Will for Japan is a nonprofit organization that aims to turn legacy giving into part of Japanese culture and to build a society where compassion circulates. Its mission is to change writing a will from a mere "closing ritual" into a "gift" that carries one's own wishes.
Founded in August 2019, it continues to encourage people to write wills and to spread legacy giving so that it becomes a matter of course. For fiscal 2020 to 2025, it reports 138 media appearances, 174 corporate partners, 22,330 participants in lectures and seminars, and 73,795 copies of its information booklet Engift sent out.
Its main initiatives are Engift, an information booklet that clearly introduces recipients of legacy gifts (supported by the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice); a training course for specialists in legacy giving called the Succession Donation Advisor course; Engift Web, a media site on legacy giving; and its own research. It also offers a way to request materials in one go from organizations that accept donations.
Key points
- Treats legacy giving as a "baton to the future" and aims to make it a new part of Japanese culture
- 73,795 copies of Engift sent out in fiscal 2020 to 2025
- A training course for specialists and the "Will Session" seminar series
Why this organization deserves attention
Legacy giving is often thought to require great wealth, but its strength is conveying the view that there is an option to pass one's wishes on to the future even without anything grand enough to be called assets. It works to create an entry point that connects donors, recipient organizations and specialists.
Booklets, a web media site, courses and seminars give people ways to learn step by step. In 2026, it also concluded a partnership agreement with Japan Post on end-of-life planning communications, and its circle of collaboration continues to widen.
Editor's comment
Entrusting the feelings you have cherished to the society of the future: I felt that legacy giving is one such gentle option. Will for Japan seems likely to be a reassuring guide when you think about that choice.
Why not start casually by looking at the booklet and the basics of legacy giving on the official website?