Imagina to Host Organizational Reform Seminar in Kagawa: Scientific Branding Highlighted as Survival Strategy for Local Enterprises

Imagina Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yoshiki Sekino) announced that its initiatives were featured in the May 25, 2026 issue of the Kagawa Economic Report. The publication highlights the upcoming "Inner Branding Seminar," scheduled for June 26, 2026, at the Takamatsu Symbol Tower, as a critical survival strategy for regional companies struggling with labor shortages and insolvency risks. This release outlines the background of the economic crisis in Shikoku and the innovation brought by Japan’s first psychological characteristic assessment developed in collaboration with the University of Cambridge.

Kagawa enterprises are facing unprecedented financial and organizational pressure as the peak for COVID-19 relief loan repayments approaches in September 2026. Data indicates a polarizing economic landscape where small-scale enterprises—specifically those with fewer than 10 employees or less than 100 million yen in revenue—are particularly vulnerable to rising costs and labor shortages. Furthermore, a decline in local tourism activity suggests a weakening of regional economic vitality, making structural transformation essential for business continuity.

A primary obstacle to survival is "subjective management." Many Japanese SMEs rely on intuition rather than objective data, leading to hiring mismatches and high turnover rates. Research indicates that a single early resignation can cost a company approximately 6.4 million yen. To address this, Imagina advocates for a scientific approach to management. By utilizing psychometric technology from the University of Cambridge Psychometrics Centre, companies can move beyond the limitations of traditional interviews, where over 60% of applicants may distort their responses. The seminar will focus on "Inner Branding," a method to align employee behavior with corporate values, which has been shown to improve engagement and increase retention rates by up to three times.