Minamichita Town Launches Project to Rebrand Official Mascot 'Mina'

Punctual, a regional trading company specializing in support for local mascots across Japan (Headquarters: Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture; President: Ken Moritoki), has been commissioned to conduct 'rebranding services' to refresh the official mascot of Minamichita Town, Aichi Prefecture, 'Mina,' in celebration of the town's 65th anniversary and the mascot's 25th anniversary. The company held the first workshop (WS) in the town on June 9, 2026. Further workshops are scheduled for August and September to present rough designs, with a new costume set to be unveiled next March.

Background

Minamichita Town was formed in June 1961 through the merger of three towns and two villages (Utsumi, Toyohama, Shinojima, Shinojima village, and Himakajima village) on the Chita Peninsula in western Aichi Prefecture. Mina was introduced in 2001 to commemorate the town's 40th anniversary. Set as a fairy inspired by a 'bright and energetic town overflowing with sunlight,' the mascot has been active in public relations and local events.

Following a presentation contest on regional revitalization ideas held by Minamichita Junior High School last fiscal year, students requested to 'create a new town mascot,' leading to the decision to update Mina's design. Punctual was awarded the contract following the town's proposal process. Punctual has been managing the town's hometown tax (furusato nozei) and city promotion operations since fiscal 2024 and has established a local office. The town's donation amount reached 1.04 billion yen in fiscal 2025, a twofold increase from 490 million yen in fiscal 2023, before the contract began.

Approximately 40 local residents attended the workshop held on Himakajima Island on the 9th, with about 30 more participating online. After Mayor Kazuhiko Ishiguro greeted the participants, saying, 'I want you to pour your love and thoughts into the new Mina to represent the town's bright future,' Yutaro Kodama, a municipal employee of Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, who manages the city's official mascot 'Sakai Hoyamaru,' appeared as a speaker. He emphasized the significance of the project, stating, 'Fans engaging in 'oshi-katsu' (supporting their favorite mascot) leads to the cultivation of local pride, increased tourism spending, hometown tax donations, and an increase in the number of relational populations.' He also explained that before defining the character's personality, it is essential to first identify and verbalize the region's charms to be promoted. Participants wrote the charms of the town on sticky notes and shared their opinions on paper boards. Shinsaku Arakawa, Representative Director of the Japan Local Character Association, commented, 'We discovered various charms of Minamichita Town. These opinions will become the source of the new Mina.'