Sojitz Corporation (“Sojitz”) will enter the luxury hotel business on Fukue Island (Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture) as part of its efforts to promote regional revitalization.

Sojitz’s business operations partner will be luxury hotel leader, Onkochishin Inc. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Tomoki Matsuyama). In terms of the hotel’s design, Sojitz will work with interior designer Yukio Hashimoto who has designed a number of interiors for ultra luxury hotels.

Together with its partners, Sojitz aims to provide hospitality services that allow guests to enjoy an idyllic stay on the Goto Islands and to fully experience the space with all five senses. Sojitz Goto Kaihatsu Co., Ltd., a fully owned Sojitz subsidiary, began construction in March 2021 on the hotel, which is expected to open in summer 2022.

Located off the western tip of Kyushu, the Goto Islands are made up of 152 islands of varying sizes, including Fukue Island. The Goto Islands are characterized by unimaginably beautiful blue beaches and lush green mountains formed from a volcanic eruption which occurred about one million years ago. This natural landscape is designated part of Saikai National Park. Historically, the islands served as a base for diplomatic relations with China and greater Asia, dating back to the Japanese missions to Tang China in the 7^th-9^th centuries. There is also a history of Christianity on the islands, where many Christians continued to practice their faith during Japan’s 200-year ban on Christianity. The Hidden Christian sites in Nagasaki and the Amakusa region have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Goto Islands showcase a blend of cultures from their geographic status as border islands, which gives the region considerable cultural value.

The Goto Islands are also known for their rich food culture, which includes everything from fresh seafood and premium brand beef to its regional specialty of Goto udon noodles.

While many remote islands are currently faced with declining populations, Goto City have achieved a social increase in population* over two consecutive years from 2019 to 2020 thanks to a variety of initiatives undertaken by local officials. Goto Islands is receiving more and more attention from renewed interest in the islands’ natural landscape and cultural value. Moving forward, expansion and development of Goto’s tourist resources is expected to effect further economic revitalization.
*An increase in population due to the offset of emigration by immigration

Sojitz made the decision to enter the luxury hotel business after holding repeated discussions with locals on Nagasaki Prefecture and Goto City’s to determine the best way to reinvigorate the islands and to attract a younger population to the area. Through this business, Sojitz aims to widely communicate the allure of the Goto Islands while simultaneously developing a variety of content to contribute to overall regional revitalization.

Sojitz has been involved in a number of projects in Kyushu to date, including its tuna aquaculture business in Takashima in Matsuura City, Nagasaki Prefecture, as well as its participation in the management of Kumamoto airport, which has been positioned as a symbol of Kumamoto’s recovery following the earthquake.

Additionally, FY2021 is the first fiscal year of Sojitz’s new medium-term management plan, which has set one of its key tenets under its growth strategy as the pursuit of value creation through the revitalization of domestic industries and regions, and Sojitz will strive to promote further regional revitalization through this new business.

[Related Information]

Company Overview – Sojitz Goto Kaihatsu Co., Ltd.

Established	March 2021
Location	1-1, Uchisaiwaicho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative Director	Naochika Ikeda
Main Business	Tourism and regional development centered on hotel operations

　

Hotel Overview – okcs Retreat Goto ray

Hotel Name	The hotel’s name reflects its key concept as an “island of prayer and lodge of light.” The name also includes “retreat” which is the first brand of the hotel brand “okcs” the naming convention used by Onkochishin Inc.
Schedule until Opening	March 2021: Establishment of Sojitz Goto Kaihatsu Co., Ltd.; Start of construction;
	Start of financing (The Juhachi-Shinwa Bank Ltd.)
	Summer 2022: Completion of construction and opening
Location	2877 Kamisakiyama-cho, Goto , Nagasaki (Abunze district)
Site Area	14,958m2
Total Floor Area	2,846.92 m2
Number of Floors	3 floors
Number of Rooms	26 rooms (All oceanfront rooms with private outdoor baths)
Access	10-minute drive from Goto Tsubaki Airport 15-minute drive from Fukue Port
Ancillary Facilities	Restaurant, Spa

[Location]

Company Overview – Onkochishin Inc.

Established	February 2011
Location	5-15-14 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo INBOUND LEAGUE 502
Representative Director	Tomoki Matsuyama
Main Business	Hotel operation & production