A Community-Fed Meal Initiative: Conducting a Pilot Program for "JRE Children's Cafeteria"

〇 East Japan Railway Company (hereinafter "JR East") and Gigi Inc. (hereinafter "Gigi"), an awardee of the "12th JR East Startup Program," will jointly conduct a pilot program for the "JRE Children's Cafeteria" at Chapo Ichikawa, Chapo Moto-Yawata, Fukushima Station West Exit Power City Pivot, and Espal Fukushima, together with JR East Urban Development Corporation, JR East Tohoku General Service Co., Ltd., Sendai Terminal Building Co., Ltd., and JR East Startup Corporation.

〇 "JRE Children's Cafeteria" is the collective name for children's cafeteria initiatives operated by the JR East Group. In this initiative at station-based commercial facilities, digital meal tickets will be distributed using the "Kodomo Gochimeshi" service provided by Gigi, funded by points donated by JRE POINT members. Through this system, meals will be delivered to children in local communities from restaurants within the station premises. This marks the second pilot implementation following last winter's trial, aiming to verify and improve the model toward building a sustainable framework.

〇 This initiative is part of JR East's "HAPPY CHILD PROJECT," aiming to support children by providing monitored community spaces and enriching mealtime experiences through food, while promoting child-rearing support in collaboration with local communities.

1. Overview of the "JRE Children's Cafeteria" Pilot Program at Station Commercial Facilities

Digital meal tickets, issued through Gigi's "Kodomo Gochimeshi" system funded by points donated from JRE POINT members, will allow local children to enjoy meals at designated restaurants within station commercial facilities.

(1) Implementation Period: August 3 (Mon), 2026 – August 31 (Mon), 2026 (planned)

(2) Locations: 1 Greater Tokyo Area: Chapo Ichikawa / Chapo Moto-Yawata

2 Fukushima Area: Fukushima Station West Exit Power City Pivot / Espal Fukushima

(3) Participating Stores: Designated stores within the above commercial facilities, for dine-in and takeout

(4) Eligibility: Children in junior high school or below residing in 1 Ichikawa City or 2 Fukushima City. (Note: Meal costs for accompanying adults are not covered.)

(5) Offerings: Digital meal tickets (1,000 yen per child per use) * Registration with "Kodomo Gochimeshi" is required to use the service. Tickets can be used for transactions of 1,000 yen or more. There is a limit on the number of uses per person during the period, with priority access mechanisms in place for families in greater need of support.

* Station and commercial facility staff (from left: Ichikawa Station, Moto-Yawata Station, Fukushima Station)

2. About the JRE POINT Donation Program

Starting today, donations of JRE POINTs to the "JRE Children's Cafeteria" can be made via the product exchange page on the JRE POINT website.

All donated points will be fully allocated to children's meals through Gigi's "GOCHI Platform." The program aims to verify the effectiveness and sustainability of the system within the everyday commuter pathways of station-connected commercial facilities.

Donation URL: https://www.jrepoint.jp/item/26000173/

Donation Period: June 29 (Mon), 2026 – July 28 (Tue), 2026 (planned)

* This initiative is funded by donations from JRE POINT members as well as contributions from JR East.

3. Mechanism of the Station-Based Commercial Facility Children's Cafeteria

Points donated by JRE POINT members are converted into digital meal tickets via Gigi's "GOCHI Platform." Children registered with "Kodomo Gochimeshi" can present their digital meal tickets at checkout after dining at designated stores within the commercial facilities.

[Concept Diagram of the System]

* The image above is for illustration only. * Registration with "Kodomo Gochimeshi" is required to use the service. * Parents or guardians must verify the child's identity via a dedicated website. Please allow approximately seven days from verification to service activation. * "Kodomo Gochimeshi" is a service that turns local restaurants into "children's cafeterias," allowing children to visit at their preferred time and day. (For details, see [Reference].)

4. Future Vision for "JRE Children's Cafeteria"

"JRE Children's Cafeteria" is the umbrella name for children's cafeteria initiatives by the JR East Group. To increase public awareness, a newly designed visual identity representing the JRE Children's Cafeteria initiative will be gradually rolled out.

This station-based commercial facility initiative follows the earlier pilot at "Beans Musashi-Chūhara" as the second phase. Building on past achievements, JR East aims to establish a community co-creation model through continuous expansion and strengthened collaboration with local communities.

The JR East Group and Gigi will continue expanding initiatives that leverage station hubs and local community connections to help create a society more supportive of child-rearing.

[Reference]

JR East Group "HAPPY CHILD PROJECT"

The JR East Group aims to support work-life balance and contribute to local communities by developing childcare support facilities such as daycare centers and hosting family-friendly events along its railway lines, primarily in the Greater Tokyo Area. Moving forward, the Group will continue addressing diverse child-rearing needs and strive to create railway communities where everyone can live comfortably.

URL: https://www.jreast.co.jp/kosodate/

JRE POINT

"JRE POINT" is JR East Group's unified loyalty program that allows users to earn and redeem points across various daily scenarios by linking services such as Mobile Suica, Ekinet, and View Card.

URL: https://www.jrepoint.jp/

JRE POINT members can donate their accumulated points via the product exchange page on the JRE POINT website.

Product Exchange Page URL: https://www.jrepoint.jp/item/list/

JR East Startup Program

This program invites business and service proposals from startups and innovators that utilize JR East's operational resources and data assets related to stations, railways, and group businesses, refining and realizing selected ideas. First launched in 2017, the program has selected 149 proposals to date. The 2026 Spring Program is currently closed for applications, and selection is underway. The program received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 1st Japan Open Innovation Award 2018 hosted by the Cabinet Office, and the Minister of the Environment Award at the 3rd edition in 2020.

URL: https://jrestartup.co.jp/program/

Gigi Inc.

Gigi Inc. operates under the philosophy of "Your Happiness is My Happiness" and provides the "GOCHI Platform," which issues pay-it-forward-style digital meal tickets. Through services like "Kodomo Gochimeshi" and "Syokudō Gochimeshi," Gigi aims to create a kind and sustainable system connecting people, restaurants, and communities, fostering a new social value where goodwill circulates throughout society.

URL: https://www.gigi.tokyo/

◾️ About "Kodomo Gochimeshi"

"Kodomo Gochimeshi" transforms local restaurants into "children's cafeterias" to deliver meals to children from families in need. By connecting donors, restaurants, and children through digital tickets, the program addresses longstanding challenges faced by traditional children's cafeterias—such as lack of volunteers, irregular operating schedules, and funding shortages—creating a sustainable, mutually beneficial "triple-win" model that is easy for all parties—local restaurants, children, and donors—to maintain.

URL: https://kodomo-gochimeshi.org/