Kanonji City, Kagawa Prefecture and Epson Sales Japan Sign Agreement to Dispatch 'Regional Revitalization Entrepreneurs'

Kanonji City, Kagawa Prefecture (Mayor: Akihiro Saeki; hereinafter "Kanonji City") and Epson Sales Japan Corp. (President & CEO: Haruo Kuribayashi; Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "Epson Sales") have signed an agreement to dispatch an Epson Sales employee to Kanonji City, based on the "Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur" program promoted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Under this agreement, in line with the DX promotion plan formulated by Kanonji City, the parties will work to promote administrative DX, foster digital talent, and communicate the city's regional appeal using VR (Note 1) and AR (Note 2) technologies, thereby advancing regional revitalization through public-private partnership.

[Image: Signing ceremony. Left: Mayor Saeki of Kanonji City / Right: President Kuribayashi of Epson Sales]

Features and Initiatives of Kanonji City Kanonji City is located in the center of Shikoku, serving as the central city of the Seisan region facing the Seto Inland Sea at the western edge of Kagawa Prefecture. The city is blessed with a rich natural environment where mountains, sea, and plains harmonize, including the Mitoyo Plain, Ariake Beach, and Mount Unpenji of the Sanuki Mountains to the south. It also possesses historical and cultural resources such as the "Zenigata Sunae" (Kanei Tsuho coin sand art) in Kotohiki Park, as well as the 68th temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Jinne-in, and the 69th temple, Kanonji. Against the backdrop of these regional resources and industries, Kanonji City is developing projects that leverage its unique characteristics across various fields.

Kanonji City Website: https://www.city.kanonji.kagawa.jp/

Features and Initiatives of Epson Sales Epson Sales aims to be a company that "contributes to solving social issues and creates sustainable value together with customers." To date, the company has worked to solve social issues such as reducing environmental impact and improving operational efficiency through the provision of solutions utilizing printers and projectors.

In recent years, the company has strengthened its collaboration with local governments and is working on regional value creation, such as the promotion of GX (Green Transformation) and DX.

By partnering with Kanonji City, the company will further accelerate support for sustainable urban development through the promotion of administrative DX and the communication of regional appeal using digital technology.

Epson Website: https://www.epson.jp/

About the Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur Program This is a system established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to create and expand the flow of people. It involves dispatching personnel from companies located in urban areas to local governments in rural areas for a certain period to work on solving regional issues and revitalization. (Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur" official website)

Purpose of the Agreement The purpose is to contribute to regional revitalization through support for the execution of measures based on the DX promotion plan formulated by Kanonji City and through projects utilizing digital technology.

Specific Initiatives (1) Support for the execution of measures based on the DX promotion plan (2) Planning and production support for product packaging design and promotions aimed at branding local products (3) Support for securing human resources for local companies through workplace experiences utilizing VR (Note 1) and AR (Note 2) technologies, as well as planning and operational support for tourism tours (4) Planning, hosting, and operational support for experiential outreach classes utilizing VR (Note 1) technology (5) Fostering of DX promotion talent, as well as planning, hosting, and operational support for training and seminars (6) Planning, production, and distribution support for video content utilizing social media, as well as support for fostering digital talent

Dispatch Period Scheduled for a maximum of three years starting April 1, 2026.

Comment from Kanonji Mayor Akihiro Saeki In Kanonji City, amidst a declining population and diversifying administrative needs, we believe it is important to improve operational efficiency using digital technology and to communicate the charm of our region in an easy-to-understand manner. This agreement allows us to borrow the expertise of Epson Sales Japan in business improvement and the digital field, not just for simple digitization, but to review the very way we conduct business and improve the quality of our administrative services. At the same time, we aim to systematically work on administrative DX promotion and human resource development to build a system that can continuously promote DX on its own. Through this partnership, we hope to cultivate digital talent and realize a Kanonji City that people feel they want to visit and live in.

Comment from Epson Sales President & CEO Haruo Kuribayashi We place the customer at the center of all our actions and are committed to solving social issues and creating value. We believe that this agreement with Kanonji City will further advance public-private partnership efforts toward the realization of sustainable urban development. Under this agreement, our employees will work as members of the Kanonji City office to support the execution of measures based on the DX promotion plan and foster digital and DX promotion talent, while also supporting education, tourism, and the promotion of local industry appeal using VR (Note 1) and AR (Note 2) technologies. As a partner in co-creating the future of the region, we will continue to evolve into a company that expands new color and possibilities for Japanese society and regions while valuing our dialogue with Kanonji City.

(Note 1) VR (Virtual Reality): Technology that allows users to immerse themselves in and experience a virtual space. (Note 2) AR (Augmented Reality): Technology that overlays digital information onto the real world.