Open-Name Business Succession 'relay' and Tokyo's Setagaya Ward to Host Business Succession Seminar for Small and Individual Business Owners on July 29, 2026 (Wed)

relay (pronounced 'relay'), an open-name business succession platform that connects those who wish to pass on their business with successors through 'empathy' (operated by Light-Right Co., Ltd., headquarters: Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture; CEO: Ryuta Saito; hereinafter referred to as 'relay'), announces the upcoming seminar on business succession for small business owners and self-employed individuals, to be held on July 29, 2026 (Wed) in collaboration with Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, to promote business succession.

Register for the event here

Japan is said to be entering a 'mass retirement era,' with approximately 50,000 businesses closing annually—of which 60% reportedly shut down while still profitable due to lack of successors.

Setagaya Ward is home to many beloved local shops, flavors, and craftsmanship developed over decades. Yet, in reality, an increasing number of these businesses are forced to close due to aging owners and lack of successors.

The closure of small businesses that support local communities not only leads directly to economic decline but also results in job losses and the erosion of community ties. To pass on the 'invisible assets' accumulated by small and medium enterprises—such as expertise, technical skills, and human connections—to the next generation, it is urgent to directly address the challenge of successor shortages.

This seminar will introduce supportive policies and services that facilitate business succession, as well as share real-life case studies. In a special talk session, a guest who succeeded the 96-year-old business 'Tsukiya Saketen' as its fourth-generation owner will share insights on how the values embedded in a business signboard can be passed on to future generations. We invite you to join us in envisioning this meaningful transition.

Whether you are a business owner beginning to consider your company's future, someone interested in starting a business through succession, or a support organization seeking information, we welcome your participation.

Register for the event here

Seminar Overview

Date and Time: July 29, 2026 (Wed), 13:30–15:30 (Doors open at 13:00)

Admission: Free (Capacity: 30 participants)

Venue: Setagaya Industrial Plaza, Conference Room (2-16-7, Taishido, Setagaya Ward, 3rd floor)

Organized by: Setagaya Ward

Operated by: Light-Right Co., Ltd. (operator of the open-name business succession platform 'relay')

Program

Welcome remarks from Setagaya Ward

Introduction to third-party succession and relay initiatives

Keynote speech by expert

Talk session with business succession experience

Q&A session

Keynote Speaker

Satoru Nagayama / Business Succession Specialist and Real Estate Transaction Specialist, Light-Right Co., Ltd.

Graduate of the Department of Social Infrastructure, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo. Moved to Rikuzentakata City in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake and worked in the city planning department of the city office on reconstruction projects. Joined relay in April 2023 and has since supported numerous third-party successions primarily in the Tohoku region.

Talk Session Guest

Chika Yoshira Hashi / 4th-generation representative, Tsukiya Saketen Co., Ltd.

Discovered a passion for sake at age 20 after a revelatory experience with warmed sake. Graduated from Kokushikan University's Faculty of Physical Education and worked as a physical education teacher at a private middle and high school. Entered the family business during the pandemic and immersed herself in the world of sake. In 2021, succeeded the 96-year-old business 'Tsukiya Saketen' as its fourth-generation owner.

Register here

About the Municipality × relay Collaboration Program

relay continues to evolve as a model that balances solving social issues with sustainable growth. Together with municipalities, financial institutions, and support organizations, we aim to expand awareness and acceptance of business succession as a viable option in society.

Municipalities interested in business succession support or collaboration with relay are encouraged to contact us.

Learn more about the collaboration program

About Open-Name Business Succession 'relay'

Open-name business succession 'relay' revolutionizes traditional business matching by conducting it under open names—revealing company identities and information—transforming the passion entrepreneurs have invested in their businesses into compelling stories. By publicly recruiting enthusiastic successor candidates who resonate with these stories, relay pioneers a new model of business succession based on empathy. Since its launch in 2020, relay has published approximately 890 successor recruitment cases, facilitated around 180 successful matches, and ranked No.1 in Japan for five consecutive years (2020–2024) in terms of negotiation and contract closing rates among domestic business matching platforms.

※ Source: Deloitte Tohmatsu Mic Economic Research Institute, Inc., 'Current Status and Outlook of the Domestic Business Matching Platform Market 2025 Edition' (mic-r.co.jp), published November 2025

Learn more

Company Overview

Company Name

Light-Right Co., Ltd.

Representative

CEO Ryuta Saito

Address

2F TOKIWA30 Building, 4-7-28 Tachibana Higashi, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture

Business Activities

Development and operation of the open-name business succession platform 'relay'

Founded

January 6, 2020

Official Website

https://light-right.jp/