Log House Brand 'BESS' Signs Partnership Agreement with Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, for Mountain Village Revitalization and Promotion of Migration and Settlement

R-C-CORE Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; President: Yasuharu Sumugi), which operates the log house brand "BESS," signed a "Partnership Agreement for Mountain Village Revitalization, Promotion of Migration and Settlement, and Regional Activation" with Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture (Mayor: Toshihiko Ota) on March 26, 2026. Based on this agreement, the parties will promote migration, settlement, the creation and expansion of the 'related population,' the maintenance and revitalization of local communities, and the development of local leaders to ensure the sustainable development of Toyota City's mountain villages and the realization of coexistence between urban and mountain areas.

Agreement Details

(1) Encouraging migration and settlement, and promoting exchange and related populations

(2) Development of housing and living environments, and proposing and disseminating lifestyle ideas

(3) Cultivating values and branding for mountain village life

(4) Sharing knowledge to contribute to the achievement of the agreement's objectives

(5) Other initiatives related to regional social development

Background

For 40 years, BESS has been committed to realizing rich lifestyles by proposing natural and relaxed living through the construction and sale of log houses.

In particular, BESS's residential development project "FuMoTo" is based on the philosophy that "humans are also a part of nature." It provides non-standardized, relaxed living environments that utilize the natural landscape as much as possible, allowing residents to experience and enjoy mountains, rivers, and trees with all five senses. To ensure comfortable communities are born near nature and are welcomed by locals, the project shares the "Fumoto-Roku-Han" (six principles of the foothills) as a baseline ethical standard. In actual subdivisions, residents deepen their connections with the local community by interacting in shared farms and plazas and participating in local events.

In recent years, as a new challenge, BESS has been promoting the "Connecting with Mountains Project." By collaborating with mountain owners and lumber mills in Oita, Aichi, and Tochigi, the company aims to build a supply chain for domestic timber and revitalize forestry and local regions. In Toyota City, where this partnership is being formed, a cooperative system has already been established to effectively utilize large-diameter timber and enhance the value of wood and mountains.

Toyota City is located in the center of Aichi Prefecture and covers a vast area, accounting for 17.8% of the prefecture's total land. Known as a "City of Cars" with one of the highest values of manufactured goods shipments in Japan, it serves as a global hub for manufacturing. On the other hand, approximately 70% of the city is covered by rich forests, and agriculture, forestry, and traditional culture thrive in its mountain villages. However, these mountain areas are facing serious issues such as population decline, aging, and a shortage of successors, making the realization of sustainable community development an urgent priority.