#  Research Project for Promoting School Climate in Tokyo 

 



An ongoing project (2025-Present).

### The Aim of the Study:

This project adapts EMPOWER Youth to the Japanese cultural context and implements it in Tokyo schools through a partnership with the **Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Medical Sciences**.

### The Background:

Japan faces a growing adolescent mental health challenge, with rising rates of depression and anxiety among young people and well-documented barriers to help-seeking, including stigma and limited specialist resources. Tokyo schools offer a practical and trusted setting for delivering accessible mental health support, well-suited to a culturally adapted version of EMPOWER Youth.

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The Project Plan:

The HMS team provides training, implementation resources, and an advisory role. The **Tokyo Metropolitan Institute** trains school-based wellness providers within Tokyo schools, reducing the need for specialized care visits. The collaboration is formalized through an agreement between the **Tokyo Metropolitan Institute** and the **Tokyo Metropolitan Government**.

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Supporters and Project Duration:

The development of the EMPOWER Youth Intervention was funded by the **Manton Foundation**. Implementation is supported by the **Tokyo Metropolitan Institute** and the **Tokyo Metropolitan Government** (2025-2026).

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Publications: 

- March 2026: [The design of a scalable intervention for adolescents with internalizing problems](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pguI3CGMj8FsFLd_ZXNEE7rFBqJP6lPH/view?usp=sharing)
- 2025: [Addressing the Adolescent Mental Health-Care Gap in the United States](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u8jP-2D9DYYuq2QXzjTjxQT25iiFFvM2/view?usp=sharing)