We would like to offer our deepest apologies to all those involved for the concern and inconvenience caused by the report in Shukan Bunshun regarding our company's representative director.
At the extraordinary board of directors meeting held today, the Company resolved to establish a third-party committee.
This third-party committee will comply with the "Guidelines for Third-Party Committees in Corporate Scandals" (hereinafter referred to as "the Guidelines") formulated by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.
We will fully cooperate with the investigation by the third-party committee.
Part 1: Background and purpose of establishing the third-party committee
On July 11, 2025, the online edition of Weekly Bunshun published an article regarding suspected power harassment and other compliance violations by our company's representative director, Masashi Izawa (hereinafter referred to as "Izawa") (hereinafter referred to as the "Report").
In response to this report, we decided to establish a third-party committee composed of independent external experts with no vested interest in our company, for the purposes of clarifying the facts regarding the report, investigating and analyzing the causes if the report is true, and proposing measures to prevent recurrence. This led to the establishment of our Third-Party Committee.
2. Composition of the Third Party Committee
Chairman: Attorney-at-Law Hiromichi Kokaji (Daiichi Fuyo Law Office)
Committee member: Attorney-at-Law Yoshitaka Uno (Daiichi Fuyo Law Office)
Committee member: Attorney-at-Law Tomoaki Ikeda (Daiichi Fuyo Law Office)
Committee member: Attorney-at-Law Natsuko Kashiwado (Daiichi Fuyo Law Office)
Committee member: Attorney-at-Law Yasushi Kanazawa (Daiichi Fuyo Law Office)
The above committee members were selected in accordance with the "Guidelines for Third-Party Committees in Corporate Scandals" formulated by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, and are lawyers with no conflict of interest with our company.
Part 3: Survey items
① Whether or not Izawa engaged in power harassment as reported in the news report
② Whether the facts regarding the employees' taking annual paid leave were true or false
③ Whether the reports in this case contain facts regarding the handling of employees infected with COVID-19, etc.
④ Whether there are any cases similar to ① (applies to cases after March 1, 2022, when our company absorbed the former Izawa Towel Co., Ltd. and Intercraft Trading Co., Ltd. and changed its name to the current one)
⑤ Identification and analysis of the background and causes of the problems that have been discovered (including governance issues at our company).
⑥ Proposal of measures to prevent recurrence of identified problems
⑦ Other matters that the Committee deems necessary
Section 4. Estimated investigation period
After conducting the necessary investigation, we expect the investigation report to be submitted by the end of August 2025. As soon as the investigation report is submitted by the third-party committee, we will promptly publish it in accordance with these guidelines and take necessary measures.
5. Impact on business performance
We are currently investigating the impact of this incident on our business performance. If any events that require public announcement arise, we will make such announcement promptly.
End