Signing of a Cooperation Agreement for Promoting Tourism Activation with Koshu City Katsunuma District as the Starting Point

Koshu City (Mayor: Susumu Suzuki), East Japan Railway Company Hachioji Branch (Branch President: Tsuyoshi Ujimori), Yamanashi Chuo Bank (President and CEO: Yoshiaki Furuta), Zensen Marugoto Corporation (President and CEO: Shunpei Shimada), and Yamanashi Regional Design Corporation (President and CEO: Masao Watanabe) signed the "Cooperation Agreement for Promoting Tourism Activation with Koshu City Katsunuma District as the Starting Point" at Katsunuma Wine Country Station on June 16, 2026.

This agreement aims to promote tourism activation in the Katsunuma district of Koshu City by leveraging the expertise and networks of the five parties, including East Japan Railway Company, in the fields of transportation, finance, regional production, and business implementation. The agreement also aims to improve the value and promote sustainable development of the area around Katsunuma Wine Country Station, based on discussions at the "Katsunuma Wine Country Station Town Development Workshop."

* About the "Katsunuma Wine Country Station Town Development Workshop" East Japan Railway Company Hachioji Branch has held a workshop three times, with approximately 30 participants including local business owners and residents, to promote "Year-round Wine Tourism®" centered around Katsunuma Wine Country Station and its surrounding area as part of the JR East Group Management Vision "Yushou 2034," which aims to realize "Creating Destinations (Purposes) for Travel." The workshop discussed the attractions and challenges of the region, as well as the expected image of visitors, in order to exchange opinions on the future vision of the station and its surrounding area.

Items to be implemented under the cooperation agreement (1) Promoting tourism and disseminating the attractions of the region with the Katsunuma district as the starting point - Sending visitors and disseminating information from the metropolitan area to the Katsunuma district - Excavating regional resources by utilizing networks - Creating and branding regional experience content (tours)

(2) Examining the utilization of the Katsunuma Wine Country Station building and idle assets in the surrounding area - Making Katsunuma Wine Country Station a tourist hub

(3) Examining the improvement of secondary transportation to promote circular tourism in the Katsunuma district and Koshu City (4) Building a framework for new fundraising methods for new regional revitalization businesses - Examining the formation of regional revitalization funds, etc.

Reference * About Zensen Marugoto Corporation Since fiscal 2020, Zensen Marugoto Corporation has been involved in regional tourism development projects, such as the "Zensen Marugoto Hotel Project," which is rooted in the local community along the JR Ome Line in Ome City and Okutama Town, Tokyo. The project aims to create new forms of tourism, such as staycation and micro-tourism, by re-evaluating the existing resources in the region and converting them into value.

Zensen Marugoto Corporation has participated in the "Katsunuma Wine Country Station Town Development Workshop" as a co-sponsor with East Japan Railway Company. Based on the results of the workshop, the company will further deepen its collaboration with the local community and promote the polishing of tourist resources scattered throughout the Katsunuma area and the expansion of Year-round Wine Tourism®.

* About Yamanashi Regional Design Corporation Yamanashi Regional Design Corporation was established on April 1, 2025 as a 100% subsidiary of Yamanashi Chuo Bank. The company is engaged in solving regional issues through three businesses: "Tourism Value Creation Business," "Decarbonization-related Business," and "Advertising and Marketing Business."

Based on this cooperation agreement, the company will re-examine the regional resources of Koshu City with the Katsunuma district as the starting point and convert them into value for the future. The company will also implement regional solutions by combining the perspectives of finance, design, and technology, without leaving them as mere concepts.

About the Katsunuma District The Katsunuma district is known as one of Japan's leading grape and wine-producing regions, with more than 30 wineries concentrated in the area, which is also considered the birthplace of Japanese wine. The district has favorable natural conditions for grape cultivation, such as well-drained soil unique to alluvial fans and long hours of sunshine. The district has developed as a producer of high-quality wine using "Koshu," a Japanese native grape variety.

The district is home to a variety of tourist resources rooted in the region, such as vineyards, wineries, and historic streetscapes.

About Wine Tourism® "Wine Tourism®" is an event organized by the General Incorporated Association Wine Tourism, which is held from spring to autumn, mainly in the three cities of Katsunuma, Minami-Alps, and Fuefuki in Yamanashi Prefecture. At the destinations, participants can enjoy tours of vineyards and wineries, wine tasting, and interactions with winemakers, allowing them to experience the region's food, culture, and climate with all five senses while learning about grape cultivation and winemaking.

➢ Official HP https://www.yamanashiwine.com/

About JR Chuo Line Katsunuma Wine Country Station Katsunuma Wine Country Station serves as the gateway to the Katsunuma area and is a hub station used by many tourists. The surrounding area is home to vineyards and offers a panoramic view of the Kofu Basin, symbolizing the natural scenery of the region. The station also serves as an access point to wineries and contributes to improving the regional circulation of tourism and exchange.

Following the signing of this cooperation agreement, based on the opinions expressed by local residents at last year's "Katsunuma Wine Country Station Town Development Workshop," the company plans to set up a coffee stand in the station waiting room and improve the guidance function for local wineries within this fiscal year.

➢ From Eda Koji, Stationmaster of Shioyama Station (the managing station of Katsunuma Wine Country Station) In addition to wine, the culture, scenery, and people that have been nurtured here are also part of the attractions of the Katsunuma area.

We want this to be a place where visitors can discover something new every time they come and think, "I want to come back again." We are determined to take a big step forward in regional activation with Katsunuma Wine Country Station as the starting point. We are very pleased to be able to do so. In the future, we will continue to polish the unique value of Katsunuma together with the local community and deliver special trips that start from this station.