In August 2025, Ryota Yamazato of the comedy duo “Nankai Candies” opened the “Red Glasses Cafeteria,” which provides free school lunches, at a public school in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The impetus for this came when he visited Manila to report on JICA’s international cooperation efforts and witnessed firsthand children suffering from poverty and malnutrition. Yamazato then visited a JICA facility in Tokyo. What exactly was his purpose there?
(The content of this article is also available in video format. You’ll find a link to the video at the end of the article, so please be sure to watch it.)
Ryota Yamazato
He is from Chiba Prefecture. He serves as the “tsukkomi” (straight man) for the comedy duo “Nankai Candies.” Since 2011, he has also been actively touring the country with his talk show “Ryota Yamazato’s 140.” As a host, he has appeared on numerous programs, including “DayDay.,” “What Are You Doing This Saturday!?,” and “JUNK: Ryota Yamazato’s Fruitless Debates.”
Ryota Yamazato (hereinafter referred to as Yamazato): I’m at the JICA facility in Ichigaya, Tokyo. I heard that you can learn about current global issues right here in Japan, so let’s go inside.
Akane Ueda, Section Chief, Earth Plaza Promotion Section, JICA Public Relations Department (hereinafter referred to as “Ueda”): Welcome to JICA Earth Plaza. This is a free facility where you can see, hear, and touch exhibits to learn about the connections between Japan and developing countries.
Children experiencing a simulated environment in an exhibit recreating a school in a developing country
20 Years Since Opening: More Than 2.7 Million Visitors
JICA Global Plaza was established in 2006 as a hub for international cooperation involving citizen participation, and this year marks its 20th anniversary. To date, more than 2.7 million people—ranging from children to adults—have visited the facility.
In the hands-on experience zone on the first floor, visitors can learn about the various challenges facing the world through interactive exhibits. The second floor features a café and restaurant where visitors can experience the world through food, and at lunchtime, many people come to sample cuisines from around the world.
Mr. Yamazato entered the facility and was greeted by a guide known as an “Earth Guide.” These guides are people who have served in developing countries as members of the JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and share their firsthand experiences with visitors.
Earth Guide Yuna Mikuni (hereinafter referred to as Mikuni): Hello. Drawing on my experience as a physical education teacher, I was sent to Honduras and Mexico in Central and South America, where I conducted physical education training sessions at educational institutions and promoted physical activity among the general public.
The first thing the group saw was a timeline panel showcasing the organization’s 20-year history.
Akane Ueda (right), Chief of the Chikyu Hiroba Promotion Division in JICA’s Public Relations Department, looks back on the past 20 years through a timeline and explains the history of Chikyu Hiroba to Ryota Yamazato.
Ueda: Over the past 20 years, we have alternated between hosting many permanent exhibitions and special exhibitions. For example, in Olympic years, we’ve featured themes such as “Sports and Development,” creating exhibitions that allow visitors to learn about current topics in greater depth and in a more accessible way.
Yamazato: When various problems arise around the world, what we realize is that none of them are just someone else’s problem—they’re all connected to us personally. Recently, even here in Japan, oil issues have been putting a strain on people’s daily lives, and interest in the Middle East has been growing. But even things we think have nothing to do with us are actually surprisingly connected to our own lives. When you come here, you can see those connections for yourself.
Will I no longer be able to eat curry?
The first section Mr. Yamazato was shown was “Connections to the World Through Curry.” In front of the monitor, cards listing curry ingredients were lined up.
Mr. Yamazato of Mikuni, could you please turn over the cards in order, starting with the first one?
Yamazato: Is this how it goes? Here we go. Oh, it’s synced with the monitor!
Mikuni: So Japan’s rice self-sufficiency rate is 97%, right?
Yamazato: It says, “For naan (wheat), the self-sufficiency rate is 16%.” I usually order naan when I go to a restaurant, but I see the rate is pretty low for naan.
Mr. Yamazato flipped over the cards labeled “Vegetables” and “Meat” one by one. The last one left was “Spices.”
Yamazato: We can’t even start making curry without this. (Flips the page) Huh, zero!?
Ryota Yamazato is surprised to see the monitor display a spice self-sufficiency rate of “0%.”
The monitor finally displayed the message: “Conclusion: The reason we can enjoy delicious curry is because we are connected to the world.”
Yamazato: You’re saying something kind of scary, aren’t you? We take curry for granted, don’t we? But actually, it’s only become a given because of all these different connections. When you see that “0” next to this spice, does that mean the moment our connection to the world is severed, we’ll no longer be able to eat curry?
Mikuni: It’s getting more difficult, isn’t it? According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate for fiscal year 2024 is 38%, which means that about 60% of its food supply relies on imports from overseas.
Yamazato: I wanted children in the Philippines to have school lunches, so I teamed up with the NPO Action to start the “Red Glasses Cafeteria.” I believe that by engaging with the world and making a difference, something new will emerge, and someday Japan will be the one to receive help. The world is connected. It’s interesting that you can see that through curry. I like that there’s a fun element to it, so kids can learn while playing.
Ryota Yamazato (second from the right) distributing school lunches at the “Red Glasses Cafeteria” opened in Manila. The children are all smiles thanks to the delicious school lunches. (All photos courtesy of Action, a specified nonprofit organization)
SDGs: Japan’s global ranking is…
Next, Mr. Yamazato walked over to the dashboard displaying the 17 SDG goals.
Mr. Yamazato and Yuna Mikuni, Earth Guides, standing in front of the SDGs board
Mikuni: We can see how countries around the world are doing in achieving the SDGs. Mr. Yamazato, where do you think Japan ranks globally?
Yamazato: Since the term “SDGs” has been coming up quite a bit in Japan too… I really hope it makes it into the top 10! 10th place!
When Mr. Mikuni pulled out the card labeled “Japan” from under the board—
Mikuni, 19th place.
Yamazato: Wow… Is it really okay to say I’m doing my best?
Since this is a ranking of 167 countries, it’s pretty high up, isn’t it? Now, please insert this card here.
When Mr. Yamazato inserted the “Japan” card, green, orange, yellow, and red lights came on on the dashboard.
A dashboard color-coded by achievement status
Mitsukuni: Japan’s progress on each item is color-coded. Please take note of item 5, “Gender Equality,” which is highlighted in red.
Yamazato: I’m pretty sure it’s incredibly low in Japan, isn’t it?
Mikuni: The World Economic Forum publishes its Gender Gap Index every year, and Japan ranks 118th out of 148 countries (2025). One reason for this low ranking is the gender ratio among members of the National Diet. With only about 20% of Diet members being women, this is dragging down the overall score.
Yamazato: Are there a lot of female members of parliament overseas?
Mikuni: For example, Rwanda in Africa currently has the highest proportion of female lawmakers in the world—women make up more than 50% of its parliament. Japan is lagging far behind, isn’t it?
Yamazato: Given all that, it’s actually quite remarkable that a woman has become prime minister. If we look to countries that have already achieved this, it seems there are areas where we could make improvements, doesn’t it?
Why can’t you go to school?
As they moved on to the education section, a panel displaying various numbers came into view. Mr. Mikuni pointed to the number “272 million” and asked Mr. Yamazato about it.
Mr. Yamazato and the guide, Mr. Mikuni, standing in front of a panel displaying statistics on education
Mitsukuni, how many people do you think there are?
Mr. Yamazato looks deep in thought. When Mr. Mikuni turns the panel over, it reads, “272 million children and young people around the world are not attending school.”
Yamazato: Really?! That many children aren’t attending school?
The panels explaining the reasons were hidden in the box behind him. “I can’t afford to go to school,” “My parents don’t see the need for school”… As he pulled them out one by one and read them, Mr. Yamazato nodded deeply in agreement. His hand paused at the panel that read, “I have to work to help support my family.”
Yamazato: I visited a poor fishing village in the Philippines, where second- and third-grade elementary school students would go out fishing until around 4:00 a.m. and then come straight to school, so they couldn’t study at all. On top of that, since they had no money, they didn’t have school lunches or packed lunches, and many of them stopped going to school. Their parents would say things like, “Why not just skip school and help out instead?”
Reading and Writing Can Save Lives
There is also an exhibit called the “Literacy Box,” which allows visitors to simulate the experience of being unable to read or write. When Mr. Mikuni opens the box—which reads, “What should I do? My little brother has a fever! There’s no one else around, so I came to buy medicine by myself…”—he finds three bottles lined up, each labeled in Swahili.
Mikuni: Please choose one of these that you think is a fever-reducing medicine.
A box lined with Swahili-labeled bottles
Yamazato: I see… So that’s what it means to be illiterate. I’ll just have to go by the vibe. This is the one.
Mr. Yamazato, who couldn’t read Swahili, stared at the label and picked up a bottle. When he turned it over, the words that appeared were—
Yamazato: Ugh, this is the worst. Pesticides. That’s the absolute worst, isn’t it?
If Mikuni were to hand this to his younger brother, saying, “This is to bring down a fever,” it could actually be life-threatening. According to survey results, there are approximately 739 million people worldwide who suffer such disadvantages because they cannot read or write.
Yamazato: So, going out to teach people words and writing is a truly worthwhile endeavor, isn’t it? Once children learn to read and write, their life choices expand, and they can discover what they want to do and take on new challenges. That could lead to amazing inventions and developments—and might even save us in the future.
Subway Development Is Changing the Structure of Society
Mr. Yamazato, next, his attention was drawn to a model train set.
Yamazato: That’s cool. What is this?
Model train of India’s “Delhi Metro”
Mikuni: This is the “Delhi Metro,” India’s subway system. Development began about 20 years ago, and its total length now stands at approximately 390 kilometers. It has surpassed the 195-kilometer length of Japan’s Tokyo Metro.
Yamazato: “Wow! The Tokyo Metro network is really extensive!”
Ueda: JICA has been involved in the development of the Delhi Metro since its early stages. It is also involved in the Dhaka Metro in Bangladesh and the Ho Chi Minh City Metro in Vietnam.
Yamazato: I visited a subway construction site in the Philippines as part of a JICA interview, and the local people told me, “We’ve learned from Japan how to approach work.” I heard many expressions of gratitude for the importance of the work environment, rules, and etiquette. There was even a Japanese flag at the station.
Ryota Yamazato (third from the left in the front row) inspects a subway construction site in Manila and poses for a commemorative photo with local workers.
Ueda: India’s subway system didn’t just improve infrastructure. It also led to better public etiquette, such as passengers lining up to board, and the introduction of women-only cars, which helped promote women’s participation in the workforce.
Yamazato: So international cooperation on infrastructure actually changes the very structure of society, doesn’t it?
The Delhi Metro, where orderly boarding has become the norm (Courtesy of Shinichi Kuno)
“When you learn about the world, you realize that nothing is someone else’s problem.”
Mr. Yamazato continued to explore the various exhibits. Finally, he added the following words to the board where visitors post messages for the future.
“When you learn about the world, nothing feels like someone else’s problem anymore—and the number of things you want to do skyrockets.”
Standing in front of the board, Ms. Yamazato finished writing her message for the future
Yamazato: It really is important to be informed. You have to think of it as something that affects you personally and take action. Today, I was able to experience the joy of having more options available to me. By the way, Mr. Ueda, why does JICA place such importance on this kind of learning in the first place?
Ueda: That’s because the various challenges facing the world cannot be solved by any single country. I believe it’s important for each and every one of us to learn about these issues, reflect on them, and take action.
I think coming to Yamazato Chikyu Hiroba is an important first step.
Ueda: For those who are unable to come here, we also offer in-person outreach workshops led by former JICA Volunteers and JICA staff who share their experiences, as well as online outreach workshops that allow participants to interact in real time with volunteers currently serving in developing countries.
Online Outreach Workshops Connecting Children in Madagascar and Japan
Yamazato: Wow, I’m really glad I came to JICA Earth Plaza. It was so much fun. I work on news and information programs, so I thought I was seeing and hearing all kinds of information, but I realized I didn’t know anything at all. There might still be things like this I can do. There were opportunities everywhere that made me think that way, and it really got me excited. I thought it was a wonderful place.
Learning about the world is the first step toward changing the future—.
There are eight Earth Plaza locations across the country, each featuring exhibits unique to its region. We invite you to visit the one nearest you.
© Source JICA