With the aim of increasing children’s interest in science, experiments, and medicines, we have provided travelling science workshops for 6th grade students. Our researchers are serving as lecturers and experiment support staff members in this program, so that children can get to know people who are engaging in research of new medicines. We have carried out this program since FY2015 at Shimamoto Daisan Elementary School, which is near the Minase Research Institute, and since FY2019 at Hoei Elementary School, which is near the Joto Pharmaceutical Product Development Center. In FY2023, we continued to conduct travelling science workshops at both elementary schools. According to comments from children after taking the classes, many of them were surprised by the fact that it takes a long time for new medicines to reach patients and that medicines are packed with various ingenuity. In addition, some children said, "I want to be a researcher in the future." We are pleased that this program may serve as a spark for children to think about their future occupation. This program was also an important experience for our staff members who participated in the program, such as recognizing the importance of connection with the local community and recalling their original intention as researchers by directly experiencing the reactions of children.

After providing travelling science classes, we gave questionnaires to the children, teachers, and our staff members, and are using them to improve this program for the next fiscal year onward.

Following the revision of the Curriculum Guidelines by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, cancer education has officially started in high schools since FY2022. ONO, as a pharmaceutical company committed to contributing to people's health through the research, development, manufacture, and sale of cancer drugs, has supported initiatives related to cancer education in high schools so that high school students can acquire accurate knowledge of cancer. Classes were held in two schools in FY2022, three schools in FY2023 and three schools in FY2024.