On behalf of the BHN Association, I would like to extend my sincerest wishes for a healthy and prosperous year for all of you.BHN was founded in 1992 based on the conviction that information and communication, much like food, clothing, and shelter, are essential foundations of life—Basic Human Needs (BHN). Thanks to your unwavering support, we are proud to celebrate our 34th anniversary this year. Over the decades, we have remained committed to our three core pillars—social development, emergency relief, and human resource development—through various initiatives both in Japan and overseas.The continuation of our activities is made possible entirely through the generous support of many companies and organizations, including the NTT Group, as well as national and local governments and our individual members. We would like to express our deepest gratitude once again.

As we welcome the new year and reflect on the current global and domestic situation, we are faced with increasingly severe natural disasters. These include the typhoons that caused extensive damage across Southeast Asia last autumn, abnormal weather patterns driven by global warming, and frequent earthquakes throughout Japan. Furthermore, conflicts among people show no sign of ending, including the war in Ukraine, disputes in the Middle East, and civil war in Myanmar. In such circumstances, the number of ordinary people whose names remain unheard, yet who literally require life-saving support, continues to rise; as of April 2025, the number of refugees alone reached 122.1 million, according to the UNHCR.

In the face of these harsh realities, BHN will continue to leverage the experience and expertise we have accumulated since our founding. We are determined to sustain and further enhance our support activities throughout the coming year.

We sincerely ask for your continued understanding and support for BHN’s mission in the year ahead.