Sayaka Watanabe
Sayaka Watanabe (USJLP 2024, 2025) is Superintendent of Education for Minoh City in Osaka, Japan, and founder of WELgee, a nonprofit organization supporting refugees in rebuilding their lives in Japan. During her university years, she worked with local NGOs in conflict-affected areas of Bangladesh and joined peacebuilding projects with UNDP, experiences that shaped her interest in social inclusion and public systems. Through WELgee’s employment initiatives, she has worked to connect refugee talent with Japanese companies and communities. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Security from the University of Tokyo and was selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.
