East Japan Railway Company Regarding the determination of the Grand Prize and Excellence Award for the 2nd “JR East Regional Co-Creation Award”

[East Japan Railway Company] Determination of the Grand Prize and Excellence Award for the 2nd “JR East Regional Co-Creation Award” ​ East Japan Railway Company Press release: April 24, 2025 Regarding the determination of the Grand Prize and Excellence Award for the 2nd “JR East Regional Co-Creation Award” ○ At JR East, we are promoting sustainable regional development together with local residents while making maximum use of group resources in order to achieve the goal of “promoting regional revitalization that only the JR East Group can do,” as set forth in the group management vision “Transformation 2027.” ○ The JR East Regional Co-Creation Award was established last year with the aim of promoting regional co-creation in the East Japan area by commending local individuals and organizations who are promoting regional development together with the JR East Group and widely disseminating their efforts. We would like to inform you that as a result of the selection, the 2nd Grand Prize and Excellence Award have been decided. 1. About JR East Regional Co-Creation Award (1) Purpose Once a year, we will award outstanding efforts by individuals and organizations that promote sustainable regional development with the JR East Group, and by disseminating those efforts, we will promote regional co-creation in the East Japan area. (2) Award target/content The Grand Prize and Excellence Award will be presented to local individuals and organizations who have collaborated with the JR East Group to create sustainable communities. (3) Selection committee Yoshinori Ochi (Toyo University, Faculty of International Tourism, Department of International Tourism, Visiting Professor) Hitoshi Saiaki (President, Japan Tourism Promotion Association) Daisuke Sato (Executive Director, Katana Co., Ltd.) Manabu Yoshida (Representative of HAMADOORI13 General Incorporated Association) Hiroshi Wada (co-representative of Zuktochie Co., Ltd.) *Alphabetical order Harumi Nakagawa (Managing Director, Marketing Headquarters, East Japan Railway Company) Hiroyuki Takeshima (Executive Officer, Deputy General Manager of Marketing Division, East Japan Railway Company) (4) About the regional co-creation homepage The Grand Prize winner of this award will be widely introduced through JR East’s promotional media, and details of the Grand Prize and Excellence Award initiatives, as well as the details of the award ceremony day, etc., will be published on the following website. https://www.jreast.co.jp/co-creation/index.html 2. 2nd JR East Regional Co-Creation Award Winners
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17557/1121/17557-1121-76336792b6175a2a479d00db7843562d-1920×1080.jpg Best Award Annaka City Tourism Organization General Incorporated Association “Usui Pass Abandoned Line Walk” Initiatives to Add High Value by Utilizing Railway Cultural Heritage” The Shinetsu Main Line (between Yokogawa and Karuizawa), which was discontinued in 1997, was designated as a national important cultural property as part of the Usui Pass railway heritage group, but was not used as a restricted section. Therefore, the Annaka City Tourism Organization collaborated with Annaka City to create a guided walking tour in 2018 and established it as tourism content. Furthermore, in 2024, we will implement a night walk tour to utilize nighttime hours, achieving high added value. Utilizing JR East’s assets, such as exhibiting in the JRE MALL hometown tax donation program, the JR East Group is working with the local community to create a sustainable community.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17557/1121/17557-1121-321fd70201b6a7050f311da0e9f47dbe-3900×2600.jpg Excellence Award VERTERE LLC, Okutama Town (Tokyo) “Regional Revitalization with Craft Beer” In Okutama Town, where the population is declining, JR East Urban Development has developed a vast town-owned land that had been facing maintenance issues as a new factory for VERTERE, a craft beer brewery with roots in the town. We held multiple regional revitalization events based on the new factory, with a total of 3,500 people attending. Through this, we aim to revitalize the region in many ways, including promoting migration and settlement by creating jobs and revitalizing local industry.In addition, by encouraging excursions combined with activities such as hiking, we aim to increase demand for tourism.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17557/1121/17557-1121-4fd22a7e9ed92097bdae71b25298a8a4-3456×2304.jpg Excellence Award General Incorporated Association HAKUTAI “Upcycling project using cherry pruning branches from Yamagata Prefecture” In Yamagata Prefecture, we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the start of cherry growing in 2025, while facing the challenges of a shrinking market and a lack of workers in key industries due to the declining birthrate and aging population. We are creating products by upcycling pruned branches that would otherwise be thrown away, with the aim of adding high value to key industries. JR East is
collaborating in various ways to commercialize the project, including holding workshops for children, creating and distributing
commemorative tickets made from upcycled materials, and participating in pruning work.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/17557/1121/17557-1121-fdd8b3e86d7af96775d19aba79f0221d-2123×1478.jpg Excellence Award Nagawa Town (Nagano Prefecture) “Switching from community buses to full on-demand omnibuses” Nagawa Town, a vast mountainous region dotted with villages, faced the challenge of maintaining highly convenient public transportation with limited transportation resources. Therefore, starting in 2024, we will leverage the 20-year relationship between the town and JR Bus Kanto to implement a full on-demand service, which is rare even in Nagano Prefecture. From April 1, 2024, we will begin operation using the AI ​​on-demand system, increasing the number of users and reducing monthly mileage.