Rena Kawasaki
Youth Participation & Environmental Action
About
Rena has been passionate about making young people’s voices heard in politics since she was 14. That year, she co-founded Earth Guardians Japan, bringing students and politicians together through online sessions. In 2022, she received the International Children’s Peace Prize, gaining attention for her message of resilience and civic courage – but also facing hateful online comments in response.
Work
Rena helped design an online system in Niihama City that allows citizens – especially young people – to share ideas directly with local government, which has since adopted the model. She has also worked with Tokyo’s government on the Tokyo Bay project, a major sustainability initiative. Having experienced cyberbullying herself, Rena now advocates for online safety and mental health, while working with schools and communities across Japan to better include youth voices.