NINAITE, Transforming Foreign Employment via 'Fieldwork x Tech', Selected for Sapporo City's 'FY2026 Foreigner Acceptance and Retention Support Project'
NINAITE Inc. has been chosen by Sapporo City to operate a subsidy program for SMEs hiring foreign workers. Combining field expertise and tech, NINAITE will also launch the AI-driven OS 'ninaite.ai' in June 2026.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 16:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 07:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 10:13 (2h 41m after Collected)
NINAITE Inc. (Headquarters: Sapporo City, Hokkaido; Representative Director & President: Sanshiro Yokoyama; hereinafter NINAITE) announces that it has been selected for the 'FY2026 Foreigner Acceptance and Retention Support Project' publicly offered by Sapporo City.
■ Background | How to support a company's 'first step'
In March 2026, the Immigration Services Agency announced a halt in accepting new workers in the 'Food Service' sector under the Specified Skilled Worker visa. As a result, companies that were interested in hiring foreign workers but lacked sufficient information or opportunities are finding their assumption that they can 'hire anytime' beginning to waver.
Meanwhile, in Hokkaido and Sapporo, securing a future workforce is a critical issue for industries supporting citizens' daily lives, such as caregiving. The acceptance and retention of foreign talent have become themes directly linked to the sustainability of the regional economy.
Against this backdrop, Sapporo City has established a system to support SMEs undertaking foreign employment for the first time through a public-private partnership.
■ Project Overview
For SMEs with a headquarters or business office in Sapporo City, the project will subsidize up to 2/3 of the costs associated with accepting foreign talent under the Specified Skilled Worker system. Targeting mainly companies with no prior experience in hiring foreigners, it offers comprehensive support from recruitment to retention.
- Target: SMEs with a base in Sapporo City (priority given to companies with no foreign employment experience)
- Subsidy Content: Subsidizes up to 2/3 of acceptance costs
- Capacity: Limited to 50 people
- Implementation & Operations: NINAITE Inc.
- Organizer: Sapporo Livable City Promotion Council (Sapporo City, Sapporo Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Trade Union Confederation Hokkaido Sapporo Regional Council)
- Cooperation: Hokkaido Labour Bureau
■ NINAITE's Business and Achievements | 'A tech company that also does the fieldwork'
Since its founding in 2018, sparked by supporting farmers in Makkari Village, Hokkaido, NINAITE has been entering primary work sites nationwide to support the recruitment and retention of foreign workers with Specified Skills. The track record of supporting 1,494 people cumulatively with an average retention rate of over 80% (*1) is proof of its thorough commitment to the fieldwork.
Furthermore, in June 2026, the company plans to release 'ninaite.ai', a foreign employment OS that combines 8 years of field data with AI. It aims to become the industry's common infrastructure as a platform that seamlessly connects residence management, recruitment, and retention support.
Its stance of facing the challenges of foreign employment with both thorough on-site support and technology as a 'tech company that also does fieldwork' led to its selection for this project.
*1 The industry average turnover rate within 3 years of employment is 40-50%.
Masato Shonaka, Director General of Economic & Employment Support Bureau, Sapporo City (Left) and Sanshiro Yokoyama, President & CEO, NINAITE Inc. (Right)
■ Comment from Masato Shonaka, Director General of Economic & Employment Support Bureau, Sapporo City
'There are many companies in Hokkaido that are interested in hiring foreigners but haven't received sufficient information or opportunities. The core of this project is to provide that initial trigger to companies saying 'I want to try it but don't know where to start,' and have them realize 'I'm glad we did it.' Resolving the labor shortage, especially in industries supporting civic life like caregiving, is an urgent task, and Sapporo City is working to create a model case. Together with everyone implementing this project, including NINAITE, we will create an environment where companies can take a step forward with peace of mind through a public-private partnership.'
■ Comment from Sanshiro Yokoyama, Representative Director & President, NINAITE Inc.
'Since our founding, we have immersed ourselves in Hokkaido's worksites, focusing on building a mutually beneficial relationship among foreign talent, companies, and the local community. By being selected by Sapporo City this time, we feel we can provide support with even greater peace of mind to companies that previously didn't have enough access to information or opportunities. It is NINAITE's mission to overturn the common belief that foreign employment is naturally difficult, using the power of fieldwork and technology. Providing consistent support from hiring to retention, we will work with Sapporo City to make foreign employment the norm in Sapporo.'
■ NINAITE Inc. Company Overview
- Company Name: NINAITE Inc.
- Representative: Representative Director & President Sanshiro Yokoyama
- Established: July 2018
- Capital: 95,000,600 yen
- Location: BYYARD N5W9 3rd Floor, Kita 5-jo Nishi 9-chome 5, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido
- Business description: Foreign talent introduction and registered support business, Specified Skilled worker dispatch business, Japanese language school management, foreign employment OS 'ninaite.ai'
- Company HP: https://ninaite.ne.jp/
- Service HP: https://ninaite.ai/
■ Background | How to support a company's 'first step'
In March 2026, the Immigration Services Agency announced a halt in accepting new workers in the 'Food Service' sector under the Specified Skilled Worker visa. As a result, companies that were interested in hiring foreign workers but lacked sufficient information or opportunities are finding their assumption that they can 'hire anytime' beginning to waver.
Meanwhile, in Hokkaido and Sapporo, securing a future workforce is a critical issue for industries supporting citizens' daily lives, such as caregiving. The acceptance and retention of foreign talent have become themes directly linked to the sustainability of the regional economy.
Against this backdrop, Sapporo City has established a system to support SMEs undertaking foreign employment for the first time through a public-private partnership.
■ Project Overview
For SMEs with a headquarters or business office in Sapporo City, the project will subsidize up to 2/3 of the costs associated with accepting foreign talent under the Specified Skilled Worker system. Targeting mainly companies with no prior experience in hiring foreigners, it offers comprehensive support from recruitment to retention.
- Target: SMEs with a base in Sapporo City (priority given to companies with no foreign employment experience)
- Subsidy Content: Subsidizes up to 2/3 of acceptance costs
- Capacity: Limited to 50 people
- Implementation & Operations: NINAITE Inc.
- Organizer: Sapporo Livable City Promotion Council (Sapporo City, Sapporo Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Trade Union Confederation Hokkaido Sapporo Regional Council)
- Cooperation: Hokkaido Labour Bureau
■ NINAITE's Business and Achievements | 'A tech company that also does the fieldwork'
Since its founding in 2018, sparked by supporting farmers in Makkari Village, Hokkaido, NINAITE has been entering primary work sites nationwide to support the recruitment and retention of foreign workers with Specified Skills. The track record of supporting 1,494 people cumulatively with an average retention rate of over 80% (*1) is proof of its thorough commitment to the fieldwork.
Furthermore, in June 2026, the company plans to release 'ninaite.ai', a foreign employment OS that combines 8 years of field data with AI. It aims to become the industry's common infrastructure as a platform that seamlessly connects residence management, recruitment, and retention support.
Its stance of facing the challenges of foreign employment with both thorough on-site support and technology as a 'tech company that also does fieldwork' led to its selection for this project.
*1 The industry average turnover rate within 3 years of employment is 40-50%.
Masato Shonaka, Director General of Economic & Employment Support Bureau, Sapporo City (Left) and Sanshiro Yokoyama, President & CEO, NINAITE Inc. (Right)
■ Comment from Masato Shonaka, Director General of Economic & Employment Support Bureau, Sapporo City
'There are many companies in Hokkaido that are interested in hiring foreigners but haven't received sufficient information or opportunities. The core of this project is to provide that initial trigger to companies saying 'I want to try it but don't know where to start,' and have them realize 'I'm glad we did it.' Resolving the labor shortage, especially in industries supporting civic life like caregiving, is an urgent task, and Sapporo City is working to create a model case. Together with everyone implementing this project, including NINAITE, we will create an environment where companies can take a step forward with peace of mind through a public-private partnership.'
■ Comment from Sanshiro Yokoyama, Representative Director & President, NINAITE Inc.
'Since our founding, we have immersed ourselves in Hokkaido's worksites, focusing on building a mutually beneficial relationship among foreign talent, companies, and the local community. By being selected by Sapporo City this time, we feel we can provide support with even greater peace of mind to companies that previously didn't have enough access to information or opportunities. It is NINAITE's mission to overturn the common belief that foreign employment is naturally difficult, using the power of fieldwork and technology. Providing consistent support from hiring to retention, we will work with Sapporo City to make foreign employment the norm in Sapporo.'
■ NINAITE Inc. Company Overview
- Company Name: NINAITE Inc.
- Representative: Representative Director & President Sanshiro Yokoyama
- Established: July 2018
- Capital: 95,000,600 yen
- Location: BYYARD N5W9 3rd Floor, Kita 5-jo Nishi 9-chome 5, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido
- Business description: Foreign talent introduction and registered support business, Specified Skilled worker dispatch business, Japanese language school management, foreign employment OS 'ninaite.ai'
- Company HP: https://ninaite.ne.jp/
- Service HP: https://ninaite.ai/