Better Place Forms Business Alliance with Tsukuba Bank to Expand "Hagukumi Corporate Pension" Scheme for Employee Welfare
Better Place has partnered with Tsukuba Bank to promote the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension" scheme to corporate clients in Ibaraki Prefecture facing talent retention challenges. This initiative aims to support employee asset building and strengthen human resource retention for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 20:00
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Better Place Inc. (Head office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Arata Morimoto; https://bpcom.jp/), which supports the introduction and design of corporate pension and retirement allowance schemes, primarily through the "Fukushi Hagukumi Corporate Pension Fund" (hereinafter, "Hagukumi Corporate Pension"), announced that it has formed a business alliance with Tsukuba Bank Ltd. (Head office: Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Masahiko Ikuta) to support companies struggling with talent retention. This is the first partnership with a financial institution headquartered in Ibaraki Prefecture.
■ Purpose of this Business Alliance
This alliance aims to solve the challenges companies face in retaining talent. Through this partnership, Tsukuba Bank will introduce the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension," promoted by Better Place, to its corporate clients struggling with talent retention, thereby facilitating its adoption by companies primarily within its sales area in Ibaraki Prefecture. The "Hagukumi Corporate Pension" is a defined benefit corporate pension scheme. By establishing it as a "financial welfare benefit" for companies, participating employees can build assets for their future with peace of mind, with a principal guarantee*¹. Companies, in turn, can expect improved employee engagement and retention rates by supporting their employees' asset building.
*¹ If a shortfall occurs due to investment performance, the employer will cover the difference.
■ Status of Corporate Pension Schemes in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.7% of all companies in Japan and employ 69.7% of all workers*², a very significant proportion. However, only a mere 16%*³ of companies with 30-99 employees have a retirement pension scheme. By utilizing the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension," we aim for further expansion, enabling more SMEs and their employees to benefit from corporate pension schemes.
(Source)
*² Small and Medium Enterprise Agency (June 2021)
https://www.smrj.go.jp/recruit/environment.html
*³ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Status and Challenges of Public and Private Pensions (2023)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10600000/001177171.pdf
■ About "Hagukumi Corporate Pension"
Currently, Japan faces a chronic labor shortage due to a declining working population and a super-aging society. Furthermore, the most common reason young workers leave companies is financial*⁴, and the top concern for working generations regarding old age is "money"*⁵.
Economic disparities, which arise depending on the size of the company or the region of residence, significantly impact future asset building and retirement funds. To support mainly SMEs and their employees, we are promoting the introduction of the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension," a corporate pension scheme that benefits both companies and employees.
"Hagukumi Corporate Pension" is a defined benefit corporate pension (DB) scheme that can be joined by employees (including non-regular employees) and executives who are enrolled in employee pension insurance (Kosei Nenkin). Employers can establish a corporate pension and retirement allowance system while keeping costs down. Furthermore, a research study conducted in 2025 statistically demonstrated a high probability that the introduction of this system leads to improved employee engagement and prevention of turnover*⁶. Supporting these research findings, especially in SMEs and the welfare industry where labor shortages are severe, it has been well-received as a "financial welfare benefit" to help employees work with peace of mind.
Employee benefits include the principal guarantee*¹, eliminating the need for complex investment knowledge. Compared to corporate DC (defined contribution corporate pension) and iDeCo (individual defined contribution pension), which generally cannot be received until age 60 or older, the Hagukumi scheme is also primarily for asset building in old age. However, it offers the flexibility to receive funds not only as a pension but also upon retirement, leave of absence, or during childcare/nursing leave, gaining strong support from employees who anticipate future caregiving responsibilities.
Currently, approximately 95% of adopting corporations are small to medium-sized corporations with fewer than 300 employees*⁷, and about one-third of corporations are related to welfare, medical, or education*⁸.
*¹ If a shortfall occurs due to investment performance, the employer will cover the difference.
Service introduction website URL: https://bpcom.jp/hagukumikikin/
(Source)
*⁴ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Overview of the 2023 Survey on Employment Conditions of Young Workers
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/dl/4-21c-jyakunenkoyou-r05_gaikyou.pdf
*⁵ Financial Services Agency, Financial System Council Market Working Group Report "Asset Formation and Management in an Aging Society," June 2019
https://www.fsa.go.jp/singi/
Keywords:
■ Purpose of this Business Alliance
This alliance aims to solve the challenges companies face in retaining talent. Through this partnership, Tsukuba Bank will introduce the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension," promoted by Better Place, to its corporate clients struggling with talent retention, thereby facilitating its adoption by companies primarily within its sales area in Ibaraki Prefecture. The "Hagukumi Corporate Pension" is a defined benefit corporate pension scheme. By establishing it as a "financial welfare benefit" for companies, participating employees can build assets for their future with peace of mind, with a principal guarantee*¹. Companies, in turn, can expect improved employee engagement and retention rates by supporting their employees' asset building.
*¹ If a shortfall occurs due to investment performance, the employer will cover the difference.
■ Status of Corporate Pension Schemes in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.7% of all companies in Japan and employ 69.7% of all workers*², a very significant proportion. However, only a mere 16%*³ of companies with 30-99 employees have a retirement pension scheme. By utilizing the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension," we aim for further expansion, enabling more SMEs and their employees to benefit from corporate pension schemes.
(Source)
*² Small and Medium Enterprise Agency (June 2021)
https://www.smrj.go.jp/recruit/environment.html
*³ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Status and Challenges of Public and Private Pensions (2023)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10600000/001177171.pdf
■ About "Hagukumi Corporate Pension"
Currently, Japan faces a chronic labor shortage due to a declining working population and a super-aging society. Furthermore, the most common reason young workers leave companies is financial*⁴, and the top concern for working generations regarding old age is "money"*⁵.
Economic disparities, which arise depending on the size of the company or the region of residence, significantly impact future asset building and retirement funds. To support mainly SMEs and their employees, we are promoting the introduction of the "Hagukumi Corporate Pension," a corporate pension scheme that benefits both companies and employees.
"Hagukumi Corporate Pension" is a defined benefit corporate pension (DB) scheme that can be joined by employees (including non-regular employees) and executives who are enrolled in employee pension insurance (Kosei Nenkin). Employers can establish a corporate pension and retirement allowance system while keeping costs down. Furthermore, a research study conducted in 2025 statistically demonstrated a high probability that the introduction of this system leads to improved employee engagement and prevention of turnover*⁶. Supporting these research findings, especially in SMEs and the welfare industry where labor shortages are severe, it has been well-received as a "financial welfare benefit" to help employees work with peace of mind.
Employee benefits include the principal guarantee*¹, eliminating the need for complex investment knowledge. Compared to corporate DC (defined contribution corporate pension) and iDeCo (individual defined contribution pension), which generally cannot be received until age 60 or older, the Hagukumi scheme is also primarily for asset building in old age. However, it offers the flexibility to receive funds not only as a pension but also upon retirement, leave of absence, or during childcare/nursing leave, gaining strong support from employees who anticipate future caregiving responsibilities.
Currently, approximately 95% of adopting corporations are small to medium-sized corporations with fewer than 300 employees*⁷, and about one-third of corporations are related to welfare, medical, or education*⁸.
*¹ If a shortfall occurs due to investment performance, the employer will cover the difference.
Service introduction website URL: https://bpcom.jp/hagukumikikin/
(Source)
*⁴ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Overview of the 2023 Survey on Employment Conditions of Young Workers
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/dl/4-21c-jyakunenkoyou-r05_gaikyou.pdf
*⁵ Financial Services Agency, Financial System Council Market Working Group Report "Asset Formation and Management in an Aging Society," June 2019
https://www.fsa.go.jp/singi/
Keywords: