Hoiku Design Lab Appoints Seijiro Yato as New Director

Sakura Saku Plus Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Takashi Nakayama; hereinafter "the Company"), which operates businesses supporting dual-income and child-rearing families, primarily through the operation of authorized childcare centers, announces that Seijiro Yato, former Professor at Wayo Women's University, has been appointed as a Director of its group company, Hoiku Design Lab Inc. (Headquarters: Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director: Ryusuke Akane; hereinafter "Hoiku Design Lab"), effective April 1, 2026.

Mr. Yato possesses extensive knowledge and achievements in the childcare field and has previously been involved with Hoiku Design Lab as a training advisor. By participating in management as a director, he will directly reflect academic knowledge into management and childcare training, aiming to further enhance corporate value.

Background of Appointment and Expected Ripple Effects Hoiku Design Lab develops businesses that support the improvement of childcare quality through online training, group training, training instructor development, and symposiums for childcare workers and childcare business operators. It also provides consulting and career development training support for local governments and childcare operators, enhancing practical skills on-site. The aim is to promote skill development for those involved in childcare and provide a safer, higher-quality childcare environment.

Hoiku Design Lab aims to improve the quality of childcare by listening to the specific needs of childcare-related corporations, local governments, and other organizations, then assembling the optimal instructors and training styles to provide training plans. Mr. Yato, while working as a university professor, has conducted numerous training sessions and lectures at childcare facilities and local governments nationwide. To further enhance the training conducted by the company, Mr. Yato's cultivated network of excellent instructors from across the country will enable the provision of high-quality training without regional disparities. Furthermore, by implementing training for childcare workers at childcare centers operated by Sakura Saku Mirai Co., Ltd., a group company, strong synergy effects within the group will also be created. High-quality childcare practices, backed by the latest knowledge and experience, will be swiftly disseminated to the field.

Our group will continue to promote initiatives aimed at improving the quality of childcare. By providing opportunities for training and learning for personnel working at childcare facilities, we will support childcare sites throughout Japan, contribute to the realization of a society where children can be safely entrusted, and create an environment that supports the balance between child-rearing and work.

Seijiro Yato's Brief Biography Former Affiliation/Position: Professor, Wayo Women's University Specializations: Childcare Studies, Education Studies

April 1993: Lecturer/Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education, Okayama Junior College April 2001: Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education, Niimi Public College August 2003: Visiting Scholar, State University of New York (MEXT Overseas Researcher until June 2004) April 2007: Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Aichi Toho University April 2013: Professor, Faculty of Child Education, Okazaki Women's University September 2019: Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Wayo Women's University

Main Roles in Childcare Organizations Executive Director, National Association for Training of Childcare Workers Councilor, Japanese Society of Child Science Director, Japanese Association of Early Childhood Education and Care Director, Japan Branch of Pacific Rim Early Childhood Education Research Association (NPO) Director, National Federation of Private Childcare Centers Councilor, Japan Childcare Association Councilor, Onshi Zaidan Boshiaiku-kai (Maternal and Child Health Aid Foundation)

Major Publications "Transformation of Childcare through In-house Training A to Z" (2024, Froebel-kan, single author) "Improving Childcare Quality and Preventing 'Inappropriate Childcare'! ~Considering from Consultation Cases and Garden Initiatives~" (2025, Child Honsha, co-authored) "Building a Team to Improve Childcare Quality ~Supporting the Growth of Gardens and Childcare Workers~" (2017, Wakaba-sha, single author) "Tokigatari: Takashi Muto's 'Circulation of Love and Knowledge' - Aiming for Generating and Emerging Childcare -" (2025, Chuo Hoki, co-authored) And many others

Company Overview Our group, including the operation of 89 childcare centers primarily in Tokyo by Sakura Saku Mirai Co., Ltd. (https://www.sakura-39.jp/), develops and deploys businesses and services needed by the growing number of dual-income families as a solution platform for dual-income and child-rearing families.

Company Name: Sakura Saku Plus Co., Ltd. (Securities Code 7097) Representative Director and President: Takashi Nakayama Established: August 2017 Capital: 589,019,430 JPY (as of end of July 2025) Headquarters: Toho Hibiya Building, 1-2-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Corporate URL: https://www.sakurasakuplus.jp/

Company Name: Hoiku Design Lab Inc. Representative Director: Ryusuke Akane Established: January 21, 2016 Capital: 30,000,000 JPY Headquarters: Shonan ND Building 7F, 109-6 Fujisawa, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture Corporate URL: https://hoiku-design.co.jp/ Business Activities: Comprehensive support for childcare operating corporations/local governments, operation consulting, training planning/implementation, etc.