There is no doubt that population decline and energy challenges are among the most significant bottlenecks facing Japan today. Population decline, in particular, has already become a serious issue in many regional areas. As JR East operates across both the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Tohoku and Joetsu-Shinetsu regions, we have confronted this challenge as one of our own. I would like to consider what must be done to build a sustainable economy and society in an era of population decline.

Many young people leave regional communities for urban centers when they enter higher education or begin their careers. The outflow of women is especially pronounced, structurally accelerating population decline in local areas. One of the primary reasons cited is the shortage of attractive employment opportunities. While the most important task is to create and nurture competitive and appealing industries, it is equally important to establish an environment in which diverse groups, including women, seniors, and foreign talent, can play active roles, not only in growth industries but also in essential services that support local communities.

The revitalization of regional industries also requires the development of local startups. JR East has established and invested in a fund aimed at promoting collaboration with local startups engaged in businesses rooted in their communities. In addition, we are expanding "LiSH," a business creation platform that fosters collaboration among industry, academia, and government within TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, into regional areas. Through these efforts, we are working to build a broad-based startup ecosystem that connects metropolitan and regional areas. We believe that creating new value through the intersection of industry, academia, government, cities, and local communities will open up new possibilities.

Tourism, with its wide-ranging economic impact, is another key industry for regional economies. In recent years, attracting inbound visitors has become particularly important, as it generates demand not only on weekends but also during weekdays, helping to support year-round employment in local communities. At the same time, tourism faces several challenges such as addressing overtourism and securing stable income throughout the year. To avoid overreliance on inbound visitors, dispersing domestic holidays more evenly would also be an effective measure.

In addition, the foundation for revitalizing regional economies is the development of sustainable regional transportation, including secondary transportation. In many areas, railways are already no longer able to fulfill this role, while buses and taxis are also becoming difficult to maintain because of driver shortages. Systems such as MaaS and ridesharing need to be developed. However, implementing these solutions requires addressing challenges such as securing financial resources and overcoming labor shortages.

These issues will not be resolved overnight. However, we must face squarely the reality that the trend of population decline is becoming more severe, and by fostering close cooperation among the national government, local authorities, and the private sector, we hope to move forward—even one step at a time.