Japan Association of Home Economics Education President’s statement
　By Akiko Suzuki (former professor at Hiroshima University)

　The 68th Annual Conference of the Japan Association of Home Economics Education, held in 2025, was conducted in-person for the first time in several years, providing a valuable opportunity to engage directly with many of our members. At the General Assembly convened during the conference, a new administrative board was established, and I have been entrusted with the role of President. At this moment, which can rightly be described as a period of transformation for the subject of home economics, I am acutely aware of the weight of this responsibility. Over the next two years, I will work in close collaboration with the Vice Presidents, the Executive Board members, the Board members, and the Secretariats to advance the activities of the association. I sincerely look forward to your continued support and cooperation.

　Advancements in information technology and the forces of globalization are transforming our lives at an unprecedented pace. In response to these changes, the Association has embraced the mission of fostering autonomous and self-reliant individuals, while continually exploring how we might contribute to the realization of children’s well-being. Building upon these ongoing endeavors, I intend to pursue the development of instructional practices that enable children to engage deeply with their own lives and to create lifestyles that are authentically their own, as well as the design of curriculum management that draws upon and showcases the distinctive nature of home economics education. To this end, it is essential that not only children, but also, we as educators and researchers involved in practical pedagogy, actively and intentionally engage with others and with the phenomena of daily life, encountering diverse values and critically reflecting on the ways in which we ourselves live.

　The Association will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2027. This milestone presents an opportunity to summarize the achievements and challenges of our activities to date, and to reconsider the guiding principles for the Association’s future operations. It is anticipated that the direction of the new course of study will be concretized in the near future. Since the 2024 fiscal year, the Association has prepared and submitted two formal petitions to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. In the course of this process, the Central Council for Education indicated its intention to enhance information education within the technology field of lower secondary school “Technology and Home Economics,” and also mentioned separating “Technology” from “Home Economics.” While significant revisions to the curriculum may be forthcoming, I firmly believe that it is imperative for us to articulate clearly the essence and distinctive character of home economics, and to undertake continuous and proactive efforts to convey and advocate for the value of its learning to other subject areas and to broader stakeholders.

　In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Association has advanced in its adoption of online meetings and the digitization of its journal, as well as in the utilization of efficient data management systems. However, these developments have also given rise to new challenges. These may be seen as closely aligned with a broader question we face both in our practice of home economics education and in our own daily lives—namely, how we should engage with artificial intelligence and the ongoing processes of digitalization.

　As we mark the eightieth year since the end of the Second World War, we must ask ourselves whether those who speak of the folly of war in the present day can truly be said to lead fully autonomous lives. I wish to continue reflecting earnestly, together with all of you, on the role that home economics education should play in supporting the well-being of children. I respectfully invite all members to share their candid opinions and insights.