Shimane Prefecture and Unnan City Collaboration: Regional Revitalization Event Held at Meal-Included Student Apartment Introducing On-Site Internships to Tackle Local Challenges

JSB Corporation (headquartered in Kyoto, President & CEO: Takahiro Mori; hereinafter "the company"), which comprehensively plans, brokers, and manages student apartments nationwide under the UniLife brand, held a regional revitalization event in collaboration with Shimane Prefecture and Unnan City at the dining space of a meal-included student apartment operated by the company in Osaka City. The event introduced Unnan City's local charm and challenges, as well as programs targeting university students aimed at regional revitalization.

[Providing Unique Experiences and Opportunities for Challenge]

Unnan City, introduced by the company in partnership with Shimane Prefecture, is a region rich in natural beauty and historical heritage. At the same time, it faces challenges such as population decline and aging that are approximately 25 years ahead of the national average—earning it the label of a "pioneer in challenges." To transform into a "pioneer in solutions," the city is proactively leading regional revitalization initiatives nationwide.

Taking a leading role, Unnan City hosts the "Unnan Community Campus (U.C.C.)" project, which invites university students from across Japan to treat the region as a learning field. Through internships and fieldwork, students engage in tackling local issues and grow into problem-solving talents. The program offers approximately one month of internship-style professional and life experiences involving collaboration with local government, businesses, and residents, as well as a 1-night, 2-day experiential program allowing participants to experience the local reality firsthand.

This event was designed to allow resident students to hear directly from actual organizers and long-term interns, hoping to spark new perspectives and interests, and ultimately encourage them to visit Unnan and seize unique opportunities for experience and personal growth.

[Event Highlights]

Following last year's event in Kyoto, this was the second such event and the first in Osaka. It attracted overwhelming interest, with 25 participants—exceeding the capacity—from residents of neighboring JSB student apartments.

Participants included 19 first-year and 6 second-year university students. Most cited reasons for attending included "wanting to gain special experiences applicable to future job hunting" and "interest in regional revitalization," reflecting both the trend of early job-seeking and growing student interest in regional development.

The event began with icebreaker activities involving physical and mental engagement to warm up the atmosphere, followed by an introduction to Unnan City.

Participants learned that while Unnan City may be unfamiliar to many, it boasts beautiful landscapes where nature and history coexist, yet also faces significant challenges such as population decline and aging. To address these, the city aims to become a "pioneer in solutions" by creating new connections and opportunities. The presentation highlighted student internship programs, showcasing multidimensional challenges in collaboration with local enterprises and their outcomes. Former interns also shared their firsthand experiences.

Finally, participants individually declared their personal challenges for university life in a group workshop, sharing their commitments before concluding the first half of the event.

[Lunch Networking Session]

The second half featured a lunch networking session. Homemade dishes prepared by cafeteria staff using abundant ingredients from Shimane Prefecture were served. Soba, rice, and shijimi clams were generously provided by Shimane Prefecture. The mealtime was lively and engaging, with conversations flowing about the food, internship experiences, and personal aspirations.

[Set Meal Menu]

- Shijimi Soup (from Lake Shinji) - Uzume Rice - Izumo Soba and Shimane Beef BBQ - Seasonal Tempura

[Buffet Menu]

- Onigiri made with Nita Rice from Shimane Prefecture - Japanese sweets - Refills of Izumo Soba

[Participant Feedback]

"I want to visit Unnan City in person." "I also want to solve social issues through internships." "The food from Shimane was delicious." "It was great to bond with other residents."

[Event Overview]

Date: May 16, 2026 (Saturday), 11:00–13:10

Venue: Dining space at "Gakusei Kaikan Ruriecura Osaka Midorigaishi," a meal-included student apartment operated by the company

Participants: 25 residents (19 first-year, 6 second-year students) from JSB-operated student apartments

Staff from Osaka Office of Shimane Prefecture, Unnan City, and General Incorporated Association umi, along with JSB staff

[Schedule]

11:00 Opening remarks, event purpose explanation

Introduction to Unnan City's charm and challenges, Icebreaker (group work)

Introduction to umi and U.C.C.

University Life Challenge Declaration (group work)

12:15 Lunch Networking (dishes using ingredients from Shimane Prefecture)

13:00 Closing remarks, questionnaire collection

13:10 Event ends

Unnan City: https://www.city.unnan.shimane.jp/unnan/

General Incorporated Association umi (operating city-wide internships): https://umiumu.com/

[JSB Corporation]

Head Office: 655 Inabado-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

Founded: December 1976

Listed: Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime (Securities Code: 3480)

Representative: President & CEO Takahiro Mori

URL: https://www.jsb.co.jp/

National Student Apartment Search Site: https://unilife.co.jp/

Since its founding in 1976, the JSB Group has managed student apartments nationwide. It currently operates 85 "UniLife" rental brokerage stores from Hokkaido to Okinawa and managed 103,040 rooms as of April 2026. In recent years, the company has focused on providing furnished apartments with meals and initiatives supporting students' "learning and growth."