Establishment of YK Consulting Co., Ltd., Focusing on M&A and IT Advisory

YK Consulting Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yusuke Kubota) announces that it has commenced operations on June 23, 2026, focusing on M&A and IT advisory (IT due diligence*1, PMI*2 support), as well as DX promotion support and IT system implementation support.

Our company's mission is to be "the IT support team for companies tackling challenges with all their might." We will walk alongside companies facing digital challenges, from the M&A consideration phase through PMI and post-integration value creation. (Official Website URL: https://www.ykco.jp)

*1 IT due diligence (ITDD) refers to the investigation and evaluation of a target company's IT systems, infrastructure, security, and operational structure in M&A or business succession to understand IT-related risks and their impact on corporate value.

*2 PMI (Post Merger Integration) refers to a series of initiatives to integrate management, organization, human resources, IT systems, and other areas to transform into a single new company after an M&A transaction is completed.

Background of Establishment

The M&A market in Japan continues to expand. In 2025, domestic M&A deals exceeded 5,000 for the first time, reaching 5,115 cases*1, with both the number of concluded deals and market size continuing to reach record highs. This growth is driven by factors such as strengthening competitiveness, consolidating management resources, increasing needs for business succession, and the growing presence of investment funds. M&A has become a viable management strategy not only for large corporations but also for small and medium-sized enterprises.

However, the success rate of M&A objectives remains low at only 45%*2, indicating that the expected synergies are not fully realized in many transactions.

In our experience providing support, we have observed numerous cases where financial, tax, and legal considerations take precedence in M&A transactions, and IT risks are not adequately assessed before the deal closes. These issues then surface as problems during the integration phase.

Consequently, this has often led to unexpected additional investments due to the discovery of aging systems or security vulnerabilities after acquisition, or disruptions to business operations when reaching Day1*3 without a sufficient IT integration plan. Furthermore, we believe that the insufficient reflection of such IT-related risks and costs in the acquisition price calculation is a factor hindering the creation of M&A value.

In response to these challenges, the support structure that consistently accompanies companies from the M&A consideration phase through integration, with specialized IT expertise, has been limited to major firms. YK Consulting Co., Ltd. was established to deliver this specialized expertise to a wider range of companies, regardless of their size.

*1 Recof Data, "M&A Review 2025 (M&A Trends of Japanese Companies January-December 2025)" (January 2026) *2 ABeam Consulting, "Survey on M&A Initiatives in Japanese Companies" (October 2025)

*3 Day1 refers to the first day after the acquisition is completed, when business operations begin under the new management structure.

Representative Introduction

Established YK Consulting Co., Ltd. after working at ABeam Consulting, Deloitte Tohmatsu, and KPMG FAS. Previously specialized in the IT domain, engaging in projects related to corporate IT strategy formulation, business process reform, and overall system implementation. In M&A deal advisory, engaged in a series of IT-related tasks including pre-marketing, due diligence, and PMI execution support for cross-border deals in industries such as manufacturing, real estate, and finance. Strengths include providing consistent support from upstream activities like DX strategy and concept formulation to system implementation, adoption, and M&A integration execution.

Representative's Comment

During my university days, I was part of the cheering squad for a sports club, and I valued the spirit of encouraging athletes to give their all even in difficult moments. That has been my foundation, and that spirit has not changed as I support many companies as a consultant.

I want to continue to be an ally for those who take on challenges, especially in difficult times, and to support them wholeheartedly until the end. I founded this company to embody that desire in the IT domain.

With our expertise in M&A and IT, we will leverage these strengths to be the IT support team for companies tackling challenges with all their might, dedicating our full effort from the M&A consideration phase through post-integration DX and IT system implementation.

Yusuke Kubota, Representative Director

Business Overview

YK Consulting Co., Ltd. offers M&A and IT advisory services as its core business, along with DX promotion support and IT system implementation support.

1 M&A and IT Advisory (IT Due Diligence, PMI Support)

We provide consistent support in the IT domain for both buyers and sellers, from the M&A consideration phase through integration completion.

From visualizing hidden risks through IT due diligence to managing IT integration execution and PMO (Project Management Office) post-integration, we offer the same level of expertise for deals that may be difficult for large firms to handle.

<Key Support Areas> - Consideration Phase (Pre-Deal): Formulation of IT investment hypotheses, initial IT environment assessment, standalone cost*1 calculation

- IT Due Diligence (In-Deal): Simplified to detailed IT due diligence, sell-side DD*2 support

- PMI and Integration (Post-Deal): IT integration plan formulation and Day1 preparation, PMI execution support, TSA*3 consideration and IT separation support

*1 Standalone cost refers to the IT-related expenses necessary for a business to operate independently after being separated from its parent company through M&A, requiring the establishment and operation of its own IT systems and infrastructure that were previously provided by the parent company.

*2 Sell-side DD refers to the seller company's proactive organization and evaluation of IT assets and issues, such as systems, infrastructure, and security, in preparation for the buyer's due diligence in an M&A transaction.

*3 TSA (Transition Service Agreement) is a contract in M&A involving carve-outs (separation of a business from its parent company), where the seller (parent company, etc.) continues to provide services such as IT systems and infrastructure for a certain period until the buyer establishes its independent system.

2 DX Promotion Support We support DX that leads to results by showing the next actionable steps from a management perspective, from the conceptualization stage of "where to start" through execution.

<Key Support Areas> - Formulation of IT strategy and mid-to-long-term roadmap

- Formulation of IT investment plans

- Third-party evaluation and effectiveness verification of ongoing projects

- External CIO services (Participation in IT department decision-making and promotion structure / Advisory)

3 IT System Implementation Support We support system implementation not merely as development, but as a transformation that achieves business results. We handle a wide range of technical areas, from the utilization of various SaaS and generative AI to core system renewals and data infrastructure construction. <Key Support Areas>

- Concept and Requirements Definition Support: Systemization concept formulation, requirements definition, RFP creation, vendor selection - Project Management Support: Progress, issue, and quality management, turnaround for challenging projects - Go-live and Adoption Support: Training and manual preparation, establishment of operation and maintenance structures, post-go-live improvements

For details on each service, please visit our official website (https://www.ykco.jp).

Company Overview

Company Name

YK Consulting Co., Ltd.

Representative

Yusuke Kubota

Capital

9 million yen

Date of Establishment

June 23, 2026

Location

7F, Nihonbashi Mizuno Bldg., 1-11-12 Nihonbashi-Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0022

Business Activities

- M&A Advisory (IT) - DX Strategy Formulation and Promotion Support - Planning, Design, and Project Management Support for Information System Implementation

Inquiries Regarding This Release - Email Address: info@ykco.jp - Official Website: https://www.ykco.jp