Announcement of Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture
株式会社スタートラインは2026年3月23日、栃木県宇都宮市と包括連携協定を締結しました。これはスタートラインにとって4例目、中核市とは初となる協定です。障害者の就労機会拡大、教育、まちづくりを3本柱とし、宇都宮市内に「Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA」を開設予定です。
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 31, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 13:39 (17h 39m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 17, 2026 at 00:40 (371h 1m after Collected)
Start Line Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Mitaka City, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenji Nishimura), which aims to create a "society where everyone can live as they truly are" through employment support for people with disabilities, and Utsunomiya City (Mayor: Eiichi Sato) have entered into a comprehensive partnership agreement on Monday, March 23, 2026, to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to foster an inclusive society within the region.
This marks Start Line's fourth comprehensive partnership agreement with a municipality, and it is the first to be established with a core city such as Utsunomiya City.
On the day of the signing, a ceremony was held at Utsunomiya City Hall, where the agreement document was signed.
## Background of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement
Start Line operates under the philosophy of "Empathize with yourself, empathize with others, and empathize with what comes next," aiming to realize a society where everyone can live as they truly are. The company has been engaged in business activities in the welfare and education sectors, including providing employment support for people with disabilities to companies.
Utsunomiya City, the prefectural capital of Tochigi Prefecture, has a population of approximately 510,000 and is a major core city representing the North Kanto region. In addition to its industrial base, particularly in manufacturing, it hosts numerous universities and research institutions, developing into a hub city attracting commuters and students from both within and outside the city. In recent years, Utsunomiya has also focused on creating a sustainable and people-friendly urban environment, exemplified by the opening of its LRT (next-generation streetcar).
Given these urban characteristics, there is a growing need to create employment environments where diverse individuals can leverage their abilities and to establish collaborative systems for employment support involving the region, companies, and administrative bodies.
This agreement represents Start Line's fourth comprehensive partnership with a municipality. By drawing on the expertise and experience gained from previous collaborations with local governments, and by partnering with Utsunomiya City, a core city, we aim to advance employment support for people with disabilities and regional development in an integrated manner, engaging with a broader community and a more diverse range of stakeholders.
Against this backdrop, both parties have leveraged their cultivated knowledge and networks to conclude this agreement with the objective of collectively supporting the success of people with disabilities throughout the region.
## Collaboration Details
The comprehensive partnership agreement will focus on initiatives across the following three domains:
**1. Initiatives for the Employment of People with Disabilities**
We will establish "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA" within Utsunomiya City. This initiative will focus on creating employment opportunities, providing support for job retention for people with disabilities, and promoting the employment of people with disabilities across the region through collaboration with local companies and welfare facilities for people with disabilities.
### **2. Educational Initiatives**
In cooperation with Utsunomiya City's existing social experience learning programs, we will provide learning opportunities for elementary and junior high school students (including those in special needs classes) within the city, aiming to deepen their understanding of diverse lifestyles and work styles.
### **3. Urban Development Initiatives**
We will develop "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA" into a hub where individuals, regardless of disability, can gather, interact, and learn together, thereby advancing urban development that leads to the realization of a symbiotic society.
## Scene of the Agreement Signing Ceremony
At the signing ceremony, Utsunomiya City Mayor Sato and our President, Kenji Nishimura, signed the agreement and expressed their enthusiasm for future collaboration.
### **Eiichi Sato, Mayor of Utsunomiya City**
I sincerely express my gratitude for the opportunity to enter into this comprehensive partnership agreement with Start Line Co., Ltd. Creating a society where individuals with disabilities can continue to live in their communities after their parents are no longer able to care for them is a societal responsibility, and it is crucial for the administration to lead the way. We hope to further advance Utsunomiya's "co-creative urban development" by utilizing Start Line's expertise and experience. The proposal to establish "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA," in particular, will be a significant benefit to individuals with disabilities and their families. By creating an environment where they can continue to work, we can provide substantial reassurance against the anxiety of "What will happen to my child when I am no longer here?"
### **Kenji Nishimura, Representative Director and President of Start Line**
We are extremely pleased to have concluded this comprehensive partnership agreement with Utsunomiya City. This is the first comprehensive partnership agreement with a core city for our company and represents a highly significant milestone. Utsunomiya City advocates for the "realization of a symbiotic society" and places importance on creating an environment where individuals with disabilities can live and work as they truly are within the community. We believe that the concentration of diverse industries in Utsunomiya City offers expanded potential for individuals with disabilities to thrive. Through this comprehensive partnership agreement, we will work to build a system that supports employment for people with disabilities throughout the region by expanding employment opportunities, providing retention support, and fostering understanding of disability employment among companies. We are eager to contribute to the region through the prompt establishment of "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA" and in the areas of education and urban development.
## Towards the Future
Leveraging this comprehensive partnership agreement as a catalyst, Start Line will collaborate with Utsunomiya City and regional stakeholders. We aim to promote the employment of people with disabilities by harnessing the scale and diversity characteristic of a core city, and to realize a society where everyone can live as they truly are through mutual understanding and awareness-raising activities.
This marks Start Line's fourth comprehensive partnership agreement with a municipality, and it is the first to be established with a core city such as Utsunomiya City.
On the day of the signing, a ceremony was held at Utsunomiya City Hall, where the agreement document was signed.
## Background of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement
Start Line operates under the philosophy of "Empathize with yourself, empathize with others, and empathize with what comes next," aiming to realize a society where everyone can live as they truly are. The company has been engaged in business activities in the welfare and education sectors, including providing employment support for people with disabilities to companies.
Utsunomiya City, the prefectural capital of Tochigi Prefecture, has a population of approximately 510,000 and is a major core city representing the North Kanto region. In addition to its industrial base, particularly in manufacturing, it hosts numerous universities and research institutions, developing into a hub city attracting commuters and students from both within and outside the city. In recent years, Utsunomiya has also focused on creating a sustainable and people-friendly urban environment, exemplified by the opening of its LRT (next-generation streetcar).
Given these urban characteristics, there is a growing need to create employment environments where diverse individuals can leverage their abilities and to establish collaborative systems for employment support involving the region, companies, and administrative bodies.
This agreement represents Start Line's fourth comprehensive partnership with a municipality. By drawing on the expertise and experience gained from previous collaborations with local governments, and by partnering with Utsunomiya City, a core city, we aim to advance employment support for people with disabilities and regional development in an integrated manner, engaging with a broader community and a more diverse range of stakeholders.
Against this backdrop, both parties have leveraged their cultivated knowledge and networks to conclude this agreement with the objective of collectively supporting the success of people with disabilities throughout the region.
## Collaboration Details
The comprehensive partnership agreement will focus on initiatives across the following three domains:
**1. Initiatives for the Employment of People with Disabilities**
We will establish "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA" within Utsunomiya City. This initiative will focus on creating employment opportunities, providing support for job retention for people with disabilities, and promoting the employment of people with disabilities across the region through collaboration with local companies and welfare facilities for people with disabilities.
### **2. Educational Initiatives**
In cooperation with Utsunomiya City's existing social experience learning programs, we will provide learning opportunities for elementary and junior high school students (including those in special needs classes) within the city, aiming to deepen their understanding of diverse lifestyles and work styles.
### **3. Urban Development Initiatives**
We will develop "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA" into a hub where individuals, regardless of disability, can gather, interact, and learn together, thereby advancing urban development that leads to the realization of a symbiotic society.
## Scene of the Agreement Signing Ceremony
At the signing ceremony, Utsunomiya City Mayor Sato and our President, Kenji Nishimura, signed the agreement and expressed their enthusiasm for future collaboration.
### **Eiichi Sato, Mayor of Utsunomiya City**
I sincerely express my gratitude for the opportunity to enter into this comprehensive partnership agreement with Start Line Co., Ltd. Creating a society where individuals with disabilities can continue to live in their communities after their parents are no longer able to care for them is a societal responsibility, and it is crucial for the administration to lead the way. We hope to further advance Utsunomiya's "co-creative urban development" by utilizing Start Line's expertise and experience. The proposal to establish "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA," in particular, will be a significant benefit to individuals with disabilities and their families. By creating an environment where they can continue to work, we can provide substantial reassurance against the anxiety of "What will happen to my child when I am no longer here?"
### **Kenji Nishimura, Representative Director and President of Start Line**
We are extremely pleased to have concluded this comprehensive partnership agreement with Utsunomiya City. This is the first comprehensive partnership agreement with a core city for our company and represents a highly significant milestone. Utsunomiya City advocates for the "realization of a symbiotic society" and places importance on creating an environment where individuals with disabilities can live and work as they truly are within the community. We believe that the concentration of diverse industries in Utsunomiya City offers expanded potential for individuals with disabilities to thrive. Through this comprehensive partnership agreement, we will work to build a system that supports employment for people with disabilities throughout the region by expanding employment opportunities, providing retention support, and fostering understanding of disability employment among companies. We are eager to contribute to the region through the prompt establishment of "Diverse Village UTSUNOMIYA" and in the areas of education and urban development.
## Towards the Future
Leveraging this comprehensive partnership agreement as a catalyst, Start Line will collaborate with Utsunomiya City and regional stakeholders. We aim to promote the employment of people with disabilities by harnessing the scale and diversity characteristic of a core city, and to realize a society where everyone can live as they truly are through mutual understanding and awareness-raising activities.