[SUNWELS Co., Ltd.] Former Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Division Director and Cabinet Office Division Director Toshihiko Atarashi Appointed as Outside Director

SUNWELS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Ryotatsu Nawashiro; hereinafter "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Toshihiko Atarashi as an Outside Director.

■ Background of the Appointment
The Company has welcomed Mr. Toshihiko Atarashi as an Outside Director with the aim of further strengthening management transparency and corporate governance. Through his diverse administrative experience, primarily at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as well as local governments, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Cabinet Office, Mr. Atarashi possesses broad insight and a proven track record in the nursing care and medical fields. He is capable of performing his duties from an objective and independent standpoint. Through this appointment, we aim to further enhance corporate value and realize sustainability.

[Profile of Mr. Toshihiko Atarashi]
Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1968.
After passing the National Public Service Examination Category I (Law), he graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University in 1992 and joined the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).
He has been widely engaged in policy formulation, parliamentary response, licensing, supervisory administration, and legal practice within central government ministries and local public entities. As the Director of the Aging Society Countermeasures Division of Kyoto Prefecture, he was involved in the operation of the long-term care insurance system as well as the supervision of long-term care providers, possessing experience well-versed in both the system and the field.
Subsequently, he served as Director of the Planning Division at the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), Counselor at the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, Division Director at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Director of the General Affairs Division at the Cabinet Office's Food Safety Commission Secretariat, deepening his knowledge in the fields of systems, legal affairs, administrative management, and governance.
He retired from government service in March 2022. In April of the same year, he established Kuranos Co., Ltd. and assumed the position of Representative Director. In November 2025, he was appointed as an Outside Director of SUNWELS Co., Ltd. He registered as an attorney in March 2026.

■ Comments from Mr. Toshihiko Atarashi
I have been appointed as an Outside Director of SUNWELS Co., Ltd.
I accepted this position because I felt that the Company's 'PD House' is a business of immense social significance for those living with Parkinson's disease and their families.
Treatment for Parkinson's disease requires multifaceted and highly specialized support, including managing the progression of symptoms, daily medication management, continuous rehabilitation, and coordination with specialized medical care. I feel a strong sense of mission and potential in the initiatives of PD House, which faces these challenges head-on and realizes highly specialized care in a tangible form.
Before my appointment, my perspective on the nursing home and visiting nursing industries was primarily from the viewpoint of related systems and organizational management. However, after actually visiting a PD House facility and assuming this role, my impression has changed significantly in a positive way. Above all, what impressed me most was that the users are spending their days calmly and positively, and that the staff are supporting their lives with high professionalism and sincerity.
Rooted in the field was a sincere attitude that goes beyond the framework of mere nursing care facilities or visiting nursing providers, aiming to support the dignified lives of those facing illness. The trust placed in us by users and their families is born from the accumulation of careful daily care, and I realize that this is due to the efforts and dedication of the on-site staff and the accumulation of expertise as an organization.
I believe that SUNWELS has a solid foundation to be even more trusted and to grow further. Moving forward, as an Outside Director, I will strive to support the establishment of highly transparent management and sound governance, while also working to build a management foundation that makes better use of the strengths of the field.
Ensuring that users and their families feel, 'I can entrust them with peace of mind,' and that all staff members feel, 'I am proud to work at this company.' I believe that realizing both of these is the most important thing for the future of SUNWELS.
From a position that connects systems and the field, and management and service quality, I will steadily fulfill my duties so that SUNWELS can grow into a company that is even more trusted by society.

What is PD House?
'PD House' is a nursing care facility specializing in Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder in which motor function slowly declines due to a decrease in dopamine in the brain. It is designated as a national intractable disease, and while a fundamental cure is currently difficult, it is said that symptoms can be suppressed and progression slowed by combining drug therapy and rehabilitation. At PD House, we limit residents to those with Parkinson's disease (including related disorders) and provide rehabilitation programs supervised by specialists tailored to each individual, visiting medical care by neurologists, and 24-hour visiting nursing. To realize 'I can do it even with Parkinson's disease' rather than 'I can't because I have Parkinson's disease,' we aim to maintain and improve motor function.

■ Strengthening Coordination with Visiting Medical Care by Neurologists
We have established a system to continue specialized treatment by collaborating with neurology hospitals nationwide to provide visiting medical care.
We have achieved collaboration with 125 of the estimated 600 doctors nationwide who provide visiting medical care, and we will continue to expand this as we open new facilities.

■ Joint Research with University Hospitals and Specialized Hospitals
We are advancing research with top Parkinson's disease researchers nationwide, aiming to create more effective new services.

■ PD Houses Nationwide
There are 56 PD House facilities open nationwide (as of the end of February 2026).