88 Preschools, 980 Five-Year-Olds Join HITOWA Kids Life as 'New Employees'! Early Childhood Career Education 'Children's Business Department' Expanding to All Preschools from FY2026

HITOWA Kids Life Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Toshihito Yoshioka; hereinafter 'HITOWA Kids Life'), a subsidiary of the HITOWA Group providing comprehensive life support services, held the 'FY2026 Children's Business Department Induction Ceremony' online on Thursday, April 16, 2026, for 5-year-old classes at its operated preschools. This year, 980 preschoolers from 88 preschools participated and were appointed as new employees of the 'Children's Business Department'. ■ Background HITOWA Kids Life operates 112 childcare support facilities* (preschools, child development support centers, after-school care, etc.), primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area. In 2020, the company introduced the 'Children's Business Department' as an early childhood career education initiative. While previously conducted as a model project in limited preschools, based on the concept of 'a children's business department, by children, for children, connecting to the future,' it will be rolled out to all preschools starting in FY2026, marking the occasion with this induction ceremony. *As of September 30, 2025 ■ What is the 'Children's Business Department'? The 'Children's Business Department' is HITOWA Kids Life's unique educational program where children proactively think about and act on 'how to make our preschool and community better'. Treating the preschool as a branch office and the children as 'employees', they tackle necessary tasks within the preschool and consider what they can do for the community, carrying out unique daily initiatives. The children themselves discuss and decide what jobs to do in the department. Through discussion and collaboration with classmates and teachers, they acquire 'communication skills' and 'cooperativeness'. By reporting their activities to many people, including adults, and becoming role models for younger children, they build self-confidence and enhance their 'independence'. ■ FY2026 Induction Ceremony Overview Date & Time: Thursday, April 16, 2026, 10:00–10:30 Format: Online broadcast via Zoom Participants: Preschools operating the Children's Business Department (excluding sick child care and after-school care. 88 preschools participated on the day.) 1. 10:00–10:05 Opening remarks 2. 10:05–10:10 Congratulatory address by President Toshihito Yoshioka 3. 10:10–10:15 Presentation of appointment certificates 4. 10:15–10:20 Congratulatory address by EDO Sanae Harazono (*Education Development Officer) 5. 10:20–10:25 Children's declaration and commemorative photo 6. 10:25–10:30 Closing remarks ■ Scenes from the Ceremony The online ceremony was attended by 980 five-year-olds from 88 facilities. [Congratulatory Address by President Toshihito Yoshioka] Congratulations on joining the company. Starting today, you are all employees of the 'Children's Business Department', a team dedicated to making this preschool better. An employee is someone who works to make everyone smile. Your job in the Children's Business Department is to find and try things that will make everyone in the preschool and the town happy. I want you to use what you like and what you are good at to become heroes who help everyone. Let's work together to create a preschool where everyone can spend their time with a smile. [Presentation of Appointment Certificates] President Yoshioka read the appointment certificate through the screen, and the directors and staff in charge at each preschool handed the certificates to each child individually. [Recitation of the Children's Declaration] All 980 children recited the 'Children's Declaration', promising what they will value in the activities of the Children's Business Department. [Congratulatory Address by EDO Sanae Harazono] From today, you are all employees. Right now, there are '88 preschools and 980 friends' who have become employees of HITOWA Kids Life today. I look forward to seeing all 980 of you do wonderful work together. Besides your friends at the preschool, you also have many friends across the whole company. I look forward to working with you for the next year. ■ HITOWA Kids Life's Goal: 'Fostering Children to Lead the Next Generation' The new employees of the Children's Business Department plan to tackle various projects in their respective preschools over the next year, such as town cleaning activities, planning preschool events, and interacting with local residents. Through this program, HITOWA Kids Life will support giving shape to children's desire to 'try things out' and contribute to fostering the children who will lead the next generation. ■ HITOWA Kids Life Co., Ltd. Overview Location: Shinagawa Intercity Tower C, 2-15-3 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-6215