Join from September 10, 2026 (World Suicide Prevention Day) through October 10, 2026 (World Mental Health Day).
Suicide remains a critical issue that impacts individuals and communities in Japan. To inspire positive change and encourage open discussion around this important topic, TELL focuses on the Step Up Challenge 2026 – 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 19,188
(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, 2026
WHY: Join our cause as we take 19,188 steps to remember lives lost to suicide and shine a light of hope through the darkness.
HOW:
1) Register and buy a ￥1,500 TELL Step Up Ticket (eligible for certificates and swag). Tickets to be available on this TELL website from August 1, 2026. The first 500 ticket holders will receive swag.
2) Join a pre-scheduled TELL community walk (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, or Okinawa) OR make your own walk, journey with a friend, or organize your company teams to compete to win a certificate (including most steps in a day, most funds raised, and most creative use of the 19,188 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. In 2024 and again in 2025, 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 recognition 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 19,188 steps (individually or as a group) to remember those we’ve lost to suicide in Japan in 2025, and raise funds to provide crisis support and suicide prevention services to change lives. Whether you're walking, running, dancing, or getting creative in other ways, your steps matter. Any activity that incorporates the number 19,188 is eligible—and may even win a certificate.
Start the conversation!
Use #StartTheConversation, #STEPUP2026 on Instagram, Meta, X, and LinkedIn to share your mental health walk with the TELL SNS community!
Join the fun!
Grab your tickets today to champion mental health in Japan. View community members who've participated at TELL's previous mental health events below.
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