IBJ Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenjiro Tsuchiya; TSE Prime: 6071, hereinafter "IBJ"), which boasts the largest number of marriage hunting members and successful matches nationwide*1, announced that Hokuyo Bank, Ltd. (Director and President: Hirotsune Tsuyama; TSE Prime: 8524, hereinafter "Hokuyo Bank") has joined the IBJ network and will commence a pilot program for its marriage counseling service, "Hokuyo Bank Marriage Counseling plus-H," on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

This initiative marks the second instance nationwide, following Yamanashi Chuo Bank, of a bank directly joining a marriage counseling alliance. By combining the trust and strong foundation Hokuyo Bank has built in Hokkaido with IBJ's largest marriage hunting platform in Japan*1, we aim to foster a tangible expansion of successful matches within the local community.

Hokuyo Bank Enters New Life Support Business, Looking Towards Hokkaido's Future

Background of the Pilot Program to Combat Population Decline

Population decline due to declining birth rates and an increasing number of unmarried individuals is an extremely serious challenge in Hokkaido.

- Hokkaido's population is approximately 4.98 million, falling below 5 million for the first time in about 70 years*2 - Compared to the previous survey (2020), both the number and rate of decrease are the largest on record*2 - Even in Sapporo City, the population has begun to decline for the first time since the start of the National Census*3

Amidst this historic turning point, Hokuyo Bank is launching a pilot program to explore the potential of new life support services to contribute to the sustainable development of the local community. Initially, the program will target the bank's employees, with plans to gradually expand the scope to include employees of client companies.

*2 Source: Hokkaido "Preliminary Report of the 2025 National Census: Population and Households in Hokkaido" *3 Source: Sapporo City "Outline of Preliminary Aggregated Results from the 2025 National Census"

Marriage Hunting Support Based on "Trust" and "Security" Provided by the Bank Itself

This service will be offered based on the "trust" and "security" that Hokuyo Bank has cultivated within the local community. During the pilot program, scheduled for two years, we will comprehensively evaluate user needs, service satisfaction, operational efficiency, and profitability to determine the feasibility of the business.

Subsequently, we aim to transition to full-scale operation by establishing a "Company for Advanced Banking Operations*4" in the future, leveraging the bank's expertise and infrastructure to promote regional economic revitalization.

*4 A subsidiary established under the Banking Act, enabling flexible expansion into non-financial businesses such as IT utilization and regional revitalization.

IBJ Network Expands within Hokkaido

The newly launched "Hokuyo Bank Marriage Counseling plus-H" will offer services such as introductions to potential partners for marriage and partner searches using dedicated apps, as well as dedicated counselor support from initial meetings to successful matches. For this project, IBJ's systems and know-how will be utilized. Building on Hokuyo Bank's long-established corporate network, and by gradually expanding this as part of employee benefits for client companies, IBJ's member base within Hokkaido is expected to further expand, leading to enhanced localized marriage hunting support.

From Collaboration with Regional Banks to a New Stage: Direct Entry by the Bank "Itself"

Starting with a partnership with Nagoya Bank in 2018, IBJ has since collaborated with 17 regional banks nationwide to offer marriage hunting support. Amidst declining marriage and birth rates, we view marriage as an essential infrastructure supporting the future of the region and are expanding our activities with the philosophy that "marriage hunting support leads to regional revitalization."

Previous initiatives with financial institutions primarily involved "business partnerships" such as customer referrals. However, the move by banks like Yamanashi Chuo Bank and now Hokuyo Bank to directly join and offer services marks a new stage for community-based marriage hunting support. IBJ will continue to collaborate closely with regional banks, the economic backbone of their respective areas, and contribute to regional revitalization through effective marriage hunting support.

Comment from IBJ Representative

Hokuyo Bank's initiative to directly engage in marriage support, with a future vision of extending this support to client companies, is an extremely effective approach to safeguarding regional sustainability. To ensure the success of this powerful "regional bank model," the second of its kind nationwide, we will provide our platform and matchmaking expertise to create a cycle of connections in Hokkaido.

Tomoyasu Tanaka Manager, Sales Department 1 (Hokkaido Area Representative) IBJ Inc.

Hokuyo Bank, Ltd.

The Hokuyo Bank Group strives to contribute to the sustainable development of all stakeholders, the local community, and the environment that support the group, as well as to enhance the group's mid-to-long-term corporate value and achieve sustainable management through corporate activities based on its "Management Philosophy" and "Code of Conduct."

Location: 3-7 Odori Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido Representative: Director and President Hirotsune Tsuyama Official Website: https://www.hokuyobank.co.jp/

IBJ Inc.

With total support that goes beyond simple matching, we create the largest number of successful matches (i.e., engagements) in Japan*1. By combining personalized support, which only humans can provide, with IT, we offer services based on our unique marriage counseling network. Our business domain is expanding to life design support, looking beyond marriage as the goal to "happy lives" thereafter.

Driven by our unchanging philosophy since our founding, "To bring happiness to all those with whom we connect," we aim to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by creating a cycle of happiness that begins with marriage, thereby addressing Japan's serious issue of population decline. Head Office: 12F & 17F, Shinjuku First West, 1-23-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Representative: President and CEO Kenjiro Tsuchiya Official Website: https://www.ibjapan.jp/

*1 Survey by Japan Marketing Research Organization (Number of successful matches: cumulative 2024; Number of members: as of the end of December 2024; Market research in designated areas for the fiscal period ending February 2025) *Number of successful matches: Number of successful matches within the IBJ network.

[Contact for Media Inquiries Regarding This Matter]

IBJ Inc. Public Relations Department MAIL: pr@ibjapan.jp

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: 事業開始