心臓病の赤ちゃんを救いたい─ミャンマーから日本へ緊急搬送のための支援プロジェクト

Introduction

Hello, my name is Kazunari Taguchi, and I am the CEO of Borderless Japan Inc..

Today, I am writing to ask for your support—not for myself, but for a dear colleague and his newborn son, Shi.

On 27 June, our teammate Tomoro Inui welcomed his third child, baby Shin, into the world. Soon after birth, Shin was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), a life-threatening condition in which the heart’s main arteries are connected the wrong way around.

Without surgery, this condition is fatal.

But in Myanmar, where Tomoro currently lives and works, there is no facility capable of performing the complex operation Shin urgently needs. The only option is to fly him to Japan—where doctors can perform the surgery—via a specially equipped medical charter flight.

The cost of this emergency transfer exceeds 20 million yen (around $140.000).

Shin is a newborn who requires continuous oxygen and intravenous support, making commercial air travel medically unsafe. The only viable solution is a specialised charter flight equipped with the necessary medical staff and equipment to keep him stable throughout the journey.

We still have a long way to go—but your donation, whatever the amount, will truly mean the world to us.

What We Aim to Solve

In Myanmar, there is currently no hospital that can perform the lifesaving surgery required to treat Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Thanks to the incredible support of the medical NGO Japan Heart, Shin was able to undergo a temporary catheter procedure to stabilise his condition. However, this is only a stopgap—it is not a cure.

What Shin needs now is to be transferred to Japan as soon as possible to receive definitive surgery from specialised cardiac surgeons. But because he is a newborn, he cannot travel without medical equipment and constant care. Commercial flights are not an option.

The only viable route is a chartered medical flight—equipped with oxygen, monitors, and trained staff to keep Shin stable throughout the journey.

The cost, however, is over 20 million yen. This is far beyond what Tomoro and his family can manage on their own.

We are launching this campaign to make the impossible possible—to give Shin the chance to survive and grow up healthy.

Why We’re Taking This On

Tomoro Inui is a social entrepreneur working on the ground in Myanmar.

Inspired by his experience visiting a refugee camp as a student, he joined Borderless Japan and moved to Myanmar at the age of 24. Since then, he has launched and led multiple impact-driven ventures, including projects supporting small-scale farmers and producing organic fertiliser in rural areas.

Tomoro has always been someone who stands at the front lines—sweating alongside his team, working directly with those facing poverty, and dedicating himself to building a better future for local communities.

Now, he finds himself fighting for something deeply personal: the life of his own son.

What We Hope to Achieve

Our goal is clear: to safely transport baby Shin from Myanmar to Japan so that he can receive lifesaving heart surgery from specialised doctors.

To do this, we must arrange a medical evacuation flight—fully equipped with oxygen, IV support, and professional medical staff—to ensure his safety throughout the journey.

This is not something we can delay. Every day counts. Shin’s condition is fragile and can change at any moment. The sooner we can get him to Japan, the higher his chances of survival.

Schedule

1. 2 July – Launch of the crowdfunding campaign and formation of the “Save Baby Shin” support group
2. 1 October – End of the crowdfunding campaign

How Funds Will Be Used

This project follows an “All-In” funding model: even if the target is not reached, all collected funds will be used to carry out the plan and provide the promised returns to supporters.

Estimated Cost: ¥20,000,000+ (approx. $140,000)

The donations we receive will be used primarily to cover the cost of the emergency medical evacuation from Myanmar to a hospital in Japan via a fully equipped charter flight.

However, there may be last-minute changes to the timing or destination of the transfer because Shin’s condition is extremely delicate and can change at any moment. In the event that transportation to Japan becomes impossible, we will use the funds to cover alternative medical care for Shin, or to support his family in providing for his treatment in the safest way possible.

A Message from Us to You

No matter how difficult the situation, we believe that strong determination and action can always light the way forward.

From the moment he was born, Shin has been fighting for his life. He travelled 14 hours by land from Taunggyi to Yangon, relying on oxygen the entire way, just to receive an emergency procedure that would keep him alive.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of doctors and his family, he is still with us today.

Now, we are asking for your help to give this brave little boy a future.

Please help us carry Shin to safety. Please help us save his life.

Message from Tomoro Inui

Thank you so much for the outpouring of warm messages and generous support.

Today, the doctors in the intensive care unit informed us that Shin has developed both sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). His condition continues to change daily, and we’ve had to postpone the planned medical transfer to Japan, which was originally scheduled for 6 July.

For now, our priority is to stabilise his current symptoms, while exploring the earliest and safest way to transport him—whether to Japan or possibly to Bangkok.

We’ve also been advised by local doctors that a commercial flight may no longer be feasible, so we’re now looking into the possibility of arranging a medical charter. The situation is constantly evolving, and we’re truly sorry for any worry or confusion this may cause. Even so, we are doing everything in our power to keep our son alive—exploring every option, every day.

Today, we were finally able to choose a name for our baby.

Since his birth, we’ve been so focused on his care that we hadn’t had the chance to name him. But your messages—full of belief and hope, saying things like “we believe in you” and “he’s going to be okay”—have given us the strength to choose a name filled with meaning.

His Japanese name is Shin（信）, and his Burmese name is Thant Thura Aung.

We chose these names with a wish: that he will grow up holding strong convictions, believing in himself and others, and facing life’s challenges with courage.

Your support is what is keeping our son alive.

From the bottom of my heart—thank you.

—Tomoro Inui

About Us

Tomoro Inui

Tomoro began his journey into social entrepreneurship after visiting a refugee camp in Myanmar during university. Deeply moved, he joined Borderless Japan and moved to Myanmar at age 24. There, he turned around a failing agricultural business and went on to launch several new ventures.

His flagship initiative, Borderless LINK, provides fair-priced agricultural inputs, training, and microfinance to small-scale farmers. It now supports over 15,000 farmers and is projected to generate ¥1.5 billion in revenue this year.

He also founded Borderless Myanmar Fertilizer, which produces and sells organic fertiliser while providing jobs to more than 150 people in rural areas. As the leader of Borderless Myanmar, Tomoro continues to drive solutions for the country\'s pressing social issues.

1. Tomoro\'s Profile on Borderless Japan (JP)
2. Facebook - Tomoro Inui
3. Facebook - Borderless LINK

Kazunari Taguchi (Project Organiser)

CEO of Borderless Japan. Born in Fukuoka in 1980. After studying business at the University of Washington during his time at Waseda University, he joined MISUMI Corporation and later founded Borderless Japan at age 25.

A pioneer in social business, Kazunari has been featured in Nikkei Business\' “50 Japanese Who Move the World”, Forbes JAPAN’s “Top 35 Impact Entrepreneurs in Japan”, and Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year Japan”. He appeared on TV Tokyo’s Cambria Kyuden in 2020 and his TEDx talk “Life is not about what you gain, but what you leave behind” has received over 1.1 million views. His 2021 book “90% of Social Issues Can Be Solved with Business” became a bestseller.

1. Kazunari\'s Profile (JP)
2. X (Twitter)
3. TEDx Talk
4. Book Link (Amazon)