Onward Group Holds "2026 Summer Countermeasure Media Briefing" on May 26 (Tuesday)

Onward Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Michinori Hobamoto) held a "2026 Summer Countermeasure Media Briefing" on Tuesday, May 26.

On the day, the company announced the group companies' initiatives for this summer and presented unique consumer survey data regarding the shift to two seasons and extreme heat.

(From left) Koichi Suzuki, General Manager of Marketing and PR Department, Chacott Co., Ltd.; Keiko Yamazaki, Executive Officer of Corporate Communications Office, Onward Holdings Co., Ltd.; Ritsuko Miyajima, Section Chief of Planning Department, Marketing Sales Promotion Section, Creative Yoko Co., Ltd.

The prolonged and severe summers have become a societal issue, with the Japan Meteorological Agency officially defining days with temperatures of 40°C or higher as "Extreme Heat Days" in April 2026. Onward's "Consumer Awareness Survey on Two-Season and Extreme Heat Phenomena," conducted among 616 men and women nationwide, found that approximately 70% of respondents prioritize "daily temperature and weather" over "seasonality" when choosing clothing for going out.

In response to these environmental changes, Onward Kashiyama, the core of the group's fashion business, has been promoting MD reforms with "two seasons" and "seasonless" as keywords since 2025. For Summer 2026, they will strengthen two axes: "functionality" and "items." In terms of functionality, they will expand "absolute summer functions" such as heat shielding, cooling, and UV protection more than last year. In terms of items, they will develop products based on the reversed concept of "protecting the skin from UV rays" rather than "exposing the skin."

Furthermore, Chacott Co., Ltd. is strengthening its "Cool Series" of cosmetics, which offer three functions: UV protection, cooling sensation, and makeup longevity. New products will be added on June 12, bringing the total to five items.

Creative Yoko Co., Ltd., which handles pet products, will offer the "Cool Navi" series, specializing in heat countermeasures for pets, whose body temperature is said to be 5°C higher than humans, along with guidance supervised by veterinarians.

Cosmetics product booth
Pet product booth

Onward Group will accelerate value creation as a "Lifestyle Culture Creation Company" that caters to the diverse lives of consumers by responding to extreme heat across fashion, cosmetics, and pet products as a unified group.

■Overview of Onward Holdings Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1927 as "Kashiyama Shoten," the company promotes businesses domestically and internationally in three areas: fashion, wellness, and corporate design. While leveraging the expertise of each group company, they strive to create diverse value for consumers.

Under the mission statement "Bringing moisture and color to people and the planet (Hoshi)," they continue to advance as a "Lifestyle Culture Creation Company" that contributes to creating a "moist and colorful" life in symbiosis with the earth, through "customer-centric management that leverages the diverse individuality of employees."

Representative: Michinori Hobamoto, President and Representative Director
Headquarters: Onward Park Building, 3-10-5 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8239
URL: https://www.onward-hd.co.jp/