Creating and Nurturing a Fifth Core Business

「Sales of the healthcare brand “NAIA” increased as promotional activities, including expanding the product lineup, broadening sales channels and participating in pop-up stores, proved effective.」

「In the Regional Revitalization division, sales increased as the rollout to new local governments progressed for Furusato NOW, a service for hometown tax donations.」

「In April 2025, the Company also began selling 4 new products combining natural materials from Noto with dermatological science: Kikuzumi & Sake Lees Facial Cleansing Foam, Sake Lees Clear Essence Lotion, Rice Bran Precious Serum Emulsion and Noto Hiba Bath Salt.」

「For the fiscal year ending November 2025, the Company plans to expand the NAIA healthcare brand. In April 2025, it will renew the logo and seek to expand awareness further by refreshing the brand image. The Company plans to build a core fan base that identifies with the NAIA brand story and continuously launch new products.」

「The Company also began selling NAIA, a natural healthcare product made from materials derived from Okunoto's natural resources and traditional technologies.」

「During the first quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, it was difficult to conduct the business activities initially planned because of efforts to assess the current situation following the earthquake, consider future responses and provide support. However, sales exceeded the same period of the previous year, supported by Furusato NOW, a local-payment hometown tax donation service, and Ishikawazukan, a locally focused recruitment service operated in Ishikawa Prefecture. The sales infrastructure for natural skincare products made from materials derived from Okunoto's natural resources and traditional technologies is also being established, and is expected to contribute to business performance going forward.」

「Furusato NOW, a local-payment hometown tax donation service operated by アステナミネルヴァ株式会社, has secured contracts and implementation with more local governments than targeted, and the Company is moving forward with monetization. ＡＭトレーディング株式会社 opened the Noto regionale+ online store using local resources from Noto and began selling healthcare products, centered on domestically produced Lafuma tea, a herb of Chinese origin cultivated by the Company in Suzu City.」

「In Other businesses, the Company is planning and operating new businesses aimed at addressing social issues in the Okunoto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, while advancing business activities in cooperation with companies invested in through the Okunoto SDGs Investment Limited Partnership and TUAT No. 1 Investment Limited Partnership.」

「In new businesses, the Company has continued activities aimed at creating new businesses, including Ishikawazukan, a human resources business whose services began in the current consolidated fiscal year, and Furusato NOW, a hometown tax donation business that underwent demonstration testing in the previous consolidated fiscal year and began full-scale operations in the current consolidated fiscal year.」

「In the social-issues solutions business, the Company began investing in December 2021, primarily in companies including ventures that address social issues through the Noto SDGs Fund as social-impact investments, with the aim of creating synergies between its investee companies and the Company. During the current consolidated fiscal year, it invested in 9 companies.」

「In the social-issues solutions business, the Company launched 2 new businesses using the hometown tax donation program and 1 human resources services business in the first half of the current fiscal year. In the second half, it will continue to focus on developing new business models and expanding its partner base, while building networks with many local governments, companies and universities and other research institutions, and will work to turn these efforts into results.」

「In addition to the two basic strategies described above, the Company will identify future sustainable needs, create products and services that can grow together with society, and launch a fifth core business following the current 4 core businesses.」