Realizing "a world where we can cherish loved ones forever" and spreading "kuyo" beyond mere forms throughout Japan.

Our company endorses April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is a dream of "Kato Co., Ltd."

**■ Graves are "the spiritual home," but the form of memorial services can be freer.** We, Kato Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yodogawa-ku, Osaka), have long connected the deceased and their bereaved families through the "grave" as a place. We believe that graves are "the spiritual home" where family bonds can be reaffirmed across time, and an unwavering centerpiece of memorial culture. However, at the same time, we also believe this: "The ways we cherish loved ones can be more diverse and freer." In our busy daily lives, it is rare for people to constantly think about graves or memorial services. The reality is that these have become extraordinary events, somewhere far off in our consciousness. Precisely because of this modern context, why not boldly broaden the definition of "kuyo"? For example, making a phone call to parents back home to report on recent events. Or visiting parents' home with family on their birthday and handing over a present. These are generally called "filial piety," but at their root is nothing other than "gratitude" to those who raised us and to our ancestors who passed on life. If "kuyo" is an act of expressing gratitude to the deceased, then "filial piety" is merely a shift of that object to living parents. Considering this, couldn't ordinary acts of filial piety also originate from similar feelings? The essence of kuyo resides not just in putting hands together in front of a grave, but in our living selves thinking of someone and cherishing ourselves. It is in these continuous daily activities. Looking up at the sky and remembering the deceased, cooking their favorite dish from when they were alive, or reporting our current worries and joys in our hearts. All of these are precious variations of kuyo.

**■ Through the media "Koukoukojitsu," we stand by each individual's "feelings."** While continuing to protect the grave as a place, we also disseminate diverse forms of kuyo and tips for filial piety through our media site **"Koukoukojitsu."** This media is a place to convey "the essence of kuyo" as envisioned by Kato. * **Inheritance of Tradition**: Correctly convey the meaning and etiquette of grave visits, and protect peace of mind. * **Affirmation of Diversity**: Propose ways to "deliver feelings" that are not bound by form and are adapted to modern lifestyles. * **Mental Care**: Deliver the message "it's okay to be yourself" to those who are struggling by seeking too much correctness in kuyo or filial piety, or who are trying to escape from sadness. We want to wholeheartedly support all "acts of cherishing loved ones" that stem from the tradition of "graves," which we value greatly.

**■ Our current initiatives to make dreams a reality** To realize our future dreams, we are currently starting various endeavors that go beyond the traditional framework of graves. **Learning and cherishing the preciousness of life: Life education kit "Mitodoke Nikki"** This is an observation diary jointly developed with students from Hosei University, designed to help children responsibly care for small lives such as insects and pets until the very end. While alive, they name them and rejoice in their growth, and after they pass away, they use the included kit to build a grave and offer prayers. Through this series of experiences, we are nurturing the essence of kuyo, "to cherish and not forget," in the hearts of the next generation. **Memorial spaces that resonate with sensibility: Wind Chime Memorial Festival and Candle Night** Changing the image of cemeteries from "dark and lonely places" to "places where feelings are colored." Through events held within the cemetery, such as the "Wind Chime Memorial Festival" where wishes are entrusted to colorful wind chimes, and "Candle Night" where the deceased are remembered with countless lights, we are transforming kuyo into a beautiful and warmly memorable experience. **Visualizing feelings for the deceased: Message Bird** Messages to the deceased resting in graves are written on paper shaped like small birds and hung on "Message Trees to Heaven" installed in rest areas of each cemetery. By expressing these feelings in writing, they will be released into the outside world and soar to heaven. **Fostering bonds through play: "Family Japan Tour Sugoroku"** This is a tool born from the media site "Koukoukojitsu," designed for three generations to talk about family history and memories through play. We believe that such daily communication forms a rich soil that will support future kuyo and filial piety.

**■ The landscape we aim for in 2030** Our dream is for the word "kuyo" to shed its connotations of "obligation" and "form," and transform into "the most creative and warm time of continuous dialogue with loved ones." We believe that in 2030, this landscape will unfold: **"Creative Kuyo" integrated into daily life** While cherishing the tradition of grave visits, people will also communicate with the deceased in their own way on other days. Opening the deceased's favorite wine on an anniversary, or trying out "new filial piety" ideas introduced in the media with family. Kuyo will not just be about following prescribed forms, but will become the world's warmest and freest form of expression, where each individual directs their love for someone. **Re-weaving "the story of life" across generations** It is because there is a sense of security that "our roots" (graves) are protected that children of the next generation can affirm their own connection to life. Through media, they will encounter the living proof and wisdom of their ancestors, and feel the "relay of life" continuing from the past to the future. What we aim for is a society where everyone can live facing forward, within a fundamental sense of solidarity that "I am not alone."

Kato does not just provide graves as objects. We walk alongside the story that continues from the past to the future through graves, and continue to explore and propose further forms of gratitude that expand from there. That is the future we envision: **"A world where we can cherish loved ones forever."**

**[About Kato Co., Ltd.]** With the vision of "a world where we can cherish loved ones forever," we are developing traditional businesses such as cemetery development and tombstone sales, alongside the dissemination of a new memorial culture through the media "Koukoukojitsu." Corporate Website: https://www.forever-kato.co.jp/ Koukoukojitsu (Media Site): https://koukoukojitsu.com/