21 New Employees Join to Carry the Future of KAI, Continuing New Challenges in its 118th Year: 2026 KAI Group New Graduate Entrance Ceremony Held

Global cutlery manufacturer KAI Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & COO: Hiroaki Endo) and KAI Industries Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Seki City, Gifu) held the 2026 "KAI Group Entrance Ceremony" on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the employee hall of KAI Industries Co., Ltd. Koyana Headquarters, welcoming 21 new graduates.

Entering its 118th Year, 21 New Employees Carry KAI's Future At this year's entrance ceremony, President & COO Endo, alongside the Chairman and Vice Presidents, was in attendance. Addressing the new employees, Endo offered his congratulations: "As you begin working as part of the KAI family, I want you to cherish three key attitudes: sincerity, humility, and gratitude with respect. In addition to these, please maintain a forward-looking attitude, always standing at the cutting edge of the times to carve out the future." He thus conveyed the essential mindset expected of the KAI family.

Following this, Shunpei Nakanishi from the comprehensive track spoke on behalf of the new employees, powerfully declaring their words of oath. For the words of welcome, Yamato Maehara, a senior employee in his second year from the Blade Technology Department of the Production & Procurement Division, took the stage to offer advice and words of encouragement based on his own experiences.

Furthermore, as a welcome gift to the new employees, executives presented kitchen knives engraved with each individual's name and their month of joining on the blade, imbued with the hope that they will "carve out the future with cutlery." This conveyed gratitude for their joining and expectations for their future success.

Moving forward, the KAI Group, together with these 21 new employees, will continue to aim for the further development of the company.

Overview of the Entrance Ceremony Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 10:00 AM Venue: KAI Industries Co., Ltd. Koyana Headquarters, Employee Hall New Employees: 21 (12 comprehensive roles, 8 manufacturing/technical roles, 1 specific employment role)

Scenes from the Entrance Ceremony [Image: President & COO Hiroaki Endo giving his speech] ■ President's Speech Since our founding, we at the KAI Group have cherished the spirit of the 'Nokaji' (field blacksmith). Seki, which flourished as a production center for Japanese swords since the Kamakura period, was home to many swordsmiths. However, as times changed through the Sengoku and Edo periods, and entering the Meiji era with the decree banning the wearing of swords, these swordsmiths transitioned from making Japanese swords to becoming field blacksmiths who crafted everyday cutlery and lifestyle tools. It is said that these field blacksmiths made cutlery tailored to the physical stature and habits of the users. The spirit of the Nokaji is to stay close to each individual user, sincerely listen to their voices, and apply this to manufacturing. The KAI Group offers product services in various forms, with over 10,000 items, and at the foundation of all of them lies this Nokaji spirit.