2025 suc postcard - front MASTER (1).png

Start the conversation!

From September 10, 2025 (World Suicide Prevention Day) through October 10, 2025 (World Mental Health Day).

Suicide remains a critical issue that impacts individuals and communities in Japan. To inspire positive change and tackle this uncomfortable but important topic, TELL focuses on Step-Up Challenge 2025 – a month-long, nationwide effort to #StartTheConversation.

WHO: Individuals, communities, schools, embassies, NGOs, and business organizations
WHAT: Take action (solo or with a team) using the number 20,320

(You can walk, run, bike, swim, climb, crochet, paint, talk, fundraise – get creative!)
WHERE: Anywhere in Japan or the world
WHEN: September 10 - October 10, 2025
WHY: To honor the 20,320 people who lost their lives to suicide in Japan last year.

HOW:
1) Register and buy a ￥1,500 TELL Step Up Ticket (eligible for trophies and swag). Tickets to be available on the TELL website from August 1, 2025. The first 500 ticket holders will receive swag.

2) Join a prescheduled TELL community walk (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, or Okinawa) OR make your own walk, journey with a friend, or organize your company teams to compete for the trophies/awards (including most steps in a day, most funds raised, and most creative use of 20,320 number).

Compete with friends, family, business colleagues, and teammates, meet your community, and raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention and mental health care in Japan’s international community. Get your athletic shoes ready and save the dates! We can’t wait to see you there.

Message from tELL's Executive Director Royanne:

This year, as we continue our mission to strive toward zero suicides in Japan, we are placing a spotlight on one of the most urgent public health crises facing our country—youth suicide. Last year, there was a record-breaking number of young people dying by suicide in Japan. The need to protect and support our young people has never been greater.

In honor of World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) and World Mental Health Day (October 10), TELL is dedicating this year’s STEP-UP Challenge to focus on youth mental health. We are especially inviting schools, communities, businesses, and individuals across Japan (someone in each prefecture, please!) to take action.

The challenge is simple but powerful: complete 20,320 steps (individually or as a group) to honor the 20,320 lives lost to suicide in Japan this past year. Whether you're walking, running, dancing, or getting creative in other ways, your steps matter. Any activity that incorporates the number 20,320 is eligible—and may even win a prize.

Learn More About Step Up

What Does Start The Conversation Mean?

Use #StartTheConversation, #STEPUP2025 on Instagram, Meta, X, and LinkedIn to share your mental health walk with the TELL SNS community!