On Sunday, January 25th, “The Gambling Addiction Seminar & Consultation in Iwate” was held in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture.
The event was a great success, with all 155 seats filled.

The program began with moving personal accounts shared by members of our Peer Support Division and the Family Group.
These were followed by insightful lectures from Dr. Riho Suzuki of the Mirai-no-Kaze Seiwa Hospital (Social Medical Corporation Chitokukai) and Mr. Hitoshi Tamura, Director of Tohoku Grace Lord.
Their perspectives from both a professional medical standpoint and the front lines of recovery support were met with deep attention from the audience.

At the end of the seminar, Noriko Tanaka, Representative of The Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction, delivered a lecture. She emphasized the urgent need to deepen public understanding of the increasing issue of gambling addiction. She strongly advocated for strengthening cooperation with local governments to reinforce the recovery network within the Tohoku region, ensuring that as many individuals and families as possible can access the support they need.

We were also honored to welcome the following distinguished guests:
• Member of the Iwate Prefectural Assembly: Mr. Hiroyuki Kanzaki (Liberal Democratic Party)
• Member of the Hanamaki City Council: Ms. Yukari Sugawara (Komeito)
• Member of the Kitakami City Council: Ms. Kyoko Obara (Komeito)
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Hiroyuki Kanzaki for providing the opening remarks.

With 155 participants joining us, this seminar served as a precious opportunity to expand the network of support within Iwate.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the guests and collaborators who made this event possible.