Aiming to Make the Average Leaving Time for Managers Nationwide '5 PM'

We, COEO Inc., are participating in April Dream, an initiative to share dreams on April 1st. This press release is a dream of COEO Inc.

COEO Inc. (Ota-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Naoko Chigiyoshi; hereinafter referred to as "ikumado"), which operates the parental leave & dual-income community "ikumado", aims to realize a future where the average leaving time for managers nationwide is "5 PM".

■Why is 'Managers Leaving at 5 PM' Necessary Now?

Currently, Japan's Gender Gap Index is low at 118th in the world, with a particularly noticeable lag in the "economic" field. One of the contributing factors is the working style of managers, which assumes long working hours. In Japanese companies, managers are generally considered to be "those who work longer than anyone else and bear responsibility." This culture gives those primarily responsible for childcare a strong stereotype that "management positions are incompatible with work-life balance," leading many to give up on career advancement. We are convinced that improving the social structure where "managers leave later" is the key to a society where diverse talent can thrive.

■Initiatives Towards Realization

Our proposed "Managers Leaving at 5 PM" is not merely a recommendation for shorter working hours. It signifies a new way of organizing based on the following three transformations. A structural shift is required not just at the corporate level, but across society as a whole.

1. Transition from 'Management' to 'Self-Driven Rotation': Since its inception, ikumado has achieved a "self-driven organization" and grown to over 1,300 members. We will promote an organizational structure that does not rely on instructions and orders, but is driven by members' desire to "try new things," allowing managers to avoid being bogged down by minor decisions.

2. Promotion of Advanced DX Utilization: We will accumulate know-how for generating results in a short time using digital tools such as Zoom, Notion, and AI, and implement this as a "model" for society. This will improve the accuracy of meetings and decision-making.

3. Support through 'Share Coaching®': The weekly dialogue program "Share Coaching," currently attended by over 60 participants, has the power to re-examine individual conflicts within society. We will foster a culture where managers can reflect with peers, not in isolation, and support the creation of highly psychologically safe teams.

■The 'Next Normal' That ikumado Envisions

Managers who leave at 5 PM can enjoy dinner with their families and invest time in their own learning or side businesses. We aim for a society where the desire to "value children, but also value one's own career" becomes the norm, and the next generation looks forward to becoming leaders like them. The essence of work style reform is to build a structure that does not force anyone to overexert themselves. The era where only managers bear the burden is coming to an end. COEO Inc. will continue to challenge itself to realize a society where everyone can work without undue strain.

■About COEO Inc.

Since its founding in 2021 (the ikumado community began in 2018), COEO Inc. has been working under the mission of "creating a society where both career and childcare are valued." We provide self-driven community management, career development programs, and team side-business support to individuals on parental leave or in dual-income households, and to companies seeking to leverage their abilities.

【Outsourcing Business (ikumado Works)】

In Japan, employment is often rigid, making it difficult to secure the right talent for the right positions. The outsourcing business, ikumado Works, opens up possibilities beyond traditional employment relationships, offering opportunities for diverse teams to engage in work aligned with their interests. They undertake tasks such as corporate PR, marketing, and training program planning and operation.

https://coeo.co.jp/promado_home

【Corporate Career Business】

Both individuals taking parental leave and companies face anxieties regarding long absences and returning to work. We offer return-to-work support training and lectures on balancing career and childcare for companies and local governments. We also support career education for students.

https://coeo.co.jp/service_04

【Regional Innovation Business】

In collaboration with local governments and companies, we plan and recruit for workations for dual-income families and conduct monitor programs. ikumado members, who have a high interest in activities, experience local kindergartens, schools, and various cultural and natural environments. This increases local fans and fosters civic pride.

https://coeo.co.jp/service_05

【Community Management Business】

We operate "ikumado," one of Japan's largest communities for dual-income earners and parents, with approximately 1,300 members. Why do people feel so much loneliness and conflict when trying to raise children while working in Japan? The "ikumado" community is open to everyone who resonates with the vision of "creating a society where both childcare and career can be balanced as a matter of course." It is a free-to-join space for mutual learning and growth, breaking away from the rigid "shoulds" of parenting.

https://ikumado.net/

【Individual Career Business】

We provide career development and skill development programs to ikumado members. One of the career development programs, Share Coaching®, currently has about 60 participants. For one hour each week, in groups of four, participants reflect on their goals and actions. This program not only helps individuals realize their own way of life but also provides new perspectives through comments from other members. Skills acquired through the skill development program can be utilized for side businesses through ikumado Works.

https://coeo.co.jp/service_03

*Share Coaching® is a registered trademark of COEO Inc.

■Related Book

'Dual-Income Career Compendium: 40 People's Challenges Depicting 'Future Ways of Working''

Author: Naoko Chigiyoshi | Published: November 12, 2025
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0FZ4RFRH8
In today's society where balancing career and childcare is difficult, it is not easy to search for one's own way of working. This book condenses the real challenges of 40 people from the "ikumado" parental leave & dual-income community. Centered on the desire to "value children, but also value one's own career," it proposes using the "parts model" to gather hints that suit oneself from diverse cases, rather than searching for a specific ideal image. Based on actual records of overcoming life's turning points—including internal career advancement, job changes, starting businesses, and men taking parental leave—it introduces practical courage and wisdom for living "as oneself" beyond existing "shoulds," along with numerous episodes.

Company Overview

Company Name: COEO Inc.

Location: 7-4-4 Nishi-Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo

Established: April 2021
Representative Director: Naoko Chigiyoshi
URL: https://coeo.co.jp/
Business Activities: Operation of the ikumado community, team side-businesses (ikumadoWorks), individual career/skill development, support for corporations and local governments, regional innovation: provision of third places for dual-income families / contracting of PR, marketing, and training program planning and operation / Share Coaching® (small group dialogue program) / return-to-work training and career education support / workation planning, recruitment, and monitor services.