Aiming for a Brighter Future for Children! - The Ideal Role Sound House Should Play

Writing about negative topics that everyone avoids is another ordeal I must overcome. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about Japan’s children’s future. The more I look at reality and think about it, the more I worry about all of these issues. If you are not interested in social issues, I advise you not to read this article because it may be discouraging.

Japan’s birth rate is declining, and it is said that if this trend continues, the population will reach zero in a few hundred years, so it is important to increase the number of children. In reality, however, Japan is doing the total opposite. Even though the national policy has been made to increase the number of children, Japan is known worldwide as a first world nation with a high abortion rate. The number of abortions performed has recently exceeded 150,000 cases per year, with an average of about 450 cases per day. It has also been said that the majority of teenage girls choose to have abortions when they become pregnant. However, only a little more than half of all abortions are performed on women under the age of 30, and nearly half of the remaining women are over 30, which is a surprising statistic.

However, the reality in Japan is that abortion cannot be banned by law like it is in the States. This is because Japan does not have an adequate social environment that protects and raises children who were born to parents who were not ready to be parents. The reality is harsh that too many children are born into terrible family environments and are then abused. It is so appalling that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is bringing negative attention to Japan. We tend to think that Japan is a peaceful country, but the reality is far from it. It seems that our country has created a social environment which is so bad for children that parents can’t help but wish that they had never had children.

Sound House has decided to open a new office in Onagawa in the Tohoku region to support local development and revitalization. We also have plans to bring a brighter future to the local children and bring fresh energy to the town through music. As a result of a series of fortunate encounters and conversations that quickly progressed, we were able to buy the former Onagawa Junior High School building. We hope to contribute to the town as we develop our business in Onagawa. Our main goal is to brighten children’s futures with the power of music. To achieve this goal, we are giving free music lessons to the local children, and we hope that children will not only find joy in their lives, but also gain confidence in everything they pursue.

However, the reality is that the number of children has decreased so much that there are now only 100 students in each of the elementary and junior high schools in Onagawa. Furthermore, if one were to look deeper into how society really is, even in a town with a declining population, one will find just how widespread domestic violence is. I have also heard of child abuse cases in the surrounding areas, which makes me feel even more concerned about the future of Japanese society. I feel absolutely helpless. I wish I could say out loud, “This is why Sound House wants to do their part to help the future of Japan!” but I guess that’s just not realistic. As Sound House’s founder, I don’t think there are any employees who understand my feelings. It is no wonder that people think that these issues are none of my business. I can almost hear a pessimistic voice telling me: “You’ll just end up doing nothing.”

I don’t care if all of my efforts are meaningless. I will keep pursuing this dream that I mapped out myself. I made up my mind to go to Onagawa, even if I had to go there alone because after all, we are born alone and we die alone. Now, I want to do what I feel is right. Out of all of my thoughts and dreams, it is here where my fierce battle begins. This soldier is preparing himself the night before battle, and he is dreaming of an Onagawa that is filled with children...