Team of Former Bankers, Tax Accountants, and Lawyers Provides Hands-on Support for 'Removing Personal Guarantees' in Business Succession

Ascentia Inc. (Headquarters: Kiyama-cho, Saga Prefecture; Representative Director: Taisho Kitamura), which focuses on business succession support in Fukuoka and Saga, will launch a full-scale consulting service called 'Management Guarantee Removal Consulting.' This service aims to realize leadership transitions without passing on the previous owner's personal guarantees to the successor. The service features a team of former bankers, tax accountants, and lawyers who provide end-to-end support, from free AI-based diagnostics to negotiations with financial institutions and the establishment of post-removal management systems. The catchphrase is 'Remove the guarantee, pass it to the next generation.' The goal is to remove the 'burden' of the predecessor's guarantee and create an environment where the next generation can take over management with peace of mind.

Background: Nearly half of Kyushu companies lack successors. The wall of management guarantees hindering succession. According to a survey by Teikoku Databank, the successor absence rate for Kyushu companies in 2025 was 50.6%. Although this is a 2.3-point decrease from the previous year and shows a five-year downward trend, nearly half of the companies still have no successor or have not decided on one. While government and private sector support menus are expanding, regional disparities remain significant, with Fukuoka at 50.8% and Okinawa at 61.0%. Succession forms are also diversifying, with 'de-familialization' progressing. In this context, the personal guarantee of the predecessor is a major practical barrier. For a successor, inheriting a large personal guarantee is a heavy psychological and practical burden, which is a reason for hesitation. This service fills the 'execution support gap' by accompanying the client through actual negotiations with financial institutions.

Three features of the service: 1. A mixed team of former bankers, tax accountants, and lawyers. 2. Committing beyond the removal by drawing a 'desirable state' for management. 3. Free AI-based diagnostics.

Service Overview: - Service Name: Management Guarantee Removal Consulting - Launch: June 2026 - Target: SMEs in Fukuoka and Saga (Annual sales of tens of millions to 3 billion yen) - Content: AI diagnosis -> Strategy formulation -> Execution support -> Financial institution negotiation -> Post-removal advisory. - Area: Fukuoka and Saga Prefectures. - Operator: Ascentia Inc. - Partners: Kurume Cloud Accounting Office / Hanawa Law Office.