Pass the Baton Conference 2026: Grand Exhibition on Regional Issues - Focus and Hints for Local Challenges, Held in Shinagawa

Kokuyo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka City / President: Hidenori Kuroda) and Smiles Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Meguro-ku, Tokyo, President: Wataru Nozaki) will jointly host "Pass the Baton Conference 2026," (*1) which connects regional issues to future value, for two days on September 16 (Wed.) and 17 (Thu.), 2026, at Kokuyo Tokyo Shinagawa Office "THE CAMPUS."

This conference is a learning platform for local government officials, private businesses, students, and experts to gather, collect information, share activities, and exchange opinions. Continuing from last year, under the theme "Grand Exhibition on Regional Issues - Focus and Hints for Local Challenges," we will highlight "problem setting (focus)" and "creative perspectives for approaches (hints)" regarding regional issues, introducing numerous advanced cases tackled by local governments, companies, organizations, and students through talk sessions and exhibitions.

This year, the conference will be held over two days. On the first day, September 16 (Wed.), the popular annual exhibition "Exhibition of Focus and Hints for Regions" will be unveiled. On September 17 (Thu.), in addition to the exhibition, a workshop "Kaidiet" to learn the Pass the Baton problem-setting process and talk sessions will be held.

This year's talk sessions will feature a dialogue between Daisuke Yamanaka, Representative Director of SHONAI Co., Ltd., which operates "SUISEI TERRACE" and other facilities in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, and our Representative Executive Officer and President, Hidenori Kuroda. Other speakers confirmed include Kazutaka Mori, a key figure in community development in Higashisonogi Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, and Yudai Oka of Staple Inc. How are regional issues perceived, and what approaches are being taken? Sessions will delve into initiatives centered on regions, covering diverse keywords from tourism and education to migration, community, and value creation.

(Details on other sessions currently under coordination will be released in early August.)

The workshop "Kaidiet," experimentally held at the 2025 conference, is planned to be held in an upgraded version themed around actual regional issues. View the exhibition, listen to talk sessions, think through the workshop, and network at the grand business card exchange – enjoy a day packed with focus and hints for regional challenges.

<Recommended for:>

- Those facing challenges with regional issues

- Those who want to confront regional issues and practice approaches for their resolution together

- Those who want to undertake projects related to their region

Pass the Baton Conference 2026 Website: https://conference.pass-the-baton.com/

*Detailed information for this year will be updated around early August.

1. Pass the Baton Conference 2026: Event Overview

Event Name: "Pass the Baton Conference 2026" Grand Exhibition on Regional Issues - Focus and Hints for Local Challenges

Date and Time: September 16, 2026 (Wed.) [Exhibition Only] 10:00 - 17:00 (Doors open/Registration starts 10:00 / Re-entry allowed)

September 17, 2026 (Thu.) [Exhibition & Lectures] 9:45 - 19:00 (Doors open/Registration starts 9:30 / Re-entry allowed)

Venue: Kokuyo Co., Ltd. Tokyo Shinagawa Office "THE CAMPUS"

Participation Fee:

September 16 (Wed.) [Exhibition Only] is free. For September 17 (Thu.) [Exhibition & Lectures], fees are as follows:

September 17 (Thu.) [Exhibition & Lectures]

General: ¥3,000 *Early Bird (by Aug 16 (Sun.)): ¥1,500

Students: ¥300

Local Government Officials, Public Corporation Staff, Chamber of Commerce Staff: Free participation

*Those who purchase a ticket for the 17th can also view the exhibition on the 16th.

Organizer: Pass the Baton (Smiles Co., Ltd. / Kokuyo Co., Ltd.)

Registration: https://bnyconference2026.peatix.com/

*Release of detailed information and application for the workshop "Kaidiet" are scheduled for early August.

2. Highlights of Pass the Baton Conference 2026

(1) 2026 Talk Session Speakers Announced One After Another!

This year's talk sessions will feature Daisuke Yamanaka, Representative Director of SHONAI Co., Ltd., who operates "SUISEI TERRACE" in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, and is working to enhance regional capabilities based on business development centered on tourism, agriculture, human resources, and education. A session with our Representative Executive Officer and President, Hidenori Kuroda, will be realized.

In addition, Kazutaka Mori, a key figure in community development in Higashisonogi Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, will also speak. He will share his thoughts and specific processes behind achieving the remarkable figures of 66 startups and 500 new residents in a town of 8,000 people over 10 years, as well as the challenges overcome and future prospects.

Furthermore, Yudai Oka of Staple Inc., who transforms the uniqueness of regions into assets, will also be speaking. He will explore the role of a "soft developer" who finds and nurtures new business sprouts from culture, industry backgrounds, townscapes, and people's connections.

[Session List] *Detailed session themes etc. will be released in early August.

13:00 - 13:50 Opening Session (Coming Soon)

14:00 - 14:45 Talk Session 1

Speaker: Daisuke Yamanaka, Representative Director, SHONAI Co., Ltd. / Hidenori Kuroda, Representative Executive Officer and President, Kokuyo Co., Ltd.

Moderator: Kan Mochizuki, Kokuyo Co., Ltd.

15:00 - 15:45 Talk Session 2

Speaker: Kazutaka Mori, Representative Director, Hibi Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.

Moderator: Monami Minoe, Smiles Co., Ltd.

16:20 - 17:05 Talk Session 3

Speaker: Yudai Oka, Representative Director, Staple Inc.

Moderator: Yosuke Miura, Kokuyo Co., Ltd.

(2) Exhibition and Workshop Content

1 Exhibition of Focus and Hints for Regions

We will showcase cases from all over Japan that uniquely solve regional issues and unravel the secrets to their success. Focusing on problem setting (focus) for regional issues and perspectives (hints) for approaching them, we will introduce 50 carefully selected cases from across the country through panels and other displays.

2 Workshop "Kaidiet <Local Government Collaboration Edition>" (Free, Pre-registration required)

This workshop trains "problem-setting ability," which Pass the Baton emphasizes in regional revitalization activities. Using advanced cases of regional revitalization, participants will hone their problem-setting skills from the perspectives of "focus" and "hints," correctly grasp regional issues, and connect them to solution ideas.

This year's Kaidiet features collaboration with local governments. The workshop will use actual problems currently faced by municipalities as themes. Collaborating municipalities and specific themes will be announced in early August.

*Kaidiet is scheduled to be held in two sessions on Thu, Sep 17: 9:45 - 11:00 and 11:15 - 12:30. Detailed information release and application start are scheduled for early August.

3 Grand Business Card Exchange

An networking event where local governments, regional businesses, companies, and students gather on equal footing to connect as peers facing regional challenges. Light refreshments will be provided.

3. Scenes from Last Year's "Pass the Baton Conference 2025"

Event Report: https://yokoku.pass-the-baton.com/magazine/conference/pass-the-baton-conference-2025-report/

Talk Session Venue

Exhibition of Focus and Hints for Regions

Workshop "Kaidiet"

Grand Business Card Exchange

[Reference]

- Smiles Co., Ltd.

Smiles Co., Ltd. is a company that engages in [real business and production/consulting]. Starting with the soup specialty store "Soup Stock Tokyo," the company has developed businesses that propose new ways of living, such as the tie specialty store "giraffe" and "PASS THE BATON," without being bound by conventional ideas or industry frameworks. In recent years, as a value consulting and production firm "Smiles: PROJECT & COMPANY," it has utilized its own practical knowledge to provide all functions from business development to design, PR, operational coordination, space design, and web construction, creating "value that didn't exist" by leveraging unique experiences and sensibilities.

Consultations from local governments and chambers of commerce are increasing, and the company is also undertaking projects that shed light on and disseminate latent values and cultures in regions, utilizing the platform of its "PASS THE BATON MARKET."

Smiles Official Website: http://www.smiles.co.jp/

Smiles Creative Archives: https://creative.smiles.co.jp/

[Supplement]

(*1) Pass the Baton (https://yokoku.pass-the-baton.com/) is a unit launched by an alliance between PASS THE BATON and Kokuyo, aiming for creative solutions to regional issues.

*Information contained herein is current as of the date of announcement. It is subject to change without notice. Please be forewarned.

*Company names, service names, and product names mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.