World Mental Health Day 2026: Japan's Outreach and Training
Overview
For World Mental Health Day, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare will welcome Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma as campaign supporters and carry out event participation, training to develop kokoro supporters for local governments and companies, and information outreach through posters and videos. In its local government campaign, the ministry will provide collaborative stickers, upon request, to local governments that hold training during the campaign period.
Key points
- This is the eighth year the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has conducted outreach to mark World Mental Health Day.
- The ministry will participate in Tomotomo Festa 2026 for the first time and also take part in an event hosted by Silver Ribbon Japan.
- The ministry will run a campaign for local governments and online training for companies.
Overview
World Mental Health Day is an international day held every October 10 to raise awareness of mental health issues, eliminate stigma, and spread accurate knowledge. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has conducted outreach activities around this day since fiscal year 2019, making this the eighth year.
In 2026, the ministry will appoint Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma as campaign supporters and promote understanding of mental health through events, training, distribution of materials such as posters, and videos. A kokoro supporter is someone with accurate knowledge of mental illnesses and other conditions who provides support, primarily by listening, to family members, colleagues, and others facing difficulties.
Impact
Providing stickers to local governments will encourage them to hold new or additional training sessions, increase the number of participants, and further advance the development of kokoro supporters. Each event will offer opportunities to experience basic actions and provide a starting point for reflecting on mental health.
Details
The Cabinet Office-hosted Tomotomo Festa 2026 will be held on October 9 and 10. Videos will be shown and materials distributed on Gyoko-dori near the Marunouchi Exit of Tokyo Station. On October 10, an activity to experience basic actions with Korilakkuma will be held at Maru Cube on the first floor of Marunouchi Building. The Silver Ribbon Japan-hosted World Mental Health Day 2026 Tokyo Festa will be held on October 10 at Star Rise Tower, with an activity with Rilakkuma, a stamp rally, a live broadcast, video screenings, and distribution of materials.
During the campaign period, the ministry will hold kokoro supporter training and provide Rilakkuma collaboration stickers as a participant benefit to local governments that request them.
Company training will be conducted on Zoom for human resources staff, occupational health staff, and people directly involved in workplace mental health measures. Posters and other materials will be distributed to local governments and related organizations nationwide. The “Kokoro no Koe Check Taiso” will be posted on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's official YouTube channel, the special website, and the Kokoro Supporter website.