Partnership Agreement Concluded with Isumi City, Local Fishery Cooperative and Local Trading Company in Chiba Prefecture

　On Thursday, October 1st, Ryohin Keikaku signed a partnership agreement with Isumi City of Chiba prefecture, Isumi Tobu Fisheries Cooperative and SOTOBO ISUMI Co., Ltd. to promote the development of local communities and revitalize the local economy.

　With the aim of realizing "a simple, pleasant life" and "a simple, pleasant society," we are participating in various initiatives to revitalize the local community led by local governments and residents.
　Isumi City is located on the southeastern part (Pacific side) of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture. It is surrounded by the ocean, countryside and Satoyama (areas of farmland and mountain foothills), and is blessed with fishery products and agricultural products. In particular, the offshore of Ohara Fishing Port is one of the largest fishing grounds in the suburbs of Tokyo, where a wide variety of fish can be caught such as Ise shrimp, turbo sazae, abalone, and octopus. On the other hand, it is facing the issue of the aging of fishermen, the consumption decline for fishery products, and fall in prices for fishery products. In addition, as the population continues to decline and age, how to deal with vacant houses and revitalize shopping districts has become an urgent task. Isumi City has started various initiatives to resolve these issues, such as revitalizing the fisheries industry by utilizing its abundant fishery resources such as the morning market at Ohara Fishing Port, and establishing a local trading company, SOTOBO ISUMI, in cooperation with the local fishery cooperative.
　In order to further develop these efforts to resolve local issues, the city and Ryohin Keikaku agreed to work closely together and further cooperate with Isumi Tobu Fisheries Cooperative and SOTOBO ISUMI Co., Ltd. Utilizing the experience we have accumulated over the years, we will cooperate with each other in a variety of fields, such as the revitalization of fishery industry and shopping districts, the promotion of tourism and industry, and community development.

　In addition, in order to strengthen mutual cooperation under this agreement and realize initiatives that are even more intrinsic to local lifestyles, we will work on "sales expansion for fishery products caught at local fishing ports," "recognition improvement for local specialties while developing new products," and "regional revitalization projects that utilize local facilities and spaces, including revitalization of local shopping districts," by dispatching our employees to the local community under the "Regional Revitalization Corporate Personnel Program" initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. As the first step to expand sales channels for fishery products, we are planning to sell fishery products from Isumi City in November at MUJI online store in cooperation with SOTOBO ISUMI.