Saruhashi co-founded the Association for the Bright Future of Women Scientists to further support women pursuing scientific careers in Japan.
Around the same time she was elected to the Science Council of Japan in 1980, Katsuko Saruhashi co-founded the Association for the Bright Future of Women Scientists.
This organization built upon the foundation laid by her earlier creation of the Society of Japanese Women Scientists in 1958, expanding efforts to mentor, support, and advocate for women pursuing careers in science across Japan. By this point in her career, Saruhashi had become one of the most visible and respected women in Japanese science, and she used her platform to institutionalize support structures that could outlast any single individual's efforts.
The Association focused on creating networking opportunities, providing mentorship for younger women entering scientific fields, and publicly advocating for policies that would reduce structural barriers to women's advancement in research careers. It reflected Saruhashi's belief that individual achievement was not enough — systemic change required organized, sustained collective action.
Her continued institution-building work in this period, decades after her own doctorate, demonstrates the depth of her commitment to gender equity in science. This legacy of mentorship and advocacy directly informed her later creation of the Saruhashi Prize, which remains one of the most prestigious awards for women scientists in Japan today.