a child, comparing it to being a member of a school sports club:
“It’s a bit like being in a club in high school. You’re happy when you occasionally get a day off, but every day is irreplaceable, and even years later you can look back and keep talking about those memories.”
The comparison seemed particularly relatable to students currently immersed in club and extracurricular activities and helped them picture the experience of raising children in more familiar terms.
Lively Q&A Session
Many hands went up during the Q&A session.
▲ When a microphone malfunctioned during the Q&A session, Yoshio Kojima personally carried a microphone over to the student asking the question.
One participant asked how Yoshio Kojima viewed the possibility of taking time away from the entertainment industry, where careers can be unpredictable, in order to devote time to childcare.
He replied:
“I try to act in a way that will make me feel that the decision I made was the right one. I know many people who regret not spending more time raising their children. This period of childcare may feel long while you’re in it, but when you look at your life as a whole, it’s actually very short. I can still work hard in my fifties, but I can only see my child grow up right now. I’m choosing what I can only do now so that I won’t look back on my life with regret.”
At the conclusion of the event, Yoshio Kojima offered words of encouragement to the participants, bringing the highly successful seminar to a close.
Over the course of the hour-long program, participants were captivated by his cheerful personality, personal experiences and perspectives, and his ability to explain them clearly with humor.
We hope that by deepening their understanding of “Iku-Gyo,” the event has broadened the range of choices participants can envision for themselves and provided an opportunity to think about their own futures.
▲ The event concluded, fittingly, with Yoshio Kojima’s signature catchphrase, “Sonna no kankei nee!” (“That doesn’t matter!”).
Comments from Participants
“The concrete data clearly showed how much things have changed between the Showa and Reiwa eras, as well as how differences between men and women have narrowed. The moderator’s explanations were also very easy to understand.”
“I had never considered the rate of employees taking childcare leave as one of the factors in choosing an employer, so the seminar made me realize how important it can be.”
“Simply hearing that we now live in an era when one in two men takes ‘Iku-Gyo’ might still be difficult for students who have not yet started working to relate to. Hearing the real experiences of people working at private companies who had taken childcare leave made the issue much more concrete and informative.”
“The comparison between childcare and extracurricular club activities during one’s school years particularly stayed with me. The idea that every day can feel exhausting when you are in the middle of it and that you sometimes wish you could have a break, but that when you look back, the period is irreplaceable and gives you countless memories, really resonated with me. As a faculty or staff member currently raising a child myself, it reminded me that I need to treasure these moments. I also thought it was a very relatable analogy for students who have not yet experienced either childcare or working life.”
“I was particularly struck by the comment that while women often become aware of becoming mothers through the physical changes they experience, men need to make a conscious effort and take action to grow into their role as fathers.”
“Hearing about Yoshio Kojima’s actual family life and the ways he adjusts his work schedule was very realistic and helpful. I was impressed that, even when he has a two-day event in Osaka, he sometimes returns to Tokyo between the two days so that he can spend time with his family.”
“It may still be difficult for students to think of childcare and work as issues that affect them personally or to imagine exactly how they might balance the two in the future. Still, I think the event helped them come away with the impression that raising children can actually be enjoyable.”
“The fact that childcare leave rates have risen considerably compared with the past was encouraging. However, there is still a gender gap in the amount of time spent on housework. I think changing men’s attitudes will be important in closing this gap, although changing attitudes itself is a major challenge.”
“Choosing Yoshio Kojima as the speaker was perfect. For students who do not yet see ‘Iku-Gyo’ as something personally relevant, the fact that he is a Waseda graduate made him feel relatable. Some students could also attend casually simply because they wanted to see him. His speaking skills were excellent, and he really captured the audience’s attention.”
▲ From left: Hatsue Shinohara, Executive Trustee responsible for diversity promotion; Yoshio Kojima; Kyoko Ishida, Director of the Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity and Professor at the Faculty of Law; and Koichi Usui, Director for Project Promotion, Office for Children’s Policy Coordination, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
