Unson Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded in Itoshima in 2021 by Shuhei Morofuji, CEO of the Reapra Group, dedicated to reimagining how communities learn, live, and sustain themselves.
Its mission is to address the social and environmental challenges created by modern capitalism by supporting initiatives that foster long-term human and ecological wellbeing. Guided by the philosophy of unson—cultivating decisions and institutions that benefit future generations—the foundation promotes approaches to education, research, and community life grounded in intergenerational responsibility and care for place.
Rooted in this perspective, the foundation supports projects that bring together local knowledge, academic research, and practical engagement. Its work spans environmental stewardship, rural revitalization, education, and cross-sector collaboration, with a particular emphasis on strengthening relationships between people, ecosystems, and the communities they inhabit.
In the Itoshima–Fukuoka region, Unson Foundation has played a key role in convening partnerships among community members, researchers, educators, and practitioners. By creating spaces for dialogue and experimentation, it seeks to support new approaches to living, learning, and working that respond to contemporary ecological and social challenges while remaining grounded in local contexts.
The foundation’s collaboration with Columbia University reflects a shared commitment to building long-term infrastructures for learning and research that connect global perspectives with place-based knowledge. Through programs such as the Itoshima microcollege and related fellowships, the partnership aims to cultivate future leaders, scholars, and practitioners equipped to think across disciplines and act with intergenerational responsibility.