Seminar Announcement: 'Entering Agriculture as a Corporate Strategy' – Discussing 'Decision-Making and Implementation Processes' with Non-Agricultural Companies

Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd. (President and CEO: Akihiko Ogino) and Daiwa Food & Agri Inc. (President and CEO: Kazunori Hisaeda) will host a seminar titled 'Entering Agriculture as a Corporate Strategy – Discussing 'Decision-Making and Implementation Processes' with Non-Agricultural Companies' (hereafter 'the seminar') to promote corporate entry into the agricultural sector. 1. Purpose of the Seminar In recent years, with the aging of core farmers, an increase in farm businesses without successors and abandoned farmland is expected, making it a critical issue to secure new players, such as attracting private companies from outside the region. On the other hand, while corporate interest in entering agriculture is growing, there are insufficient opportunities to access information and specific case studies on the realities of decision-making and commercialization. In this seminar, we will invite companies that have actually entered agriculture to introduce the background, decision-making processes, and specific initiatives for business implementation. Furthermore, through information exchange among companies and with local governments, we will provide a venue for mutual learning and deepening understanding towards agricultural entry. This will facilitate the sharing of challenges and expectations faced by companies, helping administrative bodies to grasp corporate needs and promoting public-private dialogue and networking. 2. Seminar Overview Organizers: Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd., Daiwa Food & Agri Inc. Date & Time: July 28, 2026 (Tuesday) 15:00–17:30 (entry and exit permitted during the event) *A networking reception is planned after the seminar. Venue: Daiwa Conference Hall, 18th Floor, GranTokyo North Tower *This seminar will also be held online simultaneously. Target Audience: Companies interested in entering agriculture, and local governments interested in attracting corporate agricultural businesses. Participation Fee: Free (including the networking reception fee) Program (tentative): - Opening remarks by Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd. - Greeting and policy introduction by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries - Business Introduction ①: Entering agriculture to strengthen the value chain (Plenus Co., Ltd.) - Case Study ②: Agricultural business as an extension of existing business (Iris Ohyama Inc.) - Business Introduction ③: Sustainable management × agricultural entry (Shimizu Corporation) - Business Introduction ④: Expanding agricultural management through M&A (Shimomura Seika Shokai Co., Ltd.) - Panel Discussion - Closing remarks by Daiwa Food & Agri Inc. Those wishing to participate in person or online should apply by Friday, July 17, using the form below. https://x.gd/ec2hA To allow as many companies and local governments as possible to participate, we ask that each organization limit in-person attendance to two people as a guideline. If applications exceed this number, we may ask you to make adjustments. *In-person attendance will be closed once capacity is reached. *For online participation, after applying via the Google Form above, we will send you the Zoom URL for the day of the event. 3. Company Overviews Company Name: Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd. Head Office: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative: Akihiko Ogino, President and CEO Established: April 26, 1999 Business: Financial instruments business including buying and selling of securities, brokerage, agency services, underwriting of securities, and related businesses. URL: https://www.daiwa.jp/ Company Name: Daiwa Food & Agri Inc. Head Office: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative: Kazunori Hisaeda, President and CEO Established: November 1, 2018 Business: Management of farm subsidiaries, marketing of agricultural products, investment related to agriculture, agricultural consulting. URL: https://www.daiwa-grp.jp/dfa/ 4. Inquiries Regarding This Matter Please use the contact form on the Daiwa Food & Agri Inc. website: https://www.daiwa-grp.jp/dfa/contact/input Under its management vision '2030Vision,' the Daiwa Securities Group will continue to strive for the creation of a prosperous future and the enhancement of corporate value through the financial and capital markets, together with all our stakeholders. End (Reference) Daiwa Securities Group's Sustainability Initiatives: https://www.daiwa-grp.jp/sustainability/?cid=ad_eir_sdgspress