Sustainability

Society < Contributing to Society >

The DAIICHIKOSHO Group contributes to society in various ways through its core karaoke business and its nationwide chain of BIG ECHO karaoke rooms and other locations.

・ Support for disaster recovery

-Supporting people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake

<Mobile karaoke boxes and music-oriented health and fitness sessions (Sing for Smile Program)>
To support people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, DAIICHIKOSHO worked with the Friends of the United Nations Sing for Smile Program run by Friends of the United Nations Asia-Pacific. As part of health visits to temporary accommodation by medical groups, we set up mobile karaoke rooms and held music-oriented health and fitness sessions using the DK ELDER SYSTEM. (January 21, 2012 – March 31, 2017)

Activities

-Supporting the recovery effort after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes

<Health and fitness activities in common areas at temporary>
In a joint initiative with Kumamoto Prefecture and NTT West, we introduced ICT-based music and health services for people in temporary accommodation. The services, which were provided in common areas called "Minna no Ie," supported resident health and fitness and helped to create a stronger sense of community. To provide some cheer to people affected by the disaster, we used our DK ELDER SYSTEM to run music-oriented health and fitness sessions for elderly residents. (September 2016 – October 2017)

・ Donations and Disaster Aid

Donations and Disaster Aid

Year

Amount

Donations to support the recovery effort after the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines

1991

¥100 million

Donations to support the recovery effort after major downstream flooding on the Yangtze River, China

1991

¥200 million

Donations to support the recovery effort after the Mount Unzen eruption, Japan

1991

¥14 million

Disaster aid supplies for the Great Hanshin Earthquake

1995

Donations to Miyazaki Prefecture to support people affected by an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease

2010

¥30 million

Donations to support the recovery effort after the Great East Japan Earthquake

2011

¥13 million

Kumamoto Hometown Support Donation program after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes

2016

¥100 million

Support activities for the fire-damaged Shuri Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

2019

¥15 million

・ Providing support through BIG ECHO karaoke boxes and restaurants

-Supporting people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake

All the Group’s BIG ECHO karaoke rooms and restaurants collected donations and used a special Tohoku and Kanto Support Menu (April 2011 – August 31, 2011) to raise funds for people affected by the disaster. Roughly ¥19 million was raised and donated to the disaster-affected region via the Japanese Red Cross Society. Special BIG ECHO invitations were also distributed to people forced to live in temporary accommodation, giving them an opportunity to enjoy themselves and regain some motivation through karaoke.

-Supporting the recovery effort after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes

Support via BIG ECHO
The BIG ECHO Kumamoto Shimotori karaoke room donated 5% of sales from special rooms designed around the Kumamon local mascot to the Kumamoto Prefecture earthquake fund, and 5% of sales from Kumamoto Castle and Kumamon-themed rooms to Kumamoto City’s Kumamoto Castle restoration campaign. (March 1, 2018 – February 28, 2019)

Money donated to Kumamoto Prefecture earthquake fund: ¥325,019
Money donated to Kumamoto Castle restoration campaign: ¥293,283

・ Charity fund raising

Karaoke room BIG ECHO and CLUB DAM operated by our company group has implemented an activity to donate a portion of sales to the Japanese Red Cross Society as operational funds to support activities such as medical activities to take counter measures against the novel corona virus.(July 1, 2020 - October 31, 2021)
Receiving recognition for the achievements, Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon was awarded, helding the Conferment Ceremony at the Store Operations Headquarters where we received a certificate of commendation from the Tokyo Branch of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

BIG ECHO karaoke rooms and CLUB DAM karaoke franchises have collection boxes next to cash registers to collect donations for people affected by earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters. Money donated by our customers is given to the Japanese Red Cross Society to pass onto areas affected by disasters.

Disaster

Collection period

Amount raised

Great East Japan Earthquake

March 25 – May 8, 2011

¥5,212,569

Nepal earthquake

May 11 – July 15, 2015

¥1,434,561

Disasters in Japan caused by heavy rain, including Tropical Storm Etau (2015)

September 14 – November 15, 2015

¥1,245,472

Northern Kyushu flooding, July 2017

July 12 – August 15, 2017

¥1,423,316

2016 Kumamoto earthquakes

April 18 – May 31, 2016

¥5,907,363

Heavy rain and flooding, July 2018

July 10 – August 19, 2018

¥3,928,907

Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake, 2018

September 11 – October 14, 2018

¥1,617,609

Donations to support the recovery effort after flooding caused by heavy rain in August 2019

September 10, 2019 – October 20, 2019

¥1,365,542

Donations to help Chiba Prefecture recover from damage caused by Typhoon Faxai in 2019

September 20, 2019 – October 20, 2019

¥864,926

Donations to support the recovery effort after Typhoon Hagibis in 2019

October 21, 2019 – November 20, 2019

¥1,592,719

Heavy rain and flooding, July 2020

July 10 – August 10, 2020

¥1,377,224

Donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support healthcare activities including measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Summer)

July 1 - September 30, 2020

¥3,341,250

Donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support healthcare activities including measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Autumn)

October 1 - November 30, 2020

¥2,724,900

Donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support healthcare activities including measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring)

April 1 - June 30, 2021

¥1,774,230

Donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support healthcare activities including measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Summer)

July 21 - October 31, 2021

¥2,176,890

Türkiye-Syria Earthquake

February 22-March 31,2023

¥2,180,035

2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake

January 5-February 29,2024

¥9,082,082

・ Support immediately after disasters

-Stations for people unable to return home

During major disasters, many people are expected to have difficulty returning home due to the suspension of public transport services such as trains and buses. Working with local governments in Tokyo and other areas, BIG ECHO has registered its karaoke rooms as official support stations for people unable to return home during disasters. In the event of a disaster, all BIG ECHO locations will provide water, toilet facilities, rest areas, power points, WiFi access and information about available routes home to the public. In line with that policy, we have signed agreements with two local government umbrella organizations to provide registered stations for people unable to return home during disasters – the Shutoken Leaders Group – Disaster Prevention and Crisis Response Committee (comprising three prefectures , the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, and five cities ), and the Union of Kansai Governments (comprising eight prefectures and four cities ).

503 locations as of March 31, 2022

・ Supporting the healthy development of children

-HOUKAGO NPO AFTER-SCHOOL

<Donations>
We created new food menus based on suggestions from university students nationwide and BIG ECHO staff, with a portion of sales (¥30 from each menu item) donated to HOUKAGO NPO AFTER-SCHOOL, an NPO that promotes safe and healthy environments for all children after school.

(First round)
Collection period: September 12 – November 30, 2018
Amount donated: ¥1,221,720

(Second round)
Collection period: May 1 – June 30, 2019
Amount donated: ¥2,261,250

(Third round)
Collection period: September 14 – November 30, 2022
Amount donated: ¥611,400

<Hands-on Music Programs>
In early April 2019, we gave children the chance to take part in fun after school dance and song programs with Mii, an artist signed to the Group’s Nippon Crown record label. Around 40 children took part in the fun music events, which were held at two karaoke box locations.
The Group runs a range of music programs to support the healthy development of children.

・ Reforms to work practices

-Initiatives to promote teleworking

With the aim of assisting with the workstyle reforms that the Japanese government has been promoting, starting from April 2017 the Big Echo karaoke chain launched the Telework Plan, initially at 27 karaoke locations in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, to enable karaoke rooms to be used as work-spaces for teleworking. These rooms were found to be very convenient locations for conducting business, and in response to requests from customers that the service could be expanded to include areas outside Tokyo as well, in April 2019 the number of locations providing this service was increased to 49, and in October 2019 it was made available at all Big Echo karaoke locations.
What makes "teleworking at Big Echo" so attractive is the fact that most Big Echo karaoke stores are located near a railway or metro station, and the fact that all of the spaces provided are individual rooms, which makes it easier to concentrate.
Free services provided as part of this project include unlimited soft drinks, WiFi internet access, the power outlets needed to use the room as a workspace, lending out smartphone chargers and HDMI cables (at some locations). The spaces are also used by students for online learning and self-study. Big Echo also provides a free app that facilitates convenient invoicing for corporate clients.

・ Supporting the healthy development of the karaoke industry

-Working with the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association (JKA)

We are working on a range of projects with the JKA, which was established to raise the presence of karaoke companies and develop the industry in a systemized way.

-Working with the Japan Karaoke Box Association (JKBA)

We participate in activities organized by the JKBA, which was established to lead the development of safe and comfortable karaoke rooms and support the healthy development of Japan’s young people.

・ Creating healthy, safe and comfortable karaoke rooms

-Supporting the healthy development of Japan’s young people

All customers entering BIG ECHO karaoke rooms are asked to verify their age to ensure compliance with local government regulations on child protection and development and to prevent underage drinking and smoking.

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