2025 World Mental Health Day: Silver & Green Illumination
NPO Silver Ribbon Japan
NPO Silver Ribbon Japan has raised awareness about mental health on World Mental Health Day since 2011. Led by Shigeki Seki, who has personal experience with mental illness, the organization includes family members and professionals from the medical, welfare, and legal fields. This year, over 40 locations across Japan, including Tokyo Tower, were lit with silver and green lights to symbolize hope and mental health awareness. The message was ‘For a correct understanding of mental health,’ highlighting the importance of awareness and understanding. The event was organized by Silver Ribbon Japan and Lundbeck Japan Ltd. to create a more supportive environment for mental health in Japan.
Recording
Silver Ribbon Japan and Lundbeck Japan collaborated on awareness activities beyond the Light Up campaign. They organized seminars with local authorities and companies. Six groups involved in mental health, healthcare, and welfare participated: the Yokohama City Mental Health Consultation Center, Japan Health Policy Institute, Beta Trip Inc., and Maybelline New York (L’Oréal Japan). They held a seminar on ‘Youth Mental Health’ in a hybrid format, both in-person at Yokohama City Hall and online. Over 400 people attended, and the event was very successful.
Public and private sectors should collaborate to raise awareness about mental health. Silver Ribbon Japan, with officials from Yokohama City and Kanagawa Prefecture, held a demonstration at Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, home of Japan’s J. League. Participants carried banners and an awareness video was shown on the stadium screens, reaching over 12,000 spectators. This video will be displayed at all matches at this venue during the month of World Mental Health Day.
On October 10, World Mental Health Day, events were held in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan’s major cities. In Tokyo, a lighting ceremony was held at the Tokyo Tower, co-hosted by Silver Ribbon Japan and FPT Japan Holdings, a Vietnamese IT company. Mr. Akiyama, President of the World Federation for Mental Health, and Mr. Nomura, Director of the Disability Health and Welfare Department at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, were among those gathered. Representatives from the National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, the Japan Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, the Japan Association of Social Workers, the Japan Psychiatric Nurses Association, and sponsoring companies, along with the artist—who is also a person with mental health experience—and their families came together to share the moment when Tokyo Tower was illuminated in silver. The tower was illuminated in silver to symbolize the awareness of the issue. In Osaka, a mental health talk was organized at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site, featuring well-known speakers and attended by many visitors. Both events were connected through a live YouTube broadcast that attracted many viewers. Employees with mental health conditions from FPT Japan played active roles during the Tokyo event, highlighting the importance of involving people with lived experiences in raising awareness of mental health issues.
During the holidays from October 10 to 13, Silver Ribbon Japan held awareness events at the Tokyo Tower. They set up booths with activities like workshops where students from an industrial high school made Silver Ribbon accessories using metal materials from their school. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare teamed up with Rilakkuma, a popular mascot, to make the booth livelier. These engaging activities attracted many visitors, including those not usually interested in mental health, helping raise awareness of mental health issues.
This year’s World Mental Health Day saw various activities being held nationwide. Many organizations hosted awareness events to convey the importance of mental health to local communities. In Tsukuba City, Toyosato Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, spearheaded an awareness event at Tsukuba Station. Numerous booths were set up at the stations to provide information. The Mayor of Tsukuba City also participated in the discussion on mental health. Attendees asked questions, demonstrating their high level of interest. These activities aim to deepen understanding and support the community.
On World Mental Health Day, Silver Ribbon Japan participated in various activities. We are engaged in mental health awareness initiatives in collaboration with numerous organizations. In Japan, this day serves as an opportunity to deepen interest in and understanding of mental health. Our goal is not merely to raise awareness but to realize a society where people with mental illnesses or disabilities and their families can live positively without experiencing prejudice or discrimination. To this end, we will continue our efforts in the future.
Shigeki Seki