'REN PROJECT' Launched to Connect Talent Wanting to Utilize Careers in Nara with Local Companies

General Incorporated Association TOMOSU (Nara City, Representative Director Akira Nakajima) has launched the 'REN PROJECT' starting June 2026, with Toyota United Nara Co., Ltd. as the lead partner. This new matching service connects individuals who want to utilize their past experience and skills in Nara, such as those who have left their careers due to childcare or marriage, or those looking for local employment opportunities while commuting outside Nara, with local companies.

1. What is REN PROJECT?

'REN PROJECT' is a matching service that connects individuals who want to work in Nara in their own way, utilizing their past careers and experience, with Nara-based local companies that need personnel with specialized skills and practical experience.

It offers job opportunities specifically in the Nara area to those who are considering rethinking their work style due to life stage changes such as childcare or marriage, based on a flexible work style of 'short hours/a few days a week.' For companies, it provides a new option for utilizing human resources without being bound by full-time employment.

The project's tagline is 'Continue your career, reweave it in Nara.' REN embodies the meanings of RE (re-, return, circle) and EN (connection, circle, extend), representing the reweaving of careers and new encounters in Nara. The logo motif is 'saki-ori' (rag weaving), where old fabric is torn and rewoven into new fabric, symbolizing the image of past experiences being woven in as new colors.

2. Background of REN PROJECT's Launch

In Nara Prefecture, there are many people who want to reconsider their work style due to life stage changes, or who are looking for opportunities to work locally while utilizing their past experience and skills.

Specifically, Nara Prefecture's employment rate for women (ages 20-64) is 70.6%, the lowest in the country (*1). The proportion of women who wish to be employed but are unable to work continues to be ranked 46th nationwide (*2). A survey conducted by the prefecture (*3) revealed that the top desire for employment is 'flexible working hours,' and the second reason for not wishing to be employed is 'lack of confidence in balancing work with housework, childcare, or nursing care.' This indicates a desire to work but an inability to take the first step.

Meanwhile, labor shortages are a serious issue for companies as well. Securing immediate-use personnel with specialized skills, particularly in areas like DX promotion and marketing, remains difficult due to the outflow of talent to major metropolitan areas. Many companies express a desire to involve personnel with specialized skills, even if they do not have enough work for full-time employment.

However, there are signs of change. A survey conducted by Nara City in fiscal year 2023 (*4) found that approximately 40% of women in their child-rearing years responded that they 'did not have particular difficulty in their job search' when re-entering the workforce, indicating that an environment where women can work more easily is steadily being established. Furthermore, over 70% of companies have already implemented some measures for promoting women's active participation, and about half of them evaluate the 'merits as greater.'

Based on this recognition of the issues, Toyota United Nara, which supports workplaces in the local community, and TOMOSU, which has expertise in matching, have collaborated to launch the 'REN PROJECT.' By leveraging the strengths of both organizations and building a unique employment model for Nara where companies and individuals can grow together, we aim to realize a regional society where everyone can work in their own way.

(Data and Sources)

*1. Statistics Bureau of Japan, '2020 Population Census' https://www.stat.go.jp/data/kokusei/2020/kekka.html *2. Statistics Bureau of Japan, '2022 Employment Status Survey' https://www.stat.go.jp/data/shugyou/2022/index2.html *3. Nara Prefecture, 'Survey Report on Awareness of Women's Active Participation Promotion in Nara Prefecture (2019)' https://www.pref.nara.jp/documents/3277/gaiyou_all.pdf *4. Nara City, 'Survey Results on Women's Employment (FY2023 Survey)' https://www.city.nara.lg.jp/soshiki/109/5365.html

3. Project Structure

The REN PROJECT will be operated with the following structure:

[Lead Partner] Toyota United Nara Co., Ltd. As a local company, it supports the project's purpose and promotes the practical application and dissemination of human resource utilization by companies.

[Cooperation] Nara City Supports the project through public relations cooperation, etc.

[Planning and Operations Secretariat] General Incorporated Association TOMOSU As a paid employment placement service provider, it handles consultations for both job seekers and companies, job description design, and matching support.

4. First Event and Future Development

Prior to the full launch of the 'REN PROJECT,' a career workshop for women, 'RE:Career Design Cafe,' was held in early June.

The workshop was held at three venues in Nara City, including cafes, and was attended by women, primarily in their 30s and 40s, with diverse career backgrounds. In an at-home and psychologically safe atmosphere, participants enjoyed sweets and drinks while reflecting on their 'own careers,' which tend to be put on the back burner in busy daily lives, and engaged in workshops for sharing and dialogue with each other.

Despite meeting for the first time, lively exchanges of opinions took place on the day, and conversations continued in the venue even after the event concluded. This experience highlighted the high demand for spaces where people can discuss their careers and provided a solid foundation for the project's future development.

Participants chatting with career consultants. Participants working on the workshop.

<Comments from Participants (Excerpt from Questionnaire)>

* 'I was happy to be able to interact in groups and be heard. It was also fun to hear others' stories, and it broadened my perspective on various things.' * 'This was a very beneficial event for me. It was good to have time to reflect, which is difficult to find in my daily life.' * 'I feel I've organized what I want to do a little better, so I'm motivated to try things I can do.'

The REN PROJECT aims to go beyond simple matching between companies and individuals, striving to create a regional society where working women can continue their careers in their own way in their local area, even amidst changes in their environment or life stages. Moving forward, we will continue to plan and implement events and systems that enable women to proactively consider their careers and to interact with local companies in Nara Prefecture on an equal footing.

5. To Nara Local Companies Seeking Workers

We accept consultations not only for specific job openings such as 'we want this type of talent,' but also from the initial stage of 'we want to improve operational efficiency but don't know where to start.' We will support you from the process of defining the requirements for the necessary personnel.

We can design engagement methods according to the required workload and role, not limited to full-time hiring, allowing you to utilize personnel for tasks that have been neglected or for new positions that contribute to added value. Please consider this as a new option to expand your company's potential, rather than a replacement for existing employees.

Companies interested are encouraged to contact us.

6. Comments from Stakeholders

Shotaro Kikuchi, Managing Director, General Manager of Sales, Toyota United Nara Co., Ltd. Nara Prefecture has many talented individuals with great potential. However, the reality is that their experience and abilities are not fully utilized due to various reasons such as childcare, nursing care, and commuting conditions. As a company that has been supported by the community through automobile sales, we want to revitalize Nara. To achieve this, it is essential to create an environment where each individual can thrive, not just for corporate growth. The REN PROJECT is a challenge to connect Nara's untapped potential with corporate possibilities and create new value, rather than just addressing labor shortages.

It's not that 'there are no jobs in Nara,' but rather 'there are jobs and challenges in Nara that we haven't encountered yet.' Through this project, we will foster new connections between people and companies and contribute to building a region where working in Nara leads to pride and growth.

Akira Nakajima, Representative Director, General Incorporated Association TOMOSU The low employment rate for women in Nara Prefecture has been a long-standing issue. However, we believe this is not due to a lack of willingness or ability to work, but rather a significant lack of suitable work styles that accommodate life stages and opportunities to utilize one's experience.

The REN PROJECT is not just an initiative for job seekers to change. We believe that by creating an environment where companies can accept flexible working styles, it will lead to the creation of workplaces where everyone, including current employees, can better utilize their strengths.

To make the choice to 'work in Nara' a more positive and attractive one. Through the REN PROJECT, we will work step by step to ensure Nara is recognized as a 'town where good work can be done.'

7. About Toyota United Nara Co., Ltd.

Toyota United Nara Co., Ltd., as Nara Prefecture's Toyota dealer, operates 26 stores throughout the prefecture, focusing on new and used car sales and purchases. With the mission 'Support mobility, foster connections, and bring smiles and security to Nara,' we engage in business activities rooted in the local community. The company was newly established in 2023 through the merger of Nara Toyopet and Netz Toyota Nara. By leveraging the strengths of both companies, we have built a system capable of providing higher value to the entire Nara Prefecture. Furthermore, we are not limited to traditional automobile sales but are also engaged in 'co-creation projects' that address regional issues and collaborate with companies and universities, based on our mobility business.

We also promote the creation of a workplace where each individual can feel their growth, by fostering an 'open, free, and flat' organizational culture where opinions are exchanged regardless of position or role. We call our employees 'partners,' and our culture is characterized by the ability to take on challenges while respecting each other.

- Website: https://www.toyota-utd-nara.com/

8. About General Incorporated Association TOMOSU

Based at the Nara City startup support facility 'BONCHI,' we operate a co-working space, provide startup consultations and seminars, and handle various projects that lead to the resolution of regional issues. With the desire to support not only entrepreneurs but also a wider range of people who want to work more in their own way by utilizing their careers and skills, we launched a paid employment placement service in June 2026. The REN PROJECT is the first initiative launched under this service.

- Nara City Startup Support Facility 'BONCHI' Business Hours: 10:00-18:00 (Closed New Year holidays) - Website: https://bonchi.fun/ - Paid Employment Placement Business License Number: 29-yu-300254

Contact Information

General Incorporated Association TOMOSU (Contact: Nakajima, Takaishi) Phone: 0742-94-5311 (Weekdays 10:00-17:00) E-mail: career@tomosu.org REN PROJECT WEB: http://ren-pro.net/