World Rugby Team 'Maori All Blacks' Visits Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City, Holds Exchange Programs with Residents and Academia

Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shun Ueda; hereinafter referred to as "Mitsui Fudosan") hosted a regional exchange program at Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City on June 28 (Sun.) and 29 (Mon.), welcoming six players from the Maori All Blacks who were visiting Japan to play against JAPAN XV. The theme of the program was "LAYERED INTO BLACK - Innovation is Born from Diversity."

The driving force behind the urban development envisioned for Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City is "co-creation." This deeply resonates with the Maori All Blacks' philosophy, which values trust among teammates, teamwork, and connections with culture and community. By creating opportunities for interaction between world-class athletes and local residents, this exchange program aimed to foster new vitality and a sense of unity in Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City, further driving innovation and creating a city where new ideas can flourish.

<Scenes from the Welcome Ceremony>

Players commented on the Haka performance by young rugby players: "It was very passionate and the best performance."

On June 28 (Sun.), a "Welcome Event" was held at Kashiwa-no-ha Gate Square Plaza to welcome the six Maori All Blacks players after their intense match against JAPAN XV. The event was attended by Kazumi Ota, Mayor of Kashiwa City, and Yu Yamamoto, General Manager of the Kashiwa-no-ha Town Development Department, Innovation Promotion Division, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. Approximately 400 people attended, including Kashiwa-no-ha residents and children from the Kashiwa Rugby School.

As a gesture of welcome, local young rugby players performed the traditional New Zealand Haka. Lachlan McWhannell commented on the children's energetic and powerful performance, saying, "It was very passionate and wonderful." Trian Barnes further praised it, stating, "It was the best Haka performance I've seen from young children."

In return, the Maori All Blacks players surprised everyone by performing their own Haka. The children and the audience were captivated by the spirited performance. Following this, children from the Kashiwa Rugby School presented a thousand origami cranes, wishing the Maori All Blacks success in their future endeavors and a speedy recovery for their teammate Cameron Suafoa, who is currently battling illness.

When asked about the most important factor for success as teammates, in line with the "co-creation" theme that drives Kashiwa-no-ha's urban development, a player shared, "Although we are usually spread across different teams, we are conscious that we are all Maori, that we are one family."

Kazumi Ota, Mayor of Kashiwa City, stated, "On behalf of the citizens, I wholeheartedly welcome you all to Kashiwa. Kashiwa is a host town with a professional rugby team, and it is a city where rugby thrives, with high schools that compete in national tournaments and hosting 15-a-side tournaments for girls' rugby. Although your time here is short, we hope you will enjoy interacting with our citizens and experience Kashiwa-no-ha to the fullest."

Yu Yamamoto, General Manager of the Kashiwa-no-ha Town Development Department, Innovation Promotion Division, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., commented, "We are deeply honored to experience the world's top-tier rugby culture. We hope this encounter will be a catalyst for the children's dreams and challenges. We will continue to create opportunities for people to connect with each other and with the city through the excitement and interaction that sports bring."

<Performance of "Kashiwa Haka" by local children> <Performance of "Haka" by Maori All Blacks players>

<Interaction between local children and Maori All Blacks players> <Interaction between local children and Maori All Blacks players>

Maori All Blacks Visit the University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus, Experience Cutting-Edge Research and Technology

On June 29 (Mon.), six Maori All Blacks players visited the University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus and participated in an experiential program to learn about cutting-edge research and technology being advanced at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences.

At the "Warizawa-Ban Laboratory," experiments were conducted using relaxation devices. By having the players experience the devices firsthand, changes were observed in their stress levels. During an exercise where they adjusted their breathing in sync with the movements of a cushion that expanded and contracted like a living organism, the players closed their eyes, appeared deeply relaxed, and seemed to be rejuvenated both mentally and physically.

At the "Shinoda-Makino Laboratory," a demonstration of cutting-edge haptic technology that reproduces the sensation of touch was presented. The players placed their hands into a device and experienced simulated sensations such as soft textures and the feel of raindrops. They were greatly surprised and enjoyed the novel experience as realistic tactile sensations of non-existent objects were transmitted to their palms.

<Players experiencing the program in the laboratory> <Players experiencing the program in the laboratory>

Cross-Cultural Exchange with Kashiwa-no-ha High School Students Through "Kashiwa-no-ha Quiz" and Calligraphy Experience

On June 29 (Mon.), six Maori All Blacks players visited Chiba Prefectural Kashiwa-no-ha High School and participated in a cross-cultural exchange program with the students. Eleven volunteer students took the lead in preparing for this event over several months. At the opening ceremony, students sang the New Zealand national anthem accompanied by the school's brass band. In return, the players also performed a song.

Following this, the players took on a "Kashiwa-no-ha Quiz" planned and produced by the students, focusing on the history and urban development of Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City. In the introductory part, the distance between New Zealand and Kashiwa-no-ha was humorously presented using the number of sheep in New Zealand as a comparison. The players appeared to be enjoying themselves throughout, learning about the city of Kashiwa-no-ha. The subsequent quiz section was met with great enthusiasm, with loud applause erupting from the players when correct answers were given.

Furthermore, a calligraphy experience was held as a program to experience Japanese traditional culture. The players, guided by students on how to use the brush and write characters, attempted to create a master copy on the theme of "The Path Connected by Green," inspired by Kashiwa City and Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City. Although they initially struggled with the feel of the brush, which they were using for the first time, they improved rapidly by focusing on the "tome" (stopping stroke), "hane" (flick stroke), and "harai" (sweeping stroke) as advised by the students. The players became engrossed, creating multiple pieces.

Finally, they were presented with seals carved with the characters "黒" (black), "闘" (fight), and "球" (ball), referencing the Maori All Blacks. The players lovingly admired their own creations after stamping them with the seals.

Leon Paul expressed his gratitude to the students who organized the welcome event and said, "I want to be able to write better next time," indicating his enjoyment of the calligraphy experience.

<Maori All Blacks players interacting with students from Kashiwa-no-ha High School> <Maori All Blacks players interacting with students from Kashiwa-no-ha High School>

<Maori All Blacks players experiencing calligraphy> <Maori All Blacks players experiencing calligraphy>

<Event Overview>

Welcome Event

Date and Time: Sunday, June 28, 2026, 15:45 - 16:10

Venue: Mitsui Garden Hotel Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa-no-ha Gate Square Plaza

(178-4 Wakashiba, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Block 148-2, Kashiwa-no-ha Campus)

Speakers: Kazumi Ota, Mayor of Kashiwa City

Yu Yamamoto, General Manager, Kashiwa-no-ha Town Development Department, Innovation Promotion Division, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Guests: Maori All Blacks players (6)

Organizer: Mitsui Fudosan

Visit to the University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus

Date and Time: June 29 (Mon.), 10:30 - 12:30

Venue: The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus (5-1-5 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture)

Guests: Maori All Blacks players (6)

Organizer: Mitsui Fudosan

Visit to Chiba Prefectural Kashiwa-no-ha High School

Date and Time: June 29 (Mon.), 16:00 - 18:00

Venue: Chiba Prefectural Kashiwa-no-ha High School (6-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture)

Guests: Maori All Blacks players (6)

Organizer: Mitsui Fudosan

Regarding the Partnership Agreement with New Zealand Rugby

In June 2024, Mitsui Fudosan entered into a partnership agreement with New Zealand Rugby (NZR), which oversees the New Zealand national rugby team "All Blacks," "Maori All Blacks," and "All Blacks XV." As a Regional Partner, Mitsui Fudosan will support NZR's activities in Japan until 2027, working with the All Blacks to transform communities and create "moving experiences" through sports. For details on the partnership agreement, please refer to the press release issued on June 10, 2024:

[Reference Release]

"Partnership Agreement Signed with New Zealand Rugby; Supporting the All Blacks as a Regional Partner" https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/corporate/news/2024/0610/

Mitsui Fudosan's Initiatives in "Urban Development Utilizing Sports and Entertainment"

Since 2016, Mitsui Fudosan has been engaged in various urban development projects incorporating elements of sports under the slogan "BE THE CHANGE." In its Group Long-Term Management Plan "& INNOVATION 2030," formulated in April 2024, the company has set forth "Expansion into New Asset Classes" as one of its business strategies. Mitsui Fudosan aims to further accelerate its "urban development utilizing sports and entertainment" initiatives and maximize real-world experiential value.

"BE THE CHANGE" means for each individual to become the change itself.

The "BE THE CHANGE" logo is designed with the motif of "wind" that changes the world.

The elements, divided into two colors of Mitsui Fudosan's corporate colors, symbolize "birds taking flight on the wind." The slogan was adopted with the belief that "If people change, the world changes."

About Mitsui Fudosan Group's Sustainability

Based on the philosophy of the "& mark" - "continuously challenging to create new value through coexistence, mutual existence, and co-creation" - the Mitsui Fudosan Group views "creation of social value" and "creation of economic value" as two wheels of a cart. The company believes that creating social value leads to the creation of economic value, which in turn enables the creation of even greater social value.

During the formulation of the new Group Management Philosophy in April 2024, the following six items were identified as "GROUP MATERIALITY (Issues to Focus On)": "1. Contribution to Industrial Competitiveness," "2. Coexistence with the Environment," "3. Health and Vitality," "4. Safety and Security," "5. Diversity & Inclusion," and "6. Compliance and Governance." The Group will address these materialities through its core business activities and contribute to sustainability.

[Reference]

- "Group Long-Term Management Plan" https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/corporate/innovation2030/

- "Group Materiality" https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/esg_csr/approach/materiality/