Message from the President

Oshima Group is a surprisingly diverse group of companies representing several different industries. Most have joined Oshima Group when management was transferred from the founder. When becoming a part of Oshima Group, there is only one key question: “Is this business necessary for the local community?” The group is not bound to any specific industry, because any one single industry by itself cannot invigorate the whole community.

In order to survive, we must change. To take what we have inherited into the future, we have to ask, “how and what can we change now?” This is where we share ideas. On the other hand, each Group company must be financially independent. There is no exchange of funds between companies, in order to avoid situations when one struggling business might cause chain bankruptcies. Beyond business, there is horizontal collaboration. We share information at the executive level at group organizational meetings, and full- and part-time employees are able to interact with each other too at group events.

The name given to the social welfare corporation in the group is “Minna de Ikiru: Living Together,” and the catchphrase of the local Joetsu Times newspaper is “Your Community Cheerleader.” Both of these ideas are running through the entire Oshima Group. We hope to be an association of companies that is “living together” with the local community, as well as a “community cheerleader,” cheered and supported in turn by the local community.