Otonal Welcomes FM BIRD to its Group, Strengthening Voice Business

Otonal Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Taisuke Yagi; hereinafter "Otonal") has acquired shares of FM BIRD Inc. (Headquarters: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Makiko Nagakura Staff; hereinafter "FM BIRD"), a company strong in radio DJ and narrator management and audio content production, welcoming it as a group company.

Background and Outlook of this Initiative In the domestic digital audio advertising (voice advertising) market, Otonal has been a market leader, developing unique audio solutions and strategic advertising planning.

With FM BIRD, which has extensive experience in radio DJ and narrator management and audio content production, joining the group, Otonal will integrate FM BIRD's long-cultivated professional talent management expertise and advanced creative capabilities in broadcast program and commercial production with Otonal's digital audio media knowledge and marketing application skills.

Through this partnership, which combines the strengths of both companies, we will expand the opportunities for our affiliated talents, create higher quality audio content, and contribute to the further development of the domestic audio market.

Even after joining the group, Makiko Nagakura Staff, Representative of FM BIRD, will continue to serve as its President and Representative Director. Additionally, Taisuke Yagi and Yoichiro Morioka from Otonal Inc. will be appointed as directors. Building on their past experience and trust, while respecting FM BIRD's specialization, both companies will work together to expand business and continue talent management operations.

Messages from Each Representative

### Taisuke Yagi, Representative Director, Otonal Inc. I am deeply honored to welcome FM BIRD, a company with outstanding achievements in the radio industry, as a new partner to the Otonal Group in the continuously growing voice market both domestically and internationally.

As a pioneer in Japanese radio DJ agencies, FM BIRD has for many years produced numerous "voice" professionals who resonate with listeners' hearts. I am confident that their unparalleled management capabilities, the depth of their bilingual narrators who can handle multiple languages and cultures, and their reliable production skills honed through years of broadcasting experience are significant strengths unique to the company.

Through this integration, we will create deep communication experiences and content unique to voice, transcending the mere transmission of information in the AI era.

Otonal, together with FM BIRD, is committed to pursuing the "value" that "audio" and "human voice" possess, and to accelerating the further development of the digital audio market at an even faster pace.

### Makiko Nagakura Staff, President and Representative Director, FM BIRD Inc. I feel it is profoundly meaningful and reassuring to be able to collaborate with Otonal, which continues to undertake advanced initiatives in the audio content domain.

FM BIRD has, until now, focused on the intrinsic value of "voice" – that is, "the power to convey human emotions and intentions and foster relationships" – in nurturing talent and engaging with the field of voice expression. We recognize that this accumulation is not merely a technique but a culture to be inherited.

Under this new structure, we will combine Otonal's expertise, technology, and marketing capabilities in the digital domain with our cultivated expressive power rooted in "human voice" to further enhance the value of audio content.

In particular, we consider it an important mission to leverage the individuality and expertise of each affiliated talent within a broader social context and to continuously create opportunities for their success.

Building on our past achievements, we will continue to expand the possibilities of "voice" as a medium. Moving forward, by combining the strengths of both companies, we will earnestly strive to create new value through audio and develop the culture of language.

**【Otonal Inc.】** Representative Director: Taisuke Yagi URL: https://otonal.co.jp/ Location: Wind Irifune Bldg. 5F, 3-7-7 Irifune, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Business Description: Sales of digital audio advertising (voice advertising), implementation of ad technology for audio publishers, data development support, advertising production for audio content, and audio content distribution support business.

**【FM BIRD Inc.】** President and Representative Director: Makiko Nagakura Staff URL: https://www.fmbird.jp/ Location: 1-1-26-326 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Business Description: Entertainment and talent management, broadcast program production, commercial planning, advertising agency services, translation/interpretation and foreign language MC dispatch, various event/seminar production and operation, book publishing planning, music publishing business.

**〈Contact for this matter〉** Otonal Inc. Contact Information https://otonal.co.jp/contact