Nomura participated in “The Children’s Conference of the Future in Support of the United Nations FUTURE SUMMIT” at Expo 2025 in Osaka on August 6-7.
Children took center stage at the event, leading discussions and sending SDG-focused messages to adults and the world. Nomura supported children’s discussions on the future of money and ran a hands-on booth showcasing financial education and how investment can foster local growth. Over two days, the booth welcomed about 30,000 visitors.
Nomura Group CEO Kentaro Okuda opened with the story of a young person in the United States who raised capital and developed products and services that we use every day to achieve his goals. It was the story of Steve Jobs, creator of the iPhone and iPad, two devices loved by many children worldwide. He said one role of Nomura and the financial industry is to build a better world by ensuring people with such dreams can access the capital needed to turn them into reality. He encouraged participants preparing their own presentations to think about how they might use money to benefit society.
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- Children listen intently as Nomura Group CEO Kentaro Okuda delivers his opening keynote remarks
Enthusiasm filled the room as prominent figures from various fields, including Japan’s Minister of Finance Katsunobu Kato, served as judges. On stage were 30 students—25 from across Japan with diverse backgrounds and five from the United Nations International School—who presented a wide range of ideas about how money can make the future better. They then took questions from children in the audience, sparking high-level discussions from multiple perspectives.
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- Japan’s Minister of Finance Katsunobu Kato and Nomura Holdings’ Deputy President Toshiyasu Iiyama look on as the children engage in a lively, wide-ranging Q&A session
Discussion themes included Japan’s teacher shortage, community exchanges, endangered species, education, and world peace. The top prize, voted on by the children, went to a proposal to redirect funds used for war to companies and organizations that promote peace, and to use the money to support research and educational programs that advance peace.
Deputy President Iiyama said he was “reminded that what matters is not money itself, but how it is used.” Other guest judges—including Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, former pro baseball player and commentator Kimiyasu Kudo, and actress Tomoka Kurotani—also offered warm words of support to the children.
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- At the awards ceremony, the winners and runners-up received a certificate and copies of ”Okane no Himitsu” (The Secrets of Money) and “Shouken Gaisha no Zukan” (A Field Guide to Investment Brokerages), both published in cooperation with Nomura.
Nomura hosted a hands-on financial education booth where participants learned about the impact of investment on local communities through a hybrid digital and real-life activity. In a digital city called “Nomu City,” children heard from residents about local needs, chose companies or public facilities to invest in and learned how their investments can benefit communities. Participants also received a completion certificate as a memento at the end.
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- Children watch with excitement to see how their investments changed Nomu City
In another section of the booth, children posted over 600 SDG notes— on world peace, the environment, dreams, and more— on the colorful “Tree of SDGs.”
Nomura’s financial education mascot, Welbin, made a surprise appearance at the event, posing for photos with children and other visitors.
Welbin is the main character in our money quiz for elementary to high school students. Try it here: https://oshigoto.quiz-king.com/finance (Japanese only)
Nomura was honored to present our initiatives at Expo 2025 in Osaka. In line with our Group Purpose, “We aspire to create a better world by harnessing the power of financial markets”, we continue to support financial education to build a society where everyone can shape their own future and enjoy both emotional and economic well-being.
