Is Japan Actually a Developing Country? Why We Created the 'World Girls' Report'

GIRL meets GIRL Project Column, Part 2. Copywriter Ikumi Togasaki discusses the "World Girls' White Paper" published by Dentsu Inc. Gal Lab in September.

Wouldn't it be fun to do social contribution as gals? We turned that kind of girl talk into reality with the Charity Pinky Ring. Before its release, we flew to Tanzania. Since it was a self-initiated project, we had no budget.

But launching a social contribution project without knowing the beneficiaries was unthinkable. We decided to take paid leave and fund the trip to Tanzania ourselves. Little did we know then that the many encounters in Tanzania would later become the catalyst for creating the World Girls' White Paper.

Our first time in Africa. Our first time in Tanzania. It was a world completely different from the "frightening, poor, and miserable image" that had somehow been ingrained in us. The Tanzanian girls we met were bright, sparkling, incredibly cute, and just ordinary girls. They loved fashion and were fascinated by our nails. They struck model poses for the camera. Their girl talk was all about love. And their dreams were grand: "I want to become president and make my country better," "I want to become a doctor and help people." Their sparkling eyes were filled with the future. It made me pause and wonder: How many girls in Japan can speak so boldly about their dreams?

As I talked with them, I began to think: "Support" from a position of superiority might be a bit presumptuous. It felt more like making girlfriends. What if we could create a new form of charity where we gain more friends to help each other? That's when the phrase "GIRL meets GIRL" emerged. This concept for the charity pinky ring, which also became the project name, carries the meaning of encounters that transcend mere support.

After returning to Japan, the rings sold incredibly well. But while selling them, I started wanting Japanese girls to understand the realities of the world more deeply. So, with the supervision and cooperation of JOICFP, the international cooperation NGO supporting the rings, we created the 'World Girls' Report'. This isn't just a data book. What we aimed for was, in a way, a new textbook for girls. Love. School. Work. Marriage. Childbirth. It compares data on these topics—themes that concern every girl—between Japanese girls and girls around the world.

In developing countries like Tanzania, challenges like maternal mortality rates are piling up. But looking at the work section, Japan ranks 102nd globally for women's economic participation. Tanzanian women rank 60th. Japan is overwhelmingly more like a developing country in this regard. To gain a more global perspective on Japan, we also asked girls from other developed countries like Germany, the US, and Sweden to speak candidly and bluntly about Japanese girls. This is electrifying. So this is how Japan is perceived.

"Let's save the world."
Hearing that makes you brace yourself, but if you have a female friend somewhere in the world, you'll feel something. You'll want to start something. The spirit of "GIRL meets GIRL" lives in this book too. It includes a "Girls' Notebook" where girls who've seen the world can reflect on themselves—thinking about family, future dreams, and more. Parents, please consider this as a gift for your daughters!

As I came to understand the world more deeply while writing this book, I realized Japan still has so many unresolved issues affecting girls. Oh no, there's so much we need to do. Our dreams keep growing and growing...

For more, contact producer Aise Ogawa!