Early Cross Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture; Representative Director: Masaya Hanashiro; hereinafter "Early Cross"), which provides support ranging from the implementation of corporate defined contribution (DC) pension plans to financial education, has entered into a business alliance with The Miyazaki Taiyo Bank, Ltd. (Headquarters: 2-1-31 Hiroshima, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture; President: Hiroshi Kuroki; hereinafter "Miyazaki Taiyo Bank").

This partnership offers a solution to local SME owners struggling with retirement benefit preparation and talent retention amidst rising prices, by integrating the regional network of a local financial institution with the asset-building expertise provided by corporate DC plans.

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With inflation continuing, saving for retirement solely in cash carries the risk that the real value of the money received in the future will diminish.

【Corporate DC Implementation Status (as of 2025)】 * Number of corporate DC participants: Approximately 8.6 million nationwide*1 * While there are approximately 2.79 million workplaces covered by Employees' Pension Insurance, only about 58,000 have implemented DC plans. * Implementation rate: Only about 2.1%*2 * Approximately 98% of workplaces covered by Employees' Pension Insurance are SMEs with 99 or fewer employees*3

There remains significant room for expansion among SMEs, and a retirement benefit gap exists based on company size.

In particular, for local SMEs, the lack of specialized personnel and the difficulty in building a continuous educational system are major hurdles, creating a significant gap compared to large corporations. Furthermore, in Miyazaki Prefecture, the population has been on a downward trend since 1997, with both natural and social decline progressing*4, and the outflow of young people to other prefectures is accelerating. According to future projections by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research (2023 estimate), the population of Miyazaki Prefecture is expected to fall below 1 million for the first time in 2030, dropping to 979,000*5. "Talent retention through enhanced employee benefits" is an urgent regional issue.

In this partnership, representatives from Miyazaki Taiyo Bank, who support the regional economy and have deep relationships of trust with business owners, will serve as the "point of contact for information," while Early Cross, as a professional in DC operations, will consistently handle everything from "system design to post-implementation education." By providing financial education to local SMEs, we aim to eliminate the retirement benefit gap and financial education gap for regional companies.

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References *1 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Pension Bureau, "Overview of Employees' Pension Insurance and National Pension Business for FY2023 (Announced December 2024)," page 7. *2 Council of Pension Management Institutions, "Defined Contribution Pension Statistical Data (as of the end of March 2025)," page 4. *3 Calculated from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, "2021 Economic Census for Business Activity, Cross-Industry Aggregation Results (Announced March 2024)." *4 Miyazaki Prefecture, General Policy Department, Statistics Division, "Population of Miyazaki Prefecture (as of October 1, 2024)," announced February 28, 2025. The prefecture's population has been on a downward trend since 1997, and recently, both natural and social dynamics show a net decrease. *5 National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, "Regional Population Projections for Japan (2023 Estimate)," announced December 22, 2023. Refer to the 2030 projected value for Miyazaki Prefecture (979,129 people) from Result Table 1: Total Population.

Details of Business Alliance and Role Allocation 【STEP 1: Information Provision / Miyazaki Taiyo Bank】 Bank representatives, who are rooted in the community and well-versed in management issues, provide information on corporate DC plans as an option for improving corporate benefits and preparing for retirement.

【STEP 2: System Design & Implementation Support / Early Cross】 Early Cross handles applications to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and designs contribution levels tailored to the owner's objectives.

【STEP 3: Continuous Financial Education / Early Cross】 After the system is implemented, Early Cross conducts investment education (employee briefings and individual consultations) so that employees can "protect and grow their own assets."

Representative Comment I am very pleased that this partnership with Miyazaki Taiyo Bank has been realized. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to work together to address the challenges faced by SMEs in Miyazaki Prefecture and the people who work there—people who previously had limited access to information about corporate DC plans—through the bank's community-based network and deep trust with business owners.

We aim to realize financial well-being for every working individual—a state where they are free from future financial anxiety and can choose a life that is true to themselves. As a means to this end, we are promoting the introduction and adoption of corporate DC plans.

Implementing a corporate DC plan is not the goal in itself. True value is only created when employees actually contribute, think about their own asset management, and take action to save for the future. For that, understanding the system is essential.

This partnership with Miyazaki Taiyo Bank is a major step toward expanding this circle of support to local SMEs. By combining the bank's community-based network with our company's DC operational know-how, we will take on the challenge of eliminating the retirement benefit gap and financial education gap for regional companies.

Overview of Partner Company Corporate Name: The Miyazaki Taiyo Bank, Ltd. Representative: Hiroshi Kuroki, President Location: 2-1-31 Hiroshima, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture Business Description: Banking Website: https://www.taiyobank.co.jp/

About Early Cross Co., Ltd. Under the theme of "solving future money problems," Early Cross supports the future asset formation of SME owners and employees through support for the implementation of corporate defined contribution (DC) pension plans.

Corporate Overview Corporate Name: Early Cross Co., Ltd. Representative: Masaya Hanashiro Headquarters: GEST25 Building, 3-21-18 Haruyoshi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture Website: https://www.early-cross.com/

Regarding Recruitment Early Cross is actively recruiting talent in anticipation of business expansion and the further adoption of corporate defined contribution (DC) plans. We will expand our support system with new colleagues at our Fukuoka headquarters and other locations, further enhancing our services for SMEs and partner professionals with a sense of speed. Please see the following for recruitment information: https://www.wantedly.com/companies/company_4329448

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: partnership