During the pandemic, our top priority was protecting our employees’ jobs, no matter what. While diversity remains important, we ensured the employment of every single staff member—including part-time and temporary employees—without a single layoff. In addition, CHIBO has long operated the “Job Parent Project,” a program supporting the employment of former inmates through work rehabilitation. This initiative, started by my father, the Chairman, is part of our CSR efforts. Amid the pandemic, we reflected on what our customers truly valued most, beyond technological advancements. It was the desire to dine out—to connect with friends, family, and loved ones over shared meals, to enjoy casual conversations with our staff. In essence, it was about “human interaction” and providing a “space for emotional healing.” At Expo 2025, we are offering menu items that differ from our usual lineup, and they have proven incredibly popular—even surprising us the most. These include spring roll–style stick-shaped okonomiyaki, pork buns filled with yakisoba, and okonomiyaki–flavored French fries. Moving forward, we plan to introduce entirely new items never before seen at our restaurants. Of course, we also aim to take on the challenge of offering some of these at convenience stores. In Tokyo, we launched our premium brand, “Kohaku,” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, we opened our Muslim-friendly okonomiyaki brand, “CHIBO Diversity,” in Namba. These two initiatives have helped shape CHIBO’s current identity. We continue to advance boldly and unconventionally in areas such as SDGs, technology, and frozen food processing. CHIBO is a company that constantly challenges itself.

Following Expo 2025, there are plans to develop an Integrated Resort (IR) on the site several years later. Statistics show that the top reason people from around the world visit Japan is “to eat Japanese food.” This is truly gratifying and reinforces our commitment to excellence. Where do curry and ramen originate? The same question applies to Italian and French cuisine. As you can see, even with dishes of foreign origin, Japanese people genuinely seek out delicious Japanese cuisine and uniquely Japanese interpretations of international dishes. Within Japan, our first goal is to standardize the service level across all CHIBO restaurants to ensure the highest quality. Overseas, we currently operate restaurants in Taiwan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and we plan to expand further into Europe and the Americas. A restaurant in Canada will open soon. At our Sennichimae location, 70% of customers are international visitors. Naturally, we prioritize overseas expansion and aim to accelerate openings across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Meanwhile, we have also taken steps to preserve Osaka’s long-established food culture, a matter on which we have been consulted. Regional revitalization is a critical challenge in Japan, requiring greater circulation of human energy and economic activity to local areas. Furthermore, we are working to prevent the disappearance of wonderful traditional flavors due to a lack of successors, ensuring that the lights of Osaka’s beloved iconic restaurants remain shining. Together, we aim to preserve and pass on this food culture. Our efforts are not only for Tokyo’s centralization but for the prosperity of all of Japan, including Osaka. Globally, okonomiyaki has yet to achieve the mainstream recognition of ramen. Moving forward, as Okonomiyaki CHIBO, we will continue striving for the world’s top spot, guided by our motto: “From Osaka’s Teppan culture (including okonomiyaki) to the World’s Top.”