JR Shikoku Relationship Fund
The 'Shikoku Relationship Fund,' wholly owned by JR Shikoku and operated by JPE, has formed a capital alliance with Kagawa's historic Japanese sweets maker, Yumekabo Takara.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 17:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 08:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 14:40 (102h 8m after Collected)
- Capital alliance with a fund operated by Japan Private Equity Co., Ltd. and wholly owned by JR Shikoku
- Acquiring shares through "J Marche", which forms an alliance in the Shikoku sweets industry
- Aiming for further growth through business collaboration with JR Shikoku and transition to organizational management
- The 39th investment destination for JPE
Japan Private Equity Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Shinichi Hoda; hereinafter "JPE") has recently invested in and formed a capital alliance with Yumekabo Takara Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Representative Director: Koji Hamada; hereinafter "Takara") through the "JR Shikoku Relationship No. 1 Investment Limited Partnership" (hereinafter "Shikoku Relationship Fund"), which is wholly owned by Shikoku Railway Company (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, President & CEO: Kazuyuki Shinomiya; hereinafter "JR Shikoku").
For 90 years from the establishment of "Takara Manju" in 1936 to the present day, Takara has carefully protected the tradition of Japanese sweets while continuously creating innovative sweets that offer new surprises. This includes their signature local product "Takara's Strawberry Daifuku," fruit daifuku utilizing seasonal ingredients, and "Kuri Mikasa," which remains unchanged since the company's founding.
Based on the unchanging "spirit" of wanting to make customers smile since its foundation, Takara has recently chosen the Shikoku Relationship Fund—which guarantees neutrality, independence, and regional focus—as its "capital and management partner" to remain a "Japanese sweets shop loved by customers" for the future.
Going forward, in collaboration with the JR Shikoku Group, we will co-create opportunities for new challenges, such as developing new sales floors and store concepts, creating collaboration products and new business formats, and cultivating new sales channels. In addition, we aim to generate business and management synergies by sharing and effectively utilizing both tangible and intangible management resources, such as locations (station buildings, hotels, event spaces), customers (passengers, hotel guests, etc.), human resources, sales floors, logistics, and storage/management systems.
Takara's management will continue to be led by current President Koji Hamada as Representative Director. By participating in management as an outside director and acting as a "management cheerleader," JPE will work to realize further growth together and securely pass this important business on to the next generation.
For JPE, Yumekabo Takara marks its 39th investment destination.
In this capital alliance, "J Marche Co., Ltd." (hereinafter "J Marche"), a holding company established as a 100% subsidiary by the "Shikoku Relationship Fund" operated by JPE, will become Takara's new shareholder.
With an eye toward SMEs in Shikoku's sweets industry—including Western confectionery, Japanese confectionery, famous local sweets, souvenirs, and traditional sweets—as well as peripheral companies involved in the production and distribution of sweet ingredients, J Marche will make investments and succeed (acquire) shares to build capital connections and create business synergies.
Through the "Shikoku Relationship Fund," JPE will continue to invest primarily in Shikoku-based "SMEs that want to balance business succession and growth" and "SMEs developing businesses that contribute to the collaboration with JR Shikoku and the development of the Shikoku economy, society, and culture." By growing together locally, we aim to stimulate the region, industry, and human resources, create a "virtuous cycle of growth" in the local area through the fund, and fulfill our "regional significance" through co-existence and co-prosperity.
(Renewed & Opened on February 27, 2026: JR Takamatsu Orne Store)
- Acquiring shares through "J Marche", which forms an alliance in the Shikoku sweets industry
- Aiming for further growth through business collaboration with JR Shikoku and transition to organizational management
- The 39th investment destination for JPE
Japan Private Equity Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Shinichi Hoda; hereinafter "JPE") has recently invested in and formed a capital alliance with Yumekabo Takara Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Representative Director: Koji Hamada; hereinafter "Takara") through the "JR Shikoku Relationship No. 1 Investment Limited Partnership" (hereinafter "Shikoku Relationship Fund"), which is wholly owned by Shikoku Railway Company (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, President & CEO: Kazuyuki Shinomiya; hereinafter "JR Shikoku").
For 90 years from the establishment of "Takara Manju" in 1936 to the present day, Takara has carefully protected the tradition of Japanese sweets while continuously creating innovative sweets that offer new surprises. This includes their signature local product "Takara's Strawberry Daifuku," fruit daifuku utilizing seasonal ingredients, and "Kuri Mikasa," which remains unchanged since the company's founding.
Based on the unchanging "spirit" of wanting to make customers smile since its foundation, Takara has recently chosen the Shikoku Relationship Fund—which guarantees neutrality, independence, and regional focus—as its "capital and management partner" to remain a "Japanese sweets shop loved by customers" for the future.
Going forward, in collaboration with the JR Shikoku Group, we will co-create opportunities for new challenges, such as developing new sales floors and store concepts, creating collaboration products and new business formats, and cultivating new sales channels. In addition, we aim to generate business and management synergies by sharing and effectively utilizing both tangible and intangible management resources, such as locations (station buildings, hotels, event spaces), customers (passengers, hotel guests, etc.), human resources, sales floors, logistics, and storage/management systems.
Takara's management will continue to be led by current President Koji Hamada as Representative Director. By participating in management as an outside director and acting as a "management cheerleader," JPE will work to realize further growth together and securely pass this important business on to the next generation.
For JPE, Yumekabo Takara marks its 39th investment destination.
In this capital alliance, "J Marche Co., Ltd." (hereinafter "J Marche"), a holding company established as a 100% subsidiary by the "Shikoku Relationship Fund" operated by JPE, will become Takara's new shareholder.
With an eye toward SMEs in Shikoku's sweets industry—including Western confectionery, Japanese confectionery, famous local sweets, souvenirs, and traditional sweets—as well as peripheral companies involved in the production and distribution of sweet ingredients, J Marche will make investments and succeed (acquire) shares to build capital connections and create business synergies.
Through the "Shikoku Relationship Fund," JPE will continue to invest primarily in Shikoku-based "SMEs that want to balance business succession and growth" and "SMEs developing businesses that contribute to the collaboration with JR Shikoku and the development of the Shikoku economy, society, and culture." By growing together locally, we aim to stimulate the region, industry, and human resources, create a "virtuous cycle of growth" in the local area through the fund, and fulfill our "regional significance" through co-existence and co-prosperity.
(Renewed & Opened on February 27, 2026: JR Takamatsu Orne Store)