By 2030, 85% of the jobs that will exist are yet to be invented, according to the Institute for the Future. The skills required to succeed in these roles are not based on memorization or standardized test scores — but on creativity, innovation, empathy, adaptability, and collaboration. Rethinking education is crucial.
“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist… using technologies that haven’t been invented… to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”
– Richard Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education
This isn’t a distant prophecy. It’s today’s reality.
Yet, most traditional education systems around the world — including in innovation-driven nations like Japan — are still rooted in models created for the Industrial Age. These systems reward compliance over curiosity, repetition over resilience, and predictable answers over imaginative exploration.
In short: we’re preparing our children for the wrong future.
The World Has Changed. Education Needs to Catch Up.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is not just transforming industries — it’s redefining what it means to be skilled, employable, and even “intelligent.”
A 2021 IBM Global CEO Study reported that creativity is now the #1 leadership competency CEOs value — more than discipline-specific expertise or degrees. The World Economic Forum further identifies problem-solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence as key skills for the future workforce.
But these aren’t skills you can cram for.
They are mindsets, developed over time through the right environment, experiences, and guidance.
This calls for a shift — not just in curriculum, but in educational philosophy itself.
Why This Matters Especially in Japan
Japan has long been admired for its high academic standards, discipline, and commitment to education. However, as the global economy becomes more innovation-driven and less predictable, these strengths alone may no longer be sufficient.
Japan’s societal and economic context makes this shift in education especially urgent:
🔹 An aging population: Japan’s demographic shift means that today’s youth will carry an unprecedented burden of economic and social responsibility. They will need to create new industries, not just maintain old ones.
🔹 A highly standardized school system: While Japan’s students consistently score high on international tests like PISA, studies show a growing gap in non-cognitive skills like creativity, emotional resilience, and entrepreneurial thinking.
🔹 A call for innovation in the workplace: As Japanese companies compete on a global stage, they are increasingly seeking employees who can think differently, not just conform efficiently. In fact, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has emphasized the importance of fostering “innovative human capital.”
🔹 Curriculum reforms already underway: The Japanese government’s push for “active learning” signals a broader shift toward inquiry-based education — but implementation remains uneven.
This is a moment of opportunity. If Japan can blend its academic excellence with a greater emphasis on creativity, collaboration, and global thinking, it has the potential to lead the world in reimagining education for the 21st century.
The Rise of Capability-Centered Learning
We need to move from an education system that answers “what should children know?” to one that asks:
- How can children think for themselves?
- Can they empathize with others, and work across cultures?
- Are they confident in ambiguity? Can they prototype, iterate, and learn from failure?
- Can they ask new questions, not just memorize old answers?
This is where capability-centered learning comes in — focusing on who a child is becoming, not just what they can recall.
How Mirai Minds Is Building Future-Ready Learners
At Mirai Minds, we believe education must evolve — radically and intentionally.
We’ve designed an approach rooted in five core capacities we believe are essential for thriving in tomorrow’s world:
- Curiosity – a hunger to explore beyond the obvious
- Creativity – the courage to imagine, experiment, and build
- Empathy – the ability to understand and respect others’ experiences
- Confidence – the resilience to lead, take risks, and grow through failure
- Global Perspective – awareness of how ideas, people, and challenges connect across borders
These aren’t abstract values — they are embedded in every program we run.
From design thinking for kids, to real-world storytelling workshops, to project-based, interdisciplinary explorations, Mirai Minds provides children with tools to question, create, collaborate, and care — all within a joyful, interactive, and emotionally safe environment.
Our facilitators don’t teach answers.
They spark questions.
Education as a Tool for Transformation
We live in a world of uncertainty — from climate disruption to AI acceleration, from social polarization to global interdependence. The next generation will not only need to adapt to change — they will need to lead it.
And leadership, in this new world, will not come from obedience. It will come from imagination, empathy, and initiative.
As we look toward 2030 and beyond, the educational question is no longer “What do children need to learn?”
It’s: “Who will they need to be?”
It’s time to acknowledge that education is not just about economic preparation — it’s about human potential. It’s about raising children who are confident in their uniqueness, comfortable with complexity, and committed to the world around them.
At Mirai Minds, we are proud to be part of this movement — where education becomes not a system to survive, but a launchpad for innovation, kindness, and purpose.
Because in tomorrow’s world…
The curious will lead. The obedient will follow.
Rethinking Education with Mirai Minds
If you’re ready to help your child — or your students — grow into imaginative, compassionate, and future-ready thinkers, Mirai Minds invites you to join our upcoming workshops.
Explore hands-on experiences in creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Connect with a like-minded community of educators and parents.
Watch your child flourish as a confident learner, builder, and innovator.
Email us at hello@miraiminds.jp to register today.
Let’s build the future, one curious mind at a time.
Read our previous blog post here!
