TOKYO DINING COLLECTIVE General Incorporated Association Established to Create Social Impact from Tokyo, Japan's Largest Food and Beverage Hub

The TOKYO DINING COLLECTIVE General Incorporated Association (established: March 17, 2026; Representative Director: Masaki Yoshida) was founded with the aim of bringing together business owners, chefs, producers, and related companies involved in Tokyo's food and beverage industry to support the industry's development and the challenges of the next generation. To commemorate the establishment of this association, an "Inaugural Ceremony" will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026, at the Shinjuku Culture Center. We kindly request your media coverage of this commemorative ceremony. * A co-creative food and beverage industry association established in Tokyo, Japan's largest concentration of F&B businesses. * Aims to create an environment where knowledge is shared across corporate and individual boundaries, fostering mutual support and new challenges, thereby generating social impact unique to the F&B industry. * Inaugural Ceremony to be held on May 25, 2026. Date: Monday, May 25, 2026, 14:00-16:00 (Doors open 13:00) Venue: Shinjuku Culture Center Main Hall, Shinjuku Ward (6-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) Attendees: 500 people Content: Establishment declaration, explanation of activities, panel discussion [Panel Discussion Speakers] Mr. Hirohisa Sato (Representative Director, Chairman, CEO & CCO, Balnibarbi Co., Ltd.) Mr. Hideki Takahashi (Representative Director, Will stage Co., Ltd.) Mr. Michio Akimoto (Representative Director, Chairman, Wonder Table Co., Ltd.) * Other guests, including government officials and industry key persons, are scheduled to speak. Tokyo is Japan's largest concentration of food and beverage businesses, with over 60,000 establishments and over 950,000 employees (*1). However, the industry faces numerous challenges such as labor shortages, rising raw material costs, and business succession. Due to the diversity of the industry, ranging from small shops to large chains, consolidating opinions from the field has been extremely complex and difficult. This association aims to create an environment where knowledge is shared across corporate and individual boundaries, fostering mutual support and new challenges. As an "open association" free from political influence, we will achieve flexible and swift decision-making unique to Tokyo and disseminate a model where food is valued for both culture and economy from Tokyo to the world. (*1) "Over 60,000 establishments and over 950,000 employees": Approximate figures based on statistical data for "restaurants" in Tokyo from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "2021 Economic Census for Business Activities." We aim to create social impact that cannot be achieved by a single company through three pillars. 1. Cross-sectoral Collaboration (Connection) Provides a platform for borderless exchange and mutual support among business owners across generations and business types. 2. Learning and Growth (Learning) Offers study sessions directly linked to practical work and sharing of the latest trends (including study sessions in a political-economic塾 format). 3. Policy Advocacy (Advocacy) In collaboration with the Japan Food Service Association, this association will collect voices (data) from Tokyo, with over 60,000 establishments and over 950,000 employees. Association Name: TOKYO DINING COLLECTIVE General Incorporated Association Establishment Date: March 17, 2026 Representative Director: Masaki Yoshida Location: Wacore Shinjuku Daiichi Building 313, 7-7-26 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Official Website: https://tokyotdc.com/ We believe that Tokyo's food and beverage industry, when united, can become a great force. "TOKYO DINING COLLECTIVE General Incorporated Association" is an endeavor to consolidate these fragmented voices and deliver them to society. We will visualize voices from the field, foster learning and collaboration, and create the future of the food and beverage industry that leads the world from Tokyo. TOKYO DINING COLLECTIVE General Incorporated Association Secretariat / Public Relations Contact: Hideshi Takahashi Email: tokyo.dining.collective@gmail.com