[Joint Announcement] Establishing a DX Talent Development Model Centered on 'Chimgukuru' in Okinawa

Kariyushi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Onna Village, Okinawa; Representative Director: Masayo Oyadomari; hereinafter 'Kariyushi'), which operates hotel businesses in Okinawa Prefecture, and the general incorporated association REIONE (Headquarters: Tokyo; Representative Director: Yusuke Kasai; hereinafter 'REIONE'), a professional group supporting corporate transformation, have completed their 'DX Talent Development Program' for the 2025 fiscal year.

Through this program, 20 new 'DX Evangelists' have emerged—leaders who solve on-site issues using digital technology and transform the organization by involving those around them. Furthermore, over 50 employees have completed 'DX Literacy Training,' which supports the foundation for company-wide transformation. This has established a robust DX promotion system where management and the front lines share a common language. By combining leadership development with company-wide literacy improvement, we have established a unique talent development approach. We aim to deploy this as a reproducible DX promotion model based on the Okinawan spiritual culture of 'Chimgukuru' (heartfelt hospitality).

Background: Why a long-established hotel decided to invest in human resources involving both management and the front lines.
As the tourism and hospitality industry faces severe labor shortages and diversifying customer needs, Kariyushi has continued to invest in human resources by sending trainees to the Okinawa Prefecture DX Talent Training Course operated by REIONE since 2022, based on the belief that 'the essence of DX is not tool introduction, but human development (organizational culture transformation).'

This year, to elevate the activities of a few leaders into a 'company-wide movement,' we further strengthened training by hierarchy. By having management set the DX vision, fostering transformation leaders (evangelists) who are not isolated in the field, and simultaneously increasing the understanding (literacy) of those around them, we aimed to 'create happiness' by accelerating traditional 'Chimgukuru' with digital technology.

Key Achievements of FY2025: 20 Evangelists and 50 Promoters driving transformation.
Based on the 'hierarchical talent development approach' provided by REIONE, practitioners working as strategists and problem solvers on the front lines provided thorough mentoring, creating the following results:
1. Launch of front-line-led transformation by 20 'DX Evangelists': 20 leaders selected from various departments mastered change management methods based on psychological safety. Recognized as 'DX Evangelists' who know the 'pain of the field,' they are now ready to lead autonomous improvement projects.
2. Creation of a common language through 50+ 'DX Literacy Holders': Over 50 front-line staff completed training on the background of DX and the basics of the latest digital technologies, including generative AI. This formed a 'soil that accepts change' where the organization can smoothly understand and accept leaders' proposals.
3. Creating 'white space' to deepen 'Chimgukuru': Trained personnel began inventorying and digitizing tasks. The 'mental space (time)' created by reducing wasteful work is now being converted into deeper hospitality for guests, marking the full-scale start of the 'Kariyushi-style DX model.'

Profile of a 'DX Evangelist' defined by the program:
DX Evangelists are not just IT-skilled personnel. To autonomously lead the organization, they possess the following four requirements:
- Walking 'half a step ahead' of others: Presenting a future 'half a step ahead' that the field can walk together, rather than ideals that are too high.
- Knowing the 'method of problem solving' with a future-oriented mindset: Defining essential issues through backcasting thinking, without being bound by past customs.
- Becoming a 'communication hub' within the company/field: Breaking down silos between departments, connecting field voices with management intentions, and moving the organization while ensuring psychological safety.
- Actively trying 'new tools' without fear of failure: Proactively touching cutting-edge technologies like generative AI and finding the best methods for the field through trial and error.