Learning in 'The What If Zone'

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JAPAN Forward has launched "Ignite," a series where students in Japan share their voices in English. What inspires them, even as a student, to imagine a safe place for learning out of one's comfort zone? Individually and collectively, today's students are already at work, using the power of their dreams and determination to shape our global future.

This 11th essay in the series introduces the next presentation by the top four finalists in the GEM Talks 2025 leadership training program for high school girls. Airi Tada won the GEM Talks 2025 Jury Award for her oral presentation in English on the stage of the Women's Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

In the final, Tada, a high school student, introduces her concept of a criticism-free "What If Zone" for expressing ideas and making mistakes, because mistakes are part of learning, and discussing without fear builds confidence. Her compelling speech and essay follow.

Let's listen.

Eleventh in the Series, 'Ignite'

Airi Tada, Winner of the 2025 Gem Talks Jury Award

Watch the winner, Airi Tada, give her presentation in English:

"Any volunteers for this question?"

I knew the answer—I really did. But my hands stayed down. My heart started beating. What if I say something wrong? What if everyone laughs at me? So I said nothing. I just stared at the notebook and pretended that I didn't know. And once again, the class stayed silent.

This is what's happening in class — no hands raised, not a single word spoken.

Have you ever experienced situations like this, where you said nothing because you weren't confident enough? If you have, you're not alone. In Japan today, many teenagers struggle with low self-esteem and fear of failure.

A survey by the Japanese Cabinet Office has shown that the average number of teens who feel satisfied with themselves is ranked the lowest among the major developed countries. Moreover, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has shown that Japanese people tend to see mistakes as something to avoid. This is becoming a serious issue affecting not just individuals but society as a whole.

I — who is now standing in front of such a large audience, used to be an unconfined student. Being here, giving a Gem Talk must have been the wildest dream for me just a few years ago. But a five-week summer program in the United States has transformed me.

And now I have a belief. School is a place to make mistakes.

Learning to Not Fear Failure

My first day at an American school was an exhausting one. I couldn't understand what people were talking about, and I felt completely left out. The next day, I dragged myself to class, reluctant to face another day of feeling lost. But during history class, I discovered something extraordinary about my classmates. Many students confidently expressed their own opinion, and they sounded sure of themselves.

All of a sudden, my teacher asked me to speak. My heart raced. I did my best and tried to convey everything I knew about the topic, Martin Luther King Jr. There was a short silence. I thought I would be put into an embarrassing situation. Then my teacher said, "Thank you for answering. You are pretty much right."

To my surprise, neither my teacher nor my classmates denied what I said. They simply accepted my effort, courage, and attitude in communication. I felt a special kind of joy in being acknowledged by people from a completely different background.

This experience opened my eyes to the true meaning of studying at school: "making mistakes." A school must be a place where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts with no fear of failure.

A Pile of 'Brilliant Failures'

Now, how can students feel safe and free to speak up while creatively sharing ideas? This question led me to this brand new idea, "The What If Zone."

Imagine that this is a classroom. I'm the teacher and you're the student. "The What If Zone time! Respect all voices, embrace all views. Say whatever's on your mind. No need to hesitate."

So here comes the first question: what if the food in the fridge had a late night meeting? What would the topic be?

Here's one more, my favorite " What if your voice had a color — what color would it paint the room right now? Would it be bold, like red? Calm like blue? Or maybe a bright yellow — full of energy and light?

There's no right or wrong. Because in "The What If Zone" your voice isn't just heard — it's seen, it's felt, it transforms the space. And even the quietest voice… can fill the room with color.

"The What If Zone" is not about memorizing facts. It's about thinking freely and expressing opinions creatively. We can create more places like this, and we must. When we do, we can start to rebuild the confidence of our youth. We can build a society where young people are not afraid of failure but inspired to try. Because in the end, confidence isn't always built through success, it's built on a pile of brilliant failures.

Breaking Through

Silence is like a wall. Swing your voice like an axe. At first, the wall won't crack. But strike it again and again. And through the broken pieces, you'll find a gleam lighting up to your new path.

I have a dream that one day all the students will stand tall in every classroom, satisfied with who they are, never afraid of raising hands. And never ever ashamed to share their thoughts. I have a dream that one day every student in all the classrooms will raise their voice not because they are always right, but because they know deep down…that their voice matters.

School isn't just a place to get things right, it's a place to make mistakes. Thank you.

*Airi Tada, in an interview after her GEM Talks 2025 presentation. (©JAPAN Forward by Mika Sugiura)*

About the Author

Airi Tada lives in Machida, a part of greater Tokyo, and studies at Toin Gakuen Secondary School in Yokohama. She delivered this presentation orally in English at the GEM Talks 2025 finalists competition on July 20, in a special event at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai Women's Pavilion.

Sitting down with JAPAN Forward after winning the 2025 Jury Prize, she said, "It was inspiring to work together with other participants and build something as one."

Author: Airi Tada
High School student, Toin Gakuen Secondary School

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