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Profile

Shuhei Morofuji
Founder, REAPRA / Representative Director, Unson Foundation / Co-Representative Director, Katsuiku Foundation

Born in 1977, Shuhei Morofuji graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Kyushu University. He founded SMS Co., Ltd. and led it to a successful IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and expansion across Asia. At age 36, he stepped down as CEO and shifted his focus to exploring the social systems and human structures behind industry creation. In 2014, he founded REAPRA in Singapore, supporting the creation of industries that solve social issues. He later co-founded the Katsuiku Foundation (2015) to empower individuals through education, and the Unson Foundation (2021) to promote sustainable societal frameworks across nine generations.

With an eye toward transforming societal structures, Morofuji continues to pursue new models of long-term, sustainable well-being. We spoke with him about his evolving vision and the philosophies driving his work.

“By looking inward, I discovered new routes to success rooted in harmony.”

Morofuji challenges the dominant notion of success centered on asset expansion and impact maximization. “I find it curious that wealth creators often feel compelled to endlessly grow their assets. This mindset stems from Western pioneer values and capitalism, where growth is the default.” While not critical of these values, he notes the world lacks variety in what it considers “success.”
His thinking evolved through introspection. “Japan’s insular past meant we survived by harmonizing. That legacy shapes me. I didn’t used to identify strongly as Japanese, but I now see how being raised here influenced my discomfort with Western-style capitalism—and my subconscious fear of becoming irrelevant to future generations.”
He now seeks to chart new pathways. “If we pursue Planetary Human Well-being with a spirit of harmony, Japan can lead in offering alternative success models. I’m exploring this through long-term, return-agnostic experiments.”

“I want to be a catalyst for building industries grounded in harmony.”

（REAPRA）

At REAPRA, Morofuji aims to build industries that address social challenges spanning generations. He believes Asia is poised to lead sectors that support well-being.

“Soon, only businesses that contribute to well-being will be deemed acceptable. That’s why we’ve tied REAPRA’s vision to Planetary Human Well-being.” The goal is to become a global leader in this space by 2043. To achieve this, REAPRA has begun developing a fellowship program to incubate ideas and talent.

Planetary Human Well-being—a framework emphasizing the interconnectedness of people and the planet—underpins his work. “Creating methodologies for such an abstract domain requires community-based learning and robust data. I’m still figuring out the best models, but I believe this direction holds immense potential.”


*Planetary Human Well-being: A concept rooted in the idea that human and planetary health are interconnected. It promotes sustainable well-being for individuals while ensuring the environmental integrity of our shared home.

“The Unson Foundation is about designing a society that lasts 300 years.”

（Unson Foundation)

“Unson” refers to one’s ninth-generation descendant, roughly 300 years into the future. “Interestingly, our language doesn’t name any generation beyond this. Maybe our ancestors saw nine generations as the human horizon,” Morofuji says.
The Unson Foundation, based in Itoshima, Fukuoka, explores whether we can develop social systems that sustain harmony and well-being across centuries. “Itoshima is where nature and people coexist in balance—perfect for this experiment.”
After years spent building community relationships and infrastructure, the Foundation is launching several initiatives, including a collaboration with artists and a summer program with Columbia University in 2026. “If everyone involved can embody their own sense of ‘Unson,’ we can start a positive cycle that lasts generations.”

“We promote education that cultivates people who live vibrantly with society.”

（Katsuiku Foundation)

The Katsuiku Foundation, now in its 10th year, seeks to nurture well-being through education. “We want young people to lead fulfilling lives and remain connected to society. Well-being, expressed as measurable vitality, is our compass.”

The Foundation’s three pillars are:
1. Programming – including direct operation of schools.
2. Funding – for academic and organizational initiatives aligned with child well-being.
3. Networking – connecting stakeholders who often work in isolation.

Morofuji stresses that Katsuiku is not about creating one perfect school but about scalable, systemic change. “Ultimately, we want well-being to propagate organically through strong leadership and thoughtful school management. We’re aiming to grow to 10–20 schools in the next few years to collect meaningful data and amplify impact.”

“People with high well-being should lead and shape society in their own way.”

Morofuji believes that sustained happiness—defined by a deep understanding of self, social context, and future change—is the key to meaningful leadership.
“I want to support people with high well-being who can act with clarity and purpose, and who can create new industries that tackle generational challenges. That’s where my energy will continue to go.”

Interviewer: Co-CEO Yuko Koshiba

translated from Japanese into English by AI