Natalie Lao, CEO & Executive Director of the App Inventor Foundation, and Kelly Shiohira, Director of Impact and Community Engagement, are joining the Japan Wagamama Awards 2026 National Final on March 1, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan, as in-person judges.

Hosted by IRODORI Inc., the Japan Wagamama Awards is a national competition for teenagers rooted in MIT’s Computational Action educational philosophy. Participants begin with “wagamama” (a personal wish to help someone close to them) and turn it into technology designed to improve life in their communities.

The Grand Prize winner will represent Japan at the MIT App Inventor Global Education Summit in summer 2026, with travel supported by IRODORI.