Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture (Mayor: Kunihiko Oushiba) will hold the "-Creating the Future- Entrepreneurship Program for High School Students 2026" to foster the ability to think and act with a new perspective. In conjunction with this, we will be accepting applications from high school students until Wednesday, July 15, 2026. This program is a four-session program where participants can enjoy learning "entrepreneurship," an attitude of thinking and acting on their own to create new value in response to everyday changes and local/community issues. While touching on basic business knowledge and the mechanisms of starting a business, we will provide a place to challenge oneself to shape personal interests and curiosities into concrete ideas. We welcome students who want to "change themselves a little" and those who wish to participate with friends. Program Schedule (4 Sessions Total) Each session features a comprehensive curriculum that builds step-by-step around a theme. Session 1: Learning the Basics of Starting a Business Saturday, July 25, 2026 (Sat) 13:00 - 16:00 Session 2: Understanding Business Operations and Markets Saturday, August 1, 2026 (Sat) 13:00 - 18:00 Session 3: Shaping Interests and Curiosities Wednesday, August 12, 2026 (Wed) 13:00 - 16:00 Session 4: Delivering Ideas Saturday, August 30, 2026 (Sat) 13:00 - 16:00 Event Overview Location: Kurukuru (2354-14 Nagasaka Kamijyo, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture) Target Audience: High School Students * Any high school student, regardless of grade level or whether they live in Hokuto City or elsewhere, can participate. Capacity: 15 people (first-come, first-served) Participation Fee: Free Organizer: Hokuto City Cooperation: Yamanashi Prefecture Yorozu Support Center, Japan Finance Corporation Kofu Branch / Minami Kanto Startup Support Center, Hokuto City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sponsorship: Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation (SME Support Japan) Application Meth