New Shared Office and Dual-Residency Hub Opens in Depopulating Town in Tottori; 'CHIPs Audition 2025' Award Ceremony Held Simultaneously

Opening of New Shared Office Hub 'Courage'

SHINRA COMPANY (Headquarters: Chizu-cho, Tottori Prefecture; CEO: Daisuke Hoshino) will open 'Courage,' a new hub for dual residency, on May 28, 2026. This facility serves as the activity base for the 'CHIPs (CHIZU Incubation Platform)' project, a public-private partnership promoted by the company in collaboration with Chizu Town, local financial institutions, and the Chamber of Commerce. The opening day will also include the award ceremony for 'CHIPs Audition 2025,' which supports new challengers in the region.

### From 'Related Population' to 'Economic Population'

With Chizu's population having declined to 6,000, the town faces shortages in both human resources and jobs. Selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's 'Leading Project for Implementing Dual Residency Promotion,' the company is redefining dual residency not as a mere precursor to migration or tourism, but as a 'method for implementing business in the region.' CHIPs provides a foundation to welcome external talent as 'partners who build businesses with the region (economic population).'

### Features of the Shared Office 'Courage'

Renovated from a vacant property along the Chizu Kaido, 'Courage' features:

- **Full Accommodation/Stay Functions**: Ensures capacity for long-term and frequent visits, supporting daily life and activities in the region. - **Full-scale Business Environment**: Offers co-working space, environment suitable for corporate registration, and storage lockers for visiting business operators. - **Exchange Hub**: Works with nearby facilities like the 'Fukui House/Share Restaurant' to become a core for interaction between residents, local businesses, and dual residents.

### About the 'CHIPs' Public-Private Consortium

CHIPs is an 'intermediary support organization' that accompanies talent challenging themselves with entrepreneurship and new fields in Chizu. Bringing together administrative, financial, and private-sector functions, it launched in fiscal 2024. It has already generated approximately 80 million yen in economic effects from roughly 2 million yen of public funds. It also provides the 'CHIPs Dual Pass' for comprehensive support.

【Participating Institutions】 The Tottori Bank, The San-in Godo Bank, Tottori Shinkin Bank, Chizu Town Chamber of Commerce, Chizu Town Side-Job Cooperative, SHINRA COMPANY, and Chizu Town.

### Event Overview

Date/Time: May 28, 2026 (Thursday), 10:00 AM - around noon Venue: Shared Office 'Courage' (1128-3 Chizu, Chizu-cho, Yazu-gun, Tottori) Contents: Opening ceremony, facility tour, 'CHIPs Audition 2025' award ceremony, and networking session.