People Co., Ltd. Selected for METI's "20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering a New World" Initiative

People Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo City, Tokyo | Director and Representative Executive Officer: Madochi Hitoshi | TSE Standard 7865), a manufacturer of infant and toddler toys, has been selected for the "20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering a New World" initiative, organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to promote the revitalization of Japan's toy industry.

About the "20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering a New World"

The "20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering a New World" is part of METI's initiatives under "Toy Compass," a new strategic guideline aimed at revitalizing Japan's toy industry. Companies are selected based on outstanding technological capabilities and product development strengths, as well as initiatives evaluated across three key areas: 1 global expansion, 2 attracting diverse fan bases, and 3 strengthening consumer touchpoints.

People Co., Ltd. was recognized for its "Workshop for Experiencing Babies," an initiative that embodies the company's approach to product development and shares this perspective with consumers, aligning directly with the goal of strengthening consumer engagement.

From left to right at the certificate presentation ceremony: Mr. Ibuki Hideaki, Director General of METI; Mr. Madochi, Representative of People Co., Ltd.; and Professor Meiwara Masako, Kyoto University Graduate School, Chair of the Selection Committee.

[Reference Information]

METI Website – "20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering a New World" introduction page:

https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/mono/seikatsuseihin/nichiyo/gangu20sen/index.html

People's strengths and key evaluation points in the selection

The selection acknowledged our company's efforts in product development and unique initiatives to engage consumers.

Technology that captures children's curiosity in toys

Since launching our toy business in 1982, People Co., Ltd. has spent over 40 years developing toys rooted in "children's curiosity."

Even newborn babies experience countless moments of curiosity every day. Our strength lies in observing and identifying these nascent, often unspoken desires of children to "try doing" something, and then creating toys that elicit corresponding actions and responses.

While dedicating time to closely observe real babies and children may seem inefficient, we believe that only through such deep engagement can we truly capture the rich individuality, behaviors, reactions, and their changes in young children.

By deliberately investing time, personnel, and cost into thorough observation and repeated experimentation...

Our products, born from this process, are naturally embraced by children across cultural, linguistic, and national boundaries.

Examining product colors considering a baby's field of vision Our long-selling product "Namerare Tarou Roku-daime" (6th Generation)

Sharing People's "Observational Perspective" through the "Workshop for Experiencing Babies"

At People, we extend value creation beyond the "purchasing experience" of toys, striving to share with consumers our very perspective of researching and observing infant curiosity.

A flagship initiative in this effort is the "Workshop for Experiencing Babies," run by our company employees.

This workshop is designed to allow participants to personally observe and experience babies' behaviors and reactions, enabling them to intuitively understand the research and development perspectives we apply daily.

In today's information-saturated society where social media often leads parents to seek external validation on child-rearing, the workshop emphasizes the importance of observing a child's curiosity firsthand together with our staff.

Participants have shared feedback such as gaining deeper understanding of their baby's behaviors, feeling reassured, and finding parenting more enjoyable. To date, a total of 555 parent-child pairs (※) have participated in the workshops.

Through these workshops, by conveying the joy inherent in children's curiosity and in discovering and analyzing it, consumers evolve from mere toy users into empathetic and understanding partners in "curiosity research," fostering continuous and profound relationships.

Workshop scene A baby showing curiosity toward light reflection

Moving forward, we aim to continue sparking and nurturing children's curiosity through toys, highlighting the value of each child's individuality and proposing new ways of value creation that transcend mere efficiency, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of society as a whole.

Company Overview: People Co., Ltd.

Driven by our purpose "to create moments when children's curiosity bursts forth," we plan, develop, and sell products and services centered on toys.

[Company Information]

Company name: People Co., Ltd.

Representative: Director and Representative Executive Officer, Madochi Hitoshi

Founded: February 1982 (toy business launch)

Capital: 238.8 million yen

Employees: 40

Headquarters: VORT Higashi-Nihonbashi, 2-15-5 Higashi-Nihonbashi, Chuo City, Tokyo

Company website: https://www.people-kk.co.jp/

TSE Standard: Securities Code 7865