JR East Start Up, Tokyu, Odakyu, Seibu Holdings, and Crowd Care to Launch Universal Tourism Demonstration with Non-Insured Care Service

Crowd Care Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Junichi Kojima), which operates "Crowd Care," a private-pay visiting care, rehabilitation, and lifestyle support service available for as little as 60 minutes per session, announces the launch of a universal tourism demonstration experiment in collaboration with "JTOS (Japan Tourism & Mobility Social Implementation Consortium)," a cross-railway consortium involving JR East Start Up Corporation, Tokyu Corporation, Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd., and Seibu Holdings Inc. By combining the strengths of JTOS members' public transportation and barrier-free facilities with Crowd Care's skilled helpers, we aim to realize a society where no one, regardless of age or disability, has to give up on mobility.

■ Background of the Initiative

In Japan, the number of people requiring daily assistance is increasing each year due to the declining birthrate and aging population. However, many of these individuals are forced to abandon outings and travel due to anxieties about mobility and destinations. For example, they must individually check for the availability of barrier-free facilities, transportation methods, and the accessibility of each tourist spot, placing a significant burden on them from the travel planning stage. Furthermore, with limited options for universal tourism, many give up on travel altogether due to psychological considerations, such as worrying about inconveniencing their accommodation. In fact, data shows a potential market size of approximately ¥888 billion for universal tourism (accessible tourism), indicating significant market potential.

Crowd Care has been operating a matching platform connecting helpers for home care and lifestyle support with users, addressing needs such as travel companionship. However, creating a system that provides end-to-end travel services, including transportation and accommodation, remained a challenge.

Meanwhile, in the railway industry, creating a system for safe travel for those requiring care and enhancing hospitality to support mobility are important themes. However, a single operator has limitations in the areas it can cover, making it difficult to fully meet diverse travel needs.

To solve these issues, the cross-railway social implementation consortium "JTOS," which possesses assets such as a wide-area network and barrier-free facilities, has partnered with Crowd Care, which has over 1,800 private-pay care helpers in the Tokyo metropolitan area. By combining their respective strengths, a new system that provides seamless support from transportation to care has been realized.

*Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan Tourism Agency, "Survey Report on Universal Tourism," March 2023

■ Outline of the Demonstration Experiment

・Purpose

In this demonstration experiment, we will have individuals requiring care and their families actually experience a trip to Hakone. We will verify the dissolution of users' psychological and physical hurdles, optimize operations for the receiving side, improve convenience, and assess the validity of a sustainable business model.

・Period

April - May 2026 (planned)

・Area

Hakone area (utilizing facilities such as The Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko)

・Participant Recruitment (Public Call)